DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME
Identifies opportunities for gratitude in their own life and expresses an appreciation for nature
LEARNING INTENTION
Express gratitude for different experiences
ASSESSMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Students’ contributions during circle time
‘Grateful Kid’ statements
Coloured paddle pop sticks
‘Grateful Game’ chart (provided)
MINDFUL MOMENT
BRAIN BREAK
REMOTE OPPORTUNITIES
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STRATEGIES AND QUESTIONS
INTRODUCTION – WHERE THE LESSON IS GOING AND WHAT IS EXPECTED
Big questions: What are we learning about? Why?
Introduce the learning intention and contextualise the lesson for your class.
ACTIVITY 1 – GRATEFUL KIDS
Discuss the meaning of thankfulness and gratitude, to ensure students have a clear understanding of these terms. Play ‘I am Grateful kid video’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yuQXUn3MEg (0:50). Explain to students that they will be able to record what they’re grateful for during this lesson.
Questions could include: What are you grateful for? Why are you grateful for that? How could your life be different without that thing/person/concept?
Success criteria: Watch and listen carefully, take turns, listen to others
ACTIVITY 2 – CIRCLE TIME GRATITUDE
Explain and model the ‘Grateful Game’, using the provided sheet. Students sit in a circle with a pile of coloured paddle pop sticks in the centre. They then take turns to select one of the paddle pop sticks and share something for which they are grateful. Students may then keep the paddle pop stick as a symbol of the many things they have to be grateful for.
Success criteria: Take turns, listen to others
ACTIVITY 3 – WWW DRAWINGS
Explain the concept of ‘What Went Well’ – that it is a reflective activity used to highlight past positive experiences. Students are to select something from today that went well, whether it is at home or school, in the classroom or the playground. They then draw this event and, after a given amount of time, share their WWW with a partner.
You might like to play some appropriate music quietly in the background, while students are working. E.g. ‘Thankful’ by Josh Groban.
Success criteria: Select a past positive event, work quietly and independently
REFLECTION – RETHINKING AND REVISING
Big Ideas: What have I learnt about being grateful?
See above for the filming of students’ ‘Grateful Kid’ statements.
Success criteria: Take turns, listen to others