Lesson Plan
Mapping Your Support Circle
Students will be able to identify individuals and resources within their personal support networks and understand the importance of leveraging these connections for mental and emotional well-being.
Recognizing and utilizing a support circle helps students navigate challenges, feel connected, and build resilience. This fosters a sense of security and encourages healthy relationship building.
Audience
8th Grade
Time
40 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, individual reflection, and a creative activity to visualize support.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Connecting with Your Crew (Slide Deck), My Support Web Diagram (Activity), The Importance of Asking for Help (Discussion), and Pens/Pencils
Prep
Review Materials and Prepare Activity
15 minutes
- Review the Connecting with Your Crew (Slide Deck) and ensure all technological components are working.
- Print or prepare to distribute the My Support Web Diagram (Activity) worksheet. Ensure each student has a copy.
- Review the The Importance of Asking for Help (Discussion) prompts.
- Consider any accommodations needed for students who may have limited support systems or who may feel uncomfortable sharing.
Step 1
Warm-Up & Introduction: What is Support?
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students to think about a time they needed help with something, big or small. How did they get that help?
- Introduce the concept of a 'support circle' – the people and resources that help us when we need it most.
- Transition to Connecting with Your Crew (Slide Deck) slide 1-2.
Step 2
Exploring Types of Support
10 minutes
- Use Connecting with Your Crew (Slide Deck) slides 3-5 to discuss different categories of support (family, friends, school staff, community, etc.) and what kind of help each might provide.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion, asking students for examples of who might be in their support circle for different situations (e.g., academic help, emotional support, practical advice).
Step 3
My Support Web Diagram Activity
15 minutes
- Distribute the My Support Web Diagram (Activity) worksheet.
- Explain the instructions: Students will map out their personal support networks, placing themselves in the center and connecting to various individuals or resources.
- Emphasize that this is a personal reflection and they do not need to share anything they are uncomfortable with. Encourage them to think broadly about different types of support.
- Circulate the room to offer guidance and answer questions.
Step 4
Discussion & Wrap-Up: Asking for Help
10 minutes
- Bring the class back together for a discussion using The Importance of Asking for Help (Discussion) prompts.
- Focus on the benefits of reaching out and the courage it takes to ask for help.
- Reiterate that everyone needs support sometimes and it's a sign of strength to seek it.
- Conclude by reminding students that their support circles are living things that can grow and change, and it's important to nurture those connections. Refer to Connecting with Your Crew (Slide Deck) slide 6.
Slide Deck
Connecting with Your Crew: Building Your Support Circle
Who helps you navigate life's ups and downs?
Today, we're going to explore the amazing people and resources that make up our personal support circles and learn how to lean on them when we need it most.
Welcome students and introduce the topic of support networks. Ask them to consider who they turn to when they need help.
What is a Support Circle?
It's like your personal team!
A support circle is made up of the people and resources that help you feel:
- Safe
- Understood
- Cared for
- Confident
These are the people you can turn to for advice, comfort, or just a listening ear.
Explain what a support circle is – a network of people and resources who provide emotional, practical, or informational help. Emphasize that everyone has one, even if they don't realize it.
Who's In Your Circle? Family Edition
These are often our first and closest connections.
Think about:
- Parents/Guardians
- Siblings
- Grandparents
- Aunts/Uncles
- Other trusted relatives
How do these family members support you?
Start with family members. Ask students to think about adults in their family who support them. Prompt them to consider how different family members might offer different types of support.
Who's In Your Circle? Beyond Family
Your support circle extends far and wide!
Consider:
- Friends: Classmates, best friends, teammates
- School Staff: Teachers, counselors, coaches, administrators
- Community Members: Youth leaders, mentors, doctors, faith leaders, safe adults in your neighborhood
What unique support can each group offer?
Broaden the discussion to friends, school staff, and community members. Provide examples for each category. For school, mention teachers, counselors, coaches. For community, think about mentors, faith leaders, doctors, or even online support groups (with appropriate guidance).
The Power of Connection
Having a strong support circle helps us to:
- Feel less alone
- Solve problems more easily
- Build confidence
- Cope with stress and challenges
- Celebrate achievements!
Discuss the benefits of having a strong support circle. It's not just about getting help when things go wrong; it's also about celebrating successes and having people who believe in you.
Don't Be Afraid to Reach Out!
Sometimes, the hardest thing is asking for help, but it's one of the bravest things you can do.
Remember:
- Everyone needs help sometimes.
- Your support circle is there for you.
- Reaching out shows strength.
