November Teacher’s Corner > Encouraging Gratitude & Generosity
Try a few of these tips to help your students develop a spirit of generosity and giving—all year long!
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Food Drive
Host a food drive! Encourage students to bring nonperishable food items from home to donate to a local charity or food bank. (Remind them to ask permission from their parents first.) Make it a contest by challenging another class or grade level to see who can bring in the most food. |
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School Buddies
Encourage students to share their talents by giving time to others. Have them partner with students in a lower grade level. Then, set aside a half hour per week for students to meet with their younger buddies to help them with reading or math skills, draw a picture together, or simply offer advice about succeeding in school. Your students will quickly see that they have much to give, and younger students will love having an older “mentor” to look up to! |
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Notes of Gratitude
Help students practice expressing words of thanks. Purchase a few sets of inexpensive “Thank You” cards from a local store or card shop. Place them in a basket in your classroom along with some colored pens or markers. Encourage students to use the cards to write quick thank-you notes to fellow classmates when they have shown kindness, performed a favor, or demonstrated generosity toward others. |
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Thank the Troops
Spread the spirit of Thanksgiving by having children make Thanksgiving cards to send to American soldiers overseas! Websites such as www.amillionthanks.org or www.anysoldier.com provide helpful guidelines and contact information for sending letters to the troops. |
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Animal Adoption
Emphasize the importance of giving back to our planet by having your class “adopt” an endangered animal. Visit informative sites such as www.worldwildlife.org or www.savethewhale.org to choose the animal you want to adopt. Then, set out a collection jar in your classroom and encourage students to donate spare change. Keep track of the amount of money donated, and, once you’ve raised enough money, order an animal adoption kit. Your students will see just how rewarding and easy it can be to make a difference! |
