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Bridge Builders: Connecting with Care

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kmcgann

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Bridge Builders: Connecting with Care

Students will learn to recognize and understand emotions in themselves and others, develop strategies for managing their own reactions, and practice effective communication skills to build positive relationships.

Developing strong social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills is crucial for students' academic success, personal well-being, and ability to navigate social situations effectively, both in school and in their community.

Audience

6th Grade Students (Small Group)

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, role-playing, and guided reflection.

Materials

  • Bridge Builders Slide Deck, - Bridge Builders Discussion Guide, - Whiteboard or large paper, and - Markers or pens

Prep

Review Materials and Set Up Space

10 minutes

  • Review the Bridge Builders Lesson Plan, Bridge Builders Slide Deck, and Bridge Builders Discussion Guide.
  • Ensure the classroom or designated space is set up to facilitate a small group discussion and activity.
  • Prepare a whiteboard or large paper and markers for brainstorming.

Step 1

Introduction: What Connects Us?

5 minutes

  • Use Slide 1 to introduce the topic.
  • Begin with a quick check-in: "On a scale of 1-5, how are you feeling right now?" (1 = 'feeling down', 5 = 'feeling great').
  • Introduce the idea of 'Bridge Builders' – people who help connect others and themselves positively. Ask: "What do you think makes someone a 'Bridge Builder'?"
  • Explain the lesson's goal: to strengthen our social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills to become better 'Bridge Builders'.
  • Refer to the Bridge Builders Discussion Guide for initial prompts.

Step 2

Exploring Social Awareness: Reading Cues

8 minutes

  • Use Slide 2 to introduce social awareness.
  • Discuss what it means to 'read' people's emotions and body language. Provide examples of different emotions (happy, sad, angry, confused) and associated non-verbal cues.
  • Facilitate a brief activity: Show pictures of faces expressing different emotions (teacher provided or quickly drawn) and ask students to identify the emotion and explain why they think that emotion is being expressed. (Focus on empathy and perspective-taking).
  • Ask: "Why is it important to understand how others might be feeling?"

Step 3

Self-Management Strategies: Building Your Own Bridge

7 minutes

  • Use Slide 3 to transition to self-management.
  • Explain that understanding our own feelings helps us manage our reactions. Ask: "What are some strong emotions you sometimes feel? How do you usually react?"
  • Introduce simple self-management strategies: deep breaths, counting to ten, stepping away, talking to a trusted adult.
  • Have students share one strategy they could try next time they feel a strong emotion. Brainstorm ideas on the whiteboard. Refer to the Bridge Builders Discussion Guide for prompts.

Step 4

Relationship Skills: Stronger Connections

5 minutes

  • Use Slide 4 to discuss relationship skills.
  • Emphasize that social awareness and self-management help us build better relationships. Ask: "What does a 'good' friend or classmate do?"
  • Focus on active listening and clear communication. Briefly model active listening (nodding, making eye contact, summarizing what someone said).
  • Briefly role-play a scenario: One student describes a minor problem, and another practices active listening and offering a supportive statement. (Example:

Step 5

Wrap-up and Reflection: Our Bridge to Tomorrow

5 minutes

  • Use Slide 5 for wrap-up.
  • Review the key concepts: social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills.
  • Ask students to reflect on one new thing they learned or one skill they want to practice. "How can you be a 'Bridge Builder' in your school or at home this week?"
  • Distribute the Bridge Builders Discussion Guide for students to take home or keep for future reference if desired, encouraging continued reflection. (Though the guide is primarily for teacher facilitation, it can also serve as a reference for students).

Step 6

Optional Extension: Future Bridge Builders

Varies

  • For future sessions, consider incorporating more in-depth role-playing scenarios, group projects focusing on community building, or journal prompts based on the themes discussed.
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Slide Deck

Bridge Builders: Connecting with Care

Building Stronger Connections

  • How do you feel right now?
  • What makes someone a 'Bridge Builder'?
  • Today, we'll learn to understand ourselves and others better!

Welcome the students. Begin with a check-in question: "On a scale of 1-5, how are you feeling right now?" Introduce the concept of "Bridge Builders" and ask what they think it means. Explain the lesson's goal: to become better Bridge Builders by strengthening social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills. Refer to the discussion guide for prompts.

