About This Lesson
These printable poster slips can help facilitate gratitude and a positive school culture! In this activity, students can write a note to someone, such as a student, teacher, or teammate, who has positively impacted their life. They can drop it in a designated box or post it on a gratitude bulletin board. On Delivery Day, someone can hand-deliver the notes and spread joy to the recipients.
Here’s what you’ll get:
- Printable poster slips to guide students in expressing gratitude
- An exercise encouraging students to reflect on their relationships and express appreciation, promoting emotional and social growth.
- Access to Gratitude Letter Writing lesson plans and a unit study
Why you’ll love this activity:
- The activity is easy to print and customize in your classroom or at home
- Gives students a chance to pause and reflect during a busy time of year
- Great activity for Thanksgiving and the holiday season
- Fosters a sense of culture of appreciation at school
- You can use this resource as part of a comprehensive, science-based unit study.
- The associated free unit study for Gratitude Letter Writing comes with activities, downloadable worksheets, and even IEP and BIP recommendations tailored specifically to students with autism.
Ways to Use
- Incorporate into SEL curriculum
- Integrate into small groups and/or individual counseling sessions
- Families can use this at home, too!
What is Gratitude Letter Writing?
Gratitude is often thought of as thankfulness, appreciation, or a sense of wonder. By intentionally practicing skills like Gratitude Letter Writing, we can all learn to experience, enhance, and express more gratitude.
A Gratitude Letter is more than just a thank-you note. It's a formal letter that you write to someone who has had a profound impact on your life and whom you have not yet properly thanked. This could be a family member, mentor, student, friend, or colleague.
Writing gratitude letters can help students and adults reflect on the people who have helped shape their lives — people who have taken the time to share their strengths, guide, or help in a meaningful way. It’s a way to thoroughly express their gratitude — describing, in detail, what the person’s role in their lives has meant to them. Once they have written the Gratitude Letter, hand deliver or read the letter to the person if possible. Something remarkable happens when gratitude letters are shared in person.
Science of Gratitude
The science is clear — pausing, reflecting, and writing gratitude letters can positively benefit both the writer and the recipient. Recalling past experiences through the lens of gratitude enhances positive affect, writing about them enables the mind to broaden and build, and taking the time to deliver and read gratitude letters to the recipient boosts both parties' wellbeing and has a positive impact on the relationship. Believe it or not, this positive intervention can impact your wellbeing for weeks or even months.
People who engage in the practice of writing gratitude letters are more likely to experience:
- Increased happiness
- Boosted immune system
- Increased positive affect
- Increased life satisfaction
- Enhanced gratitude
- Stronger relationships
Looking for more gratitude resources?
- Explore the free Gratitude Letter Writing Unit Study, which includes teaching slides, additional worksheets and activities, and even IEP and BIP recommendations tailored specifically to students with autism.
- Bonus access to full lesson plans and unit studies on the skills of happiness at our Skill Center
Proof Positive's resources are and will always be free. Be well!
