Kindergarten Scouts: using the flashcard set (Monday–Friday)

The group uses one large flashcard to talk about a thank-you situation before anyone writes. This Monday–Friday plan is for kindergarten children in a Scouts group.

  • about 5 and 6
  • 5 to 10 minutes missions
  • Monday–Friday
Kindergarten Scouts: using the flashcard set (Monday–Friday) — children learning gratitude with books and activities

Using the flashcard set for kindergarten in a Scouts group

The group uses one large flashcard to talk about a thank-you situation before anyone writes. In this scout den, kindergarten children (about 5 and 6) practice with “The music stand turned around.” Ms. Clark, the music teacher, she turned a music stand so a child could see the song. The Monday–Friday calendar is the one that fits: This is the Monday–Friday format from the first half of the Operation Thank You Manual. You see the same children on five school days. Each day is one mission of 5 to 10 minutes. The note is the work of the later days, not of Monday.

The scout leader leads. The den may meet only once this week. Do not assign five school-day missions and hope families finish them. Use the weekly format and send one home mission. Children answer in a morning-meeting turn, with children repeating one line together before anyone writes. The spoken line is “Thank you for turning the stand so I could see..” The note line is “Thank you for helping me see the song..” Alison Gilham’s program supplies the manual, the activity book, and the flashcards; this page is the plan for this group and this kindness.

What Ms. Clark's lesson needs

The flashcard set has 30 cards, 8.5 by 11 inches, colorful, with rounded corners. The cards mirror the activity book so the group can look at one situation before writing. Each child needs Why and How To Say “Thank You,” the classroom edition: a saddle-stitched activity book with situations for saying thank you, the How To Write A Thank You Note template, and extra pages to practice. The Operation Thank You Manual is 98 pages. The first half is the Monday–Friday classroom sequence. The second half is the once-per-week sequence for clubs. The manual, the activity book, and the flashcards are available in Spanish. The MISSION Reminders Supplement can be added when some children speak Spanish. Extra activity books are sold in packs of 10. For “The music stand turned around,” also set out a music stand. Hold one card. Ask what the person did. Match the card to the page in the activity book only after the children have said the kindness in their own words.

If the books are not here yet, kindergarten children can still say “Thank you for turning the stand so I could see.” in the scout den. A sponsor request is free for the leader. Shipping is included on full and partial packages, and the leader is called before anything ships.

Five kindergarten missions in the scout den

Monday does not add a new helper. It stays with Ms. Clark. Look only. Put a music stand where kindergarten children can see it. Name Ms. Clark, the music teacher, and say the kindness: she turned a music stand so a child could see the song. It happened at the music circle. Ask “What was blocking the song?” Stop at 5 to 10 minutes. No note yet. The den may meet only once this week. Do not assign five school-day missions and hope families finish them. Use the weekly format and send one home mission. If they freeze, Turn a paper away from a child, then toward them. Ask which way was the kindness.

Age tips for kindergarten (about 5 and 6)

Kindergarten is the right moment to make thank you a habit, because morning meeting already asks children to look at one another. The language stays simple enough for early readers. Missions stay short so they fit circle time without replacing the rest of the day. For this Scouts plan, keep the mission inside 5 to 10 minutes. a morning-meeting turn, with children repeating one line together before anyone writes.

The note for Ms. Clark

The adult writes the helper’s name if needed. The child copies “Thank you for” and then adds a few of their own words or a drawing of the kindness. For this kindness the sentence is “Thank you for helping me see the song.” It has to mention the music circle or a music stand, not a general compliment to the music teacher.

Words to say about Ms. Clark

This is a script the scout leader can say with kindergarten children during using the flashcard set. It uses “The music stand turned around,” a practice situation for this plan. It is not a list of the 30 printed flashcards. Those cards stay in the set and match the activity book. Use this script when you need the words in the room.

Copy-ready lines for “The music stand turned around”

Spoken line to practice: “Thank you for turning the stand so I could see.” Reply children may hear: “Can you see the first line now?” Note line to write: “Thank you for helping me see the song.” Spanish line for the same kindness: “Gracias por girar el atril.”

Home work after The music stand turned around

Thank a family member who moves a lamp or a book so you can see. Write that in the activity book so the family sees Ms. Clark's kindness, not a blank “say thank you.” The adult writes the helper’s name if needed. The child copies “Thank you for” and then adds a few of their own words or a drawing of the kindness.

Classroom and group notes for the scout den

Scout dens and packs often meet weekly. The second half of the Operation Thank You Manual is a once-per-week sequence written for clubs, so gratitude practice fits a den meeting without taking the whole hour. A sponsor can fund the manual, an activity book for each child, and the flashcard set. Shipping is included on full and partial packages. The den may meet only once this week. Do not assign five school-day missions and hope families finish them. Use the weekly format and send one home mission.

Who is in the scout den

Scout dens and packs often meet weekly. The second half of the Operation Thank You Manual is a once-per-week sequence written for clubs, so gratitude practice fits a den meeting without taking the whole hour. A sponsor can fund the manual, an activity book for each child, and the flashcard set. Shipping is included on full and partial packages.

If kindergarten children stall on Ms. Clark

Turn a paper away from a child, then toward them. Ask which way was the kindness. A child who keeps thanking the scout leader is avoiding Ms. Clark. Send them back to the music teacher and the moment at the music circle. Whispering “Thank you for turning the stand so I could see.” counts.

Books for this Scouts kindergarten group

Spoken practice about Ms. Clark can start in the scout den today. The activity-book template matters when kindergarten children are ready to write “Thank you for helping me see the song..” If a sponsor is funding this Scouts group, parents get a sample letter, and shipping is included on full and partial packages. The leader can ask at no cost.

Spanish materials in this group

If any child in the scout den speaks Spanish at home, order the Spanish activity book for that child and keep the same situation. The Spanish line for this plan is “Gracias por girar el atril.” The English line remains “Thank you for turning the stand so I could see.”

Questions leaders ask

Plan on 5 to 10 minutes. This is the Monday–Friday format from the first half of the Operation Thank You Manual. You see the same children on five school days. Each day is one mission of 5 to 10 minutes. The note is the work of the later days, not of Monday. The den may meet only once this week. Do not assign five school-day missions and hope families finish them. Use the weekly format and send one home mission.

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and say “Thank You” with meaning.