Gratitude Gallery Script

Warm-Up: Grateful Snapshot (5 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Let's start our day with a little moment of quiet reflection. I want everyone to close their eyes softly, just for a moment.

Now, I want you to think about something that made you smile today or yesterday. It could be something big, or something very small. Maybe a yummy breakfast, a funny joke, or seeing a friend. Just hold that thought in your mind. No need to share yet.

Okay, you can open your eyes. Who here likes to say 'thank you'? We say 'thank you' when someone gives us something, or helps us, right? Well, today we're going to talk about something similar, but even bigger: gratitude.

Gratitude is about feeling thankful and appreciative for all the good things in our lives. It's like giving a big 'thank you' to the world for the people, places, things, and experiences that make us happy."

Introduce the Gratitude Categories (10 minutes)

"(Display Slide 2: What is Gratitude? and read it.)

We all have so many amazing things in our lives, sometimes we don't even notice them! So, today, we're going to become gratitude detectives and find all the wonderful things we're thankful for. We're going to sort them into different groups, like an art gallery of gratitude!

(Display Slide 3: Purple: A Person 💜 and read it.)

Our first category is Person, and its special color is purple. Who is someone special you are thankful for? It could be a family member like your mom, dad, grandparent, brother, sister. It could be a friend, a teacher, or even a pet that feels like family. Can anyone think of a person they are grateful for? (Pause for a few responses.) Great examples!

(Display Slide 4: Yellow: A Place 💛 and read it.)

Next, we have Place, and its color is yellow. Where is a place that makes you feel happy, safe, or excited? Maybe your home, your bedroom, a favorite park, your school, or a playground? (Pause for a few responses.) Wonderful places!

(Display Slide 5: Green: A Thing 💚 and read it.)

Now for Thing, colored green. What is an object or item you are thankful to have? This could be a favorite toy, a cozy blanket, your books, a bike, or even a delicious snack you love. (Pause for a few responses.) Those are great things to be thankful for!

(Display Slide 6: Red: An Event ❤️ and read it.)

Then we have Event, and the color for it is red. What is a special experience or memory you are grateful for? It could be a fun birthday party, a holiday celebration, a school field trip, a family vacation, or even a really sunny day when you got to play outside. (Pause for a few responses.) What fantastic memories!

(Display Slide 7: Orange: Something About Myself 🧡 and read it.)

Finally, we have Something About Myself, in orange. This is about being thankful for you! What is something special about yourself that you are grateful for? It could be your kindness, your smart brain, your strong legs that help you run, your funny jokes, or your ability to learn new things. (Pause for a few responses.) It's wonderful to appreciate ourselves!

My Gratitude Palette Activity (10 minutes)

"(Display Slide 8: Your Gratitude Palette! and read it.)

Now it's your turn to create your own Gratitude Gallery! I'm going to hand out a My Gratitude Palette Worksheet. On this worksheet, you'll see spaces for each category we just talked about: Person, Place, Thing, Event, and Something About Myself.

You'll use your colored pencils or crayons – purple for person, yellow for place, green for thing, red for event, and orange for something about yourself – to fill in the boxes. You'll also see some word banks at the bottom. These are ideas to help you get started, but you don't have to use them! You can think of anything you are truly grateful for.

Take your time, think deeply, and fill in your palette with all the wonderful things that make you feel thankful. I'll be walking around to help if you have any questions. Ready? Go ahead and get started!"

Share and Reflect (5 minutes)

"Alright, artists, let's take a moment to look at our beautiful Gratitude Palettes. Does anyone want to share just one thing they wrote down for each category? Let's hear a few different ideas! (Call on 3-5 students, ensuring a variety of categories are shared).

Wow, those are all such thoughtful things to be grateful for. Thank you for sharing!

(Display Slide 9: Keep the Gratitude Going! and read it.)

Remember, being grateful isn't just a one-time thing. It's a feeling we can carry with us every day. Taking a moment to notice and appreciate the good things around us, no matter how small, can make our hearts feel happy and our day feel brighter.

Keep looking for those sparks of gratitude in your life! Great job today, everyone!"

