The Thanksgiving Tale of Tobias Turkey

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Tobias Turkey: A Thanksgiving Tale

Tobias Turkey is a determined little turkey who wants to win the prize for being the biggest turkey on Farmer Joe's Farm.

This Thanksgiving Tale by Sandra Robbins can lead into a unit study of domestic turkeys with poems, crafts, math activities and a book to download onto your iPhone,iPod or other Mp3 device.

Why wait for Thanksgiving? Anytime is the time to gobble up a great story...

Raising Turkeys 

Tobias Turkeys lived on a Farm




Which one of these turkeys could be Tobias?

Tobias Turkey 

Listen to Tobias Turkey from MobiStories

Tobias TurkeyDomestic Turkey

As we head into fall Tobias Turkey by Sandra Robbins is a book you and your child will love. With simple words and easy to read print, gobbles and wobbles this book is sure to be one of your child's favorites.
MobiStories:Tobias Turkey
Digital Children-Digital Books. Taking our modern lifestyles to heart, MobiStories was created to instill the love of reading in today's children.

Tobias Turkey is Determined 

Tobias Turkey keeps children amused

Busy MomTobias TurkeyChild with iPod

Tobias Turkey was illustrated by Sandra Robbins' 12 year old son, Michael. It tells the story of a very determined little turkey and his quest to win the Fattest Turkey Contest.

While all the other turkeys are out sliding, swimming and jumping over fences Tobias Turkey persists in the pursuit of his goal. He doesn't give in to peer pressure.

Just as Tobias is determined to attain his goal, we as parents must also find ways to get things done and that's where Mobistories can help. Tobias Turkey comes in a paperback edition with a cassette tape but it also comes in a new format which makes it possible to keep your child happily reading no matter where you are. Tobias Turkey is one of the MobiStories.

Now when you are in line at the bank or trying to talk with a doctor, your child can have a story read to him or her.

MobiStories can be downloaded onto your iPhone, iPod, or other digital Mp3 device so that your child can have a story read to him or her anytime and anywhere.

Tobias Turkey and Friends Popularity Pole 

Sandra Robbins creates very lovable characters in her tale of Tobias Turkey.

If you haven't read Tobias Turkey yet it's easy to do. Just download it onto your iPod, iPhone, computer or other Mp3 player and then come back here to vote for your favorite Tobias Turkey character.

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It's Thanksgiving 

by Jack Prelutsky

It's ThanksgivingTobias Turkey

The poems in this little book are not only hilarious and catch children's attention, they also are written in large, easy to read print, are easily memorized and are a great accompaniment to Tobias Turkey.

Jack Prelutsky makes up some of the funniest poems I have ever heard. When we were homeschooling in Boston, we went to one of his book signings where he recited one of his turkey poems and had everyone in tears. Some of the poems in It's Thanksgiving might offend Tobias Turkey but at least one has sympathy for the plight of the turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

It's Thanksgiving! (I Can Read Book 3)

Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Tobias Turkey (Robbins, Sandra. See-More Book.)

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Turkey Theme Bulletin Board 

This bulletin board shows a naturalistic scene of wild turkeys on the edge of the forest at the time of the Pilgrims.

Turkey Theme Bulletin Board

Words that your child is learning to read can be added by writing them on index cards and gluing felt or Velcro onto the back.

Tobias TurkeyPossible Vocabulary Words from Tobias Turkey include:
turkey
sun
water

Adding words such as:

trees
grass
leaves

will make it easier for children to write stories about Tobias and other turkeys.

As they listen to the story of Tobias Turkey again, are there more words that they would like included on the Turkey Word Wall?
"Chigau, sensei!": The Bulletin Board
Thanksgiving Bulletin Board at the Kanayama school in Japan.

Tobias Turkey learns about doubling consonants. 

Many of the words in Tobias Turkey have to double their consonants in order to add endings.


manners       fattest       gobble       wobble       hurry



Children love to use Dry Erase markers and clear sheets of acetate over pages in the book to circle the words with double consonants.

Highligher TapeTobias Turkey

Highligher Tape can also be a fun alternative.

