Kathy Cothran

Can we really be thankful for doing dishes and laundry? Can we be thankful for cleaning up after our pets out in the yard?

Having students reflect upon aspects of their lives to be thankful is a common activity. Kids tend to just think of an idea and jot it down without really thinking about what it really means. In this activity students are required to think of aspects of their lives that they wouldn't normally see as something to be thankful for, and put a positive spin on the event.

For instance, "I am thankful for doing dishes because it means my family has food to eat" or "I am thankful for cleaning up after my pet in the backyard because it means that I have a furry companion that always loves me." "I am thankful for cleaning my room because it means that my family has a house to live in."

In order for students to follow the pattern of the book I write "I am thankful for _____________ because it means ____________." on the board. Some years I have even had to write under the first line, "something I dislike" to remind the students.

I have done this project in a couple different ways.

One is to use a word processing software to type the words in a large font at the bottom of the page. I have the students change the page set up to landscape. After printing the students use multiple media to design the illustration from construction paper to marker, crayon, and paint. Or, using construction paper as the background, students can cut out their words and glue them to the background.

Two, students can design an entire page in a drawing program such as KidPix and add words to the bottom of the page.

Three, capture the pages electronically (either by scanning or holding in front of a camera) and put them into a slideshow, add audio of each child sharing their statement, and then publish as a podcast.

This concept of choosing something you hate to be thankful for and adding what it means seems to be difficult for children under fourth grade.

If you would like to attempt this activity with younger students, you may have more success if you compile a whole list of brainstorming ideas for the first section of the statement (for what they dislike) and then they have to choose one of those. Then they might be able to figure out the second half. If they don't nail the first half they go way off course! You will definitely see who has higher level thinking skills emerging!

Overall, this activity gets students thinking about the aspects of their life that they most complain about and putting those into a positive light. I often remind them that there are people all over the world who would be grateful for having a bed to make, a house to clean, and food to clear off of the table.

See samples from sixth grade below:

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