About This Lesson
Helping students recognize what is going well and appreciate the people, experiences, and moments around them are two of the most powerful ways to build emotional wellbeing. This Year-Round SEL Mega Bundle combines the science-backed wellbeing practices of Gratitude and What Went Well to help students develop optimism, resilience, self-awareness, and stronger relationships throughout the school year.
Designed specifically with autism-friendly and special education classrooms in mind, this comprehensive bundle includes engaging reflection activities, visual supports, writing prompts, classroom games, and implementation resources that make social-emotional learning accessible for diverse learners. Whether students are celebrating everyday successes, expressing appreciation, or learning to notice positive moments, these activities encourage meaningful conversations while supporting communication, emotional regulation, and positive behavior.
Perfect for use all year long, these flexible resources can be incorporated into morning meetings, counseling sessions, transition times, writing instruction, behavior supports, and family engagement activities.
Here's what you'll get:
- 10 Things You Are Grateful for TODAY! reflection activity
- Grateful/Not Grateful Sorting Cards
- What Went Well for You Lately? reflection worksheet
- Picture What Went Well activity
- I Am Grateful For... writing activity
- Categories of Gratitude Brainstorm
- Write a Gratitude Letter activity
- Create a Gratitude Scrapbook in Canva project
- Gratitude Scavenger Hunt
- Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) Recommendations for Gratitude and What Went Well
- IEP Recommendations for Gratitude and What Went Well
- Integration Into Current Instruction guides for both wellbeing skills
- Teacher implementation suggestions
- Autism-friendly supports
- Access to additional Gratitude and What Went Well lesson ideas and resources
Why you'll love this activity bundle:
- Combines two evidence-based wellbeing practices into one comprehensive resource
- Encourages optimism, gratitude, and positive thinking
- Supports emotional regulation, resilience, and self-awareness
- Strengthens communication and relationship-building skills
- Easy to differentiate for a variety of learning needs
- Supports IEP and BIP goals related to emotional regulation, communication, social skills, and self-reflection
- Designed with autism-friendly, flexible learning needs in mind
- Perfect for year-round SEL instruction
Ways to use:
- Daily SEL lessons
- Morning meetings
- Counseling and social work sessions
- Special education and autism support classrooms
- Writing and language arts integration
- Behavior intervention and self-monitoring
- Small group instruction
- Family engagement and home practice
- End-of-week or end-of-day reflection routines
What are Gratitude and What Went Well?
Gratitude is the practice of intentionally noticing and appreciating the people, experiences, and moments that positively impact our lives. One way to strengthen gratitude is through Gratitude Letter Writing, where we thoughtfully express appreciation to someone who has made a meaningful difference in our lives. Research shows this simple practice benefits both the writer and the recipient, strengthening relationships while increasing happiness and wellbeing.
What Went Well is a reflection practice that encourages us to pause and notice positive moments throughout our day. Rather than ignoring successes or focusing only on challenges, students learn to identify what went well, why it happened, and how they can create more positive experiences in the future. Over time, this practice helps build optimism, resilience, and confidence.
Together, these complementary wellbeing skills teach students to recognize the good in their lives, celebrate progress, strengthen relationships, and develop a more balanced perspective even during difficult times.
Science of Gratitude & What Went Well
Research in positive psychology consistently demonstrates that regularly practicing gratitude and reflecting on positive experiences can significantly improve wellbeing. Students who intentionally practice gratitude and reflect on what went well are more likely to experience:
- Increased happiness and positive emotions
- Greater resilience during challenges
- Improved emotional regulation
- Higher life satisfaction
- Stronger relationships and empathy
- Increased optimism and hopefulness
- Improved self-esteem and confidence
- Better classroom engagement and participation
- Reduced stress and anxiety
For autistic students and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, structured gratitude and reflection activities can also support communication, perspective-taking, emotional awareness, and social connection while providing predictable routines for practicing social-emotional skills.
Looking for More Gratitude & What Went Well Resources?
Explore the free Gratitude Letter Writing and What Went Well Unit Studies, which include teaching slides, additional worksheets and activities, implementation guides, and IEP and BIP recommendations tailored specifically to students with autism.
Proof Positive's resources are and will always be free. Be well!
Bonus access to full lesson plans and unit studies on the Skills of Happiness at our Skill Center.
