A Thanksgiving Story

A first-grade teacher asked her class to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She tried to think of some things that these children from poor neighborhoods could actually be thankful for, but she knew that most of them would draw pictures of turkeys or tables with food. The teacher was taken aback by the picture Douglas handed in -- a simple childishly-drawn hand.


But whose hand? The class wanted to talk about Douglas’s drawing.
“I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food,” said one child.
“I think it’s a farmer’s hand,” said another, “because he raises the turkeys.”
Finally when the others were busy at work, the teacher bent over Douglas’s desk and asked whose hand it was. “It’s your hand, Teacher,” he mumbled.
She recalled that frequently at recess she had taken Douglas by the hand. She often did that with the children, but it really meant a lot to Douglas.
Perhaps this is what Thanksgiving means, not to be thankful for material things but to be thankful for the chance, in whatever small way, to give to others.

I. VOCABULARY (words and idioms)
1. thankful (adj.) be thankful for
a. careful
b. grateful
c. doubtful

2. be taken aback by ( aback = adv.) The teacher was taken aback by the picture.
a. be shocked or surprised
b. be taken away
c. be happy

3. childish (adj) He acted in a childish way. She has a childish voice.
It was a childishly-drawn picture. (adv.)
a. like an adult
b. foolish
c. lacking in maturity; characteristic of a child

4. at work (adverbial phrase) Everybody in the class was hard at work.
a. doing the school assignment
b. in the office
c. doing homework

5. bent over (past tense of bend verb) The teacher bent over Douglas’s desk.
a. stood up straight
b. looked at
c.. curved or crooked posture

6. mumbled (verb) When he talked, he mumbled.
a. spoke in a loud voice
b. talked in a low and indistinct voice
c. yelled

7. frequently (adverb) Frequently at recess, she had taken Douglas by the hand.
a. not often
b. very often
c. always

8. at recess (adverbial phrase) Frequently at recess, she had taken Douglas by the hand.
a. not often
b. very often
c. always

9. by the hand (adverb) Frequently at recess, she had taken Douglas by the hand.
a. played with him on the playground
b. took him home
c. held his hand

10. material things (adverb) I am not thankful for material things; I am thankful for things you can’t touch.
a. mountains
b. physical objects that can be bought with money
c. thoughts



Look at the two-word verbs (phrasals) used in the story.
1. be thankful for Be thankful for the chance to give to others.
YOUR TURN (Talk about yourself.)
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2. think of She tried to think of things (that) the children could draw.
YOUR TURN
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3. handed in Douglas handed in a simple drawing.
YOUR TURN
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4. be taken aback by (something) I was taken aback by his nasty remark.
[something that is startling enough to make us jump back in surprise]
YOUR TURN
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II. GRAMMAR
1. WHOSE
possessive adjective requesting a person for an answer
(DO NOT CONFUSE THIS with Who is? Who's))
As a question . . . WHOSE noun ?
Whose hand? God’s hand.
Whose book is this? It’s my (her, his, your, our, their) book.
(It’s) Sally’s book.
I know whose book this is. Whose is it?
I went to a house whose owners were from China.
YOUR TURN
a. Please ask a question using WHOSE.
______________________________________________________
b. Please use WHOSE answer your question.
______________________________________________________

Possessives: possessive nouns
singular The student’s books are at her house.
plural Three students’ books are on my desk.
also These men’s jackets are on sale for $100.

Possessive proper nouns (capital letter)
Douglas’s hand was funny-looking. (Charles’s car, Mr. Jones’s car)
Safeway’s managers are very helpful.
Walgreen’s [store] is open from 8-11p.m.
YOUR TURN
a. Please write one sentence using a singular possessive noun.
_____________________________________________________________
b. Please write one sentence using a plural possessive noun.
_____________________________________________________________
c. Please write one sentence using a proper possessive noun.
_____________________________________________________________
to raise (transitive verb S V O You need an object with this ver.
raise /s raised raised

Examples with objects.
a. I raised my hand.
b. She was too weak to raise her head.
c. The janitor raises the flag every morning.
d. I have raised three children.
e. My boss raised my pay.
f. The chicken farmer raises chickens.
YOUR TURN Please write a sentence using RAISE.

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III. CONVERSATION
What are you thankful for? Talk with your partner and share your thoughts. Then write the answer to this question.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THINK ABOUT THIS:
Let us stand up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little; and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick; and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.