Like their adult family members, students at Boothbay Region Elementary School have been preparing for Thanksgiving, too.

Kindergartners have been making Pilgrim hats and other grades have been learning about our country’s earliest settlers. So the Register stopped by Lisa Andrews’ class on Friday, Nov. 18, to ask the first graders to share their thoughts about the holiday.

We asked the class “What is your favorite Thanksgiving food,” What are you thankful for,” and “What do you think the Pilgrims ate at the first Thanksgiving?”

Here are their thoughtful (and sometimes surprising) answers.

Lucien Stoddard, Madi Hassan, Kolton McKenney, Annabelle Whitney, Olivia Carson and Mahea Ackerley said their favorite Thanksgiving food is turkey. Natalie Flagg and Gigi Blake said theirs is pumpkin pie, and Chase Licursi’s and Alex Hughes’ favorite is cranberry sauce. Eleanor Irwin said her favorite Thanksgiving food is candy.

Asked “What are you thankful for,” family was the most popular answer, according to Natalie Flagg (who pinpointed, “My cousin”), Chase  Licursi, Alex Hughes, Olivia Carson, Mahea Ackerley and Kolton McKenney, who added, “My Dad is a good shot and got a turkey.”

But pets came in a close second according to Madi Hassan, Gigi Blake and Annabelle Whitney, who all were grateful for cats. Lucien Stoddard was grateful for school and Eleanor Irwin was thankful for Christmas.

Apparently peas were mentioned in a book about Thanksgiving that the first graders were using because “mushy peas” was the almost universal answer when asked what they thought the Pilgrims ate. But a few of the students added their selections to the menu.

Olivia Carson and Mahea Ackerley thought the Pilgrims ate turkey, too. Lucien Stoddard and Gigi Blake thought deer was probably being served at the first Thanksgiving. Natalie Flagg thought the Pilgrims ate bear; Kolton McKenney added, “Big, fat ducks” to the menu and Chase Licursi believes the early settlers had “hard bread.”    

The school planned to hold a Thanksgiving buffet for the students, opting for the traditional turkey dinner. Bear, ducks and hard bread will probably not be served.