Social Awareness: Reading the Room

Understanding Others' Feelings

  • What do you notice about people's faces and bodies?
  • How can you tell if someone is happy, sad, or angry?
  • Why is it important to understand how others feel?

Introduce social awareness. Discuss what it means to 'read' people's emotions and body language. Show examples of faces expressing different emotions (happy, sad, angry, confused) and have students identify them and explain why they think that emotion is being expressed. Emphasize empathy and perspective-taking. Ask: "Why is it important to understand how others might be feeling?"

Self-Management: Your Inner Compass

Managing Your Emotions

  • What strong emotions do you sometimes feel?
  • How do you react when you feel these emotions?
  • Strategies for calm: Deep breaths, counting, talking it out.

Transition to self-management. Explain that understanding our own feelings helps us manage our reactions. Ask: "What are some strong emotions you sometimes feel? How do you usually react?" Introduce simple self-management strategies: deep breaths, counting to ten, stepping away, talking to a trusted adult. Have students share one strategy they could try. Brainstorm ideas on the whiteboard. Refer to the discussion guide for prompts.

Relationship Skills: Stronger Connections

Building Bridges with Others

  • What makes a good friend or teammate?
  • Active listening: Hearing and understanding others.
  • Clear communication: Expressing your thoughts respectfully.
  • Working together: Solving problems as a team.

Discuss relationship skills. Emphasize that social awareness and self-management help us build better relationships. Ask: "What does a 'good' friend or classmate do?" Focus on active listening and clear communication. Briefly model active listening (nodding, making eye contact, summarizing what someone said). Briefly role-play a scenario.

Bridge Builders: Reflect and Grow

Your Journey as a Bridge Builder

  • What did you learn today?
  • What skill will you practice this week?
  • How can you be a 'Bridge Builder' in your community?

Review the key concepts: social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills. Ask students to reflect on one new thing they learned or one skill they want to practice. "How can you be a 'Bridge Builder' in your school or at home this week?" Encourage continued reflection.

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Discussion

Bridge Builders Discussion Guide

This guide provides prompts and questions to facilitate discussion during the lesson, supporting the development of social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills.

Introduction: What Connects Us? (5 minutes)

  • Check-in: On a scale of 1-5, how are you feeling right now? (1 = 'feeling down', 5 = 'feeling great')
  • What do you think makes someone a 'Bridge Builder'? What qualities do they have?
  • Why do you think it's important to understand ourselves and others better?

Exploring Social Awareness: Reading Cues (8 minutes)

  • When you look at someone, what clues do their face or body give you about how they might be feeling?
  • Let's practice: (Teacher shows pictures of faces expressing different emotions, e.g., happy, sad, angry, surprised, confused). For each picture, ask:
    • "What emotion do you think this person is feeling?"
    • "What makes you say that? (What clues do you see?)"
  • How can understanding someone's feelings help you interact with them?
  • Can you think of a time when you misread someone's feelings? What happened?

Self-Management Strategies: Building Your Own Bridge (7 minutes)

  • We all feel strong emotions sometimes – like anger, frustration, or great excitement. Can you share a time you felt a strong emotion? (No need to share details if uncomfortable, just the emotion).
  • What usually happens when you feel that emotion? How do you react?
  • What are some things you can do when you feel a strong emotion to help yourself stay calm or make a good choice?
  • Let's brainstorm some coping strategies together. (Write student ideas on the whiteboard, e.g., deep breaths, counting to ten, stepping away, talking to a trusted adult, listening to music).
  • Which of these strategies do you think you could try next time you feel a strong emotion?

Relationship Skills: Stronger Connections (5 minutes)

  • What does it mean to be a "good" friend or a positive classmate?
  • Why is listening important when someone is talking to you? What does "active listening" look like? (Model nodding, eye contact, asking clarifying questions).
  • How can you tell someone how you feel or what you need in a way that helps them understand, without making them feel bad?
  • Role Play: Let's try a quick role-play. One student shares a small problem they had (e.g., "I was upset when my friend borrowed my pencil without asking"). Another student practices active listening and responds supportively. (Switch roles if time permits).

Wrap-up and Reflection: Our Bridge to Tomorrow (5 minutes)

  • What is one new thing you learned or remembered today about social awareness, self-management, or relationship skills?
  • What is one skill you want to try and practice more this week, either at school or at home?
  • How can you be a 'Bridge Builder' in your school, with your friends, or with your family this week?
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