Double Consonant Poster
Rule for Doubling Consonants
Some Rules and Suggestions about Spelling

Double the final consonant before adding an ending that begins with a vowel when the last syllable of the word is accented and that syllable ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant.
Spelling Rule Posters
Spelling Hints and Tips

Tobias Turkey Lives on a Farm 

Tobias Turkey is a Domesticated Turkey

Tobias Turkey

Tobias Turkey is a domestic turkey. He is raised on Joe's Farm with other poultry like chickens and ducks.

Wild TurkeyDomesticTurkey

Domesticated Turkeys are raised on farms. They differ in many ways from their wild cousins.

Fully grown wild male turkeys weigh 8-24 pounds while wild female turkeys weigh 7-16 pounds.

Fully grown domestic turkeys have been know to weigh as much as 86 pounds.

To make these numbers come alive for children, get out your cans of beans and stack up 16 cans for a very large wild turkey and 86 cans for a domestic turkey.

Wild Turkeys (Early Bird Nature Books)

Comparing the differences between wild and domestics turkeys, Dorothy Patent discusses their physical characteristics, behavior, life cycle, and environment.

Amazon Price: (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Wild Turkey, Tame Turkey

Relates the colorful history of the native North American turkey and compares that proud bird with its domesticated cousin.

Amazon Price: (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Tobias Turkey gets weighed! 




These number will not mean much to children until they experience them.

Take out some bathroom scales and try to find something that weighs each of the mentioned amounts. Beans can be poured out into tote bags until they weigh the same as the turkey.

Male domestic turkeys have been known to get as heavy as 86 pounds (40 kg.).

Do you know anyone who weighs 86 pounds? Go to the grocery store and check the weighs of the turkeys for sale there. How much do they weigh?

Learn How to Weigh the Turkey's Egg 

And on that farm he had a Turkey, 

Coloring Pages about Domestic Turkeys

Farm Animals

You can use pictures that the children have colored to make a bulletin board display of Farmer Joe's Farm with Tobias Turkey, Percival and all the other turkeys.
Farm with Turkey
All the animals on the farm. Outlines could be cut out.
Turkey Coloring Page
The feathers are wide enough to write words on them.
Turkey Outline
Turkey for writing stories or poems on.
Turkey
Turkey to color.

Turkeys on the Fence Bulletin Board 

Turkeys and Other Poultry 

Art by Diane Jacky

Take out the crayons and color some turkeys and other poultry. When you color with your child you might talk about the sounds that turkeys make: Gobble, gobble.

Notice that:
1. Gobble and Turkey start with different sounds. Can you think of other turkey words?
2. Both of those words have two syllables but that beak and peck only have one.

When you read Tobias Turkey again, see if you can find some of these words.

The Wonderful World of Poultry
The Official PoultryBookstore.com Blog: Poultry Coloring Book
Blog about the Art of Diane Jacky
The Wonderful World of Poultry
THOUSANDS of bird-illustrated products for sale in the Jacky CATALOG.

Tobias Turkey Arts and Math 

Turkey PatternTurkey MathTurkey Unit StudyTurkey Theme5 Turkeys

Tobias Turkey™ and his friends are making Thanksgiving decorations. Each turkey makes five. How many do four turkeys make? How many do five make? How many do six make?"

Skip Count by fives to find the answer.

Hundreds of Turkeys 



Tobias TurkeyFarmer Joe had hundreds of turkeys on his farm. They ran all over the place and it was difficult to count how many turkeys he had. One day Farmer Joe decided to use place value to help him count his turkeys.

He made lots of pens and put 10 turkeys in each pen. Each group of 10 pens were put in a separate field. Then he could count the turkeys by hundreds, tens and ones.

Materials: Green bathmats, Popsicle sticks, Unifix cubes.


Turkey Pens 

Make fences from the Popsicle sticks.

Use Unifix Cubes for Turkeys.
Make a pen for each group of ten turkeys.
Ten pens to a mat.

Count the mats by 100's, the left over pens by 10's and the rest by 1's to find out how many turkeys Farmer Joe has on his farm.

