Turkeys receiving a presidential pardon date back to the days of Lincoln. According to one story, Lincoln’s son, Tad, begged his father to write a presidential pardon for the bird meant for the family’s Christmas table. Tad argued that the turkey had as much of a right to live as anyone. Lincoln acquiesced and the turkey lived!
On November 14, 1989, President George H.W. Bush was the first to actually offer a turkey pardon. For more information, read The Definitive History of the Presidential Turkey Pardon and from the White House Archives: Thanksgiving with the Presidents. In the video below President Obama grants the traditional Thanksgiving pardon.
We might not be able to pardon a turkey, but we can create a turkey trap for a Thanksgiving meal. Listen to Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton’s picture book, How to Trap a Turkey.
This month’s challenge is to design and build a turkey trap. Let’s use the Engineering Design Process to help Turkey with some out of the box ideas. Be unique, creative and ingenious to trap a turkey.
- Use the engineer design process to develop ideas.
- Select an idea to trap a turkey.
- Gather materials and build.
- Be creative!
- Complete the entry form with your structure – Turkey Trap Entry Form.
- Deadline for the Turkey Trap Challenge is Friday, November 19th.
Have Fun!
