Character-Building Science Object Lesson about Thankfulness

This character-building science object lesson about thankfulness gives kids a powerful visual and reminder of why it is so beneficial to approach life with an attitude of gratefulness. This is a powerful object lesson for both kids and adults.

Want more lessons on thankfulness? Start here.

Character-Building Science Object Lesson about Thankfulness

Welcome to my character-building series, where we focus on 52 traits throughout the year, one for every week. If you follow along, you could be working on character with your kids every single day of the year. See an introduction to the series here.

This week is a focus on thankfulness. With Thanksgiving coming up, it is only appropriate. As a former teacher, I like to format these ideas as a lesson plan to best equip both parents and teachers to embrace the series.

Subject

Thankfulness

Objective

Kids will learn the positive benefits of having a thankful heart while also engaging with scientific concepts.

Thankfulness Verse

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

The scripture above is the memory verse for our character-building week about thankfulness. Work daily on this verse so kids can commit it to memory, thus writing the Word of the Lord on their hearts.

Materials Needed to Do this Science Object Lesson about Thankfulness

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Iron Shavings (Warning: Keep your iron shavings well contained. Work outside and keep them on a rimmed plate; they can be very messy. They are super fun to play with, though!)
Sand
Two Plates
Magnet
Letter Stickers or Sharpie for Labeling Magnet (optional)
Alternatively, you could buy a magnet kit that has the iron shavings and the magnets. It also has other fun things for magnet play and experimentation. This is the most economical method as the kit, when linked, was $11.00, while just the iron shavings alone were $9.99.

How to Do this Thankfulness Object Lesson

Set two plates side by side.
On one plate, pour both the iron fillings and the sand so that it is about a one-to-one ratio.
Explain to the kids that the iron filings represent all the good things that happen in life. The sand represents all of the bad things. Have them mix the two together, explaining that in life, both good and bad exist together. There is plenty of hard, but there are also lots of blessings. Even the hard…sometimes especially the hard…when given the right perspective, is a blessing. That’s why the Bible says that we should “rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint.” – Romans 5:35 – That’s just my little side rant, not necessary for this moment in the experiment, but could be discussed later.
You’ve mixed the two together, now ask the kids to try and separate them. It’s impossible.
Introduce the magnet. Ideally, this magnet would be labeled ahead of time, “thankfulness.” You can use a labeled piece of paper taped to it, letter stickers, your Cricut, or a Sharpie to label the magnet.
Explain to the kids that when we introduce thankfulness in our lives, it attracts us to the positive. The negative things that happen fade into the background, and we can see the good and be grateful for what we have, rather than being focused on the negative.
Have kids collect all of the iron fillings (blessings in life), and put them on the other plate.

The Science Behind this Character-Building Science Object Lesson about Thankfulness

To separate mixtures, you must look at the properties of both components. This experiment works because of the makeup of both ingredients. The iron is magnetic, and the sand is not. That’s the simple explanation for younger kids. For older kids, they can learn more. Iron is a ferromagnetic material. This means it is strongly attracted to magnets. The material contains tiny, naturally occurring regions called magnetic domains. When a strong magnet is brought near, these domains align instantly, turning the iron into a temporary magnet itself, which is then pulled toward the external magnet.
Sand, which is primarily composed of silicon dioxide (silica) and various silicate minerals, is non-magnetic. It does not contain the same magnetic domain structure as iron. Therefore, the presence of the magnet has virtually no effect on the sand.
Additional learning: Using a magnet is not the only way to separate solids. Think of getting the metals we use in life like a treasure hunt deep inside the earth. When we mine for metals like iron, we don’t find pure metal—we find a rough rock called ore that contains a mixture of many unwanted substances. To unlock the metal, we must put the ore through a fiery transformation known as smelting. Inside a massive blast furnace, the ore is heated so intensely that the pure iron melts, sinking to the very bottom, while all the useless rocky material, called slag, is skimmed right off the top.

The Truth About the Benefits of Thankfulness

While theoretically my character-building series is for kids, I can say that this lesson on thankfulness is completely appropriate and beneficial for kids, teens, and adults. It can be transformative. Therefore, I want to share with you all my thoughts, and you can adapt the conversation appropriately for the age group that this object lesson is geared toward in your situation.

This is a subject I’m passionate about and have been ruminating on for quite some time. I want to share my story.

A pivotal moment occurred while my husband and I were in counseling, navigating the unique challenges of parenting one of our children. Our counselor, a doctor with a background in neuroscience, shared an insight that reframed my entire perspective: “This is tough, but you have so much to be thankful for. You are focusing on the wrong things.”

He is a Christian counselor and went on to explain how the Bible is catching up with science. With God’s help, we have the ability to physically change our neuropathways, and Scripture gives us the precise instructions.

Three scriptures have been pivotal to my own process of building new pathways in my brain.

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” – Philippians 4:8
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6.

In practical terms, this is what we do: Whenever a negative, anxious, or comparative thought comes up, we actively check it to see if it is true, right, or beneficial. If it isn’t, we stop it and take it captive. We immediately replace that negative thought by recalling and focusing on things that are pure, lovely, excellent, and true. (I memorized Philippians 4:8 and claim it after stopping the negative thought.) When we take our worries to God in prayer, we do it with thanksgiving. This thankfulness is the key—it pulls our focus off the anxiety and worry, rewiring our brain and creating entirely new neuropathways that lead to a different, hopeful perspective.

This process is hard and active at first, but the Holy Spirit helps. It’s like forging a new path in the woods. Initially, the path is difficult to navigate, but with repeated use, it becomes a clear, effortless game trail—the easiest route to follow.

Our brains work exactly the same way. My counselor’s core belief resonated deeply: “I don’t think anyone has to remain a pessimist. You can rewire your brain to see and be thankful for the good in all circumstances.”

The younger our kids can learn these truths and create these pathways, the easier it will be for them.

Part of that will be trusting the end good in current situations that seem bad. Ask yourself, “How might God be fulfilling His promise that He ‘works out ALL things for good for those that love Him and are called according to his purposes.’?” (Romans 8:28)

This science object lesson demonstrates exactly what the Bible teaches and what neuroscience confirms: A focus on thankfulness helps us rewire our brains so we cling to hope and the positive.

Object Lesson Discussion Questions

What did the iron filings represent in our experiment? (the positive things in life)
What did the sand represent in our experiment? (the negative things in life)
What did the magnet represent in our experiment? (thankfulness)
What does having an attitude of thankfulness do for us? (It helps us focus on the positive things in life so we can see the good).
How does an attitude of thankfulness benefit you? How does it benefit others?
Can you think of something that was hard or bad that you have gone through? What could you be thankful for amidst that trial?
What are you thankful for?