Vocabulary

Connection is a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else.
Entitlement Attitude is the casual term that refers to a notion or belief that one has a right to some particular reward or benefit.
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful or the readiness to show appreciation for, and to return, kindness. 
Peace is freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility. It is also freedom from, or the cessation of war and violence. 
Mindfulness is the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. It is also a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

Purpose - 
Gratitude to Others

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Children have identified the things they can be grateful for in their lives, and they have analyzed the value of showing gratitude to self and others. In this sub-unit, children enhance their connections with other people through the act of gratitude. They are encouraged to show gratitude to other people, and enjoy the rewards of stronger connections with others that come from having a grateful heart and mind instead of an attitude of entitlement. 
Child Asks: How can I demonstrate my gratitude?
Children's Rights Education enables the child to act with mindful gratitude for all the blessings in his or her life. 
Child Answers: Mindfulness shows my gratitude.

Classroom Learning Activities

1. Practicing Mindfulness to Make Us Grateful
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Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children is the fruit of decades of development and innovation in the Plum Village community's collective practice with children. Based on Thich Nhat Hanh's thirty years of teaching mindfulness and compassion to parents, teachers, and children, the book and enclosed CD covers a wide range of contemplative and fun activities parents and educators can do with their children or students. They are designed to help relieve stress, increase concentration, nourish gratitude and confidence, deal with difficult emotions, touch our interconnection with nature, and improve communication.
Planting Seeds offers insight, concrete activities, and curricula that parents and educators can apply in school settings, in their local communities or at home, in a way that is meaningful and inviting to children. The key practices presented include mindful breathing and walking, inviting the bell, pebble meditation, the Two Promises or ethical guidelines for children, children's versions of Touching the Earth and Deep Relaxation, eating meditation and dealing with conflict and strong emotions. Also included are the lyrics to the songs on the enclosed CD that summarize and reinforce the key teachings, as well as a chapter on dealing effectively with conflict in the classroom or difficult group.

See more on Thich Nhat Hahn and his book: Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children
Original Planting Seeds: The Power of Mindfulness for Children
Spreading Gratitude Rocks
"Don't just teach kids to count, teach them what counts." 
Gratitude has long been considered an invaluable virtue.  In modern society however, we often undervalue, or forget, the importance of such virtues in our daily lives.  With so many distractions and wonderful technological advances, our human connection to each other is suffering.  These lessons are meant to reward and encourage grateful hearts and minds in our youth rather than nourish an attitude of entitlement.  Gratitude is the key.  It is the cornerstone to so many other great qualities and characteristics that make man….kind. 

Go here for ideas on how to teach and reinforce this positive character trait.
Retrieved from Spreading Gratitude Rocks.
2. The Magic of Kindness
Orly Wahba is here to talk to us about the magic of kindness. As a middle-school teacher, she wanted to make a difference in the life of her students, so she designed “Act of Kindness” cards. These super-simple cards contained directions such as “open the door for someone” or “invite someone to have lunch with you,” along with an instruction to pass on the card once you were done. She wanted her kids to see the ripple effect of kindness.
One day, some construction workers were outside her house. It was hot out, so she brought them drinks — and kindness cards. One of them got a card with the instruction “call your mother and father and tell them how much you love them.” He hadn’t seen his parents in 10 years; he approached her, incredulous. He just needed the prompt.
Wahba shows us a film she put together to tell the story of the world we all live in. “Sometimes we just need to change our perspective.” And she tells us about Life Vest Inside, the organization she founded ”because kindness keeps the world afloat.”
Orly Wahba has developed a curriculum that is intended to promote acts of loving-kindness in the classroom. To find out more about it, go here.

Relevant Convention Articles

Article 3
1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures.
3. States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision.
Article 6
1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.
Article 38
1. States Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for rules of international humanitarian law applicable to them in armed conflicts which are relevant to the child.
2. States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attained the age of fifteen years do not take a direct part in hostilities.
3. States Parties shall refrain from recruiting any person who has not attained the age of fifteen years into their armed forces. In recruiting among those persons who have attained the age of fifteen years but who have not attained the age of eighteen years, States Parties shall endeavour to give priority to those who are oldest.
4. In accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect the civilian population in armed conflicts, States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure protection and care of children who are affected by an armed conflict.

Online Resources and References