Giving Thanks as a Family!

This is the time of year that the warm weather is waning, you begin to notice the smell of burning leaves and ripening apples. The clear cool breeze is on your face first thing in the morning, and the children have new energy and interest in the season. Autumn is here and isn't it beautiful? A time for harvesting, canning, preserving and getting stocked up for winter -- and the perfect time for reflecting on the many things for which we should be thankful.

I number among these: God, our family, our home, our love and our great country. We have indeed been blessed in this country, as were our forefathers and the early celebrants of that first Thanksgiving in America -- both the Pilgrims and the Indians that shared the meal and celebration together. At our house, we use this time of gratitude and counting our blessings to study that first Thanksgiving as an integral part of our homeschool studies.

As with any unit study topic, I try to pick out all of the important subtopics, crossing the curriculum spectrum many times. For example, when studying Thanksgiving, there is plenty of historical information to examine, along with geography (ocean crossings, continents, climates), science (plant varieties, growth, propagation, some of the sicknesses of the time, animal life in the region), art (N.C. Wyeth's paintings, clothing of the time, crafts), and reading (both fiction and nonfiction books).

When I first began preparing a unit study on Thanksgiving, I had the incorrect notion that my understanding of that period of American history was fairly complete. I was certainly proven wrong as we progressed through our study! I had not realized the extent of the sacrifice made by the Pilgrims over that 13 year period, traveling to Holland for years, and then finally returning to England to take part in the colonization of America. I never really knew or understood the origin of the "King James" version of the Bible and how it was connected to the Separatists.

Each year, we focus on different aspects of the event. One year, we took a look at what was involved in their survival in a new land. When we started making our list of what we would do if we were the Pilgrims, one son chimed in "find a Walmart!" The reality of being in the middle of nowhere to maintain your religious beliefs, giving up what was so familiar and comfortable to go to an unknown destiny was pretty amazing to them. This was exactly the concept that I wanted them to understand -- that sacrifices are often made for what you believe in, and to trust in the Lord to lead and protect you.

As we work our way through this study, we have many activities and studies that we enjoy. For example, a popular question has been over the difference in Indian corn and table corn, as we know it. This opens the door to an opportunity to help them learn more about the differences in plant varieties and about the gardening practices of both the Pilgrims and the Indians.

Not only are we looking at some of their survival gardening, we are also trying to get a better understanding of what types of shelter they built, what kinds of sickness they had to deal with and why we don't have those illnesses today. There are many aspects of their daily living that we can't easily relate to from our own experience, and it is important for the children to "see" what life was like then, the tools they used, the things they did without, the responsibilities of each family member, and the importance of their faith and trust in God to provide for their needs.

One of the books that opened my eyes to a broader view of the politics and history of the Pilgrims' journeys was Saga of the Pilgrims: From Europe to the New World, by John Harris (published by Globe Pequot Press). This book, written for the seventh grade and up, is very interesting reading and certainly presented a new perspective on these religious outcasts. I recommend that both parents and the older children read this one -- it is a very informative and interesting book to share and discuss. For the younger children, a comparable book might be If You Sailed on the Mayflower in 1620, by Ann McGovern.

As we study the Pilgrims and the people involved in this "new beginning", the characters of the people and some of the flavor of their hopes and dreams, ideas, work ethic, and humor come to light, and are appreciated by those involved in the study. When reading about their first winter, you can't help but feel the loss of so many loved ones on a personal level.

The resourcefulness and foresight of these religious outcasts helped lay some secure and strong foundations for our country. When they took the time and painstaking effort to write and bring to acceptance the Mayflower Compact, they unknowingly developed the long-lasting concept of freedoms and rights that we Americans enjoy and expect.

People tend to develop a much deeper appreciation of these freedoms when they get some hands-on exposure to the price that has been paid to obtain and protect those freedoms, and it is my goal that this study will help the children develop a solid understanding and appreciation of these principles and ideals.

Enjoy this season of giving thanks and bringing the harvest home. There is so much to be thankful for, and as homeschoolers, we have even more to be thankful for -- the chance to really know our children and walk the walk with them, sharing and caring and motivating and learning beside them. Enjoy the adventure, and may you and your family be abundantly blessed!