Turkeys on the Farm 

Turkey Fence
Farm Animals on our Homestead
We have had a wide selection of farm animals on our homestead including sheep, goats,
chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, dogs and cats. Visit our website for photos, stories, and information on raising them.

How many turkeys are on the Farm? 

Turkeys

Turkeys by Claude Monet
Buy at AllPosters.com



Farmer Joe™ counts his turkeys to keep track of them. He started with 10 as in the story below but later on he had hundreds.

Rubber StampsTurkey Shaped Book

You could also make your own book with a turkey stamp. The first page would have one turkey, the second would have two turkeys etc.
How Many Farm Animals Book for Early Readers - EnchantedLearning.com
How Many Farm Animals, A Book for Early Readers: Print out the pages of this Farm Animals color book . Cut out each page. Staple the pages together, then fill out and color the pages.
How Many Farm Animals Book for Early Readers - EnchantedLearning.com
How Many Farm Animals, A Book for Early Readers: Print out the pages of this Farm Animals color book . Cut out each page. Staple the pages together, then fill out and color the pages.
Make a Turkey Shaped Book
Easy to Follow directions, clear pictures.
Make a Turkey Shaped Book
Easy to Follow directions, clear pictures.

When would you like your child to be able to read MobiStories? 

Reading MobiStories

In the car.

It's hard to keep my child content on long drives.1 point

At the bank.

I could concentrate on the bank transaction.1 point

At the Doctor's Office.

I could remember the questions I wanted to ask the more...1 point

At the Grocery Store.

The last few minutes when trying to pay when my ch more...1 point

Rubber Turkey Stamps 

Turkey Stamps

These stamps look like Tobias Turkey™ and Percival™ They would be great for stamping the turkeys in the Counting Turkey Book above.

They could also be used to make addition problems with 3 fat turkeys plus 2 thin turkeys equals 5 turkeys all together.

Tobias Turkey Handprints 

Turkeys

Finger paints are a fun, tactile way to make pictures of Tobias Turkey™ and all the turkeys on the farm. Then your child can read Tobias again as you finish cleaning up the last few spills.

Do you need just one moment of Peace? 

Restless Child

Have you ever gone out to a restaurant with a restless child?

Listening to a StoryHave you ever stood in line at the bank when your child wants all of your attention?

Have you ever tried to keep your child amused for just those last few minutes in line at the grocery store when you are trying to pay and they have had it?

What do you do to calm a restless child?

Loading Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Beg, plead and look embarassed.

Have a MobiStory ready for them to read..

Jimmie says:

Beatings?
Just kidding -- can't do that in public at least!
An audio book is an excellent idea!

Angelina_Howard says:

Generally not a story: We practice a technique called Time-in. Time-in is where the parent sits with the child quietly. Sometimes a child just needs a moment to calm things down a bit. The technique involves close time with your child talking in a soft voice. I have had great success with my children ranging from ages: 4-10 years. I will say I have done this in public as well as at home.

lakeerieartists says:

Talk to them, make up stories, dance with them, sing silly songs.

groovyoldlady says:

Well, I don't carry something for them to read. Instead, we make up our own silly stories about whatever is around us...

 

Superlative Turkey Center 

Tobias Turkey was trying to win the contest for the biggest turkey. Superlatives are words that tell the least or the most.

Superlative Turkeys

Make a set of turkeys of ascending sizes.

Write the words:

smallest   smaller   small   big   bigger   biggest



on white circles. Children put the circles on the turkeys.

Variation: These could be self checking with numbers or pattens on the back of each turkey and circle.

They could be made of felt and have Velcro on the back to attach to a flannel board.
Early Learning Activities For Pre-K and Kindergarten
A site that provides educational resources for those working in the the early childhood field. Site offers file folder games - circle time activities - daily art projects and more.

Weigh in on Tobias Turkey's Weight! 

Turkey Family

Tobias Turkey is determined to become the fattest turkey in order to win the prize.

How Fat should Tobias Turkey Get?

