Matthew Paterson Annual Thanksgiving Celebration Continues

The tradition continued for third-grade students at Matthew Paterson Elementary School this year with the annual Thanksgiving Celebration. For more than 45 years, third-grade students and teachers have been gathering for a fun-filled day of seasonal activities, academic lessons, crafts, food and more – and this year was no different. While the activities and faces have changed each year, the spirit of having fun and reflecting on all that we are grateful for has remained the same. 

It was a chilly but sunny day for our students to enjoy time outside with festive fall lawn games including a beanbag toss, tic-tac-toe with pumpkins, pumpkin rolling and a timed race where they worked to fill a paper bag turkey full of ping-pong balls. Thankfully, a small bonfire overseen by volunteer firefighters from Patterson Fire Department provided the perfect amount of warmth and festive ambiance. Around the fire, students learned historical facts and stories about Native Americans and the early settlers and even tried their hand at apple pressing.  

Classroom activities during the day included festive bingo, a reading of the book “How to Catch a Turkey” by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton, and a STEM activity where the student created turkey traps using miniature marshmallows and toothpicks. 

It was the perfect continuation of a beloved annual tradition for our third-grade community!