Lesson Plan
Friendship Quest Lesson Plan
Students will build connections and practice communication and collaboration through engaging icebreaker questions and a hands-on team tower-building challenge.
Fostering positive peer relationships enhances empathy, supports a strong classroom community, and helps 6th graders develop essential social skills.
Audience
6th Grade (Middle School Students)
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Icebreakers and hands-on team challenges
Materials
- Friendship Question Cards, - Team Tower Challenge Guidelines, - Reflection Sheet, - Ball Of Yarn, - Masking Tape, and - Timer Or Stopwatch
Prep
Teacher Preparation
5 minutes
- Print and cut out Friendship Question Cards.
- Print copies of Team Tower Challenge Guidelines and Reflection Sheet.
- Gather a ball of yarn, rolls of masking tape, and a timer or stopwatch.
- Arrange an open space for circle introductions and a table area for the tower-building activity.
Step 1
Yarn Web Icebreaker
5 minutes
- Have students stand in a circle holding a ball of yarn.
- Teacher starts by holding the yarn end, introduces themselves (name + fun fact), and tosses the ball to another student.
- Each catcher holds onto a piece of the yarn, shares their name and a fun fact, then tosses to someone new.
- Continue until every student has introduced themselves, creating a web of connections.
Step 2
Speed Question Circles
10 minutes
- Divide students into groups of 3–4.
- Give each group a stack of Friendship Question Cards.
- Students take turns drawing a card, reading the question aloud, and answering it.
- Encourage brief follow-up questions to learn more about each other.
- Rotate through at least two questions per student.
Step 3
Tower Challenge
10 minutes
- Keep the same groups together.
- Provide each group with masking tape and a copy of Team Tower Challenge Guidelines.
- Set a 7-minute timer for teams to construct the tallest free-standing tower using tape and yarn.
- After time is up, test each tower’s stability by placing a pencil or eraser on top.
- Highlight teamwork by discussing which strategies worked best.
Step 4
Reflection & Share
5 minutes
- Distribute Reflection Sheet to each student.
- Ask students to write one new thing they learned about a peer and one personal goal for future group work.
- Invite volunteers to share their reflections with the whole group to reinforce connections.
Slide Deck
Friendship Quest
Getting to Know Each Other
6th Grade • Tier 2 Group Session • 30 Minutes
Welcome the students and introduce yourself. Explain that today's session is called 'Friendship Quest' and is designed to help them get to know one another, build teamwork skills, and have fun.
Session Objectives
- Build new connections
- Practice communication and collaboration
- Foster empathy and support among classmates
Review the three objectives with students. Emphasize how each activity will help them achieve these goals.
Materials & Prep
- Friendship Question Cards
- Team Tower Challenge Guidelines
- Reflection Sheet
- Ball of yarn
- Masking tape
- Timer or stopwatch
Teacher has printed materials and set up the space.
Remind students that you’ve prepared the materials. Show them where everything is located.
Activity 1: Yarn Web Icebreaker (5 min)
- Stand in a circle with a ball of yarn.
- Teacher starts: holds yarn end, says name + fun fact, tosses ball.
- Each student holds yarn, shares name + fun fact, tosses on.
- Continue until everyone has participated.
Model the first toss clearly. Encourage students to speak loudly and listen attentively. Point out how the web shows our connections.
Yarn Web Icebreaker Timer
⏱️ 5:00
Start the timer once the first student begins. Give a 1-minute warning before time is up.
Activity 2: Speed Question Circles (10 min)
- Form groups of 3–4.
- Each group gets Friendship Question Cards.
- Take turns drawing a card and answering the question.
- Ask a brief follow-up question.
- Each student answers at least two cards.
Circulate and listen in on each group. Encourage quieter students to share. Keep groups on task.
Speed Question Circles Timer
⏱️ 10:00
Start timer when all groups have cards. Remind students at 2 minutes left.
Activity 3: Tower Challenge (10 min)
- Stay in same groups.
- Use masking tape & yarn per Team Tower Challenge Guidelines.
- Build the tallest free-standing tower.
- Test stability with a pencil or eraser.
- After building, discuss successful strategies.
Hand out guidelines. Emphasize teamwork, planning, and experimentation. Note that only 7 minutes for building.
Tower Challenge Timer
⏱️ 7:00
Start the timer for building. After it ends, allow groups 3 minutes for testing and debrief.
Reflection & Share (5 min)
- Give each student a Reflection Sheet.
- Write:
- One new thing learned about a peer
- One personal goal for future teamwork
- Volunteers share reflections.
Prompt students who need help. Encourage positive and specific feedback when sharing.
Great Job!
Thank you for your energy and teamwork today!
Keep building connections outside the classroom.
Congratulate the students and remind them to apply what they learned. End on a positive note.
Worksheet
Friendship Quest Question Cards
Print and cut along the lines to create question cards for each group.
- If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
- What is your favorite book or movie, and what do you like about it?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and who would you take with you?
- What is one thing that always makes you laugh?
- What’s your favorite school subject, and what do you enjoy most about it?
- If you could eat only one food for a week, what would it be?
- Who is someone you look up to, and what qualities do you admire in them?
- What is your favorite game to play, and what makes it fun?
- If you had a time machine, would you visit the past or the future? Why?
- What is one thing on your bucket list?
- If our class could adopt a pet, what animal would you choose and why?
- What talent or skill do you wish you had?
- How do you like to spend your weekends or free time?
- If you could invent a holiday, what would it celebrate and how would people observe it?
- What is one personal goal you have for this school year?
- Share a random fact about yourself that most people don’t know.
- What is your favorite season, and what do you enjoy doing during it?
- If you could meet any fictional character, who would it be and why?
- What is one song or type of music that always puts you in a good mood?
- Describe a time when you helped someone or when someone helped you.
Activity
Team Tower Challenge Guidelines
Objective
Build the tallest free-standing tower as a team, practicing planning, communication, and creative problem-solving.
Materials (per group)
- Ball of yarn (one roll)
- Masking tape (one roll)
- Timer or stopwatch (teacher-managed)
- Table or flat surface
Rules
- Your tower must stand on its own—no leaning on walls or chairs.
- You may only use the provided yarn and tape.
- Work together—each person should have a role (designer, builder, tester, etc.).
- The time limit is 7 minutes for building. After time is up, you have 2 minutes to test and adjust only if your tower falls.
Steps
- Plan (1 minute): Quickly sketch or discuss your design. Decide who will cut tape, who will twist yarn, and how you’ll test stability.
- Build (7 minutes): Construct your tower. Focus on a strong base—wider is usually steadier.
- Test & Adjust (2 minutes): Place a pencil or eraser on top. If it falls, make quick tweaks only with leftover materials.
Tips for Success
- Start with a stable, wide base before building tall.
- Use short strips of tape to secure key joints.
- Twist yarn tightly where pieces meet to add strength.
- Communicate clearly—call out measurements or ideas so everyone stays on the same page.
- If something breaks, stay calm and rebuild quickly.
Reflection Questions (post-challenge)
- What strategy helped your tower stand up?
- How did you solve a problem when part of the tower fell?
- What would you do differently next time to make it even stronger?
Worksheet
Friendship Quest Reflection Sheet
Name: ____________________________ Date: ________________
Group Members: ___________________________________________
- One new thing I learned about a peer today:
- One personal goal I have for future group work:
- (Optional) What was your favorite part of today's activities, and why?