What if you don't know who to ask? Start with someone you trust, like a teacher, counselor, or family member.
Emphasize the importance of asking for help. Normalize seeking support and reinforce that it's a sign of strength, not weakness. Remind them of the resources available.
Activity
My Support Web Diagram
Instructions:
- Write your name in the center circle.
- In the circles closest to you, write the names of people you feel closest to and who offer you strong support (e.g., parents, guardians, best friends, siblings).
- In the next layer of circles, write the names of other important people or resources that provide support (e.g., teachers, coaches, school counselors, aunts/uncles, youth leaders, mentors).
- In the outer layer, consider any other resources or groups that support you (e.g., sports teams, clubs, online communities, community organizations, doctors, therapists).
- Draw lines connecting yourself to each person or resource. You can use different colored lines or symbols to show the type of support they offer (e.g., emotional, academic, practical advice).
- Reflect on your completed web. What do you notice about your support system?
Objective: Students will be able to identify key aspects of healthy friendships and learn strategies for maintaining them.<n
Materials:
- Slide Deck: The Friendship Formula
- Whiteboard or chart paper
- Markers
- Activity: Friendship Scenarios
- Optional: Index cards or small slips of paper
Time Allotment: 45-50 minutes
I. Introduction (10 minutes)
Hook: What Makes a Friend?
- Teacher Script: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important in our lives: friendships. Think for a moment – what's one word that comes to mind when you think of a good friend?"
- Allow students to share responses. Write key words on the board.
- "We all have friends, and these relationships can bring so much joy and support to our lives. But what exactly makes a friendship 'healthy' or 'strong'? That's what we'll explore today."
Introduce Objectives
-
Teacher Script: "By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify the key characteristics of healthy friendships.
- Recognize potential challenges in friendships.
- Learn strategies for building and maintaining positive friendships.
We'll be using our Slide Deck: The Friendship Formula to guide us."
II. Exploring Healthy Friendship Characteristics (15 minutes)
Discussion: The Building Blocks
- Display Slide Deck: The Friendship Formula - Slide 2: "What do Healthy Friendships Look Like?"
- Teacher Script: "Let's brainstorm together. What are some essential qualities or behaviors that make a friendship healthy and strong? Think about your own experiences or what you admire in others' friendships."
- Guide discussion to cover points like: trust, respect, honesty, good communication, mutual support, empathy, shared interests, forgiveness, setting boundaries.
- As students share, write their ideas on the board or chart paper. Cross-reference with Slide Deck: The Friendship Formula - Slides 3-5 that highlight key characteristics.
Identifying Unhealthy Signs (Optional - 5 minutes, if time allows)
- Display Slide Deck: The Friendship Formula - Slide 6: "Signs of Unhealthy Friendships."
- Teacher Script: "Just as there are signs of healthy friendships, there can also be signs that a friendship might be challenging or even unhealthy. What are some of those signs?"
- Briefly discuss behaviors like constant criticism, jealousy, disrespect, dishonesty, one-sidedness, feeling drained after spending time together. Emphasize that it's important to recognize these so we can address them or know when to seek help.
III. Maintaining Friendships: Strategies and Scenarios (15 minutes)
Group Activity: Friendship Scenarios
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group).
- Distribute the Activity: Friendship Scenarios.
- Teacher Script: "Now that we've talked about what makes friendships healthy, let's put it into practice. Each group will receive some common friendship scenarios. Your task is to discuss the scenario and come up with advice on how to handle it, keeping our healthy friendship characteristics in mind. Be ready to share your solutions with the class."
- Give groups 8-10 minutes to discuss and formulate their responses.
- Circulate, listen, and offer guidance as needed.
Share and Discuss
- Bring the groups back together.
- Have each group share one scenario and their proposed solution. Facilitate a brief class discussion after each sharing, inviting other groups to add their insights.
- Use Slide Deck: The Friendship Formula - Slide 7: "Friendship Action Plan" to summarize key strategies: communicate openly, listen actively, offer support, respect boundaries, apologize genuinely, know when to walk away or seek help.
IV. Conclusion (5 minutes)
Reflect and Review
- Teacher Script: "Today we've talked about the essential ingredients for healthy friendships and how to navigate challenges. Why do you think it's so important to have healthy friendships in our lives?"
- Allow a few students to share their reflections.
- Reiterate the main objective: understanding healthy friendships helps us build stronger connections and contributes to our overall well-being.
- End with Slide Deck: The Friendship Formula - Slide 8: "Your Friendship Formula!"
Differentiation:
- Support: Provide sentence starters or a word bank for the