Lesson Plan
Gratitude Garden
Students will be able to identify and express gratitude for people, things, and experiences in their lives. Students will develop positive social-emotional skills through creative expression and sharing.
Cultivating gratitude helps students develop a positive outlook, build stronger relationships, and increase overall well-being. This lesson provides a foundation for emotional intelligence and empathy.
Audience
Pre-K to 2nd Grade
Time
45-60 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, creative art activity, and group sharing.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Gratitude Garden Slide Deck, Construction paper (various colors), Markers, crayons, or colored pencils, Scissors (child-safe), Glue sticks, Optional: Nature items like leaves, small twigs, flower petals, and My Gratitude Seed Worksheet
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15-20 minutes
- Review the Gratitude Garden Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print out copies of the My Gratitude Seed Worksheet for each student.
- Gather construction paper, drawing materials, child-safe scissors, and glue sticks.
- Set up the projector/whiteboard for the slide deck.
- (Optional) Collect some nature items to inspire students for their 'gratitude seeds'.
Step 1
Introduction: What is Gratitude?
10 minutes
- Begin by displaying the first slide of the Gratitude Garden Slide Deck and greeting students.
- Use the Gratitude Garden Script to guide a brief discussion about what gratitude means. Ask students for examples of things they are thankful for.
- Explain that today, they will be planting a 'gratitude garden' in their hearts and classroom.
Step 2
Exploring Gratitude (Slide Deck & Discussion)
15 minutes
- Continue through the Gratitude Garden Slide Deck, engaging students with questions and prompts from the Gratitude Garden Script.
- Discuss different categories of gratitude: people, things, and experiences.
- Encourage students to share their thoughts and examples, fostering a positive classroom environment.
Step 3
My Gratitude Seed Activity
20 minutes
- Distribute the My Gratitude Seed Worksheet and art supplies.
- Explain that each student will draw or write about something they are grateful for on their 'seed'.
- Guide them to be creative and thoughtful. Offer assistance to younger students with drawing or writing.
- As they finish, have them cut out their gratitude seed (or help them if needed).
Step 4
Planting Our Gratitude Garden
10 minutes
- Explain that the 'seeds' will be planted in a class 'gratitude garden'.
- Have students share one thing they wrote/drew on their seed with a partner or the whole class.
- Collect the seeds and collaboratively create a
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Slide Deck
Welcome to Our Gratitude Garden!
What does it mean to be thankful?
Welcome students and introduce the topic of gratitude. Ask them what the word 'thankful' means to them.
What is Gratitude?
Gratitude is feeling thankful and appreciative for the good things in our lives! It's like a warm, happy feeling in your heart.
Explain that gratitude is like a special feeling in our hearts. It's when we feel happy and thankful for good things and people.
What are YOU Grateful For?
We can be grateful for:
- People (family, friends, teachers)
- Things (toys, books, warm clothes)
- Experiences (playing, laughing, learning)
Discuss different categories. Prompt students to think about who makes them happy, what toys they love, or fun things they've done.
Planting Our Gratitude Seeds
Imagine your heart is a garden.
When we feel grateful, we plant a special seed!
Each seed is something we are thankful for.
Introduce the idea of planting gratitude seeds. Explain that they will get to draw/write their own gratitude on a special 'seed'.
Your Gratitude Seed!
Time to create your own gratitude seed!
Draw or write something you are thankful for on your worksheet.
Be creative and think about what makes your heart feel warm and happy!
Explain the activity instructions for the 'My Gratitude Seed Worksheet'. Emphasize creativity and thinking about what truly makes them feel grateful.
Our Class Gratitude Garden
We will share our seeds and grow a beautiful garden of thankfulness together!
Conclude by looking forward to sharing and building a class gratitude garden. Reinforce the positive feelings associated with gratitude.
Script
Gratitude Garden Script
Introduction (Slide 1: Welcome to Our Gratitude Garden!)
