Teaching gratitude in the classroom is such an important skill to teach; not only near Thanksgiving time, but year round. It is a very beneficial social emotional learning tool that will help your students regulate their feelings, lessen their anxieties, and build empathy for those around them. Today I'll offer suggestions for read alouds, videos, and a FREE activity to help you teach gratitude in the classroom.
What Is Gratitude?
Gratitude is a positive emotion that helps students focus on what is good in their lives and being thankful for the things they possess. Lots of words can be used to describe gratitude such as humbled, blessed, fortunate, or lucky. Having feelings of gratitude means taking the time to appreciate the things we often times take for granted like friends, teachers, coaches, food, homes, and family. Whether it is a big or small matter, teaching students to show gratitude for these things on a regular basis has many benefits to their overall health.
Why Is Showing Gratitude Important?
Making a habit of showing gratitude is good for us and our students. Research has shown that having positive feelings such as gratitude can benefit a person's body, mind, and brain(1). A few of these benefits include:
- building better decision making skills
- feeling less stressed and depressed
- triggering a 'pay it forward' attitude
- creating bonds and building trust
These are all great things we want for our students, right? Balancing out negative emotions, doing kind things for others, and building better relationships are incredibly beneficial skills for students to learn in the classroom to make it a more positive and productive learning environment. Helping your students show gratitude on a regular basis will help foster this culture.
Teaching Gratitude: Read Alouds
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Don't Say a Word, Mama by Joe Hayes explores what happens between two sisters when their generosity takes an unexpected twist.
Giving Thanks by Jonathan London shows how a father and son's hike through the forest is a perfect time to give thanks for the nature around them.
The Quilt Maker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau is a masterpiece for the eyes and entertains what can happen when greed is overcome by gratefulness.
Thanks a Million by Nikki Grimes encourages the simple phrase, "thank you" through beautiful poems and rhymes.
Under the Lemon Moon by Edith Fine demonstrates what can happen when one overcomes anger and gives forgiveness instead.
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga demonstrates the Cherokee way of life and the practice of being grateful for what nature provides.
Teaching Gratitude: Videos
Teaching Gratitude:
FREE Letter Writing and Card Activity
Today I have an easy prep activity for you. It comes with a brainstorming worksheet and 'friendly parts of a letter' review sheet. After students choose one person they'd like to show gratitude towards, have them brainstorm why they are thankful for that particular person. You can review the different parts of a friendly letter and paragraph format, review adjectives that might describe that person, and help students design their cards. I think it'd make a lovely gift for school staff, or a loved one. You can grab it free below.
References: Wood, A. M., et al., Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration, Clinical Psychology Review
(2010), doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005
