What is the “big idea” for this lesson?

• Noticing and naming what we are grateful for helps us focus on the positive.

• Being grateful doesn’t make a challenge disappear, but it does help us focus on what’s working, what’s going well, and the people who are helping us.

• Sharing our gratitude with others is an act of kindness that helps both you and the other person feel good!

Reflection questions:

1. What are you grateful for?

   a. I’m grateful for [name of a family member, teacher, friend, pet, someone you care about] because ____.

   b. I’m grateful for [an object in your room or something that you care about ] because ____.

   c. I’m grateful for [a place] because ____.
   
   
   

2. How do you feel when you think about who or what you are grateful for?
   
   
   

3. Who will you send kind thoughts to today? Someone you’re grateful for and care about? Someone you’re missing? What about challenging yourself to send kind thoughts to someone you’ve been struggling to get along with? Can you also send kind thoughts to yourself?

Sharing Gratitude and Kindness Activities

Materials: 

• Paper and pens, markers, colored pencils, and/or chalk

• Journal (bought, found or made)

• Optional: Magazines, scissors and glue stick for journal cover collage

Directions:

1. Start a Gratitude Journal: write 3 things/beings every day you are grateful (thankful) for. Can you also name a bonus thing you are grateful for about yourself? This is a great self-compassion exercise.

Optional: Collage or Draw a Cover for your journal.

2. Watch the Sending Kind Thoughts video and think about who you’d like to send kind thoughts to.

3. Practice sending kind thoughts to at least 2 different people. Notice how you feel when you do this. Is it strange? Fun? Do you feel good?

4. Now share your kind thoughts and gratitude with others by writing, drawing, or sending a message or doing another act of kindness:

• Write a compliment or thank-you note for someone in your home. Share your note with them.
  
  

• Write or draw something you’re thankful for and share it with a friend on a phone call, text, or video message or meeting. Ask them to share what they’re thankful for, too.
  
  

• Draw a picture of something that makes you feel happy. Put your picture facing out of a window, so anyone outside can see it. Or if you can, go outside and draw with chalk on the sidewalk Your kind messages and colorful drawings will make others happy, too.