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something really special that makes our hearts feel warm and happy. Look at our slide: 'Welcome to Our Gratitude Garden!' Do you know what a garden is? (Pause for student responses) Yes, it's a place where beautiful things grow! Today, we're going to grow something beautiful inside us."
What is Gratitude? (Slide 2: What is Gratitude?)
"Let's look at our next slide: 'What is Gratitude?' Gratitude is a big word, but it means something simple: it's feeling thankful and appreciative for the good things in our lives. It's like a warm, happy feeling in your heart when someone does something kind for you, or when you have something you really love."
"Can anyone tell me something they are thankful for? What makes your heart feel happy? (Encourage a few students to share, prompting with examples if needed, e.g., 'Are you thankful for your family? Your toys? A sunny day?')"
What Are YOU Grateful For? (Slide 3: What are YOU Grateful For?)
"Now, let's think a little deeper. Our slide asks, 'What are YOU Grateful For?' We can be grateful for so many things! We can be grateful for people, like our families, our friends, our teachers, or even our pets. Who are some people you are grateful for? (Allow students to share.)"
"We can also be grateful for things, like our favorite toys, our cozy beds, yummy food, or even the books we read. What are some things you are grateful for? (Allow students to share.)"
"And we can be grateful for experiences, like playing at the park, laughing with our friends, learning new things at school, or going on a fun trip. What are some experiences you are grateful for? (Allow students to share.)"
"It's wonderful to think about all the good things around us!"
Planting Our Gratitude Seeds (Slide 4: Planting Our Gratitude Seeds)
"Today, we're going to imagine our hearts are like a garden. And when we feel grateful, we get to plant a special seed in that garden! Our slide says, 'Imagine your heart is a garden. When we feel grateful, we plant a special seed! Each seed is something we are thankful for.'"
"Each of you will get to create your very own 'gratitude seed.' On this seed, you'll draw or write about one thing that makes you feel really thankful. It can be a person, a thing, or an experience!"
Your Gratitude Seed! (Slide 5: Your Gratitude Seed!)
"Look at our slide: 'Time to create your own gratitude seed!' I'm going to give each of you a special My Gratitude Seed Worksheet. On this worksheet, you'll see a shape like a seed. You can draw a picture of what you're grateful for, or if you can write, you can write a word or a sentence about it."
"Remember to be creative and think about what makes your heart feel warm and happy. After you finish, you'll carefully cut out your gratitude seed. Don't worry, I'll be here to help anyone who needs it!"
Our Class Gratitude Garden (Slide 6: Our Class Gratitude Garden)
"Once we all have our gratitude seeds ready, we're going to plant them together to make a beautiful 'Our Class Gratitude Garden' right here in our classroom! We will share what we are grateful for. This garden will be a reminder of all the wonderful things we have in our lives."
"Does anyone have any questions about our gratitude seeds or our gratitude garden?"
"Alright, let's get ready to plant some gratitude!"
Activity
My Gratitude Seed Activity
Instructions:
- Think: Close your eyes for a moment and think about something or someone that makes you feel very happy and thankful. It could be a person, a favorite toy, a yummy food, a fun game, or a special memory.
- Draw or Write: On the seed shape below, draw a picture of what you are grateful for, or if you can, write a word or a short sentence about it.
- Decorate: Use your crayons, markers, or colored pencils to make your gratitude seed colorful and special!
- Cut: Carefully cut out your gratitude seed along the dotted line. If you need help, please ask your teacher.
- Share: Be ready to share your gratitude seed with a friend or the class!
(Teacher Note: Provide a large seed template for students to draw/write on. This space is intentionally large to accommodate drawings from younger students.)
The user wants me to create the
Worksheet
My Gratitude Seed Worksheet
Name: ____________________________
Instructions: Draw or write something you are grateful for inside the seed below. Make it colorful and special!
My Gratitude Seed
Instructions for Teacher: Provide this worksheet with a large, clear seed outline for students to use. Ensure enough space for drawing or writing, especially for younger learners.
The user wants me to add an activity called