Spread Thanksgiving Cheer with Special Thankfulness Messages

Teaching students to be grateful means teaching them to focus their time and attention on what they appreciate instead of focusing on the negative that is happening around them. I know, I know… with some students, it is easier said than done! Teaching students to be thankful can be an uphill battle.

How to Teach Gratitude to Your Students

Have your students start by thinking of anything at all in their lives that they feel thankful for. Maybe it is the warm meal the cafeteria lady served them this morning or the high-five that the crossing guard gave as they crossed the busy street. During this exercise, help your students to understand that gratitude is more than being thankful for the physical items they are given. It is also about focusing on the little things people do for them. The way a classmate always says, “Great job!” or the way their best friend always shares their afternoon snack with them. Try making a list of some things people are thankful for in the class.

Once your students think about things they are grateful for, give them each a copy of the card templates. Have them think of two people they would like to send a special thank you to. Have them brainstorm and write down the words of gratitude they’d like to share. Then, have them fill out each card and cut them out. Finally, have them hand-deliver their cards of thanks, letting these special people know how thankful they are.

This resource can be used as part of a social-emotional learning lesson on gratitude or a writing lesson on composing a correspondence such as a thank you note.

Two templates are included in the download – a blank thank-you card and one with sentence starters. Use the drop-down menu to choose between the PDF or Google slide version.

This resource was created by Meagan Lee, a teacher in Texas and a Teach Starter Collaborator.

Need More Ideas to Say “I Am Thankful For…”

If you need more ways to show gratitude, make sure you check these out!

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