Thankful Heart

This year I needed a change for the traditional Thanksgiving writing and turkey craft that followed.  I wasn't quite sure what I was going to have my 1st graders make for their family thanksgiving project until I ran across inspiration  HERE and HERE with their "Project Gratitude."  Though I wasn't about to sew a bunch of fabric hearts I set out to find a way to incorporate the concept in class.

The children wrote" I am Thankful" books, they partner edited and rewrote their books. They drew and painted large orange hearts on brown craft cardstock ($4.00 -40% off coupon).  They used their finger and a brown ink pad to make fingerprint scallops around the hearts.  I took them home and used washi tape to bind the books and ripped strips of fabric for bows.  I hot glued the bows on the fronts.

Supplies: Orange paint, brown ink pad, washi tape, scrap fabric, brown cardstock (front and back)

They were so excited to get their published books!

 I made orange construction paper "Thankful Hearts"  you can download HERE or click on the picture for the black and white template.

We discussed acts of kindness and I made an anchor chart with their recollection of kids and people who  showed acts of kindness.  I precut the hearts and gave out "Thankful Hearts to students who showed acts of kindness without being asked throughout the week.  They gave them to others at school as well and I also gave them one to take home to give.