11 EE_Gratitude_Pt2 extensions_6-8 1 final

Gratitude Academic Extensions Level: Middle School (6-8)Big Ideas: HappinessIf you have given any attention to popular psychology over the last few years, even in passing,then you are more than likely to have encountered some research on gratitude. The articles,research, and videos espousing the benefits of gratitude have been so numerous that critics haveeven begun to emerge declaring gratitude as “selfish” and the benefits as overblown.¹ Despitethe criticism, the research, and common sense, stands clear: being grateful leads to happier andmore fulfilled lives.²This extension aims to bring the best of the “gratitude boom” to you and your students.Encourage your students to explore the literature, resources, and activities provided here and toformulate their own opinion on gratitude. After all, why accept something as true without testingit out for yourself?As a special treat, enjoy Gratitude Revealed.³ Filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg created 15 beautifulfilm shorts to explore gratitude more deeply.© 2016 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 1 of 7 All rights reserved.

GRATITUDE - ACADEMIC EXTENSIONS | GRADES 6-8Student ResourcesLiterature Text: • Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse (Grades 6 – 8) • The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain (Grades 3 – 7) • Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (Grades 3 – 6)Informational Text: • 101 Ways to Say Thank You, Kids and Teens: All-Occasion Thank-You Note Templates, Social Media Etiquette & Gratitude Guide by Kelly Browne (Various Age Groups) • How to Write a Thank-You Letter (Language Arts Explorer Junior) by Cecilia Minden & Kate Roth (Grades 1 – 4) • Thanks a Million!: A Grade School Guide to Growing Gratitude by Lisa Q. Steinberg (Grades K – 5) • The Thank You Book for Kids: Hundreds of Creative, Cool, and Clever Ways to Say Thank You! by Ali Lauren Spizman (Grades 3 – 7)Learning Links: • Bucket Fillers (Website) • Happiness and Joy Lessons - A Living Curriculum for Teachers and Parents (Website) • How to Write a Gratitude Letter ⁶ (Blog Post) • Savoring Walk ⁷ (Blog Post) • The Sound of Gratitude: Songs for Reflection and Discussion⁸ (Mindful Teachers Website)© 2016 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 2 of 7 All rights reserved.

GRATITUDE - ACADEMIC EXTENSIONS | GRADES 6-8Writing Tasks • Do you think that you can express gratitude without being vulnerable? Why or why not? Develop an argument in which you support your claim with clear reasons and relevant evidence. • Research has linked gratitude with increased happiness, reduced stress and depression, stronger relationships and life satisfaction, decreased blood pressure, better sleep, and stronger immune systems. Why do you think gratitude has so many benefits? Write an argumentative essay, stating your claim and supporting it with clear reasons and relevant evidence. • There are many different ways to say “thank you” and many cultures have different traditions around gratitude. Using credible sources, research the ways that different cultures express gratitude, and create an argument for or against incorporating these practices into our culture. Use logical reasoning and relevant evidence to support your claim, making sure to acknowledge alternate or opposing claims. • Gratitude can be something we just think to ourselves, or it can be something we actually express to others in conversation or writing. Compare and contrast the experiences of thinking grateful thoughts and expressing gratitude to others. Which do you find more helpful? Why? Construct an argument to support your claim with logical reasoning based on direct experiences.Writing Rubrics and Student Self-Assessment Check-Lists© 2016 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 3 of 7 All rights reserved.

GRATITUDE - ACADEMIC EXTENSIONS | GRADES 6-8Teacher Resources • University of California, Berkeley Greater Good Science Center Resources on Gratitude (Website) • University of California, Berkeley Greater Good Science Center Resources on Happiness (Website) • A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life (Book) by John Kralik • Broadcasting Happiness: The Science of Igniting and Sustaining Positive Change (Book) by Michelle Gielan • Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity (Book) by Robert A. Emmons • Gratitude: A Positive New Approach to Raising Thankful Kids (Book) by Danniell Miller • Happier: How Gratitude, Appreciation and Kindness can Transform Your World (Free Book) by Andy Lacroix • Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence (Book) by Rick Hanson, Ph.D. • How Full Is Your Bucket? (Book) by Tom Rath, Ph.D. & Donald O. Clifton • Making Grateful Kids: The Science of Building Character (Book) by Jeffrey Froh & Giacomo Bono • Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Book) by Robert Emmons • Thanks!: How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Book) by Robert Emmons • The Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life (Book) by Janice Kaplan • The Psychology of Gratitude (Book) by Robert A. Emmons & Michael E. McCullough • The Science of Happiness: How Our Brains Make Us Happy-and What We Can Do to Get Happier (Book) by Stefan Klein, Ph.D.© 2016 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 4 of 7 All rights reserved.

GRATITUDE - ACADEMIC EXTENSIONS | GRADES 6-8Standards AlignmentCommon Core State Standards for English/Language Arts: R.CCR.1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing and speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. R.CCR.2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. R.CCR.3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. R.CCR.4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning and tone. R.CCR.6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. W.CCR.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.CCR.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. W.CCR.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. SL.CCR.1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. SL.CCR.6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. SL.CCR.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric. L.CCR.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. L.CCR.2. Demonstrate the command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. L.CCR.3. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.© 2016 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 5 of 7 All rights reserved.

GRATITUDE - ACADEMIC EXTENSIONS | GRADES 6-8 L.CCR.5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. L.CCR.6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.Colorado Academic Standards for Comprehensive Health: 6th – 2.2a. Describe the benefits of healthy relationships (DOK 1-2) 6th – 3.1a. Explain the interrelationship of physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health. 6th – 3.1c. Explain appropriate ways to express needs, wants, and feelings. 7th – 2.3a. Describe the characteristics of healthy relationships, and discuss factors that support and sustain them. 8th – 3.2c. Describe strategies to minimize negative influences on mental and emotional health.© 2016 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 6 of 7 All rights reserved.

GRATITUDE - ACADEMIC EXTENSIONS | GRADES 6-8REFERENCES1. Marsh, J. (2016, January 5). What Barbara Ehrenreich Gets Wrong about Gratitude. Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_barbara_ ehrenreich_gets_wrong_about_gratitude2. Ehrenreich, B. (2016, January 2). The Selfish Side of Gratitude. Retrieved January 18, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/opinion/sunday/the-selfish-side-of- gratitude.html?_r=03. Schwartzberg, L., & Moving Art, LLC. (2016). Gratitude Revealed is Here (and Oprah loves it). Retrieved from http://gratituderevealed.com/4. Wiggs, M. (2015). Opinion/Argument Writing Self-Assessment Checklists for Grades 6, 7, 8. Developed for Empowering Education by Educational Performance Consulting, LLC.5. Wiggs, M. (2015). Opinion/Argument Writing Rubrics for Grades 6, 7, 8. Developed for Empowering Education by Educational Performance Consulting, LLC.6. Lyubomirsky, S., Ph.D., Laymous, K., Ph.D., & Seligman, M., Ph.D. (n.d.). Gratitude Letter (Greater Good in Action). Retrieved January 8, 2016, from http://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/ gratitude_letter7. Bryant, F., Ph.D. (n.d.). Savoring Walk (Greater Good in Action). Retrieved January 8, 2016, from http://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/savoring_walk8. Hannay, C. (2015, November 8). Mindful Teachers: The Sound of Gratitude: Songs for Reflection and Discussion. Retrieved from http://www.mindfulteachers.org/2015/11/songs- about-gratitude.html© 2016 Empowering Education, Inc. PAGE 7 of 7 All rights reserved.