Name: Splat Says Thank You!
Author: Rob Scotton

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition: Someone who is grateful is thankful for people, nature, and things. Stewardship means taking good care of what we’ve been given. In short: Thankful for every blessing, big or small. Summary: Splat the Cat enjoys a friendship with Seymour Mouse. When Splat is troubled one day, Seymour shares a book he made for his friend. Each page describes and illustrates a memory of a specific thing that Splat did for Seymour. By the end of the book of friendship memories, Splat is definitely feeling better! Lesson Objectives:

Students make more effort to recognize the ways that others do nice things for them. They are more equipped to express gratitude.

Guiding Questions:

Why was Splat concerned about his friend Seymour?
Why did Splat read the friendship book to Seymour?
Seymour encouraged Splat when he was thinking of trying out for the lead role in a play. How did he encourage and help his friend?
How did Seymour help Splat when he broke his mother’s favorite ornament?
What happened when Splat and Seymour were flying a kite?
How did Seymour help Splat when he was sick?
Why do you think Splat is trying so hard to make his friend feel better?
If you wanted to make someone feel better what would you do?
Has anyone tried to make you feel better when you were sick? If so, what did they do? If not, what do you wish they had done?
Would you like to make a friendship book for someone? Start today!

🌿 Virtue Connection: Gratitude means noticing and appreciating what is already good.

Activities for This Story.

Activity Gratitude, Levels 1,2

Resource: Splat Says Thank You! || Read Aloud || Rob Scotton

Activity: Students view the video. They are guided to make a friendship book for a friend, family member, or a future friend. If they get stuck they can write it for a pet.

Materials needed: the video; paper for making a book; writing and art supplies

Directions: Show the video. Explain the activity. Students make a friendship book of at least 5 pages. They choose a person - a friend, family member, a future friend, or a pet - for whom they are thankful. If they can’t think of anyone, they can invent a friend and imagine the things they’d like to experience with that future friend. Each page begins with the words, “I am thankful for you because…” and students make illustrations to go with their words. The teacher conducts a “show and tell” afterwards.

Wrap it up: Explain: “Today you made a gratitude book for someone special or a pet. It will mean a lot to the person for whom you wrote it so please show or give it to them. It’s important to let people know exactly what they do that makes you feel thankful. I bet you feel good when someone tells you what you do to make them feel thankful! Let’s remember to make a habit of noticing how special it is when someone does something for you, and let’s remember to tell them what they did means a lot to you.”

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.