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Gratitude Garden Growth

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Lesson Plan

Gratitude Garden Growth

Students will identify and express specific reasons for gratitude in their lives to enhance emotional well-being and foster a positive outlook.

Cultivating gratitude helps students recognize positive aspects in their lives, building resilience, promoting a happier mindset, and improving overall emotional health. This practice encourages a more positive perspective on daily experiences.

Audience

Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Structured journaling and collaborative creation of a detailed 'gratitude garden' display.

Materials

Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Gratitude Journal Page, Gratitude Garden Activity Kit, Construction paper (various colors), Crayons, colored pencils, or markers, Scissors, and Glue sticks

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: Exploring Gratitude

3 minutes

Display the first slide of the Gratitude Garden Growth Slide Deck.
Engage students in a discussion about what gratitude means. Ask questions like:
- "What does it mean to be truly thankful for something or someone?"
- "Can you think of a time when you felt a strong sense of gratitude? What happened?"

Step 2

Detailed Gratitude Journaling

10 minutes

Distribute the Gratitude Journal Page.
Explain that a journal is a special place to write and reflect on feelings and thoughts. Guide students to write in detail about something or someone they are grateful for and why. Encourage them to think about specific actions, qualities, or events.
Circulate and offer assistance, prompting students to elaborate on their feelings and reasons for gratitude.

Step 3

Building Our Detailed Gratitude Garden

14 minutes

Introduce the Gratitude Garden Activity Kit.
Explain that each student will create a flower or a leaf representing their gratitude, focusing on detailed descriptions or reasons.
Students will write about what they are grateful for and why it's important to them on their chosen shape.
Help students cut out their shapes and write/draw on them.
As students finish, they will add their flower/leaf to a class "Gratitude Garden" display on a designated wall or bulletin board.
Encourage students to share their detailed gratitude with a partner or the class, explaining their choices.

Step 4

Wrap-Up: Reflecting on Our Garden

3 minutes

Bring the class together to admire the completed Gratitude Garden.
Ask a few students to share their gratitude and elaborate on why it's special to them. Encourage classmates to listen respectfully and identify common themes.
Reiterate the importance of noticing, appreciating, and expressing gratitude for the good things in our lives every day, and how this practice can make us feel happier.

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Slide Deck

Welcome to Our Gratitude Garden!

What does it truly mean to be THANKFUL?
How does being thankful make you FEEL?

Welcome students and introduce the idea of gratitude. Ask them to think about what it truly means to be thankful and how it feels. Encourage them to share brief examples.

My Gratitude Journal: Thinking Deeper

A special place for your thoughtful reflections!
What are YOU grateful for, and WHY is it special?
Write in detail on your Gratitude Journal Page!

Explain that this journal is for deeper reflection. Guide students to write not just what they're grateful for, but also why it's important or special to them. Encourage descriptive writing.

Growing Our Gratitude Garden: Share Your Thanks!

Let's make our class garden bloom with specific acts of thankfulness!
What specific thing or person makes you grateful, and what's the reason?
Write on your Gratitude Garden Activity Kit!

Introduce the class gratitude garden. Emphasize that each contribution should clearly state what they are grateful for and offer a brief reason why. Encourage creativity in how they present their gratitude.

Our Garden of Thanks: A Reflection

Look at all the incredible things we are grateful for!
How does it feel to intentionally focus on these good things?
Let's remember to find something to be thankful for every day, and think about why it matters!

Conclude by admiring the completed garden. Ask students to share their contributions and explain their reasoning. Facilitate a discussion on how practicing gratitude can impact their daily lives and emotions.

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Journal

My Gratitude Journal: Deeper Thoughts

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Today, I am grateful for...

Think about a person, a thing, an experience, or even a feeling that you are thankful for today. What is it?







Why are you grateful for this? What makes it special or important to you? Please write at least two sentences explaining your gratitude.













Draw a picture that shows what you are grateful for, if you like!









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Activity

Gratitude Garden Activity Kit

Name: _____________________________

Grow Your Gratitude Flower or Leaf!

Today, we are going to create a beautiful Gratitude Garden as a class. Each of you will make a special flower or leaf to add to our garden. These will show all the wonderful things we are grateful for and why!

Instructions:

  1. Choose Your Shape: Pick a flower shape or a leaf shape from the table.
  2. Think of Something Special: What is something that makes you happy and thankful? It could be a person, a pet, a special memory, a favorite hobby, or something in nature! Try to think of something specific.
  3. Write and Draw: On your flower or leaf, write at least one sentence about what you are grateful for AND a short reason why it is special to you. You can also draw a picture to go with your words!







  4. Decorate! Use crayons, colored pencils, or markers to make your flower or leaf colorful and unique.
  5. Cut It Out: Carefully cut out your flower or leaf shape along the lines.
  6. Add to Our Garden! When you are finished, use a glue stick to add your beautiful creation to our class Gratitude Garden display!

Remember, every thankful thought helps our garden grow! 😊

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Gratitude Garden Growth • Lenny Learning