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Session 6: Gratitude Tech 🦃

Overview

Grades: 3-4 | Duration: 40 minutes | Session: 6 of 17

Students use technology to create digital gratitude projects, expressing thankfulness to God and others.

Session 6: Gratitude Tech

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

  • Connect gratitude to faith

  • Use technology to express thankfulness

  • Create a digital or tech-enhanced gratitude project

  • Share appreciation with others

Session 6: Gratitude Tech

Materials Needed

  • 💻 Computers with Scratch or presentation software

  • 📱 Tablets (optional)

  • 🎨 Digital creation tools

  • 📓 Engineering journals

  • 📝 Gratitude planning sheets

Catholic Integration

Saint Connection

St. Paul — Wrote letters of gratitude to churches. Many Bible books are his "thank you notes"!

Scripture

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." — 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Opening Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the abundance of blessings in our lives. Help us use our skills to express gratitude to you and to the people who help us. Amen.

Lesson Procedure

Opening Circle (6 minutes)

  1. Gratitude & Thanksgiving:
  2. "Thanksgiving is about saying THANK YOU"
  3. Who do we thank? God, family, friends, teachers, community
  4. St. Paul's Letters:
  5. He couldn't be with people, so he WROTE to them
  6. Technology helps us connect with gratitude too!
  7. Today's Challenge — "Create a digital gratitude project!"

Main Activity: Digital Gratitude Creation (26 minutes)

Part 1: Gratitude Brainstorm (4 minutes)

  • List people you're thankful for

  • List things you're thankful for

  • Choose who/what to focus on

Part 2: Digital Creation (18 minutes)

Option A: Scratch Gratitude Animation

  • Create animated "thank you" in Scratch

  • Show what you're thankful for

  • Add speech, movement, backgrounds

Option B: Digital Slideshow

  • Create presentation of thankfulness

  • Include images, words, reasons

  • 4-6 slides minimum

Option C: Gratitude Podcast/Recording

  • Record audio thank-you message

  • Include specific reasons

  • Could send to recipient!

Option D: Tech-Enhanced Card

  • Design digital card

  • Print to give to someone

  • Add QR code to special message (if able)

Part 3: Sharing (4 minutes)

  • Volunteers share projects

  • Discuss: How does sharing gratitude feel?

Engineering Journal (5 minutes)

  1. Write: "I'm thankful for... because..."
  2. Draw/describe your gratitude project
  3. Write: "Technology helped me express gratitude by..."
  4. Write: "I will share this with..."

Closing Circle (3 minutes)

  1. Gratitude Circle — Each person shares one thanks
  2. Reflection — "How did creating gratitude feel?"
  3. Closing Prayer — "Thank you, God, for everything! Help us be people who always say thank you. Bless our families this Thanksgiving. Amen."

Assessment

Observation Checklist:

  • Expressed genuine gratitude

  • Used technology creatively

  • Completed digital project

  • Planned to share with others

Differentiation

For Students Who Need Support

  • Partner work

  • Template provided

  • Simple slideshow option

For Advanced Students

  • Multiple project formats

  • Add music/advanced features

  • Create for multiple recipients

Wonder at Home 🏠

Family Activity: Share your gratitude project with family! Create a family gratitude list. Write thank-you notes together. At Thanksgiving dinner, each person says what they're thankful for!

Teacher Notes

  • Time lesson before Thanksgiving break

  • Help deliver digital projects to recipients

  • Connect to school gratitude initiatives

  • Print cards if needed for those without tech

Previous: Session 5 — Scratch Intro
Next: Session 7 — Light & Circuits