Practicing Gratitude

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, Year 0-2 students will explore the concept of gratitude as part of the "Strengthening Our Wellbeing Whare" unit (lesson 3 of 5). The lesson will help students recognise and express feelings of gratitude, supporting their emotional wellbeing by focusing on positivity. Through interactive discussions, sharing, and creative expression activities, students learn how gratitude can ease overwhelming emotions and build a positive mindset.

Curriculum References

• Learning Area: Health and Physical Education (HPE), Years 0-2
• Curriculum Links:
  • Wellbeing strand: "Recognise and describe feelings and emotions and simple strategies to manage them"
  • Personal and social capability: Developing self-awareness and emotional regulation
• Key Competencies (NZ Curriculum Refresh):
  • Managing self: developing self-regulation skills and motivation
  • Relating to others: recognising others’ feelings and showing empathy
  • Thinking: reflecting on positive experiences and emotional responses
• Values: Encouraging empathy, respect, and positive relationships
• This closely aligns with the refreshed curriculum’s emphasis on student wellbeing and socio-emotional learning.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Understand the meaning of gratitude and identify things they are grateful for in their lives
• Recognise how feeling grateful can help manage overwhelming feelings
• Express gratitude through drawings or simple sentences
• Share their gratitude with peers, building positive relationships

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Lesson Plan Breakdown (60 minutes)

Time	Activity	Description	Curriculum Links & Competencies
5 min	Welcome and Introduction	Greet students warmly. Ask what feelings they know. Briefly introduce "gratitude" as a feeling of thankfulness and happiness for good things.	Managing self: emotional recognition
10 min	Circle Time Sharing: Happy Moments	In a circle, invite each student to share one thing that makes them happy or feel good. Use simple prompts ("What is something that makes you smile?").	Relating to others, managing self
10 min	Story Time: Gratitude Story	Read a short picture story focusing on gratitude (teacher-chosen or created). Pause to discuss what the characters are grateful for and how it makes them feel.	Using language, symbols and texts; thinking
15 min	Gratitude Drawing/Writing Activity	Provide paper and crayons/pencils. Ask students to draw or write about something they are grateful for. Support sentence writing for those able and encourage use of vocabulary like "thankful," "happy," "love."	Health and Physical Education strand; managing self; using language
10 min	Share and Celebrate	Invite students to share their drawings or sentences with the class in small groups or pairs, encouraging positive feedback from peers. Use sentence starters such as "I am grateful for..."	Relating to others; participating and contributing
5 min	Reflection and Closing	Ask simple reflective questions: "How does thinking about these things make you feel?" "What can you do the next time you feel sad or overwhelmed?" Reinforce gratitude as a tool to feel better.	Thinking; managing self
5 min	Calm Down Moment	Finish with a brief mindfulness or breathing exercise to settle. Encourage students to think of their grateful things during this time.	Managing self

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Teaching and Learning Considerations

• Use age-appropriate vocabulary and lots of visual supports when introducing new concepts like "gratitude."
• Scaffold writing by providing sentence starters or word banks for children who are beginning writers.
• Differentiate by allowing drawing only or simple oral sentence sharing depending on each student's developmental level.
• Foster a calm, supportive classroom environment to encourage open sharing and emotional expression.
• Link gratitude to wellbeing explicitly, helping children connect feelings with strategies to manage emotions.
• Encourage whānau involvement by inviting students to talk about gratitude at home to extend learning beyond the classroom.

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Resources Needed

• Picture book or story about gratitude (teacher-selected)
• Drawing materials: paper, crayons, pencils
• Visual prompts/sentence starters for gratitude expressions
• Calm music or guided breathing script for closing

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Assessment and Feedback

• Observe students’ participation in sharing and ability to express gratitude verbally or through drawings/sentences.
• Use a simple checklist or anecdotal notes to document students’ understanding of gratitude and their emotional expression.
• Provide positive, specific feedback on students’ contributions during sharing, encouraging their confidence and empathy.
• Encourage self-assessment through reflection questions about how gratitude affects their feelings.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a "Gratitude Wall" in the classroom where students can add drawings or notes throughout the unit.
• Use music and movement to express feelings of gratitude through dance or song.
• Integrate Māori perspectives on gratitude (e.g., manaakitanga—care and respect) to connect cultural values with wellbeing themes.

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This lesson harnesses the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum focus on holistic wellbeing, key competencies, and positive emotional development in young learners. It offers a creative and thoughtful approach to practising gratitude that will help foundational emotional literacy and wellbeing for Year 0-2 students in a supportive, engaging manner.