Students will learn why sharing is important and practice simple sharing skills by listening to a story, discussing real-life examples, and role-playing sharing scenarios.
Developing sharing habits helps 1st graders build positive friendships, practice empathy, and contribute to a caring classroom community.
1st Grade
15 minutes
Storytelling, guided discussion, and role-play
5 minutes
2 minutes
4 minutes
3 minutes
4 minutes
2 minutes
No credit card needed
Building Sharing Skills Together!
For the opening slide, welcome everyone and introduce the lesson title. Say: “Today we’re going to learn all about sharing and how it helps us be great friends!”
• Understand why sharing helps friendships
• Practice sharing in real-life scenarios
Read the objectives aloud. Point to each bullet. Say: “By the end of today, you’ll know why sharing is important and you’ll have a chance to practice sharing in fun activities!”
• Helps us make friends
• Shows kindness and care
• Makes everyone feel happy
Explain each point with an example: “If you share a crayon, your friend can draw with you and you both have fun!” Encourage nods.
Let’s read Sharing Picture Book
• Notice when characters share
• How did sharing make them feel?
Show the cover of the book and hold it up so all can see. Read the story, pausing when characters share. Ask: “How do you think they felt when they shared?”
Example prompt:
“You have a toy truck. Your friend asks to play. What do you do?”
Use Discussion Prompt Cards
Record ideas on Sharing Scenario Chart
Shuffle the cards beforehand. Draw one and read it. Invite 2–3 students to respond. Write their ideas on the chart. Say: “Great idea! Let’s add that to our chart.”
Pair up and choose a Role-Play Scenario Card
• Act out the sharing situation
• Use polite sharing words
Help students find partners and hand out a scenario card to each pair. Encourage them: “Use sharing words like ‘Here you go!’ and take turns.” Circulate to give praise and guidance.
• How did sharing make you feel?
• Remember: sharing shows kindness!
Bring the class back together. Review 2–3 chart entries. Ask: “How did it feel to share today?” Praise all efforts and close: “Great sharing, everyone! Keep it up!”
This is Benny. He has a big blue ball. He loves bouncing his ball in the yard.
One sunny morning, Benny brought his blue ball to school. He was excited to play with it at recess.
When recess started, Jason ran over. “Can I play with your ball, Benny?” he asked.
Benny looked at his ball. He really wanted to keep it all to himself. “No, it’s mine,” he said.
Jason’s smile turned into a frown. He walked away, feeling sad.
Benny felt a little sad too. He remembered how happy he felt when others shared with him.
Benny called Jason back. “Let’s play together! You can have a turn.” Jason’s face lit up.
They took turns bouncing the ball. Sharing made their game twice as fun!
The End
Sharing shows kindness and makes everyone happy.
Use these cards to spark conversation about sharing. Shuffle and draw one to ask the class:
Use these cards to practice sharing with a friend. Print and cut out each card, then let pairs choose one to act out. After one round, switch roles so both friends get a turn to share.
You’re playing with a pile of blocks. Your friend wants some blocks to build their own tower. Show how you’d share your blocks and take turns.
You have the last yellow crayon in the box, and your friend needs it to finish their drawing. Show how you’d share the crayon and use kind words.
At snack time, you have an extra cookie, and your friend didn’t bring one. Show how you’d offer to share your snack.
You’re reading a storybook during free time, and your friend asks if they can read along. Show how you’d share the book and take turns flipping pages.
Use this chart to record students’ ideas during the discussion. Write each suggestion in the right-hand column.
| Situation | Your Idea |
|---|---|
| Your friend asks to play with your toy truck. | |
| You have the last red crayon, and your friend needs it to finish their picture. | |
| At snack time, you have two cookies but your friend didn’t get any. | |
| You built a tall block tower. Your friend wants to take some blocks. | |
| You’re reading a book and your friend asks if they can read too. |
Prompt: Draw or write something you shared with a friend recently.
Next: Turn to a partner and tell them about what you shared!
