Teaching Kids to be Thankful

[Heather C.]

Hi,
I know it's early to be thinking Thanksgiving, but in light
of the recent events in our nation, I think we have all
been more acutely aware of our own blessings. I would like
to hear about activities that you use with your students to
encourage thankfulness. These can be anything from
classroom activities to perhaps community services
projects. I would like to include your responses in the
upcoming November issue of my teacher newsletter, Pencil
Points. Please tell me your name, where you are from and
what grade level you teach.

Thanks,
Heather C.

[Ryleigh]

I have worked in a few different pre-schools (Ontario, Canada), over the last years but one activity we always got involved with in a collection of food for the local food bank. We would discuss in class how lucky we were to have good food to eat and that some people don't have all the nice things that we have. Last year my class loaded up four wagons of non-perishable items that we then pulled down to the local fire station to be dropped off at the food bank.
One year we worked with a childrens hospice centre and donated toys and other gifts to the children who would be spending the holidays without family to care for them. A few weeks before the holidays we visited the centre and gave a short concert for them.
I was surprised how much my class of three year olds actually understood and took pride in what we were doing.