20 Gratitude Questions for Thanksgiving

Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course.  Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude. --Albert Schweitzer

It can be challenging to create rich and meaningful family conversations about gratitude.  I know I’ve felt disappointed when my “What do you feel thankful for?” questions are met with quick, predictable responses that bring the conversation to a close soon after it’s begun. 

This Thanksgiving season, I’m taking a different approach by coming up with 20 gratitude questions to help enliven our sharing.

May these questions help to spark the spirit of Thanksgiving! 

1)     What teacher are you most thankful for and why?  What did you learn from him or her? 2)      What season are you most thankful for, and what is your favorite part of each season? 3)      What electronic device are you most grateful for, and what does it add to your life? 4)      What musician or type of music are you most thankful for? 5)      What are you most grateful for that brings beauty to your daily life? 6)      What form of exercise or physical activity are you most thankful for? 7)     What foods are you most thankful for? 8)     What local store or restaurant are you most grateful for?  How does it contribute to          your quality of life? 9)     What book are you most grateful for, and why? 10    What act of kindness has made the greatest difference in your life? 11)    What challenging experience has ended up changing your life for the better? 12)    What form of art are you most thankful for: music, acting, writing, painting, drawing .            something else? 13)    What place do you feel most grateful for and why? 14)    Name three days in your life that you feel especially grateful for. 15)    What color do you feel most thankful for—is there a color that you can’t imagine living  without? 16)    Is there a personal limitation or flaw that you’ve come to appreciate? 17)     What vacation are you most grateful for? 18)     What philanthropic cause or organization do you feel thankful for? 19)     What product do you use on a daily basis that you most appreciate? 20)     What, from this year, do you feel most grateful for?

Feel free to borrow these questions or come up with your own. 

Download the what are you thankful questions as question cards   and invite family members or friends to each choose one for everyone to answer.

This article has been published with permission. Karen Horneffer Ginter is co-founder of the Center for Psychotherapy and Wellness and the author of 'Full Cup, Thirsty Spirit: Nourishing the Soul When Life’s Just Too Much'.

Differences Between Canadian and American Thanksgiving

Most people are around the world think the Thanksgiving they've all seen in the movies or television  is the same for  for both Canadians and Americans.

They're wrong. Although there are some similarities between the two, Canada has its own unique Thanksgiving . Read on to learn about some of the key differences. 

Try the quiz at the bottom.  

IIf you want to know even more about the differences, here are several more  links to try:   

• Canadian Thanksgiving: Things we Wish Americans Knew
• Thanksgiving in America vs Thanksgiving in Canada 
• Four Big Differences Between Canadian and American Thanksgiving 

Grammar in Song:Thinking Out Loud

Ed Sheran's song is a wonderful one with which to practice your listening, reading and grammar with. This set of activities include practice with verb tenses and clauses.  Enjoy. 

PDF Thinking Out Loud Activities

Answers Thinking Out Loud

Watch the video on describing the making of thinking out loud dance sequence . 

and answer the questions below. 

  

Comprehension Questions 

1.  What was the original plan for the video ? 

2. How did the "choreographers" respond when they found out Sheeran wanted to dance in      the video himself? 

3. How much experience did Ed have with dancing? 

4. How did Ed learn how to dance the specific choreography in the video? 

5. Why did the professional dancers who danced on tour admire Ed so much? 

6. Describe the different feelings Ed had a bout the experience? 

7. What did the choreographers say is so important "to sell" the song? 


SING OUT LOUD: 

Sing along with the song. If you don't believe how well this can be done, watch thousands of Spanish fans sing along to every word of the song -- without lyrics to help them.    

Thinking Out loud  live in Madrid 

ESL TED TALKS Quiz: The Hidden Power of Smiling

Just a simple smile can have a real impact on both ourselves and others around us. Watch this Ted Talk in which Ron Guzman explains how and why. Take the quiz to see how well you understood.

The interactive version of the quiz is below.

For a paper version of the quiz:  

• PDF Ted Talks: The Power of Smiling
• Answer Key: Ted Talks Hidden Power of Smiling

TED TALKS QUIZ: Texting That Save Lives

Nancy Lubin is the CEO at Do Something.org, an organization that focuses on using the en ergy of teenagers to tackle issues they are passionate about and participate in social change. 

Recently, her organization began to communicate primarily through texting rather than email. They discovered this method of communication is 11 times more effective than email communication because texts have a 100 percent open rate.

In the midst of texting more than 200,000 teenagers each week about instituting changes at their schools and in their communities, Lublin and her coworkers discovered an unintended consequence: Teenagers began texting back about being bullied, participating in cutting and being abused. Text messaging became an inadvertent crisis hotline.

In her 2012 TED Talk, Lublin discusses how texting can save lives and how using teenagers’ primary means of communication to speak to them provides the opportunity for crisis intervention, referrals and even prevention.

Watch the video and do the quiz.  

Canadian Dance Moves: Ask a Canadian

article from Huffington Post 

Brazilians have samba. Americans do the disco. But is there a dance that is truly Canadian?

Well, Liam Kearney and Stina Diös may have invented a dozen. Borrowing the  music from Juliav Bentley and Andrew Gunadie's You Tube video "Canadian Please,"  the pair have created a video called Canadian Dance Moves. 

A charming  homage v homage to Canada's wholesome personality Canadian Dance Moves features dance moves called the Lumberjack, the Friendly Backpacker, and even one called Carry the Two Four, which has a special meaning in Ontario and Quebec where a majority of people buy their beer in cases of 24 rather than in six or12 packs as they do in the west.

click on the link below for the quiz  

CANADIAN PLEASE! A Canada Day Song

Canadians often get the reputation of taking each other too seriously, but we're also famous for our strong sense of humour as you can see in the song below.