This is the time of year the kiddos are starting to mentally check out. We have so many events in these last few months-field trips, awards celebrations, Field Day, etc. I want to do some kind of project each week to try and channel that focus. One of the projects I do every year is a Gratitude Project.
I start talking about gratitude from Day One with my kiddos. Once a week we write in a Gratitude Journal-sometimes they write about whatever they'd like, sometimes I give them a prompt like "write about what you are grateful for that you can't see". When they complain about things like why didn't a parent bring juice if they bring cupcakes for a birthday-I see that as a teaching moment-be grateful you have cupcakes. If they complain about having to do an assignment, I remind them of students in other countries who would love to be allowed to go to school.
So this time of year I ask them to put their ideas down on a poster. Name six things you are grateful for. I ask them to thing deeply on the subject and see what they can come up with.
earth, teacher, flowers, furniture, God, water and butterflies.
family, dog, Dad, friends, mom and everyone
Electricity, house, mom, earth, family and sun
mom, school, my teacher (I've been working out-look at those arms! :), food, friends and birds
birds
parents, water, electricity, pencils paper and animals
mom, animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish
Scientists, astronauts, brother, mom, house, dog
superheroes, lizards, friends, angels, princesses, you
princesses
toys, ocean, animals, trees, magnets and electricity
trees, the world, houses, vegetables, puppies
dogs, trees, rain, gravity, clothes and friends
Love this illustration for gravity.
cousins, dog, friends, parents, brother, family
pinecones,pools, horses, dentist, mom, ocean
pinecones :)
What a great activity! We have six weeks left and our kids are getting pretty ramped up, too.
ReplyDeleteI love the little person who's grateful for experiments:)
Yes, my little future scientists! :)
DeleteYou teach to the heart and not just the head. Beautiful stuff!
ReplyDeleteI really try Tammy! I don't feel like I'm always doing a very good job of it, but I do try.
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