“I am thankful for my family, my home and my friends… have a Happy Thanksgiving,” students in Mrs. Dode Klein’s first-grade classroom said to their fellow classmates. All of the first-graders came together dressed as pilgrims and American Indians to give thanks. The students have been learning about Thanksgiving and the tradition of the holiday. Dressed in a white collar and black bow, Taylor Lesnau said, “They (the pilgrims) sailed to America. The Indians taught them how to make food.” Her classmate Nicole Vossen was dressed in an Indian vest made out of a paper grocery bag. She explained how her attire was created. “We had a sheet of Indian drawings and put it on the bag. It was fun to draw stuff on it.” Preston Wills proudly wore his pilgrim hat, “We drawed this big circle and poked a hole in it and so it could get out (so their heads would show through the hat).” Wills was eager to share his knowledge on the subject of Thanksgiving, as he read a book about the event. “They eat corn and different kinds of food,” Wills said about the Indians. Classmate Joshua Zabinski added that the first Thanksgiving celebration was in a forest. To add to the significance of the day, the first-grade class strung beads for necklaces and baked homemade applesauce. Will Spaulding explained the process. “We peeled the apples, cooked them and crushed them with a spoon. Then it’s done!” First-grader Jacob Leither said he “carved the apples by taking the peels off with a potato peeler.” After classes and the hard work put into preparation, students celebrated with a feast. Students sat at two tables lined with plates filled with applesauce, popcorn, whipped cream and pumpkin muffins. “This apple sauce hits the spot,” Leither said. He was clearly pleased with his work as he enjoyed three cups of applesauce. Mickey Skaggs commented that she knew how to make popcorn and was excited to “come and eat.” While the students thoroughly enjoyed their feast, they remembered they were celebrating the tradition of Thanksgiving. Spaulding said Thanksgiving is celebrated because “you are thankful for stuff.” He listed off things that he was thankful for. “My friends because they are nice. My family because they love me and food because I like it.” Skaggs added, “I am thankful for my sister ’cause she is nice to me.”
