Friendship Fun! Script

Warm-Up: Pass the Smile (5 minutes)

"Good morning, everyone! Let's start our day with a warm smile. We're going to play a game called 'Pass the Smile.' I'm going to smile at [Student 1], and they will 'catch' my smile and pass it to [Student 2], and so on, until everyone has had a chance to share a smile! Ready? Go!"

(Facilitate the 'Pass the Smile' activity. Encourage big, friendly smiles.)

"Wow, that made me feel so happy! Today, we're going to talk about something super important that helps us all feel happy and have fun together: being a good friend!"

Introduction to Friendship (5 minutes)

(Display Friendship Fun! Slide 1 - Welcome to Friendship Fun!)

"Look at our slide! It says 'Friendship Fun!' What do you think that means? What is a friend?"

(Allow a few student responses, guiding them to simple ideas like playing together, being nice.)

"That's right! Friends are people we like to play with, learn with, and be kind to. We're going to learn some special ways to be a super friend today."

(Display Friendship Fun! Slide 2 - Sharing is Caring!)

"Our first way to be a great friend is sharing! Who can tell me what sharing means?"

(Allow responses.)

"Sharing means letting your friends use your toys or materials, and you get to use theirs too! When we share, everyone gets a turn and everyone has fun. Like sharing these building blocks!"

(Display Friendship Fun! Slide 3 - Taking Turns Rocks!)

"Another important way to be a friend is taking turns! Sharing and taking turns go together like peanut butter and jelly! Why do you think taking turns is important when you're playing a game or using a swing?"

(Allow responses.)

"Exactly! If only one person always got to play, that wouldn't be fair, and it wouldn't be much fun for anyone else. Taking turns makes sure everyone gets a chance!"

(Display Friendship Fun! Slide 4 - Kind Words Make Friends!)

"And finally, friends use kind words! Our words have power, and kind words can make someone feel warm and happy inside, like sunshine! What are some kind words you can say to a friend?"

(Allow responses, prompt with examples like 'please,' 'thank you,' 'you're welcome,' 'I like your shirt.')

"Super ideas! Using kind words makes our friends feel special and loved."

Story Time & Discussion (7 minutes)

"Now, I'm going to tell you a story (or show you some pictures) about friends. I want you to watch closely and think about if the friends are sharing, taking turns, and using kind words."

(Read a short story or show picture cards depicting scenarios of good and challenging social interactions. Example story idea: Two friends want to play with the same red truck. How do they solve it?)

"What did you notice in the story? Did the friends share? Did they take turns? Did they use kind words?


"

"What could the friends have done differently to be even better friends?


"

Activity: Sharing Tower (8 minutes)

"You all did such a great job thinking about sharing and taking turns! Now it's your turn to practice being super friends! We're going to work in small groups to build a 'Sharing Tower.'"

"Each group will get a pile of building blocks. Your job is to build the tallest, coolest tower you can, but you must share the blocks and take turns adding pieces. Remember our rules for sharing and taking turns!"

(Divide students into small groups. Distribute building blocks. Circulate around the room, providing positive reinforcement and gentle reminders as needed. Refer to Sharing Tower Activity Instructions.)

"I see so many amazing towers and even more amazing sharing and taking turns! Great job, everyone!"

Cool-Down: Kind Words Cards (5 minutes)

"Alright, my little friendship stars, let's bring it back together. You all showed incredible teamwork and friendship during our tower building!"

"Now, I have some special cards for you – Kind Words Cool Down Cards! Each of you will get one. On your card, I want you to think of one kind word or kind thing you can say to a friend, or that you heard a friend say today. We'll go around and share our kind words."

(Distribute cards. Call on students to share their kind words or examples.)

"Fantastic! You all know so many kind words. Remember, today we learned to be friendship stars by sharing, taking turns, and using kind words. Keep practicing these every day, and you'll make our classroom a super friendly place! Great work today, friends!"

Pass the Smile Warm-Up

Objective

To gently engage students and introduce a positive, friendly atmosphere through non-verbal communication.

Materials

• No specific materials needed, just the students and a teacher!

Instructions

1. Teacher Starts: The teacher makes eye contact with one student and gives them a big, friendly smile.
2. Student Passes It On: That student "catches" the smile and passes it on to another student by making eye contact and smiling at them.
3. Continue Around the Room: Students continue to pass the smile around the room, one by one, until everyone has received and passed a smile.
4. Discussion (Optional): After everyone has smiled, the teacher can ask: "How did it feel to get a smile? How did it feel to give a smile?"

Teacher Tips

• Encourage students to make eye contact when passing the smile.
• Remind them to use a gentle, friendly smile.
• This activity can be a quick and effective way to shift the mood in the classroom and prepare students for a lesson on social-emotional topics. Ensure all students get a chance to participate.

Sharing Tower Activity

Objective

Students will practice sharing materials and taking turns while collaboratively building a structure.

Materials

• A large bin or pile of diverse building blocks (e.g., Duplo, wooden blocks, LEGOs) for each small group.

Instructions

1. Introduce the Challenge (2 minutes):

   • "Alright, my little builders! We're going to work together in small groups to build the most amazing tower we can! But there's a super important rule: you must share all the blocks and take turns adding pieces to your tower."
   • Review what sharing and taking turns mean if needed, using examples from the earlier discussion.

2. Form Small Groups (1 minute):

   • Divide the class into small groups (e.g., 3-4 students per group). Ensure each group has a clear space to work.

3. Distribute Materials (1 minute):

   • Give each group a pile of building blocks.

4. Building Time (4 minutes):

   • "Now, work together! Remember to give everyone a chance to pick a block and put it on the tower. You can talk to each other about your ideas, but make sure everyone gets a turn!"
   • Circulate among the groups:
     • Observe: Look for instances of sharing, turn-taking, and cooperation.
     • Praise: Offer specific praise: "I love how [Student A] waited for [Student B] to add their block! That's excellent turn-taking!" or "Great sharing, [Group Name]! Everyone is getting to use the blocks."
     • Guide: If a student is dominating or not sharing, gently remind them of the rules: "Remember, we're taking turns so everyone gets a chance. What block would you like to pass to your friend?"

Teacher Tips

• If time allows, you can have groups briefly share their towers and one example of how they shared or took turns.
• This activity is a great opportunity for observational assessment of individual student social skills.

Kind Words Cool Down Cards

Objective

To help students reflect on the lesson's theme of kind words and practice expressing them.

Materials

• Small index cards or pre-cut paper squares (1 per student).
• Crayons or markers.

Instructions

1. Distribute Cards: Give each student one "Kind Words Cool Down Card" and a crayon or marker.
2. Prompt for Reflection: "To wrap up our 'Friendship Fun' lesson, I want you to think about all the kind words we talked about today. On your card, I want you to either:
   • Draw a picture of someone saying or receiving kind words, OR
   • Write down one kind word you can say to a friend (if students are able to write letters/words).
   • Think about a kind word you heard a friend say today, or a kind word you want to say to someone."
3. Share Out: Once students have finished, go around the circle and have each student share their kind word or describe their drawing.
   • "What kind word did you put on your card?"
   • "What kind thing did you hear a friend say today?"
4. Collect Cards (Optional): Collect the cards as students exit the circle or the classroom.

Teacher Tips

• For younger Pre-K students, drawing a picture might be more appropriate. For older or more advanced students, they might be able to write a single word or a short phrase.
• This is a quick way to gauge student understanding of the importance of kind words and reinforce positive social behaviors.