Prep
- Prepare by having a short brainstorm by yourself and writing down some examples of what you are grateful for. You can share some of these examples in the introduction so as to support learners during the exercise.
- Also make sure all learners have access to a journal – it could be a digital journal, or a regular journal or book.
Levels in the activity
- Try out in class
- New habits
- Follow-up
Level 1: Try out in class
- Invite the learners to take two deep breaths and gently shake their shoulders.
- Invite the learners to have a small brainstorm by themselves to consider the big or small things they are grateful for. A possibility is to list some of their responses on a black/white board for other learners to see.
- Then, in their journal, have them list some little moments, meaningful gestures, small wins, and beautiful objects in their life that they are genuinely grateful for. Nothing is too small or too big to be included. For example: the warmth of a cup in their hand, the person who greeted them when getting to school today, the tree outside their window…You may need to remind learners to show gratitude for themselves as well.
Students writing in their journal while spending time in nature. Photo by Carmelo Zamora, REAL School Budapest
Level 2: New habits
- Let the learners repeat this exercise several days a week, for a month. If you teach a class where you do this exercise only once a week, we suggest continuing for 2-3 months.
- As they build this new habit, each learner’s list will grow. Looking back at how much one has been grateful for is an important experience in itself.
Level 3: Follow-up
- Have a discussion on how learners experienced the exercise and whether they would consider continuing this journalling exercise moving forward.
- You can also encourage them to write a note to someone to express their gratitude.
Dos and Don’ts
Do
- Regarding Step 2 of the first level, sometimes learners might come up with NOTHING! If so, you might find it appropriate to invite them to brainstorm in groups or to start the exercise with the whole group openly brainstorming together. This is also a way to adapt the exercise for younger learners: having an open brainstorm and writing down their ideas on the board or on a large sheet of paper can help younger learners choose their own topics and start journaling.
Don’t
- Don’t pressure participants to share what they’ve written down about what they’re grateful for, and don’t judge their responses.
Adaptations
This activity can also be undertaken at home together with parents to create a space for sharing, common understanding and gratitude for everyday life.
Feel free to adapt the activity by inviting your learners to draw instead of write, if that suits them better. To support neurodivergent learners or those who may not be used to expressing their feelings – or find it difficult to recognize them – you can also use pictures, symbols, or emojis to help them engage more comfortably.
When adapting tools and activities for neurodivergent learners, please note it is not about treating others how you want to be treated, but how they want to be treated. Ask, listen, and stay open to different ways of learning and engaging.
References
Gratitude journalling exists in many forms and has been widely practised in different settings. This particular version of the activity was designed by Legacy17 for the CLARITY project, drawing on a rich tradition of approaches already in use. We acknowledge and appreciate the many variations available and do not claim to have invented the practice.
- Find out more about the gratitude journal at the Greater Good in Education, a free resource hub for educators from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center:
- More on using gratitude journalling with parents:
- Toprak, B., & Sarı, T. (2023). The effects of a 2-week gratitude journalling intervention to reduce parental stress and enhance well-being: a pilot study among preschool parents. Discover Psychology, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-023-00099-x
- The cognitive benefits and support from that journalling activity contributes to a more positive cognitive style that can be a way to reduce stress:
- Fekete, E. M., & Deichert, N. T. (2022). A brief gratitude writing intervention decreased stress and negative affect during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Happiness Studies, 23(6), 2427–2448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00505-6
For print if needed
An example of a Gratitude Journal list.
| I am grateful for… | I am grateful to… |
