Right now, our students are facing a wellbeing crisis, and it’s showing up in our classrooms.

According to recent data from the Resilient Youth, State of the Nation Report, 2024, 1 in 4 primary-aged students and 1 in 3 secondary students are experiencing symptoms of severe anxiety or depression. The World Health Organization has even predicted that depression will be the leading global disease burden by 2030.

That’s not just a sobering statistic. It’s a daily reality for so many of our learners. And it means we need strategies that go deeper than surface-level behaviour management. We need tools that regulate, connect, and create safety.

Gratitude is one of those tools.

It’s not fluff. It’s not filler. It’s a simple, science-backed way to support wellbeing, build community, and create emotional safety, especially for students who are feeling overwhelmed or disconnected.

Let’s talk about the brain-changing magic of gratitude, and how a few simple questions (plus some ready-to-go resources) can shift the whole vibe of your room.

Why Gratitude Isn’t Just a Nice Idea — It’s a Neuroscience Win

Gratitude actually rewires the brain.

When students reflect on what they’re thankful for, the brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the feel-good chemicals that help regulate mood, reduce stress, and build resilience. Over time, these moments of reflection create new neural pathways that support optimism, empathy, and emotional regulation.

In other words, gratitude is a nervous system reset. It signals safety. It helps students feel more grounded, connected, and calm - exactly what we want, especially during challenging or transition-heavy moments.

One more HUGE benefit? It also builds classroom connection.

Gratitude invites students to see the good in themselves, in others, and in the day-to-day moments they’d usually miss. It helps them feel seen. It shifts their focus from scarcity to abundance. And when you embed it intentionally? It creates a culture of appreciation that lifts everyone.

5 Gratitude Questions That Spark Reflection and Connection

If you’re not sure where to start, here are five powerful gratitude prompts you can use in journaling, group discussion, pair shares, or even exit tickets:

1. What’s something small you’re grateful for every day?

2. Look around the room. What’s one object you’re thankful exists — and why?

3. When was the last time you belly-laughed? What happened?

4. What do you most look forward to when you wake up in the morning?

5. What’s one thing that makes you say, “I’m glad to be me”?

You can model your own answers first to get students thinking outside the box — otherwise you’ll get the usual: “friends,” “family,” “food.” Which is fine, but not the deep reflective win we’re going for.

And you don’t need to carve out an entire lesson for this. These questions work beautifully as:

• A five-minute journaling task at the start of the day

• A post-break reset after lunch or recess

• An entry routine while you take the roll

• A pair-share warm-up before group work

• A reflective closer to calm the room before the bell

Ready-to-Go Gratitude Resources That Do the Heavy Lifting

If you’re looking for no-prep, high-impact gratitude tools, these are absolute must-haves for any middle or high school classroom:

29 Gratitude Conversation Cards

Perfect for:

• Journaling prompts

• Pair shares or circle discussions

• SEL warm-ups

These beautifully designed cards help students build emotional literacy, empathy, and connection. Each card encourages deeper reflection and opens up space for those heartwarming, occasionally hilarious, often profound conversations that strengthen your classroom culture.

Grab your conversation cards here

Gratitude Task Cards

Perfect for:

• Wind-down moments

• Calm starts or brain breaks

• Mindful resets during chaotic lessons

Each task card offers a thoughtful prompt with clear directions to help students reflect and reset. They're versatile, beautifully designed, and ideal for embedding gratitude into your everyday without adding to your plate.

Grab the gratitude task cards

Gratitude Bingo

Perfect for:

• Individual reflection

• Group challenges

• End-of-term or back-to-school SEL fun

This isn’t your average bingo. With 25 gratitude-focused squares and a reflection sheet, this activity is a sneaky SEL powerhouse disguised as a game. It invites meaningful reflection, builds community, and gives students that sense of accomplishment and joy as they fill their boards.

Grab the bingo activity

When to Use These

These gratitude tools aren’t just for the end of term. They’re ideal for:

• Back-to-school season (build connection early)

• Before or after high-stakes events (like exams or excursions)

• Days when the energy is off

• Weekly SEL check-ins

• Journaling routines

• Day to day gratitude building

Any moment you want to bring the room back into alignment, emotionally, socially, or energetically, these tools will help you do that.

A Final Word: This Is Bigger Than a Nice Activity

Gratitude in the classroom isn’t just about getting warm fuzzy feelings. It’s about:

• Calming the nervous system

• Building relational safety

• Strengthening student voice and agency

• Fostering a culture of appreciation and connection

It’s trauma-informed. It’s brain-aligned. And it’s something you can do without reinventing the wheel.

So if you’re feeling like your class needs a reset, or you just want to embed more intention, reflection, and connection into your week, gratitude might just be your next best teaching tool.

And if you want a shortcut? Grab the Gratitude Pack inside The Behaviour Club (or grab each resource individually in the store). 

Grab the whole bundle or each individual resource in The Unteachables Shop, or included as a part of your Behaviour Club membership.