Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thankful List


For the past several years I’ve developed a Thankful List in November.  (See previous lists: 2010, 2011) With this Thanksgiving post I’ve decided to share some of the items on my students’ lists.

I noticed a Facebook trend this month in which people list things they’re thankful for each day on their status update. I think it’s a great idea, and it’s been neat to see the different lists people share.

I decided to adapt this idea a little with my second graders and have them make individual thankful lists. So, each day as part of our morning routine during the month of November, the students open their ipad and go to the Pages app where they add another thing they’re thankful for to their list. We haven’t done any group brainstorming for ideas, although each week students may share a few of their items with the class if they wish. And it’s been fun watching them share their lists with each other in small groups. The kids have found it fairly easy to think of a variety of blessings to be thankful for. We’ve even talked about continuing our lists through the month of December. As of yesterday, our lists consisted of 20 things (although several students have gone ahead and were on #30 or 34!)

Although many of their items are fairly typical (family, friends, etc.), I was impressed at the thoughtfulness and deep thinking of many of their items. So, here’s a compilation of some of the things my second graders are thankful for:

     rain                    animals                    neighbors                    peace                    butterflies

     colors                books                        love                            water                     forgiveness

     chapel               music                        shoes                          faith                       Bible

     time                   ice                            church                         sand                       tools

     healing             beach                          holidays                      sports                     grass

     air                      sky                           The Cross                     Jesus                  heaven


We give you thanks, O God.

       

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