Turkey feather templates for cutting, writing and gluing

The page has small, medium and large feather outlines. Each one has a rounded top, a pointed tip and a center line for a quill. The shapes are bold enough to cut around and open enough to write a short sentence inside. There is no label, no title and no color, so the sheet works as a coloring page too. The large feather fits a single sentence; the medium one fits a word or a name; the small ones work as accents or pattern pieces.

Print on plain paper for a flat craft or card stock for a feather that needs to stand out. Cut around the outside line first, then snip the small V at the tip. Turn the paper as you cut instead of twisting the scissors. If you are cutting a class set, stack two or three sheets and cut the top outline only; the lower sheets will be slightly off, which is fine for a craft. For a display, cut the feather with a small tab at the bottom so it can be taped behind a turkey body.

The classic use is a thankful turkey. Give each student one feather per day for a week, or one feather per subject, and ask them to write one specific thing they are thankful for. Specific is better than general: "my dog waiting at the door" beats "my family." On the last day, assemble the feathers into a fan behind a turkey body and hang it where the class can read it. The same idea works at home with one feather per family member.

If the disguise needs a feather fan, a wing or a tail, print the large feather and color it to match the costume. A mermaid tail can use overlapping feather shapes as scales. A butterfly can use two feathers as antennae. A pirate hat can take a single feather at the side. Glue the feathers behind the body first, then add the costume pieces in front, so the layers sit in the right order.

Print the large feather at 150 to 200 percent for a door display, or print the sheet on colored card stock and cut a class set. Arrange the feathers in a fan around a paper turkey body, or use them as a border with one word written on each. For a hallway display, laminate the feathers after writing so the marker does not smudge. A single feather with a student's name makes a quick desk tag or cubby label.

The blank feather is a good pattern exercise. Try stripes across the width, dots in three sizes, a zigzag down the center, or a repeating shape such as hearts or stars. For a zentangle look, divide the feather into sections with the quill line and fill each section with a different pattern. Use two colors and alternate them for a cohesive bulletin board. If the feather will be photographed, put the darkest pattern near the tip so it reads at a distance.