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Gratitude: Unlocking Joy

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Lesson Plan

Gratitude: Unlocking Joy

Students will define gratitude, identify its personal benefits, and apply a gratitude practice in their daily lives.

Practicing gratitude can significantly improve emotional well-being, increase overall happiness, and foster stronger, more positive relationships with others. It's a key to a more fulfilling life.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, real-world examples, and personal reflection.

Materials

Smartboard or projector, Gratitude Slides, Gratitude Script, Gratitude Warm-Up, Gratitude Journal, and Gratitude Cool-Down

Prep

Preparation Checklist

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: What Comes to Mind?

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Gratitude Warm-Up worksheet.
  • Instruct students to complete the warm-up individually.
  • Facilitate a brief class share-out based on their responses.
  • Teacher Note: See Gratitude Script for guiding questions.

Step 2

Introduction to Gratitude

7 minutes

  • Use the Gratitude Slides to introduce the concept of gratitude.
  • Define gratitude and discuss its importance using examples.
  • Lead a short discussion on why practicing gratitude matters.
  • Teacher Note: Refer to Gratitude Script for detailed talking points.

Step 3

Gratitude in Action: Journaling

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Gratitude Journal worksheet.
  • Explain the journaling activity and provide time for students to reflect and write.
  • Encourage students to think of specific things, people, or experiences they are grateful for.
  • Circulate to offer support and answer questions.
  • Teacher Note: Use Gratitude Script to introduce the activity and prompts.

Step 4

Sharing and Reflection

5 minutes

  • Invite students to voluntarily share one item from their Gratitude Journal with a partner or the class.
  • Emphasize that sharing is optional and respecting others' privacy is important.
  • Facilitate a brief class reflection on how it felt to focus on gratitude.
  • Teacher Note: See Gratitude Script for reflection questions.

Step 5

Cool-Down: One Last Thought

3 minutes

  • Distribute the Gratitude Cool-Down exit ticket.
  • Instruct students to write down one new thing they learned or one way they plan to practice gratitude.
  • Collect cool-downs as students leave.
  • Teacher Note: Refer to Gratitude Script for closing remarks.
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Slide Deck

Gratitude: Unlocking Joy

What does it mean to be grateful?

Welcome students and introduce the topic of gratitude. Ask them what comes to mind when they hear the word 'gratitude'.

What is Gratitude?

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. It's about noticing and appreciating the good things in your life.

Define gratitude for students. Emphasize that it's about noticing and appreciating the good things, big or small.

Why Practice Gratitude?

  • Increases Happiness: When you focus on what you have, you feel happier.
  • Improves Relationships: Showing thanks makes others feel valued.
  • Reduces Negative Emotions: It helps shift your focus away from worries.
  • Boosts Resilience: It helps you cope with challenges more effectively.

Discuss the benefits of practicing gratitude. Encourage students to think about how these benefits might apply to their own lives.

Gratitude in Action: Journaling

Take a moment to reflect. What are you grateful for today? Let's write it down.

Introduce the journaling activity. Explain that they will have time to reflect and write down things they are grateful for.

Reflect & Connect

How does focusing on gratitude make you feel? How can you keep practicing gratitude?

Prompt students to think about how they feel after reflecting on gratitude and how they might continue this practice.

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Script

Gratitude Script

Warm-Up: What Comes to Mind? (5 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to explore a really powerful topic: gratitude. To get us started, I've handed out a Gratitude Warm-Up worksheet. Please take a few minutes to silently complete it. Think about what comes to your mind when you hear the word 'gratitude'."

(Allow 2-3 minutes for students to write.)

"Alright, who would like to share one or two thoughts from their warm-up? What does gratitude mean to you, or what are some things you think people are grateful for?"

(Facilitate a brief share-out, calling on 2-3 students. Affirm all responses.)

Introduction to Gratitude (7 minutes)

"Great ideas! Now, let's dive a little deeper into what gratitude is all about. Please look at the Gratitude Slides as we go along."

(Display Slide 1: Gratitude: Unlocking Joy)

"Our lesson today is called 'Gratitude: Unlocking Joy'. We'll discover how powerful this simple idea can be."

(Display Slide 2: What is Gratitude?)

"As you can see, gratitude is simply the quality of being thankful – a readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. It's about taking a moment to notice and truly appreciate the good things, big or small, that happen in our lives or that we already have."

(Display Slide 3: Why Practice Gratitude?)

"Why do you think it's important to practice gratitude? What benefits might come from being thankful?"

(Allow 1-2 student responses.)

"Exactly! Practicing gratitude has some amazing benefits. It can actually make you feel happier by shifting your focus to positive things. It also helps improve your relationships because when you show appreciation, others feel valued. It can even help you handle tough situations better because you learn to see the good even when things are challenging."

Gratitude in Action: Journaling (10 minutes)

(Display Slide 4: Gratitude in Action: Journaling)

"Now that we understand what gratitude is and why it's so important, let's put it into practice. I'm going to hand out a Gratitude Journal worksheet. On this sheet, I want you to take about 7 minutes to write down three to five things, people, or experiences you are truly grateful for right now. Try to be specific. Instead of just saying 'my family,' maybe think about a specific thing a family member did recently that you appreciated. Or a specific moment from your day or week that made you smile."

(Distribute Gratitude Journal and allow students to write. Circulate to provide support and encourage specific details.)

Sharing and Reflection (5 minutes)

(Display Slide 5: Reflect & Connect)

"Alright, who would like to voluntarily share one thing from their journal? Remember, you don't have to share anything you're not comfortable with, and we'll respect everyone's thoughts."

(Call on a few volunteers. After sharing, ask:)

"How did it feel to take that time to focus on the good things in your life? Did anyone notice a shift in their mood or perspective?"

Cool-Down: One Last Thought (3 minutes)

"To wrap up our lesson today, I'm going to hand out a Gratitude Cool-Down exit ticket. On this, I'd like you to write down one new thing you learned about gratitude today, or one way you plan to practice gratitude in your daily life moving forward."

*(Distribute Gratitude Cool-Down.)

"Thank you all for your thoughtful participation today. Remember, gratitude is a muscle you can train, and the more you practice it, the stronger it gets! Please hand in your cool-down as you leave."

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Warm Up

Gratitude Warm-Up: What Comes to Mind?

Instructions: Take a few minutes to think about the word "gratitude." What does it mean to you? What thoughts or feelings come up when you hear it? Then, list a few things you are thankful for right now.

  1. What does "gratitude" mean to you in your own words?



  2. List three things in your life you feel thankful for right now. They can be big or small!









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Journal

My Gratitude Journal

Instructions: Take some time to reflect on all the good things in your life. What are you truly thankful for today? Write down at least three to five specific things, people, or experiences you are grateful for. Try to explain why you are grateful for each one.

  1. I am grateful for...










  2. I am grateful for...










  3. I am grateful for...










  4. I am grateful for...










  5. I am grateful for...










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Cool Down

Gratitude Cool-Down: One Last Thought

Instructions: Before you leave, please answer one of the questions below. Your reflection helps me understand what you took away from our lesson today.

  1. What is one new thing you learned about gratitude today?




    OR
  2. What is one way you plan to practice gratitude in your daily life moving forward?



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