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He should eat as much as possible to win the prize.

Jimmie says:

If he's fat WE win the prize! Turkey to eat! :-)

seedplanter says:

Win the prize so he can be "the" bird on the Thanksgiving platter? Tom over at "Turkey's Last Stand" is breaking out in hives at the very thought...

groovyoldlady says:

Oh C'mon now...He's a TURKEY! Let the boy EAT!

He should use his determination to exercise and keep his weight under control.

 

High Frequency Turkey Words 




Tobias Turkey is learning to read. He can practice the words he is learning by matching the words on the turkey cards with the words on the file folder.

High Frequency words are the most common words in the English language.

-ur Words as in Turkey 

Turkey Phonics

Once children have learned the short and long vowels, it's time for the r-controlled vowels. The letter r after a vowel changes it's sound.

Make cards with r-controlled vowels words on them and play games like Go Fish or Concentration to practice and reinforce these new words.
The -ur- sound wordlist.
Printable poster of -ur words.

-ur Story Starters 

turkey shaped notepad

1. Use turkey-shaped cards to write the -ur words on.
2. Shuffle the cards.
3. Take turns turning over the cards, reading the word and making up a sentence with it.

Could you turn your sentences into a story?

Turkey Solid Color Cut-Outs: 3", 31/pkg

Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009) Buy Now

Go on a -ur word hunt 

Word Hunt

How many -ur words can you find in the Tobias Turkey™ story.

Write down all the -ur words you can find.

You might like trying to write the words with a turkey feather.

Turkey Quills - 4PK/Black

Amazon Price: $1.79 (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Play a Turkey Game 

1. Wash an empty plastic milk jug and cut off the top section where the lid attaches. (An adult can do this with a craft knife.)
2. Paint the jug, adding wings and a red gobbler. Glue a pom pom to the top of the handle for the head and add giggle eyes and a construction paper or craft foam beak.
3. Cut tail feathers from construction paper or craft foam pieces and glue them to the back. To play a game, stand above the turkey and drop pencils or clothespins and see how many you can get inside the turkey jug.
4. Hold the pencil or clothespin in your hand and place your hand at the level of your nose while standing over the jug. Drop the item from "nose level". This makes the game fair for all ages.

Thanksgiving Activities come from The Troubadour which is a FREE Family Ezine.

Turkey Pattern Playdough Center 

Turkey Cookie Cutter Math

Set out playdough, rolling pins, and turkey cookie cutters.

Children cut out turkeys in different sizes and make a pattern.

Nesting Turkey Set of 3 Cookie Cutters

Amazon Price: (as of 12/04/2009) Buy Now

"Tobias Turkey™, like all MobiStories, encourages a love of reading and lifelong learning."

Tobias Turkey lived on Farmer Joe's Farm 

Paper Plate Turkey Craft and Farm Unit Study

Domestic Turkey on nest
K-Crew's Farm unit
The Farm Unit Sneak Peek at the Week: The K-Crew will publish lots of class books, learn about turkeys and other farm animals, crops, and why we need farms.

Down on Grandpa's Farm there Was a Turkey 

Tobias Turkey Sings in Spanish

From

Photo Credit: Turkey
From "The Rainbow Book," Illustrated by Mai Miturich,
written by Samuil Marshak, pub. in USSR, 1974.
on Flickr, Creative Commons.



The photo of the turkeys is from the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [reproduction number, LC-USF34-042445-D DLC]

All the Teach Me songs are sung in both Spanish and English. Just pop them in the car CD player and you're on the road to learning Spanish.

Teach Me More Spanish includes the song Down on Grandpa's Farm. After learning the song in both languages we added a verse about turkeys.

Down on Grandpa's Farm there was a big, fat, turkey.
Down on Grandpa's Farm there was a big, fat, turkey.
Down on Grandpa's Farm there was a big, fat, turkey.

The Turkey he makes a sound like this:
Gobble, gobble, gobble.
The Turkey he makes a sound like this:
Gobble, gobble, gobble.

Vamanos ya, vamanos ya, a la finca de mi abuelo...

