Big Thankful Turkey


Minnesota K-3 Visual Art Standards Used in This Lesson:

  • 1. Identify the elements of visual art including Color, line, shape, Form, Value, texture and space.

  • 2. Identify the tools, materials and techniques from a variety of two- and three-dimensional media such as drawing, printmaking, ceramics or sculpture.

  • 3. Identify the characteristics of visual artworks from a variety of cultures including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

  • 4. Create original two- and three- dimensional artworks to express ideas, experiences or stories.

  • 5. Share and describe a personal artwork and reflect on a presentation based on the feedback of others.


    • Additional Tie-ins

  • Native American contributions to our country
  • American history
  • Realizing how much Americans have to be Thankful for
  • Turkey anatomy

    • All students in our school will contribute to this project.

    Students are given a small paper with a feather on it. They can write what they are thankful for on the feather and cut it out.

    Next, students are given a rectangle of wallpaper scrap or colored paper. They are shown how to draw a curved line from one corner to the opposite corner to make an oval/feather shape. They cut out the feather shape and glue their "thankful feather" on to it.

    All feathers are glued to the turkey body creating larger and larger layers of feathers. The finished project is posted in the hall as a reminder of all that we have to be thankful for.