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:

CJ and his wise, gregarious grandmother meet some interesting people as they travel by bus to the last stop on Market Street to help serve the homeless at a soup kitchen.  CJ boards the bus reluctantly, wishing they could travel by car instead. He’s uncomfortable when they get off, because the neighborhood is broken down and dirty. As they head to the soup kitchen, CJ has a change of heart. When he sees a beautiful rainbow behind the crumbling buildings, he realizes that his grandmother was right when she promised him he’d have a good time. Meeting interesting people on the bus and helping out at the soup kitchen was quite an adventure after all!   

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Students will identify with CJ’s reluctance to go with his grandmother because they can remember times when they didn’t want to do something with their parents or grandparents. But since it all turned out good for CJ, they will be more adventuresome, and more trusting of the wisdom of their elders. 
2. Students will be guided to write a thank you letter to a grandparent or elder in their family. If they don’t have grandparents they can write a thank you note to a parent. 

Guiding Questions: 

1. What did CJ’s grandmother say when he said he wished they had a car? 
2. The bus driver did a magic trick for CJ. What did he do? 
3. What happened to CJ as he listened to the man playing his guitar? 
4. Describe what it was like at the last stop on Market Street? 
5. What did CJ see behind the buildings when they got off the bus? 
6. Why do you think CJ enjoyed his adventure with his grandmother? 
7. What do you think CJ learned from his grandmother that day? 
8. Have you ever ridden on a bus? What was it like? Can you describe any of the people you saw there? 
9. Did you ever go on an adventure with a grandparent? If so, what happened? 
10. CJ and his grandmother helped serve food to people who don’t have any place to live. Would you like to do that someday with your parents or grandparents? Why or why not?