Gratitude Journals
A Powerful Tool for Your K - 12 Classroom
Big Idea
Knowing Your Learner is just as critical to students' growth and development as literacy or math. We have an amazing position as educators to nurture positive character development and improve the culture in our classroom and students' lives. How do we build the emotional skills of our students? One simple word . . . Gratitude.
Gratitude can transform your students, their thinking, and your classroom environment. Do you need some ideas on how to bring gratitude into the classroom? Here are some quick and easy ideas that you can use in your classroom tomorrow.
Directions for Gratitude Journals
- Have each student create a gratitude journal. You can create one or use a premade journal. Make sure the students have ownership of their journal.
- Have students write three things they’re grateful for (once a week). Be sure to limit this activity to once a week, otherwise, according to research, the activity loses its impact.
- Share and reflect.
There is "no one right way to do it," so let your students create their journal of gratitude (i.e. write it, illustrate it, etc.).
Free Gratitude Journal Template
Click the link to access a free journal cover, inspirational quote, and blank page template to create your own class journals.
When To Use
This engaging tool can be used once a week with students. For example, we do it on "Thankful Thursdays," so students can have 5 - 10 minutes to write, reflect, and share what they're thankful for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxFRx-87-Qo
Strategy Variations
First and foremost, create gratitude journals that best meet the needs of your students. Here are some ideas for differentiation:
- Provide blank pages, so students can write, draw, or sketch their thinking.
- Provide sentence starters, like "I am grateful for..." or "I am thankful for..."
- Go digital. Students can create a digital gratitude journal.
- Be creative! Gratitude journals could take many different formats. There is not a 'one size fits all' model. Have fun!
Other Gratitude Ideas
- Create a Gratitude Classroom Journal for your students. Each week a student is chosen and their image or name is put in the middle of the page. Every student in the class writes one thing about that student that they are thankful for. At the end of the week, the selected student gets to read it and share it with the class.
- Create a Gratitude Collage using magazine cutouts, drawings, or create it digitally (with a Word Cloud website, like Tagxedo.com). Each student shares their collage and it's meaning. Then create a class display of gratitude or create a class quilt out of their work.
- Play 'Gratitude Spy' with your class. At the beginning of the day, have each child choose the name of another student out of a hat. Do not reveal the name of who you chose. Then each student 'spies' on his or her chosen friend. At the end of the day, each student shares one thing that he or she is grateful for about that person.
What is Gratitude?
Fun freebies - What is Gratitude? activity, gratitude slips, and more.