Lesson 4. Gratitude, Why Is It So Important?

Guided Breathing Exercise | 5:00 |  Breaths Of Gratitude

This powerful exercise helps students to be more mindful of the positive things in their life. Breathing in and out gratitudes regularly can greatly impact a child’s mindset for the day.

 

Educators  | 

 

Explain to students we are going to do 3 3 Breaths Of Gratitude today. In this breathing exercise, we are going to acknowledge the great things in our life.

Before we start, ask your students to think of 3 things they are grateful for right now. For example friends, family, pets, stars, sunshine. 

Ask students to put their hands up when they have 3 things to be grateful for and then we can begin.

Remind students to sit with their mindful bodies on and spine tall like a mountain. Now gently breathe in and slowly breathe out letting go of any tension they can feel in their mind and body. 

 

Let's Begin | 

1. Invite your students to slowly and deeply inhale through the nose right down into the belly,
2. Pause and ask the students to think of one of the things they are grateful for today and say in their minds “Today I am grateful for …… “ 
3. Now slowly exhale out through the nose keeping the mouth closed.
4. Repeat two or three more Breaths of Gratitude choosing new gratitudes each time. For example

• Breathing in -
• Pause and visualize saying “Today I am grateful for …… “  
• Now slowly exhale out through the nose keeping the mouth closed with the out breath.

 

Reflection |

• Is everyone feeling calm now?
• Let your students know to start the day with Breaths Of Gratitude is a very positive way to start the day.

 

 

Mindfulness Lesson | 5:00 | Gratitude, Why Is It So Important?

Objectives: What are you grateful for? This question invites a mindset that helps us to appreciate what the world has to offer us, instead of focusing on lack.

 

Educators |

Research shows that there is a strong association between cultivating gratitude and greater feelings of happiness. When we are grateful we are often healthier, more positive and resilient. 

 

Let's Begin |

First of all, let the students know today we will be learning about the power of gratitude.

Ask the class to share their meaning of Gratitude. For example, Gratitude is being thankful and appreciating the positive things in our life. Your students may wish to brainstorm ideas.

Ask students why being grateful is important, and if they sometimes forget to think about things to be grateful for.

Explain: When we are grateful we shift our attention from those things that are not good in our lives, and focus on the millions of little things that are good in our lives. There are so many miracles around us, it can be easy to forget about all the things in our life that we can be grateful for.

 

Examples |

Now let us discuss and remind our students about a few things to be grateful for.

1. Each breath we take has been gifted by the trees and plants.
2. The sun rises every day to give life to the plants that we need to breathe and eat.
3. The rain provides water for the trees, plants and crops for the farmers so they can grow food for us to eat.
4. The people who look after our environment keeping the beaches, water and air clean by collecting rubbish.
5. The people who help us learn new things and keep us healthy like doctors, nurses and teachers.

 

Mindfulness Exercise | 5:00 | Gratitude, Why Is It So Important?

Let’s Begin |

• Invite students to close their eyes and start to connect with some gentle mindful breathing.
• Once they feel relaxed and calm ask them to picture a person in their life that makes them feel really happy. They can imagine this person sitting right next to them.
• Invite them to notice what it feels like to imagine the person there.
• Ask students to picture all the special people in their lives, this could also include heroes or pets, and imagine them all sitting around them looking at them with big smiles and encouragement.

 

Reflection |

• Ask the students to share what it feels like to be surrounded by all their special and caring people and pets.

 

Let’s Try Again |

• Now invite students to think of their favourite food, and imagine it is right in front of them now. Ask students to imagine the colours and the smells and notice what their bodies feel like as they do so.
• Now invite students to think of their favourite things, this might be their favourite pillow, cuddly toy, skateboard or anything that the children love to hold or play with.
• Now invite the students to think of everything at once.
• Their favourite people, pets, favourite foods and favourite things for which they are most grateful for at this moment.
• They can picture all these things and the people around them. Ask them to notice what it feels like in their body as they picture this.

 

Now the children can take a deep breath, and simply notice what their bodies feel like after this gratefulness practise.

 

Reflection |

1. How does it feel in your heart after this exercise
2. If there is time explore further

 

Mindful Life Practise | Daily Gratitudes

Let your students know that sometimes, the last thing we think of at night is the first thing we think of in the morning. So if we want to wake up the morning thinking about something positive, like gratitude, we can start by thinking thankful thoughts before we go to bed each night.

• Ask the class before going to sleep each night, think of three things they are most grateful for each day.
• Ask the class to see if they can remember what they are grateful for in the morning.
• Practise Breaths Of Gratitude. Breathing in pause and visualize saying “Today I am grateful for …… “ 
• Share with the class next week if you could remember your gratitude each morning

 

Also, remember to practise your meditation

Guided Meditation |  9:34 | Gratitudes In The Secret Garden 

Today in this special meditation we will be focusing on being grateful. Being grateful is so powerful. It is the simple act of saying thank you to the people we love, to ourselves and to everything in life.

When we are grateful we begin to focus on all the millions of little miracles going well at this moment instead of the things that are not right, and our day becomes brighter and happier.

 

 

Reflection |

• How did that meditation make everyone feel?

 

Mindful Game |  I'm So Grateful For Toilet Paper Game!

Objectives | 

• Appreciation, 
• Gratefulness, 
• Confidence and 
• Team Building.

 

Educators | 

Before you begin you will need a roll of toilet paper.

 

How to play |

• Ask students to sit in a circle
• Start with the leader by asking them to pass around a roll of toilet tissue. Tell the students to take off how many sheets they think they need?
• This will definitely create giggles in the room!
• Do not elaborate or explain the reason behind taking toilet tissue. Let them know they will find out later.
• When everyone in the group has toilet paper, ask the kids to break up their toilet tissues into individual squares.
• For each square that the students took, they must say one thing they are grateful for! For example five squares = 5 gratitudes.
• Start with the class leader and move around in a clockwise direction. 
• Those students who grabbed a lot of toilet paper may find it challenging to come up with that many gratitudes. Ask them to try, if they need they can ask the other students in the class to help.

 

Note |

Also, try and encourage students not to repeat anyone else’s gratitude. If the class as a group gets through every piece of toilet paper. A big round of applause for everyone.

 

Mindful Journal | PNG Format |

Educators |

Slide your students' journal to your desktop and print.