Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart

Gratitude Journal

In this post you will have the process and all of the printables to complete a gratitude journal for first - fourth graders.

It takes some time to print, cut out and assemble . This project would be a great way to get parent volunteers involved.  Students can create the cover and even glue the writing   prompts, scripture cards, coloring pages, activity pages and assemble the journal themselves.

This is a great project to begin at school and send home for the Thanksgiving Holiday with the focus on giving thanks and growing an additude of graditude.

Cereal Box

Cut the top and bottom from the cereal box and one side panel. This leaves the front, back and side. 

3 Ring Binder 

For this journal a 9x7 3 ring binder works well. I found this one at the Dollar General.

Adding the cereal box cover to the binder.

Use a strong adhesive such as E 600 glue and reinforce the sides with clear packing tape. 

Before gluing wrap the cereal box around the binder

  matching up the spine of  the binder to the box and 

cut off the excess cereal box from the bottom and sides.

Let the cover dry overnight.

Supplies used for assembly.

When complete , the journal will contain 23 pages. 

I used colored card stock folded and cut in half to create the pages.

In addition you will need:

* Glue Stick

* Paper Cutter or Scissors

* Hole Punch

* Cover Page Printable

* Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart Printable

* Daily Gratitude Prompt Cards

* Polaroid Picture Cards

* Scripture Cards

*Coloring Pages

* Activity Pages

Pages

Pages 1-2 For coloring and adding a self portrait inside the Polaroid picture frame.

   

       Gratitude response prompts for 30 days. Inside each polaroid frame, students can create a heart to connect with the theme of the journal, " Give thanks with a grateful heart." The heart can be drawn, or cut out of paper or heart stickers placed inside the frame. 

Scripture cards for connecting the theme with specific verses.

Coloring page and Scripture activity page.

   Activity page and reflection page. Have students write their own name inside the cross, with the statement  > Gives Thanks.

Links and Printables

Daily Gratitude Prompts and a Game

Scripture Cards

Thanksgiving I Spy

Scripture Activity Page

Psalm 118:1 Response Page

jpeg Printables

I designed the doodle graphics to print 5x7. The Polaroid doodle frame page will print on 8 1/2 x 11 size paper. Right click on the image to download. Trim the top and bottom to fit on the card stock.

You will need to print 8 pages ( 32 frames) of the Polaroid doodle picture frame

All Things Children's Ministry

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Cover It Up!

COVER IT UP!

Cover up any book, journal or planner with cloth, paper or a 

Dollar Store bandana.

For this project I used one bandana, the pocket and part of the waist band from a pair of jeans, a glue gun and a sharp pair of scissors to cover a wide ruled student journal for my 10 year old Grand Daughter.

The great thing is that when she runs out of room in her journal and is ready for another one, the cover can be used over and over. 

We might even iron on some patches and perhaps I can teach her how to stitch on it.

Here is a view of the back. No cutting involved or measuring.

Fold the bandana in half and hot glue the two finished long edges together. This will give you the bottom and the top of the cover.

Place the journal in the middle of the bandana. Open up the journal cover and fold over the bandana to create a pocket for the cover to slide into. Hot glue the corners .

The journal covers will fit snug inside of the pockets.

Cut the pocket from a pair of jeans.

I cut the Levi Strauss & Co. tag from the waist band.

And hot glued the tag to the pocket.

The waist band is cut into 2 pieces to form a closure for the cover with the button on one side and the button hole on the other. Both sides are glued to the back side of the pocket.

The pocket is placed in the middle of the bandana cover and hot glued. Only glue the pocket. You want the closures to be left unglued.

The pocket stays in place while the straps are free to be buttoned and un buttoned.

When closed there is enough room for expansion as things are placed in the journal.

I included a beautiful tag bookmark created by Visual Faith Ministry Webmaster Diane Marra.  At out last Visual Faith Ministry conference Diane sent dozens of beautiful tags as gifts to all who attended. This is one that I chose. I love the verse that she paired with this tag. 

I am tucking one of my Scripture Doodles in the cover of the journal. This scripture pairs well with the history of the dream catcher. 

The back of the Scripture Doodle with some fun facts about Dream Catchers and the inspiration in creating the Scripture doodle.

I covered the Enduring Word Bible with a pair of jeans using a similar process. I fringed the bottom edge for a vintage 60's-70's look.

I cut the waist band off to create a closure and cut the length of the jeans to cover the length of the Bible. Fold over the sides to create pockets for the covers. Glued the corners with hot glue.

The band gives room for expansion. 

She is "Double Digits" now....

....and lives 12 hours away. I can share from my heart and hands, a faith walk that she can be reminded of each time she opens her journal no matter how far away we are from each other. 

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