Thanksgiving Lesson Plans and Activities - Turkey in Disguise

Turkey in Disguise

Make a turkey template. Draw a turkey outline on cardboard, about 12 inches tall. It should face forward, not in profile. Don't draw the tail feathers--you basically want a plucked turkey. I found a cartoon turkey on the Web that was easy to draw freehand.

Cut out the cardboard turkey and use as a template to cut out tagboard turkeys for each student. Tell the students that Thanksgiving is coming and their job is to disguise their turkey so it doesn't end up on the Thanksgiving table.

Provide construction paper, felt, fabric, yarn, etc. to glue onto their tagboard turkey. I have them glue one tiny feather peaking out from the disguise. Mount the turkeys on the bulletin board near a barn cutout that says "Turkey Hill Farm." Add the title "Turkeys in Disguise."

Kids love the absurdity of this activity. They've disguised their turkeys as American flags, hippies, ballerinas, the Statue of Liberty, French chefs, Santa Claus--it's just a great creative activity!
Submitted by: Eileen Thorpe