Lesson Plan
Friendship: Level Up!
Students will identify characteristics of empathetic behavior and apply strategies for being a supportive friend to foster positive relationships.
Developing strong empathy and friendship skills is crucial for navigating social situations, building supportive relationships, and creating a positive school environment.
Audience
7th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, scenarios, reflection
Materials
Whiteboard or Projector, Friendship: Level Up! Slide Deck, Empathy in Action Scenarios, Good Friend Checklist Worksheet, and Friendship Reflections Cool Down
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
- Review the Friendship: Level Up! Lesson Plan and all generated materials.
- Prepare the whiteboard or projector for the Friendship: Level Up! Slide Deck.
- Print or prepare to distribute Empathy in Action Scenarios (one per small group).
- Print or prepare to distribute Good Friend Checklist Worksheet (one per student).
- Print or prepare to distribute Friendship Reflections Cool Down (one per student).
Step 1
Warm-Up: What Makes a Great Friend?
5 minutes
- Begin by projecting the first slide of the Friendship: Level Up! Slide Deck.
- Ask students to share, either aloud or by writing it down, what qualities they think make a great friend. (e.g., trustworthy, funny, kind, supportive).
- Briefly discuss 2-3 student responses, linking them to the idea of positive relationships.
Step 2
Understanding Empathy
8 minutes
- Transition to the slides on empathy (slides 2) in the Friendship: Level Up! Slide Deck.
- Define empathy and discuss the difference between empathy and sympathy.
- Use guiding questions to encourage students to think about what it feels like to be understood and how they can show understanding to others.
- Introduce the concept of perspective-taking: imagining how someone else feels in a given situation.
Step 3
Active Listening & Supportive Responses
7 minutes
- Advance the Friendship: Level Up! Slide Deck to slides 3 and 4.
- Explain and model active listening skills: making eye contact, nodding, not interrupting, and asking clarifying questions.
- Discuss types of supportive responses, emphasizing validating feelings rather than immediately solving problems. Ask students for examples of supportive phrases.
Step 4
Practice: Empathy in Action
7 minutes
- Divide students into small groups (2-3 students per group).
- Distribute one set of Empathy in Action Scenarios to each group.
- Instruct groups to read and discuss the scenarios, focusing on how to show empathy and be a good friend in each situation.
- Circulate to provide guidance and facilitate discussion. (Slides 5-6)
Step 5
Reflection: Becoming a Better Friend
3 minutes
- Bring the class back together.
- Distribute the Good Friend Checklist Worksheet to each student.
- Instruct students to complete the checklist individually, reflecting on their own friendship qualities and setting a personal goal.
- Optionally, have a few students share their goal with a partner or the class. (Slide 7)
Step 6
Cool Down: My Friendship Goal
3 minutes
- Distribute the Friendship Reflections Cool Down to each student.
- Have students complete the cool-down independently.
- Collect cool-down tickets as an exit pass to assess understanding. (Slide 8)
Slide Deck
Friendship: Level Up!
Building Strong Connections
What makes a truly great friend?
Welcome students and introduce the topic of friendship. Ask students to think about what qualities make a great friend. Encourage them to share their ideas. You can write their ideas on the board or have them do a quick-write.
What is Empathy?
• Understanding and sharing the feelings of another.
• Putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
• It's not just feeling sorry for someone, but understanding with them.
Why is empathy important in friendships?
Transition to discussing empathy. Define empathy as understanding and sharing the feelings of another. Discuss how it differs from sympathy (feeling sorry for someone vs. understanding with someone). Ask students for examples of when they've felt understood or misunderstood.
Key Skill: Active Listening
• Give the other person your full attention.
• Make eye contact.
• Nod to show you're listening.
• Ask clarifying questions (e.g., "So, what I hear you saying is...").
• Don't interrupt or immediately offer solutions.
How does active listening show empathy?
Introduce the idea of active listening. Explain that it's more than just hearing words; it's about paying full attention, asking clarifying questions, and reflecting on what's being said. Model good active listening with a student volunteer if appropriate.
