CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Gratitude – Boy Adopted from Sierra Leone Experiences His First Birthday Celebration

It is important to find ways to show gratitude for the things in our lives, big or small, all year round.

Gratitude
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Respect
  • Caring
SEL Skills
  • Self-Awareness
  • Self-Management
Academic Skills
  • Curiosity and Passion
  • Self-Direction and Engagement

Definitions

Respect
  • Follow the Golden Rule.
  • Be accepting of differences.
  • Be courteous to others.
  • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements.
  • Be considerate of others’ feelings.
Caring
  • Be kind.
  • Be compassionate.
  • Express gratitude.
  • Forgive others.
  • Be considerate of others’ feelings.
Self-Awareness

Identify and understand emotions, values, attitudes, motivations, mindsets, and personal attributes.

Self-Management

Regulate emotions, attitudes, and actions, and manage negative emotions and impulses.

Curiosity and Passion

Enthusiastic to understand more about themselves, others, and the world around them.

Self-Direction and Engagement

Fully engaged in the educational process and connected to the school community.

Learn more about our character, SEL, and academic outcomes.
Share This Activity
The Ray Center at Drake University
CBS News

Students will learn about showing gratitude and reflect on what they are grateful for.

Download Google Slides
activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • What is something you do to celebrate your birthday?
  • Do you have meaningful traditions you do each year for holidays or with your family?
  • What is the definition of gratitude?
    • We show gratitude when we are thankful.
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

Click here for the shortened video (best for secondary students).

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • What emotions did you experience when viewing the video?
  • How did Abraham react when the “blessing cake” was presented to him on his birthday?
  • What lesson does Abraham teach us about gratitude?
  • Why is expressing gratitude so important?
  • What are different ways we can show gratitude towards others?
materials

Activity Materials

  • Jar
  • Marbles, beads, or craft pompoms
  • Sticky notes
  • Writing utensils
activity

Activity: Gratitude Jar

  • Ask the students to write something they are grateful for on a sticky note and tape it on a large chart paper or empty whiteboard space.
  • Have the students share what they are grateful for one by one.
  • Once they share an item, they put a marble, bead, or pompom into a clear jar.
    • To connect with the video message even more, you could hot glue birthday candles to the outside of the jar or decorate it with wrapping paper.
  • Tell students that when they think of something they are grateful for, they can write it on the gratitude wall and drop a marble, bead, or pompom into the gratitude jar.
  • As the jar fills over time, the class can reflect on what they continue to be thankful for.
  • Follow-up questions:
    • How often do you think about the things you are grateful for?
    • This activity helps us remember what we are grateful for at school. How can you do something similar at home?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • Make a list of 10-15 things for which you are grateful.
  • What does it mean to show gratitude?
  • How can you show gratitude to someone today?

6-12

  • How do you show gratitude for the things and people around you?
  • Make a list of 20 things you are grateful for in your life.
  • When is showing gratitude challenging? Why?
family connection

Family Connection

Educators: Copy the Family Connection and email it to parents, or click here to download a PDF version to email or print.

Watch
Watch the video as a family:  https://youtu.be/-zAFoeSr7hQ

Discuss
Use these questions to start meaningful conversations about gratitude.

  • Abraham and James are grateful to have a family and to celebrate their birthdays. What are some things that we are thankful for as a family?
  • How can we be better at showing gratitude as a family? 
  • What are some of the little things that you are grateful for?

Activity

  • Create a gratitude collage: Gather items or pictures from online to print or magazines that you can cut out that show the things you and your family are grateful for. Create a collage to hang up as a reminder of what your family is grateful for.

More Kindness 101

CHARACTER COUNTS! Lessons and Activities

 

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