NOTE: I’m republishing this post from 2017 since both of these lessons are extremely popular this week, and thought new readers might want to hear about them.
(Editor’s Note: I originally published this post in 2015)
I’ve previously posted about A Simple & Effective Classroom Lesson On Gratitude, one that I’ve done with my mainstream and Advanced ELL classes.
I’m modifying it this year for my Low Intermediate English Language Learner students.
I’ll first explain the Thanksgiving holiday, and the word “gratitude.”
Then, as in the “original,” I’ll be showing the Soul Pancake video that’s embedded below. The subtitles appear to be ones the video’s creators made and not the automatic ones YouTube generates, so that means they actually reflect what people are saying and not gibberish.
Next, I’ll go over this student hand-out. Here’s what it says:
Gratitude
Thanksgiving is a holiday in the United States. Many use this time to think about what gratitude. Gratitude is feeling thankful about something or someone.
Close your eyes and think about someone who is important to you. You can think about more than one person, too.
Why is this person important to you?
I am grateful to have _______________________________________________________ in my life
because ___________________________________________________________________. He/she
makes me feel ______________________________________________________________. I would feel
________________________________________________________________ if he/she was not in my
life.
I am grateful to have _______________________________________________________ in my life
because ___________________________________________________________________. He/she
makes me feel ______________________________________________________________. I would feel
________________________________________________________________ if he/she was not in my
life.
I’ll model completing the form.
Next, I’ll call my wife, put her on speakerphone, and say what I wrote about her. I’ll invite students to do the same. As in previous years, I suspect a fair amount of tears will be shed.
We’ll end the lesson with students turning what they’ve written into cards to give the people they’ve written about, or posters we can use with an Adobe Express video they can send to those in other countries.
Here’s the video I’ll be using:
Feel free to offer suggestions on how I can make this a better lesson.
ADDENDUM: Here’s how I modified it today for my ELL Newcomers class: I made it very simple. I read the handout and had peer tutors help students complete it. Then, students did speed-dating to share reading in English what they wrote. Lastly, I had everyone call one of the people they wrote about and tell them what they wrote – in English and in their home language. It went great!
I’m adding this post to The Best Resources On “Gratitude.”
NOTE: I’m republishing this post from 2017 since both of these lessons are extremely popular this week, and thought new readers might want to hear about them. (Editor’s Note: I originally published this post in 2015) I’ve previously posted about A Simple & Effective Classroom Lesson On Gratitude, one that I’ve done with my anniversaries Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