My Gratitude Palette

Name: _________________________
Date: _________________________

Color in each box with the correct color, then write what you are grateful for in that category! You can use ideas from the word banks below or think of your own.

💜 A Person (Color this box PURPLE)

I am grateful for:

💛 A Place (Color this box YELLOW)

I am grateful for:

💚 A Thing (Color this box GREEN)

I am grateful for:

❤️ An Event (Color this box RED)

I am grateful for:

🧡 Something About Myself (Color this box ORANGE)

I am grateful for:

Word Banks (Just some ideas!)

People:

• Mom, Dad, Guardian
• Grandma, Grandpa
• Brother, Sister
• Teacher
• Best Friend
• Pet (dog, cat, fish)
• Coach
• Helper

Places:

• Home, House, Apartment
• School, Classroom
• Park, Playground
• Library
• Beach, Mountains
• Favorite Store
• Bedroom

Things:

• Toys, Stuffed Animals
• Books
• Bike, Scooter
• Food, Snacks
• Clothes, Shoes
• Art Supplies
• Blanket, Pillow
• Music

Events:

• Birthday Party
• Holiday (Christmas, Halloween, etc.)
• Family Vacation
• School Field Trip
• Playing Outside
• Sleepover
• Game Day
• Movie Night

Something About Myself:

• Being Kind
• Being Smart
• Being Strong
• Being Creative
• Being Funny
• My Smile
• My Imagination
• My Talent (singing, drawing, running)

Gratitude Palette Answer Key

Note to Teacher: Student responses for this activity will vary widely and should be celebrated for their individuality and thoughtfulness. The examples below are provided to give a sense of typical answers or to guide discussions, especially when students might need a little extra prompting beyond the word bank.

💜 A Person

Thought Process: Students should identify a specific individual (or even a pet) who brings positivity to their lives. The key is for them to connect a person with a feeling of thankfulness.

• Possible Student Answers: Mom, Dad, Grandma, Teacher, Best friend, Brother, Sister, Dog, Cat, Coach.
• Example Justification: "I am grateful for my mom because she always reads me bedtime stories."

💛 A Place

Thought Process: Students should identify a location where they feel happy, safe, or have positive experiences. It helps them recognize the comfort and joy certain environments bring.

• Possible Student Answers: Home, My bedroom, The park, School, The library, Grandma's house, The playground.
• Example Justification: "I am grateful for my school because I learn many new things here."

💚 A Thing

Thought Process: Students should select an object or possession that they appreciate, understanding that even inanimate objects can contribute to their well-being or happiness.

• Possible Student Answers: My bike, My favorite book, My blanket, My toys, Healthy food, My art supplies.
• Example Justification: "I am grateful for my bike because it helps me go fast and have fun outside."

❤️ An Event

Thought Process: Students should recall a specific experience or occasion that brought them joy or a valuable memory. This encourages them to reflect on their past positive experiences.

• Possible Student Answers: My birthday party, Christmas, A family vacation, A field trip, Playing in the snow, A sleepover with friends.
• Example Justification: "I am grateful for my birthday party because I got to celebrate with all my friends."

🧡 Something About Myself

Thought Process: This category encourages self-reflection and self-esteem. Students should identify a personal quality, ability, or characteristic they are proud of or thankful for.

• Possible Student Answers: My kindness, My creativity, My ability to run fast, My smile, My imagination, My smart brain.
• Example Justification: "I am grateful for my creativity because I love to draw and imagine new stories."

Grateful Snapshot

Close your eyes softly for a moment.

Think about one thing that made you smile or feel happy today or yesterday.

It could be something small, like a yummy snack, a kind word from a friend, or seeing something beautiful outside.

Hold that happy thought in your mind.

Now, open your eyes. What did you think of?

This feeling of being happy about something good is called gratitude!

Gratitude Spotlight

Take a moment to look at your My Gratitude Palette Worksheet.

1. Pick ONE thing from your entire palette that you are most grateful for right now. Circle it!

2. On the lines below, explain why that particular person, place, thing, event, or part of yourself is so special to you. What makes you thankful for it?

Bonus Challenge: Share your circled gratitude item with a partner and tell them your "why"!