1. How did it feel to share with your friend today?
2. Draw or write one thing you will share with someone tomorrow.
3. A word that describes sharing is: ________
Teacher: “Good morning, friends! Today we’re going to learn all about sharing and how it helps us be great friends.”
Teacher: “Can anyone tell me what the word ‘sharing’ means?”
Wait for 2–3 responses.
Teacher: “Those are wonderful ideas! Sharing means letting someone else use or enjoy something that belongs to you. When we share, we show kindness and help our friends feel happy.”
Teacher: “Today, we’ll learn why sharing helps us be good friends and we’ll practice sharing in fun ways!”
Teacher: “Now let’s read a story called Sharing Picture Book. I’ll hold it up so everyone can see the cover.”
Hold up the book and show the cover.
Teacher: “Here we go!”
Read pages 1–3 aloud.
Teacher: “When Jason asked, ‘Can I play with your ball, Benny?’ how do you think Benny felt?”
Wait for 1–2 students to answer.
Read pages 4–6 aloud.
Teacher: “Oh no—Benny said, ‘No, it’s mine,’ and Jason walked away feeling sad. Have you ever felt sad when someone didn’t share with you?”
Allow 1 student to share briefly.
Read pages 7–8 and the ending line.
Teacher: “Benny shared, and they both had twice as much fun. That shows how sharing brings happiness!”
Teacher: “Now we’re going to talk about sharing in our own lives. I have some Discussion Prompt Cards. I’ll shuffle them and draw one.”
Shuffle cards and draw one.
Teacher (reading card): “Your friend asks to play with your toy truck. What do you do?”
Teacher: “What is your idea?”
Invite 2–3 students to respond.
For each response, Teacher: “Great idea! I’ll write that on our Sharing Scenario Chart.”
Record ideas on the chart.
Teacher: “Now let’s practice sharing with our friends! Please find a partner.”
Teacher: “Each pair will get a Role-Play Scenario Card. Read your card and act out the situation.”
Teacher: “Remember to use sharing words like ‘Here you go!’ and to take turns.”
Distribute cards and let pairs begin.
Teacher (circulating): “I see great sharing! Nice job using kind words.”
After about two minutes:
Teacher: “Okay, friends—switch roles so everyone has a chance to share!”
Allow pairs to act out the second round.
Teacher: “Let’s come back to our circle and look at our Sharing Scenario Chart.”
Review 2–3 suggestions from the chart.
Teacher: “How did it feel to share with your partner?”
Invite 2–3 students to respond.
Teacher: “Wonderful—sharing made you feel good, and it made others feel good too!”
Teacher: “Great job today, everyone. Remember, sharing shows kindness and helps us be good friends. Let’s keep sharing all day long!”
End of Lesson
Use this rubric to assess 1st graders’ sharing skills during the lesson. Each criterion is scored on a 1–3 scale.
| Criteria | 3 – Exemplary | 2 – Developing | 1 – Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willingness to Share | Offers and shares without prompting. | Shares when reminded or encouraged. | Rarely shares or needs frequent prompts. |
| Use of Sharing Language | Uses polite sharing phrases independently (e.g., “Here you go!”). | Uses sharing phrases with occasional prompts. | Does not use polite sharing language, even when prompted. |
| Empathy and Respect | Notices and responds to peers’ feelings; takes turns respectfully. | Shows some awareness of peers’ feelings; sometimes takes turns. | Little recognition of peers’ feelings; struggles with turn-taking. |
| Collaboration & Participation | Engages actively in discussions and role-plays; encourages peers. | Participates but may need encouragement; supports peers inconsistently. | Minimal participation; hesitant or off-task. |
Scoring:
• Total points = sum of all four criteria (12 points max).
• 10–12 = Exemplary sharing skills demonstrated consistently.
• 7–9 = Developing sharing skills; occasional support or prompting needed.
• 4–6 = Beginning stage; frequent prompting and guidance required.
