lenny

Circle of Support

user image

Lesson Plan

Circle of Support Lesson Plan

Students will explore and practice peer support and active listening through guided group exercises, strengthening empathy and communication in the classroom.

Building a supportive community enhances student well-being and social skills, creating a safe environment for sharing challenges and successes.

Audience

7th Grade Middle School Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and collaborative activities.

Materials

Support Circle Poster, Support Circle Worksheet, Active Listening Guide, Index Cards, Markers, and Sticky Notes

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and introduce the purpose of the session.
  • Prompt: “What makes you feel supported?”
  • Have students jot responses on Sticky Notes and place them on a central table.

Step 2

Main Activity

15 minutes

  • Display the Support Circle Poster and explain its key elements.
  • Distribute the Support Circle Worksheet to each student.
  • In pairs, students share a personal scenario while their partner practices active listening using the Active Listening Guide.
  • Encourage use of Markers to underline or highlight supportive statements on the worksheet.

Step 3

Reflection

5 minutes

  • Reconvene the group in the circle formation.
  • Invite volunteers to share insights or feelings from the paired activity.
  • Facilitate discussion: “How did it feel to listen and be heard?”

Step 4

Cool-Down

5 minutes

  • Summarize the session’s key takeaways: empathy, support, and active listening.
  • Ask each student to write one supportive action they’ll take for a peer on a Sticky Note.
  • Collect these notes and add them to the classroom support board as a visual reminder.
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

Circle of Support

Building Empathy & Active Listening in Our Classroom

Welcome everyone to our Circle of Support session. Introduce yourself and explain that today we’ll explore peer support and active listening to build a stronger classroom community.

Objectives

• Practice active listening skills
• Share and support our peers
• Reflect on empathy and community

Read through each objective so students know what to expect. Emphasize that everyone will practice and reflect.

Why Peer Support Matters

• Creates a safe space to share challenges
• Builds trust and connection among classmates
• Helps us feel less alone
• Strengthens our classroom community

Explain why peer support matters. Share an example of when support made a difference. Encourage nodding and positive body language.

Warm-Up Activity

Prompt: “What makes you feel supported?”

  1. Write your response on a sticky note.
  2. Place it on the table in the center of the circle.

Introduce the warm-up activity. Hand out sticky notes and markers. Model writing your own example first.

Main Activity: Support Circle Pairs

  1. Look at the Support Circle Poster.
  2. Take a Support Circle Worksheet.
  3. In pairs: share a personal scenario.
  4. Partner practices active listening with the Active Listening Guide.
  5. Use markers to highlight supportive statements.

Explain each step clearly. Show the Support Circle Poster and pass out worksheets. Encourage creativity with markers.

Active Listening Tips

• Make eye contact and nod.
• Paraphrase: “So you’re feeling…”
• Ask open questions: “How did that make you feel?”
• Avoid interrupting or giving advice.

Review these key active listening behaviors. Invite a volunteer to demonstrate with you.

Reflection & Discussion

• How did it feel to listen?
• What was challenging about being the listener?
• How did it feel to be heard?

Gather students back into the circle. Use a talking object if needed. Encourage everyone to share briefly.

Cool-Down & Next Steps

  1. Write one supportive action you’ll take for a peer on a sticky note.
  2. Add your note to our classroom support board as a reminder.

Wrap up the session by collecting sticky notes and explaining the support board. Thank students for their participation.

lenny

Worksheet

Support Circle Worksheet

Part A: Personal Scenario

Describe a situation where you needed support. Include who you talked to and how you felt.






Part B: Listener Notes

Use the Active Listening Guide while your partner shares. Answer the following:

  1. Feelings your partner expressed:



  2. Paraphrased summary of what you heard:



  3. Open questions you asked:



  4. Supportive statements you used:






Part C: Reflection

Answer the questions below based on your experience.

  1. How did it feel to share your scenario with your partner?



  2. How did it feel to listen and support your partner?



Part D: Next Steps

Write one supportive action you will take for a peer this week.



lenny
lenny

Reading

Active Listening Guide

Active listening means fully focusing on the speaker and showing that you understand and care. When we listen actively, we build trust, strengthen peer support, and help each other feel heard.

Key Behaviors

• Make Eye Contact & Show Open Body Language

  • Look at the speaker and nod.
  • Face your body toward them; avoid crossing arms.

• Reflect & Paraphrase

  • Restate what you heard in your own words:
    “So you’re saying that…”
  • This shows you’re checking your understanding.

• Ask Open-Ended Questions

  • Encourage more sharing:
    “How did that make you feel?”
    “What happened next?”

• Avoid Interrupting & Judging

  • Let the speaker finish before responding.
  • Hold back advice or quick solutions unless asked.

• Acknowledge Feelings

  • Name the emotion you hear:
    “It sounds like you felt really frustrated when…”

• Use Supportive Responses

  • Offer simple, caring statements:
    “I’m here for you,” “That sounds tough,” “Thanks for sharing.”

Quick Reminders

  • Stay focused: put away phones and distractions.
  • Keep your tone calm and caring.
  • Practice patience—some stories take time to unfold.
  • Remember: listening is often the best way to support a friend.

When you bring these skills into your conversations, you help create a circle of support where everyone feels safe to share and be heard.

lenny
lenny

Warm Up

Support Warm-Up

Time

5 minutes

Materials

  • Sticky Notes
  • Markers

Prompt

What makes you feel supported?

Instructions for the Teacher

  • Hand out one sticky note and a marker to each student.
  • Read the prompt aloud: “What makes you feel supported?”
  • Instruct students to write a word, phrase, or sentence on their sticky note.
  • When they are finished, have students place their notes on a central table or poster.
  • (Optional) Invite 2–3 volunteers to read their note aloud to the group.

Student Response Space




lenny
lenny

Cool Down

Support Cool-Down

Time

5 minutes

Materials

  • Sticky Notes
  • Markers
  • Classroom Support Board

Instructions for the Teacher

  • Briefly recap the session’s key themes: empathy, active listening, and peer support.
  • Explain that students will commit to one specific action they will take to support a classmate this week.
  • Distribute one sticky note and a marker to each student.
  • Prompt: “Write down one supportive action you will do for a peer (e.g., offering to listen, giving a compliment, checking in).”
  • Invite students to place their notes on the Classroom Support Board as their ‘commitment to support.’
  • Thank students for their participation and remind them to follow through on their actions.

Student Response Space











lenny
lenny