Hay un pavo grande en la finca de mi abuelo....

Teach Me More Spanish (Paperback and Audio CD): A Musical Journey Through the Year

Amazon Price: $15.95 (as of 12/05/2009) Buy Now

Farm Theme 

Turkey Face Craft

Photo Credit: Turkey Face
on PhotoBucket

A Child's Place
Program plans (crafts, songs, activities, printouts, etc) for a theme on the farm.

Reading Aloud

The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.

There is conclusive evidence to support the use of reading aloud not only in the home but also in the classroom: It is a practice that should continue throughout the grades.

-Jim Trelease

Turkey Center in the Bag 

Turkey Center

Match the pies to the turkeys to make rhymes. Copy the rhymes on your paper.

Can you use these rhyming words to write a poem?
Turkey Rhymes
Centers In A Bag!

Tic Tac Toe for Turkeys 

Tobias Turkey learns a Math Strategy Game

Tic Tac Toe teaches strategy and logic, skills needed in understanding mathematics. Use the buttons to play Tic Tac Toe and use the feathers to play NIM.

Turkey Games
Turkeys & Pilgrims
Oriental Trading Company

TobiasTurkey Literacy Bag 

Looking in Mom's Bag

A couple of books, a game, a plush Tobias Turkey™ and a journal to record Tobias Turkey's adventures are all you need to make a Turkey Time Literacy Bag.
Powered by CafePress

Tobias Turkey Literacy Bag 

Homework Fun with Tobias Turkey

Be sure to tell the parents that their child can have Tobias Turkey™ read to him or her on an iPnone, iPod, computer or DVD player. As he watches the story the large print words are shown in small chunks so that they are easily read even on small screens.

A Turkey by any other Name... 

Where does Tobias Turkey's name come from?

It's time to Name the Turkey

Tobias is a Greek version of the Hebrew biblical name "Tobijah", meaning "Jehovah [God] is good". It is a popular male given name in Germany, Scandinavia, the United States and amongst Jewish people.

Places

* Tobias, Nebraska, A US village
* Tobias Fornier, Antique, a municipality in the Philippines

Turkeys

When Europeans first encountered turkeys in the Americas they incorrectly identified the birds as a type of guineafowl (Numida meleagris), also known as a turkey-cock from its importation to Central Europe through Turkey, and the name of that country stuck as the name of the bird. The confusion is also reflected in the scientific name: meleagris is Greek for guinea-fowl.

From Wikipedia

Amuse a Restless Child

Keep your child busily learning even while at the Doctor's Office, in line at the bank or while paying for the groceries by having Tobias Turkey on your favorite Mp3 devise.

More MobiStories 

Stories that Tobias Turkey loves

Tobias TurkeyTMobistories

These lenses will lead you to more MobiStories that you can use to help calm a restless child.

Each of these lenses has lots of ideas to extend the Mobistories and help your child become a lifelong learner."

Who's Blogging about Tobias Turkey 

and other MobiStories

Paper Tube Turkey

These are just a few of the benefits of MobiStories:

* Another way to promote reading at an earlier age
* The opportunity to increase your child's literacy, vocabulary, and language skills
* They are great for any type of trip (plane, car, or bus)
* All-In-All it offers us, as parents, a good wholesome activity for our children

Each of these sites is offering $15 worth of books FREE from MobiStories: Virtual Books for Kids. For Everyone To Enjoy!
The Dirty Shirt-October 24, 2008
This company has virtual books for kids where every story is narrated and has illustrations and music. And the goal of MobiStories is to improve reading in an entertaining and accessible format to improve literacy.
Saving Your Cents: My First Giveaway! FREE CHILDREN'S BOOKS for everyone!
MobiStories has created this type of digital media to provide children with a healthy and productive activity. They (and I as well) believe that reading is an extremely vital skill that our children must possess and therefore offer a "new" way to introduce or enhance this skill!

More Lenses with Fall Unit Study Themes 

Tobias Turkey and Farmer Joe

Turkey Time Lapbooks and Unit Studies 

Learning to Tell Time

Turkey Lapbook

Photo Credit: Autumn Lapbook
on Flickr, Creative Commons.

