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Friendship Finale

Lesson Plan

Friendship Finale Lesson Plan

Students will reflect on their social growth, practice key friendship skills like active listening and gratitude, and set actionable goals for positive peer relationships as they transition to middle school.

This session consolidates students’ year-long social learning, fosters gratitude and connection, builds confidence in friendship skills, and eases the upcoming transition to middle school by setting clear, positive goals.

Audience

5th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided reflection, interactive sharing, and goal setting.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials and Space

10 minutes

  • Print one copy per student of Year-End Reflection Prompts and Friendship Goal Sheet.
  • Arrange chairs in a circle to foster inclusion.
  • Gather reflective journals or paper, colored pens/markers, and a talking stick.
  • Review group guidelines and discussion prompts to ensure smooth facilitation.

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain the session’s objectives.
  • Review group guidelines: respect, listening, and confidentiality.
  • Pose a quick warm-up question: “Share one fun friendship memory from this year.”
  • Use the timer to keep each share within 30 seconds.

Step 2

Reflective Activity

8 minutes

  • Distribute Year-End Reflection Prompts and journals/paper.
  • Ask students to choose two prompts and respond by writing or drawing.
  • Circulate and offer support or clarifying questions as needed.
  • Encourage honest, thoughtful reflection on social growth.

Step 3

Gratitude Circle

7 minutes

  • Introduce the talking stick: only the holder speaks while others listen.
  • Students pass the stick and share one thing they appreciate about a classmate.
  • Model active listening: eye contact, nodding, and no interruptions.
  • Continue until all students have shared or time expires.

Step 4

Friendship Goal Setting

7 minutes

  • Hand out the Friendship Goal Sheet.
  • Instruct students to write 2–3 specific, achievable friendship goals for middle school.
  • Provide colored pens/markers to make goals stand out.
  • Circulate, prompt deeper thinking (e.g., “How will you feel when you reach this goal?”).

Step 5

Closing Ritual

3 minutes

  • Gather back in a circle and invite each student to share one word describing their current feelings.
  • Lead a simple group chant or positive clap: “Friends Forever!”
  • Thank students for their openness and remind them of the supporting community they’ve built together.
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Slide Deck

Friendship Finale

A year-end social skills celebration for 5th graders

• Reflect on social growth
• Practice key friendship skills
• Set goals for middle school transition

Welcome everyone! Introduce yourself and briefly explain that today’s session is a celebration of how much they’ve grown in their friendships this year. Encourage students to participate openly and remind them of the safe space we’ve built together.

Session Objectives

By the end of today’s session, you will:

  1. Reflect on your social growth this year
  2. Practice active listening and gratitude
  3. Set 2–3 friendship goals for middle school

Read aloud the objectives and connect them to the skills they’ve practiced all year.

Group Guidelines

• Respect each speaker
• Listen with eyes and heart
• One person talks at a time
• Keep personal stories confidential

Review quickly. Emphasize respect, listening, and confidentiality. Remind them that what’s shared here stays here.

Warm-Up: Friendship Memory

• Pass the talking stick around the circle
• Share one fun memory of a friend from this year
• Speak for 30 seconds max

Explain the warm-up process: students will each have up to 30 seconds to share. Use a timer or stopwatch.

Reflective Activity

  1. Pick two prompts from your sheet:
    – “My proudest friendship moment was…”
    – “I grew as a friend when I…”
    – “A challenge I overcame in a friendship…”
  2. Write or draw your answers in your journal

Distribute Year-End Reflection Prompts and journals/paper now.
Invite students to choose any two prompts to write or draw responses.

Sample Reflection Prompts

• What did you learn about being a good friend?
• Who helped you feel included?
• How did you show kindness when someone needed it?

Circulate and offer help. Encourage deeper thinking by asking follow-up questions.

Gratitude Circle

• Pass the talking stick around
• Share one thing you appreciate about a classmate
• Listen without interrupting

Introduce the talking stick. Remind students only the holder speaks. Encourage eye contact and nods.

Friendship Goal Setting

  1. Write 2–3 specific, achievable goals for middle school friendships.
    – Example: “I will say hello to two new classmates each week.”
  2. Decorate with colored pens or markers

Hand out Friendship Goal Sheet. Encourage colorful, specific goals.

Closing Ritual

• Share one feeling word around the circle
• End with a group chant: “Friends Forever!”
• Thank everyone for sharing

Gather back in the circle. Ask each student to share one word describing how they feel right now.

Thank You & Next Steps

• Keep your Friendship Goal Sheet visible
• Remember the skills you practiced today
• Enjoy your summer—and build even more great friendships!

Congratulate students on completing the session. Remind them to keep their goal sheets where they’ll see them often.

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Worksheet

Year-End Reflection Prompts

Name: ____________________________     Date: ____________________________



Instructions: Choose any two prompts below. You can write your response, draw, or do both. Reflect honestly on your friendships from this year.

  1. My proudest friendship moment this year was…








  2. I grew as a friend when I…








  3. A challenge I overcame in a friendship was…








  4. One way I showed kindness to a friend was…








  5. Someone taught me an important lesson about friendship when…








  6. In middle school, I want to be remembered by my friends for…








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Worksheet

Friendship Goal Sheet

Name: ____________________________     Date: ____________________________



Instructions: Write 2–3 specific, achievable friendship goals for your transition to middle school. For each goal, explain why it’s important, outline steps you’ll take, and describe how you’ll know you’ve succeeded.

Goal 1

• My goal:



• Why this goal matters to me:






• Steps I will take to reach this goal (at least 2):

  1. Step 1: ____________________________


  2. Step 2: ____________________________


  3. Step 3 (optional): ____________________________


• How I will know I’ve reached this goal:






Goal 2

• My goal:



• Why this goal matters to me:






• Steps I will take to reach this goal (at least 2):

  1. Step 1: ____________________________


  2. Step 2: ____________________________


  3. Step 3 (optional): ____________________________


• How I will know I’ve reached this goal:






Goal 3 (Optional)

• My goal:



• Why this goal matters to me:






• Steps I will take to reach this goal (at least 2):

  1. Step 1: ____________________________


  2. Step 2: ____________________________


  3. Step 3 (optional): ____________________________


• How I will know I’ve reached this goal:






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Cool Down

Friendship Finale Reflection Exit Ticket

Name: ____________________________ Date: ____________________________

Instructions: Reflect on today's session by answering the prompts below.

  1. One friendship skill I practiced today and why it matters:






  2. Something I’m grateful to a classmate for and why:






  3. My top friendship goal moving forward:






  4. One action I will take this week to grow as a friend:






  5. One word that describes how I feel after today’s session:



Keep your Friendship Goal Sheet visible and refer to it often!

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Friendship Finale • Lenny Learning