Preschool Scouts: sponsoring this group (Monday–Friday)

The leader knows how a sponsor funds the manual, the activity books, and the flashcards, and how to ask. This Monday–Friday plan is for preschool children in a Scouts group.

  • about 4 and 5
  • 5 to 7 minutes missions
  • Monday–Friday
Preschool Scouts: sponsoring this group (Monday–Friday) — children learning gratitude with books and activities

Sponsoring this group for preschool in a Scouts group

The leader knows how a sponsor funds the manual, the activity books, and the flashcards, and how to ask. In this scout den, preschool children (about 4 and 5) practice with “The book held open.” Ms. Brooks, the librarian, she held a book open and waited while a child found the page. 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 one picture and one question, answered out loud in a small circle. The spoken line is “Thank you for helping me find the page..” The note line is “Thank you for waiting while I found the page..” Alison Gilham’s program supplies the manual, the activity book, and the flashcards; this page is the plan for this group and this kindness.

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.

Words to say about Ms. Brooks

This is a script the scout leader can say with preschool children during sponsoring this group. It uses “The book held open,” 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.

Five preschool missions in the scout den

On Monday, preschool children (about 4 and 5) stay with “The book held open.” Look only. Put a picture book open to the right page where preschool children can see it. Name Ms. Brooks, the librarian, and say the kindness: she held a book open and waited while a child found the page. It happened at the library corner. Ask “What did she do with the book while you were looking?” Stop at 5 to 7 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, Hold a book open yourself and freeze. Ask what kindness the freeze is showing.

Age tips for preschool (about 4 and 5)

Preschool children can learn why thank you matters before they write much. They need a picture, a person, and one clear kindness. A long talk loses them. The leader shows the moment, the children say a short line, and the group stops while the words still feel friendly. For this Scouts plan, keep the mission inside 5 to 7 minutes. one picture and one question, answered out loud in a small circle.

The note for Ms. Brooks

The note can be a dictated sentence. The child supplies the person’s name and the kindness. The adult prints it on the activity-book template so the child can see that spoken thanks and written thanks are the same idea. For this kindness the sentence is “Thank you for waiting while I found the page.” It has to mention the library corner or a picture book open to the right page, not a general compliment to the librarian.

Copy-ready lines for “The book held open”

Spoken line to practice: “Thank you for helping me find the page.” Reply children may hear: “I am glad you asked. Take your time.” Note line to write: “Thank you for waiting while I found the page.” Spanish line for the same kindness: “Gracias por esperar mientras encontraba la página.”

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.

If preschool children stall on Ms. Brooks

Hold a book open yourself and freeze. Ask what kindness the freeze is showing. A child who keeps thanking the scout leader is avoiding Ms. Brooks. Send them back to the librarian and the moment at the library corner. Whispering “Thank you for helping me find the page.” counts.

What Ms. Brooks's lesson needs

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. 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 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. 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 book held open,” also set out a picture book open to the right page. If the books are not in the room yet, practice the spoken mission anyway, and tell families how a sponsor or an order supplies the printed set.

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 esperar mientras encontraba la página.” The English line remains “Thank you for helping me find the page.”

Home work after The book held open

Thank a family member who reads one page with you and waits when you lose the line. Write that in the activity book so the family sees Ms. Brooks's kindness, not a blank “say thank you.” The note can be a dictated sentence. The child supplies the person’s name and the kindness. The adult prints it on the activity-book template so the child can see that spoken thanks and written thanks are the same idea.

Books for this Scouts preschool group

This page is about getting the set into the scout den: the manual, one activity book per child, and the 30-card flashcards, so “Thank you for waiting while I found the page.” can be written about Ms. Brooks. The leader asks on Find a Sponsor at no cost. Alison Gilham matches a sponsor or takes a chosen group in any U.S. state, then calls the leader before shipping. Payment is due when the package is ready. Groups over 30 add books in tens. Spanish copies use “Gracias por esperar mientras encontraba la página.” beside “Thank you for helping me find the page..” Email info@cultureofthankyou.com or call 971-265-8262.

Questions leaders ask

Plan on 5 to 7 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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