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: Betsy is worried about her pet turtle Mr. T. because he has a heavy shell that prevents him from running and jumping with her.  Her mom reassures her that Mr. T, is behaving normally, as a turtle is expected to act - turtles are different from people and that’s okay.  This becomes a teachable moment as Betsy’s mom finds a stone, gives it to Betsy, and explains how to use it to remember to be grateful, especially when things aren’t going her way. As Betsy uses the stone to find ways to accept circumstances, giving thanks instead of giving into disappointment, she eventually learns that she doesn’t even need a stone to remember this lesson. She decides to collect stones and teach the same lesson to others as they encounter challenges. One day, they’ll learn that they don't need the stone either, because gratitude lives inside of us. The author invites readers to carry a gratitude stone for five days, and begin writing a gratitude journal.  Lesson Objectives: 

Guiding Questions: 

1. Can you describe the pet turtle, Mr. T, and why Betsy was worried about him? 
2. What did Betsy’s mom explain about Mr. T? 
3. “Everything that’s happening is how it’s meant to be” - what does this mean, and what are some examples of this in the story? 
4. Did Betsy think the gratitude stone was magical? What happened to help Betsy realize she could be grateful even when she didn’t have the stone? 
5. How does Betsy help the sad boy at school? 
6. What does Betsy carry with her now and why? 
7.  How would you answer the question: what are you thankful for? 
8. What would the author like her readers to do? 
9. Do you have a journal you could use to keep track of your gratitudes? How often will you write in it? 
10. What would it be like if everyone remembered to be grateful all the time, everywhere?