On Thanksgiving we take time to reflect on what we are thankful for. Traditionally we gather together and surround ourselves with delicious food and the people we love. Today we have a special story to share with you about gathering small offerings to create something nourishing for both body and soul.
The story of Stone Soup shows us the value and importance of sharing. In this folktale, hungry villagers come together with a small donation of a potato or a carrot and before they know it they have made a hearty and nourishing soup for the whole village to enjoy. Though we can’t fill ourselves on one vegetable, when we each contribute, we make a bounty for all.
Though this year may look different than others because of the pandemic we can still appreciate the lesson that “sharing is caring” and that giving can fill our bellies and our hearts.
In the Becker Green Classroom we have made a Stone Soup lesson plan that is a fun and delicious way to get the kids to work together to make something magical. Every student brings a small veggie and is assigned a job (washing, chopping veggies, adding to or stirring the pot).
We use veggie crinkle cutters and the kids slice or dice the veggies into bite-size pieces while singing this verse when chopping up veggies for the soup “Chip, Chop, Chippity Chop, Cut off the Bottom and Cut off the Top”.
While the soup is cooking we tell to the Story of Stone Soup and learn this Gratitude verse to teach the children the importance and role of gratitude. We even made a Gratitude coloring worksheet.
Gratitude Verse (adapted from a Waldorf Mealtime Verse):
“Thankful for the Blossom, Thankful for the fruit, thankful for the leaves, the stem and the roots. Thankful for our friends and our family, thankful for you and thankful for me.”
When the soup is cooled and ready we say our gratitude verse and the kids try their soup and search for the “magic stone.” If we have a younger class I like to tell whoever found the stone to make a wish.
What are you grateful for this year? If you found the stone in your soup bowl what would you wish for?