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Science of Happiness
The “Science of Happiness” video shows volunteers who write thank-you essays and then are asked to call the subject of their essay and read it to them. We recommend teachers screen the video before showing it to students for a couple of language issues (spontaneous explicatives). Perhaps teachers can bleep out the words that may be offensive to the audience because, otherwise, this is an excellent way to demonstrate the power of gratitude. The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) CASEL has started an impressive movement toward social and emotional learning (SEL) in every school. We encourage teachers to visit the website and join the movement. Educators who are looking for support in spending district funds on SEL programs will find research data to back up their efforts. Pay It Forward Pay It Forward Day in April is celebrated in schools around the world. The movement was inspired by the Pay It Forward movie. The site includes a guide to implementing Pay It Forward Day in schools and offers free flyers, parent letters, and student materials. Random Act of Kindness The website by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, a nonprofit has amazing resources including educator lesson plans, videos, and other resources to use in the classroom. The Kindness Boomerang The video demonstrates how one simple act of kindness can pass from one person to another. In the video, the kind acts eventually reach back to the person who started the chain, like a boomerang. The video demonstrates that a perfect example of kindness can have a meaningful ripple effect. The Science of Gratitude This video by WellCast explains the science behind gratitude in a kid-friendly way and ends with a gratitude assignment. Gratitude Lesson Plans This pdf packet offers a step-by-step guide with several lessons plans including gratitude journal prompts. Making Gratitude Viral (Karma Kitchen) This video is useful for teachers of middle and high school students. Nipun Mehta, founder of ServiceSpace explains the concept of Karma Kitchen and discusses how to use kindness and gratitude to grow generosity. Gratitude in Education Dr. Kerry Howells’ “Gratitude in Education” speech from the 2012 Mind & Its Potential conference is a nice example of how teachers and students can use gratitude in school to diminish bullying and promote connections. Three Keys of Gratitude to Unlock Your Happiest Life! In this video, Jane Ransom discusses the “three keys of gratitude that unlock your happiest life” and the brain science behind it. She tells stories that help the audience connect to each of the three keys. Gratitude Journal Apps There are dozens of gratitude apps out there, some free and some not. Some apps are simple diary entries, and some combine the list with social media. If creating a habit of being grateful sounds intriguing, we suggest exploring the app store to find a gratitude app that fits your needs and feels right. Download one and give it a try. Gratitude Revealed The Gratitude Revealed site focuses on the science and building blocks of gratitude. Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg explores being thankful in 15 videos that deal with what gratitude is, why it is important, and how everyone can live a more grateful life. The Gratitude Jar Social-Network The Gratitude Jar is a social-network site that allows users to share thoughts of gratitude with the world and draw inspiration from what others have shared. Red Stamp Website and Apps The Red Stamp site and supporting apps makes it easy to show gratitude (for free). Users simply choose a card, customize it, and then send by email or text for free. There is a snail-mail option for a small fee. Users can customize their cards with photos. Dealing With Entitled Kids This short video on how to handle entitled kids is an excellent parent resource that can be shared in a newsletter or on your school website. Smile Cards This site explains the practice of generosity and using smile cards. It’s a good resource for educators who want to start a kindness movement in their school. |