Active Listening Challenge!

Objective: To practice giving your full attention to a speaker and showing you understand.

Instructions:

1. Pair up with a partner.

2. Decide who will be Speaker A and who will be Listener B first.

3. Speaker A: Talk for 1-2 minutes about one of the following topics (or choose your own):

   • Your favorite hobby or sport
   • Something exciting you did recently
   • A fun memory from elementary school

4. Listener B: Your job is to actively listen! This means:

   • Make eye contact.
   • Nod occasionally to show you're engaged.
   • Don't interrupt.
   • When Speaker A finishes, summarize what they said in your own words. Start with, "So, if I understand correctly, you...".
   • Ask one clarifying question if something wasn't clear, like "Could you tell me more about...?"

5. After 2-3 minutes, switch roles! Speaker B will now talk, and Listener A will actively listen, summarize, and ask a clarifying question.

Reflection (Answer these questions after both partners have had a turn):

1. How did it feel to be actively listened to by your partner?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What was challenging about being an active listener?
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What was easy about being an active listener?
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. How can active listening help you build stronger friendships?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Discussion Guide: Navigating Friendships

Objective: To facilitate a guided discussion about the importance of trust, respect, and communication in building and maintaining friendships.

Instructions for the Teacher:
Use the following prompts to guide a whole-class discussion. Encourage students to share their thoughts and experiences respectfully. Ensure everyone has a chance to speak.

Part 1: Trust in Friendships (10 minutes)

1. What does it mean to trust a friend?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: Can you share an example (without naming names) of why trust is important in a friendship?

2. How do friends build trust with each other?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: What are some things that can break trust in a friendship?

3. Why is it sometimes hard to trust someone, even if they are your friend?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: How can you work to rebuild trust if it has been broken?

Part 2: Respecting Differences (10 minutes)

1. Friends don't always agree on everything or like all the same things. How can we show respect for our friends' different opinions or interests?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: Why is it important to respect these differences?

2. Have you ever had a friend who had very different ideas or hobbies than you? How did you handle it?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: What are some ways you can learn from friends who are different from you?

3. What does it look like when friends don't show each other respect?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: How does a lack of respect impact a friendship?

Part 3: Open Communication (5 minutes)

1. Why is it important to talk openly with your friends, especially when there's a problem?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: What are some ways to start a difficult conversation with a friend?

2. What happens if you don't communicate your feelings or concerns to a friend?
   
   
   

   • Follow-up: How can talking things out prevent bigger problems in friendships?

Friendship Scenario Cards

Objective: To practice resolving minor disagreements and social challenges using active listening, respectful communication, and problem-solving skills.

Instructions for Students:

1. In your small groups, pick a scenario card.

2. Read the scenario together.

3. Discuss: What's the problem? How might each person feel?

4. Role-play the scenario! Act out how you would resolve the disagreement or challenge in a positive way. Remember to use:

   • Active Listening: Really hear what your friend is saying.
   • "I" Statements: Express your feelings ("I feel upset when...")
   • Respectful Tone: Speak calmly and kindly.
   • Problem-Solving: Try to find a solution that works for everyone.

5. Be prepared to share your solution or a key takeaway with the class.

Scenario 1: The Group Project Mix-Up

You and your friend, Alex, are working on a school project together. You both agreed to meet yesterday to finish your part, but Alex didn't show up and didn't tell you why. Now the project is due tomorrow, and you're worried about getting a bad grade. You feel frustrated and a little let down.

How do you talk to Alex about this?

Scenario 2: The Secret Spilled

You told your friend, Sam, a personal secret and asked them not to tell anyone. Later, you overhear another classmate talking about your secret, and they mention that Sam told them. You feel hurt and betrayed.

How do you approach Sam about breaking your trust?

Scenario 3: Different Interests, Different Plans

You and your friend, Jamie, always used to play together after school. Lately, Jamie has been spending more time with a new group of friends who are into different activities than you. You feel left out and a little sad when Jamie doesn't invite you to hang out.

How do you talk to Jamie about feeling left out and suggest ways you can still spend time together?

Scenario 4: The Game Day Disagreement

You and your friend, Casey, are playing a board game. You think Casey cheated on their last turn, but Casey insists they didn't. You're starting to get annoyed because you feel it wasn't fair, and it's making the game less fun.

How do you handle this disagreement about the rules without ruining your friendship?

Scenario 5: The Misunderstanding Text

Your friend, Taylor, sent you a text message that sounded really mean. You read it and immediately felt angry and defensive. You're not sure if Taylor meant it that way, but it really upset you.

How do you respond to Taylor to clarify the message and express your feelings?

Scenario 6: Borrowed Without Asking

You lent your favorite pencil to your friend, Jordan, a few days ago, and you haven't gotten it back. You really need it for class today, but Jordan isn't offering to return it, and you're a bit annoyed because they didn't even ask if they could keep it for so long.

How do you politely ask Jordan for your pencil back?

Friendship Bridge Builders Project Guide

Objective: To creatively demonstrate understanding of active listening, trust-building, respectful communication, and conflict resolution in friendships.

Introduction:
Congratulations, Friendship Bridge Builders! You've learned some incredible skills today about how to create and maintain strong, supportive friendships. Now it's your turn to show what you know by creating a project that highlights these important concepts. Your project should teach others how to be great friends and how to build strong