Key Skill: Supportive Responses
• Validate their feelings: "That sounds really tough."
• Offer comfort: "I'm here for you."
• Ask how you can help: "Is there anything I can do?"
• Avoid judgment or minimizing their feelings.
What kinds of responses make you feel supported?
Explain that once we listen, we need to respond supportively. This means validating their feelings, offering comfort, and asking how you can help. Emphasize that sometimes just listening is enough.
Practice Time: Empathy in Action
Work in small groups to discuss different scenarios.
How can you show empathy and be a good friend in each situation?
Introduce the Empathy in Action Scenarios. Explain that students will work in small groups to discuss realistic friendship challenges and practice applying empathetic and supportive responses. Distribute the Empathy in Action Scenarios.
Group Share & Discussion
Let's hear what your groups discussed!
• What was challenging about the scenarios?
• What was easy?
• What did you learn about showing empathy?
After groups have discussed the scenarios, bring the class back together. Ask each group to share their thoughts on one scenario. Facilitate a brief class discussion, highlighting key takeaways about showing empathy and being a good friend.
Becoming a Better Friend
What qualities do you bring to your friendships?
How can you intentionally be an even better friend?
Introduce the Good Friend Checklist. Explain that this is a personal reflection tool for them to consider their own friendship habits. Distribute the Good Friend Checklist Worksheet.
Reflection: My Friendship Goal
What is one thing you will do this week to be a better friend?
"The only way to have a friend is to be one." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Conclude the lesson by having students complete the Cool Down. Collect the Friendship Reflections Cool Down to gauge understanding and provide a final thought on the importance of nurturing friendships.
Activity
Empathy in Action Scenarios
Instructions: Read the scenarios below with your group. Discuss how you would feel in each situation and what an empathetic and supportive friend would do or say. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the class.
Scenario 1: The Missed Game
Your best friend, Alex, has been looking forward to the championship basketball game all season. They've practiced tirelessly and were sure they'd get to play a lot. However, during the game, the coach only put them in for a few minutes, and they feel incredibly disappointed and overlooked.
- How might Alex be feeling?
- What could you say or do to show empathy for Alex?
- What would NOT be a helpful response?
Scenario 2: The Group Project Disaster
You and your friend, Sam, are working on a big group project due tomorrow. Sam was supposed to finish their part last night, but they just confessed that they completely forgot and haven't started. Now, the whole project is at risk, and Sam looks really stressed and upset.
- How might Sam be feeling?
- What could you say or do to show empathy for Sam, even though you might be frustrated?
- How can you be a supportive friend in this stressful situation?
Scenario 3: The New Kid
A new student, Maya, just moved to your school mid-year. She seems quiet and sits alone during lunch and breaks. You notice other kids whispering about her, making her look even more uncomfortable.
- How might Maya be feeling?
- What could you say or do to show empathy and be a good friend to Maya?
- What are some small actions that could make a big difference for her?
Worksheet
My Good Friend Checklist
Instructions: Read each statement below and honestly assess how well you demonstrate these qualities in your friendships. Check the box that best describes you. Then, choose one area you'd like to improve and write a short goal.
| Quality of a Good Friend | Always | Often | Sometimes | Rarely | Never |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I listen carefully when my friends talk. | |||||
| I try to understand my friends' feelings, even if I don't agree with them. | |||||
| I offer support and encouragement when my friends are struggling. | |||||
| I am honest and trustworthy with my friends. | |||||
| I respect my friends' differences and opinions. | |||||
| I apologize when I make a mistake. | |||||
| I celebrate my friends' successes. | |||||
| I don't spread rumors or gossip about my friends. | |||||
| I include my friends and try to make sure no one feels left out. | |||||
| I stand up for my friends if they are being treated unfairly. |
My Friendship Goal
One quality I want to work on to be an even better friend is:
Here's how I plan to work on it:
Cool Down
Friendship Reflections Cool Down
Instructions: Please answer the following questions to reflect on today's lesson.
-
In your own words, what does it mean to be empathetic?
-
Describe one specific action you can take to show empathy to a friend this week.
-
Why is it important to have good friends in your life?