Gratitude

The Best Teacher Ever

FOR THIS LESSON, I ASKED THE TEACHER TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM.

I opened the lesson by reading The Best Teacher Ever, which is about a student who wants to do something special for his teacher, but his gift isn't expensive. He ends up drawing his teacher a picture, which she loves. We then discussed what gratitude means - being thankful. We came up with a few school-related things that we are thankful for (below).
Next, as a group, we talked about why we are thankful for our teacher. I had the students go back to their seats to work on a special picture for him/her, while I called students one-by-one to record a short video clip of why they love their teacher. I edited the video after the lesson (using Windows Live Movie Maker) and emailed it to the teacher. We made a promise as a class to keep it a secret until he/she saw the video.

Thank You Boxes

I start this lesson by reading parts of Tara & Bella: The Elphant and Dog Who Became Best Friends. We discuss how grateful the friends were to have each other. Then, we reflect on all of the things we are thankful for. Next, students create "Thank You" boxes and take their picture with Tim. I put the pictures on the SMARTboard; students share their box when they see their picture on the board. After the lesson, I print the pictures and post them in the hallway next to the boxes.
Thank You Box
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"Counselors with Character" Winner

Lesson by: Emily Jordan
Title: Untitled
Target Group:  5th Grade
Items Needed:
*pre-baked sugar cookies
*cans of frosting or tubes of frosting- enough for each group to have their own
*sprinkles
*plastic knives or small spatulas for spreading frosting
*plates or food boxes for delivery
*plastic food gloves if wanted for food handling
*several large cards that say "Thank You" on the front (preferably homemade using poster type paper)

10 min Discussion:
As a group discuss what gratitude means - a sense of being thankful for the things in our life. Take answers from the group to help identify people, items, and experiences students are grateful for. Discuss how saying “Thank You” feels for the person making the comment, and how it feels to be told “Thank You." Explain to students that you want the students help to show gratitude towards adults at
school. As a group, ask students to identify adults who help them and they would like to thank. Examples might include: cafeteria staff, librarian, nurses, principal. Explain to students that as a way to show gratitude for others, they will be breaking up into smaller groups and will work on decorating the cookies and signing the "Thank You" card for one of the identified groups. Break into groups. Assign each group an identified person or department.

17 min Activity:
Groups work together to decorate cookies. This will require some turn taking with the frosting and sprinkles; discussion of whether they want specific themes for decorating the cookies; time management for completing the task of cookies and signing the card; perhaps some general discussion of why they are thankful for that person/department.

3 min Clean Up and Check In:
Cleaning up and asking how people are feeling about their big surprise. Explain how and when the cookies and cards will be delivered.

 ***At my school we have more than 30 minutes and the students actually go and deliver the gratitude packages to the departments. We
take pictures and then use those pictures as part of our gratitude bulletin board.
Picture