Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Paper Plate Pumpking Craft For a Pilgrim Thanksgiving.

Do you know, there were no pumpkin pies at the first American Thanksgiving? You do, if you read this blog regularly, because I've mentioned it before. But, it is news to the kids in Miss Frizzle's class. In fact, they have a hard time believing it.

So, in typical Magic School Bus fashion, they take a field trip, back in time, to find out. As, usual Joanna Cole does not disappoint. I love that she focuses in on the lack of pie - a deprivation younger children can relate too.

Naturally, such a story calls for a tried, and true Thanksgiving craft.


So, I gave the girls paper plates, to paint brown around the edges, for the crust...


...and orange in the middle, for the pie. Which, just by way of a tip, would really have been better to have done first, so they wouldn't have been reaching across the wet, brown paint.


While the paint was still wet, they added, and painted in, a few sprinkles of cinnamon, so their pies would small good.



Then, they were ready to add the whipped cream. I think it's customary to use cotton balls as the whipped cream for this craft. But, of course, we used up all our cotton balls on our sticky spider web game, and keep forgetting to get more.

Isn't that always the way with pumpkin pie, though? You check the ingredients, bake the pie, and only as you're ready to serve, remember you have forgotten to buy whipped cream. The resourceful hostess, can usually come up with some sort of substitute, like Whipped Carnation Evaporated Milk Topping. The girls settled for scrunched up pieces of plastic grocery bags.

Which, got us thinking. As resourceful as the Pilgrims were, even if they didn't have pumpkin pie, they probably came up with something, equally delicious.

For more fun with history, or geography, check out this week's Geography and History link-up, at Children Grow, Children Explore, Children Learn.

Or, for more story stretching, arts and crafts, click over to the stART (story + ART) link-up, hosted at A Mommy's Adventures.

It's great to be a homeschooler.

12 comments:

Debbie said...

What a great idea. Love your whip cream substitution. I am with you I have to guess that the pilgrims had something yummy to substitute for pumpkin pie.

Unknown said...

Your family is so creative! Love your craft,the grocery bag really looks good on the pie. Thank you for sharing.

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

We always skip a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving since nobody in our family cares for it. I'd rather have it as a craft, and it looks delicious. Great trip to the past with MSB too!

Joyful Learner said...

How is it possible that you can even make a paper plate look yummy? :)

Oh, they didn't have turkeys back then either, right? What DID they have?

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Joyful Learner - They might have had turkeys - they ate them at other times. But, they definitely had venison, and seafood, like clams, and eels - yuck!

Phyllis said...

Eel is good! I have had it fried and it is tasty. Anyway, I love your pumpkin pie, especially all the senses coming into play. I can just smell that pumpkin pie spice now. Nope, I think this craft would make me too hungry. :)

Ticia said...

I'd totally forgotten there was no pie.

Mmmm...... pie

Christy Killoran said...

That is a great pie craft. I love your substitution!

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

A great idea!! Now I'm hungry for pie! :-)

LitLass said...

I love those pies! Unfortunately, our library doesn't have that Magic School Bus book.

Anonymous said...

I love your fat free version of a pie.

RedTedArt said...

Looks like you had fun! And the pie looks YUMMY!

Maggy
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