Using Picture Books to Spark Discussions Around Gratitude

Picture books are one of the most meaningful and engaging instructional tools we have at our disposal as teachers. They are wide reaching in content and theme. We use them to model and to entertain....daily (at least we should).

Using picture books to drive discussions around important topics, such as gratitude level the playing field for our students. If nothing else, the events in the story build the background knowledge and set the stage to make connections. Not all of our students come with wealth of life experiences or vocabulary. Picture books can bridge that gap!

Plus picture books provide an opportunity to have a discussion around sensitive or difficult topics in a safe space. When you are talking about the behavior or situation regarding characters, then there is nothing specific to students. You can talk about the characters or the dilemma without offending anyone or breaching any privacy. Let me be clear, I'm talking about discussions around character traits like honesty or perseverance....I'm certainly not promoting anything radical. It's easier for students to talk about a character that doesn't tell the truth than share or expose their own experiences.

Let's talk about gratitude! Here are 4 picture books that are ideal for discussing gratitude....

There are many wonderful stories that can spark a discussion on gratitude. These are just a few that I have loved in my instruction. Please drop any other picture books that support gratitude in the comments! Need a quick and ready to go resource to support a theme of gratitude in your first or second grade classroom? Check out mini unit on gratitude in my TPT store!

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