Does your child need help writing thank you notes?  Knowing what to say makes being polite much easier and less stressful. Everyone needs to know how to say thank you, whether in writing or in person.   In this class, your child will learn how to say thank you and show that they mean it!   


When have you been grateful to another person?  
We'll share stories about people, acts and gifts for which children are thankful, and discuss the importance of saying "thank you" to others when they do kind things for us.  If students don't want to share their own experiences, I'll have some examples ready for us to discuss.  


How do you handle disappointment in a gift, without hurting other people's feelings?  
When you receive a gift you don't like very much, or something you don't need, what do you do?  What if your sibling receives something you think is better than your gift?  When these things happen, it is usually best not to mention your disappointment to the giver.  If someone is being nice to us, we can say thank you anyway.   


What is the best way to say thank you? 
The parts are the same, whether the thank you is spoken or written. We will practice including all the parts of a good thank you. I will provide a written template for children who are ready to put their gratitude in writing and try a thank you note.  

Saying "Thank You" And Showing That You Mean It:
1) Say thank you and describe the gift or action specifically.
2) Compliment the gift/action. Include a special detail if you can. 
3) Tell how you have used/will use the gift, or how it has benefited you/will benefit you.
4) Compliment the giver. 
5) Conclusion - Say one more nice thing. 

Example (This was a real note, written by a third grader to a classroom volunteer):

Dear Mrs. Weil, 
Thank you so much for the hat you crocheted for me!  I really love the purple and green yarn you used, and the pompom is my favorite part.  I know it will keep me warm when I'm waiting for the bus in the mornings.  You are always so nice and helpful to our class when you come.  It made me feel really special that you remembered purple is my favorite color.  
Love, Martina  

If there is time at the end of the class, students will be invited to bring out their writing materials and get started on their own thank you notes.