Each Thanksgiving I do a special activity in the library with the 1st grade as well as our self-contained EC class, where we create a “Thankful Tree.” Basically, we trace our hands, then write on our hands something we’re thankful for, then I tape them to a leafless tree I drag into the library. It is a fun little one-day project that is pretty successful, plus it gives us some holiday decor to liven up the library. I’m not sure where I came up with this activity, but it could be here, on the Family Fun website.

Anyway, before we make our Thankful Tree, we read a book. Last year I read a couple of non-fiction books about Thanksgiving, largely because the teachers had all our fiction out. But this year I didn’t want to do that, but I also wasn’t able to buy any more Thanksgiving books for this year since I have a terrible budget.

So, here’s what I’m going to do. We are going to listen to “Thanks a Lot,” which is a song on the CD Baby Beluga, by Raffi. It’s kind of a slow, nice song, and very simple:

Thanks a lot.

Thanks for the sun in the sky.

Thanks a lot.

Thanks for the clouds so high.

I typed the lyrics into a slideshow program and added pictures, and then I inserted the song into the background. Ta da! Instant music video! And because I’m only using it one time at school I am not violating copyright (and the CD I took the song from belongs to my school, so I didn’t even illegally download it).

Yes, I’m proud of myself. I think the kids will really like it, and we are all learning a new song. I, of course, will be singing it for the next two weeks after doing it with 7 classes, but whatever. It’ll be worth it.