Exploring gratitude

As you walk into Union Street School, two large “Gratitude Trees” welcome you with white lights gleaming. Each ornament is filled with the written word of what each child personally feels gratitude for in their life.
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Exploring Gratitude Submitted by admin on Thu, 12/03/2015 - 3:20pm Fifth graders from Ms. Sylvester’s class are (from L to R) Katie, Brennen and Olivia placing their ornament’s on the Gratitude Tree. Photo Provided SPRINGFIELD, Vt. - As you walk into Union Street School, two large “Gratitude Trees” welcome you with white lights gleaming. The branches are chock full with student-decorated ornaments. Each ornament is filled with the written word of what each child personally feels gratitude for in their life. You won’t find many “technology” items, instead you’ll read heartfelt and genuine words like; family, friends, food, air, life, home, a roof over my head. The ornaments were a closure to many weeks of exploring being filled with real gratitude and what that meant to each individual. During classroom guidance, Mrs. Rounds began with the reading of Shel Silverstein’s book, “The Giving Tree”. Afterwards, there was student led discussions on perceptions of what the author’s words and illustrations brought up for each us. Going outside and meeting a few tree’s that were planted in front of the school in 1952 (when Union Street School first opened) and hearing the tree’s personal history passed down by word of mouth from teacher to teacher. Music was tied into the lesson by listening to the group The Plain White T’s song, “The Giving Tree”, thoughts from the tree’s perspective. Fourth grade teacher, Ms. Semel said, “My students were so proud to hang their gratitude ornaments together as a class”. The lesson was to “plant the seed” of gratitude as we head into the holiday season.