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Gratitude Grows Good

Lesson Plan

Gratitude Grows Good

Students will be able to identify what gratitude is and how expressing it can help them feel happier, reduce frustration, and decrease outbursts.

Learning to practice gratitude provides students with a powerful tool for emotional regulation and social development. By focusing on positive aspects, students can shift their mindset, leading to improved mood, fewer frustrations, and more positive interactions with peers and adults.

Audience

2nd-3rd Grade Students with IEPs

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Through discussion, visual aids, and a hands-on activity, students will explore gratitude.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Hook

3 minutes

  1. Greeting & Warm-Up: Begin by greeting students cheerfully. Ask them, "What's one thing that made you smile today?" Briefly share one of your own.
  2. Introduce Gratitude: "Today, we're going to talk about a super special feeling called gratitude. Has anyone heard that word before? Gratitude is all about being thankful for the good things in our lives, big or small!"

Step 2

Exploring Gratitude (Slide Deck & Discussion)

7 minutes

  1. Present Gratitude Grows Good Slide Deck: Display the slide deck and go through each slide.
    • Slide 1: What is Gratitude? "Gratitude is being thankful. It's noticing the good things, even on a tough day."
    • Slide 2: How does it feel? "When we feel grateful, our hearts feel warm, and we might even smile! It can make us feel happier!"
    • Slide 3: Gratitude vs. Frustration: "Sometimes, things don't go our way, and we might feel frustrated or angry. But did you know that thinking about what we're grateful for can help those big feelings feel smaller?"
    • Slide 4: Gratitude in Action: "When we show gratitude, we say 'thank you,' we appreciate our friends, and we notice the good things around us. This can help us have fewer outbursts and get along better with others!"
  2. Quick Share: After the slides, invite a few students to share one new thing they learned about gratitude or something they are grateful for right now.

Step 3

My Gratitude Garden Activity

7 minutes

  1. Introduce My Gratitude Garden Worksheet: "Now, we're going to create our own 'Gratitude Garden'! On your worksheet, you'll see a garden. I want you to draw or write three things you are grateful for. They can be anything – your family, your favorite toy, a sunny day, your pet, or even a yummy snack!"
  2. Distribute Worksheets: Hand out the My Gratitude Garden Worksheet and pencils/crayons.
  3. Guided Activity: Circulate around the room, offering support and encouragement. Prompt students who might be struggling: "What about your favorite game? Are you grateful for your friends?"

Step 4

Wrap-Up & Discussion

3 minutes

  1. Share Out: "Who would like to share one of the flowers from their Gratitude Garden?" Encourage a few students to share what they drew or wrote.
  2. Reinforce Learning with Gratitude Discussion Prompts: Briefly discuss one or two prompts from the Gratitude Discussion Prompts material, such as: "How do you feel after thinking about things you are grateful for?" or "When might you try to think about gratitude when you're feeling frustrated?"
  3. Concluding Thought: "Remember, noticing the good things and being thankful, even for small things, can help your heart feel happy and calm, and make it easier to get along with everyone! Great job today, Gratitude Gardeners!"
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Slide Deck

What is Gratitude?

Being thankful for the good things in our lives!

Introduce the topic of gratitude. Ask students if they know what the word means.

How Does Gratitude Feel?

  • Warm heart
  • Happy thoughts
  • Big smiles!

Gratitude can make us feel happier!

Discuss how gratitude can make us feel. Connect it to positive emotions.

Gratitude vs. Frustration

Sometimes we feel frustrated or angry.

Thinking about what we are thankful for can help those big feelings feel smaller.

It's like sunshine chasing away clouds!

Explain how gratitude can help with difficult feelings like frustration or anger. Emphasize that it helps feelings feel smaller.

Gratitude in Action!

When we show gratitude:

  • We say "thank you."
  • We appreciate our friends and family.
  • We notice the good things around us.

This can help us:

  • Have fewer outbursts.
  • Get along better with everyone!

Provide concrete examples of showing gratitude and its benefits for social interactions and emotional regulation.

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Worksheet

My Gratitude Garden

Being grateful means being thankful for the good things in our lives! Thinking about what you're thankful for can make your heart feel happy and calm.

Draw or write three things you are grateful for in the spaces below. You can be grateful for anything big or small!

Space 1: I am grateful for...

Space 2: I am grateful for...

Space 3: I am grateful for...

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Discussion

Gratitude Discussion Prompts

Use these prompts to guide a discussion about gratitude, helping students reflect on its impact on their feelings and interactions.

Opening Questions:

  • What does it mean to be grateful?
  • Can you share one thing you are grateful for today?

Exploring Feelings:

  • How does it feel inside your body when you think about something you are grateful for?
  • Have you ever felt frustrated or angry, and then thought of something good, and it helped you feel a little better? What happened?
  • Do you think being grateful can help you feel happier more often? Why or why not?

Gratitude in Action:

  • What are some ways we can show other people that we are grateful for them?
  • How might showing gratitude help us get along better with our friends and family?
  • When might be a good time to remember to be grateful, especially if you're having a tough moment?
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Gratitude Grows Good • Lenny Learning