Telling Time with Cinderella Unit Study & Lapbook
CinderellaUnit Study and Lapbook by Rachel HarrisThis unit study is based on the story by Charels Perrault

Telling Time

Cinderella had to leave the ball by midnight. This allows for a good opportunity to discuss telling time with your student. You can do the lapbook component and attach brads to cut out arrows and make a moveable clock for your child to practice with.
Thanksgiving Lapbook
Thanksgiving Lapbook from Dishpan Dribble.

Tobias Turkey

Presented by

Shadowbox Theatre

Tobias Turkey at the Shadowbox Theatre 

Tobias provides children with lots of laughs...

And a valuable lesson - with determination, they can do anything!

If you missed Tobias Turkey this year, be sure to go next year. In the meantime, why not go see Big Annie

Tobias Turkey 

A Thanksgiving Tale!

Tobias Turkey™ will be playing at the Shadow Box Theater in NYC in November.

In this funny tale, Tobias™ provides children with lots of laughs and a valuable lesson - with determination they can do anything!

Children Watching Tobias TurkeyTobias TurkeyTobias Turkey

See-More's Workshop's colorful picture books and Read Along/Move-Along audio are based on the musical puppet plays of New York City's award-winning Shadow Box Theatre.

They capture the excitement of live theatre and are perfect for storytelling time and for youngsters learning to read.

These wonderfully illustrated stories such as Tobias Turkey™ are filled with dramatic impact, fun voices, and imaginative imagery, making reading aloud extra fun!

Excellent additions for your homeschool library, classroom, or listening corner.
Tobias Turkey
MobiStories believes that when reading skills are improved the world becomes a more unified place for our children to grow and reach their unlimited potential.
New York Times: Arts
'TOBIAS TURKEY: A THANKSGIVING TALE' (Friday, and Sunday through Wednesday) This hourlong mini-musical, presented by the Shadow Box Theater, features storytelling and puppets to dramatize the life of Tobias, a turkey with determination. He is also reported to be funny, and you have to respect a turkey who can keep his sense of humor around Thanksgiving. Weekdays at 10 and 11:30 a.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m.; the Theaters at 45 Bleecker Street, at Lafayette Street, East Village, (212) 724-0677, shadowboxtheatre.org; $6.50 on weekdays; $10 on Sunday.
Shadow Box Theatre & See-More's Workshop
The Shadow Box Theatre, the children's musical
puppet theatre, has moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan. The first public show is this Sunday to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Tobias Turkey: November 15 & 22, 2009
Parenting: Where To Go: Tobias Turkey: Shadow Box Theatre
Tobias Turkey: Shadow Box Theatre

November 15 & 22, 2009

The Theatres
45 Bleecker Street
1-212-734-0677

Tobias Turkey by Sandra Robbins 

Children's Books & Companion Audio Tape/CDs: The picture book, tape, and CD of this story can be purchased for follow-up use at school or home. We also offer bulk-order discounts on book-&-tape/CD packages ordered along with a storytelling; Call Elaine Brand at (212) 724-0677 for information.

Tobias Turkey is in the Four Wheeler's Online Unit Study Directory 

The Four Wheelers Internet Directory of Unit Studies

Thank you to the Four Wheelers for including the Tobias Turkey in their Online Unit Study Directory.
Internet Directory of Unit Studies
The Four Wheelers Internet Directory of Unit Studies contains a list, roughly arranged by subject, of links to unit studies that are published on the Internet.

Chat about Tobias Turkey 

Have you tried Mobistories yet?

Tobias TurkeyTMobistories

I wasn't convinced at first that I could endorse MobiStories as I tend to stay away from technology for children but I have found that these downloadable stories truly encourage reading of the real books.

MobiStories don't take away from reading the books, they actually enhance the experience. You can even try one out for free.

I hope you check them out.

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My passion is teaching and finding ways to teach children in fun, hands-on, creative ways. The unit studies I make on Squidoo reflect my view that lea... (more)

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