End of Year Activities: What Went Well (Gratitude) Unit Study

Looking for a way to help students end the school year on a positive note? Proof Positive’s What Went Well resources guide students in reflecting on their growth, accomplishments, and meaningful moments–big or small. What Went Well is a reflective practice that encourages students to pause and focus on the positive aspects of their day—whether that's a small win or a significant accomplishment. By regularly asking, “What Went Well?”, students become more aware of their personal successes and joyful moments, helping to counteract our natural tendency toward negativity, fostering gratitude, boosting confidence, and promoting a growth mindset. Perfect for closing out the year with positivity!

This comprehensive bundle includes everything you need to bring gratitude into the classroom, from teaching slides and notes to supplementary resources.

Learning Objectives

1. Students learn to define gratitude and describe how it feels in their minds and bodies.

2. Students learn to receptively and expressively identify people, places, experiences, and things they’re grateful for.

3. Students learn to engage in a daily practice of gratitude by responding to the prompt, “What Went Well?”These interactive teaching slides include five lessons and activities. Through discussion, activities, and reflection, students learn to appreciate their growth, notice positive moments, and carry a mindset of gratitude into summer.

• Activity 1: Introduction to GratitudeIntroduce students to the concept of gratitude with guided discussion and reflection activities that explore why noticing the good matters.
• Activity 2: Deep Dive into GratitudeHelp students expand their understanding of gratitude by exploring how it shows up in daily life and why it’s important.
• Activity 3: Grateful / Not Grateful SortingEngage students in a sorting activity that challenges them to think critically about what qualifies as a moment of gratitude.
• Activity 4: What Went Well IntroductionTeach students how to identify and reflect on positive experiences by asking, “What Went Well?”
• Activity 5: Categories of Gratitude BrainstormGuide students in broadening their perspective on gratitude by brainstorming what’s going well across different areas of life.
• Activity 6: What Went Well ReflectionEncourage daily or weekly reflection with a quick and effective gratitude practice that reinforces positive thinking. 

Here’s what you’ll get:

An entire What Went Well unit, including, 

• Student instruction and lessons in Google Slides format
• Teacher's guide in speaker notes
• Printable worksheets, activities, and materials for students
• Answer keys for all lesson activities

Integration Into Current Instruction

1. Teachers sending a communications log home to parents can include a section titled “What Went Well” and a few things you or their child are grateful for each day or each week.
2. For students working on sorting, teachers can collect images of things they enjoy and those they don’t. Try a gratitude sorting activity in which students indicate “Grateful” or “Not Grateful” for a specific person, item, or place.
3. Place a focus on What Went Well if your students are working on retaining information, conversation skills, or reporting on events. Create opportunities for students to recall, discuss, and report on things that went well each day.

Why you’ll love this activity:

• The lessons and activities are easy to read and implement
• You can use each lesson as a standalone activity or as part of a comprehensive, science-based unit study
• This unit study comes with activities, downloadable worksheets, and even IEP and BIP recommendations tailored specifically to students with autism 

Ways to Use

• Incorporate into SEL curriculum
• Integrate into small groups and/or individual counseling sessions
• Use as a brain break to help with transitions
• Use with staff during professional development 
• Families can use this at home, too! 
• Use the digital Canva template for virtual classrooms or remote learning
• Incorporate into end-of-year classroom activities to highlight personal growth and class accomplishments

What is Gratitude? 

Has anyone ever told you to “be grateful for what you have” or “count your blessings?” Maybe your parents or grandparents reminded you to pay attention to the good things in life, frequently say thank you, and appreciate what you have. As a teacher, you may have told your students, “Focus on your successes.” Here, we present a case of science catching up to the old adage.

The gratitude skill - What Went Well - helps you and your students begin to counteract the negativity bias and strike a balance in what you focus on each day. By developing a consistent gratitude practice, we can transform how we see the world. It has long been said that it is not happiness that brings us gratitude; rather, it is gratitude that brings us happiness.

Science of Gratitude

Research shows that practicing What Went Well can profoundly impact individuals and groups. It turns out that the advice to focus on the good things each day has many benefits, ranging from physical health to mental wellbeing. People who practice gratitude: 

• Are happier, healthier, and live longer
• Are more optimistic and hopeful
• Fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer
• Exercise more frequently and have better cardiovascular health
• Have stronger relationships and increased social support
• Find greater meaning in their work
• Perform better and achieve at higher levels
• Are less depressed and anxious

Looking for more SEL resources? 

• Explore the free full lesson plans and unit studies on happiness skills at our Skill Center. All units include teaching slides, additional worksheets and activities, and even IEP and BIP recommendations tailored specifically to students with autism. 

Proof Positive’s resources are and will always be free. Be well!