Game
Friendly Feathers: Social Skills Charades
Instructions: Today, we're going to play a game where we act out different social skills!
- The teacher will show you a social skill card.
- One student will quietly read the card and then act out the social skill without talking.
- The rest of the class will guess what social skill they are acting out!
- Once guessed, we'll talk about why that skill is important.
Social Skill Cards (Teacher cuts these out beforehand):
- Being a good listener
- Sharing a toy
- Saying
use Lenny to create lessons.
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Slide Deck
Social Superpowers: Grow & Connect!
What makes a good friend or a great helper?
Partner Share: Share a time you felt really happy playing or talking with someone. What made it special?
Welcome students. Begin with a warm-up question to activate prior knowledge about positive social interactions. Encourage students to quickly share with a partner. The goal is to get them thinking about what makes them happy when they are with friends.
What Are Social Skills?
Skills we use to be awesome friends and classmates!
- Being a good listener
- Using kind words
- Sharing and taking turns
- Solving small problems
- Working together
Introduce the concept of social skills. Provide simple, concrete examples that 3rd graders can easily understand. Emphasize that these are skills, meaning they can be learned and improved, just like learning to read or play a game.
Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
Fixed Mindset: "I'm just shy, I can't talk to new kids."
Growth Mindset: "I can try saying 'Hi' or inviting someone to play!"
Which way of thinking helps you be a super friend?
Introduce Fixed vs. Growth Mindset. Explain the difference with very simple, relatable examples focused on typical 3rd-grade social situations. Use the analogy of a 'social muscle' that can grow stronger with practice.
Activity: Social Story Cards
In your groups, you will get a story card.
Talk about:
- What's a friendly thing to do?
- What would a 'stuck' mindset person say?
- What would a 'can-do' mindset person say or do? (Try to act it out with kind words!)
Be ready to share your best 'can-do' solution!
Transition to the activity. Explain that they will be working in groups to discuss social stories and think about how a 'can-do' attitude helps. Reinforce the idea of 'practicing' their social muscles through these scenarios.
Let's Share Our Super Solutions!
What friendly ideas did your group have?
How can thinking 'I can try!' help us be amazing friends?
Conclude the activity by bringing the class back together. Ask a few groups to share their stories and their friendly, growth mindset approaches. Emphasize the creativity and effort in finding solutions.
Time to Think About Me!
Take a few minutes to fill out your Growth Mindset Reflection Journal.
Think about how you can use a 'can-do' attitude to be an even better friend and classmate.
Introduce the reflection journal. Give students quiet time to think and write. Remind them that thinking about how they learn and grow is a powerful growth mindset tool.
Practice Being a Super Friend!
Complete the Social Skill Practice Worksheet.
Remember, your social skills can always grow stronger, just like your muscles!
Hand out the worksheet. Explain it's a way to practice what they've learned and show their understanding. Reiterate the main message about continuous improvement in social skills and friendships.
Activity
Social Story Cards
Instructions: In your groups, pick a card, read the story, and talk about the questions below. Be ready to share your answers with the class.
Discussion Questions:
- What is a friendly thing to do in this story?
- How might someone with a stuck mindset (thinking "I can't!") respond to this story?
- How might someone with a can-do mindset (thinking "I can try!") respond? What friendly actions would they take?
Story 1: New Kid at Recess
You see a new student standing by themselves on the playground. You want to ask them to play, but you feel a little shy and worry they might say no.
Story 2: Sharing Toys
You and your friend are playing with a toy, but you both want to use it at the same time. You're starting to get a little upset.
Story 3: Oops, I Said Something Mean
You accidentally said something that made your friend sad, and now they don't want to play. You didn't mean to hurt their feelings.
Story 4: Joining a Game
You see a group of kids playing a fun game, but you don't know how to ask if you can join without interrupting them.
Story 5: Different Ideas
You and your friend are drawing, but you both have very different ideas for what to draw. You really want to draw your idea, and so does your friend.
Journal
Growth Mindset Reflection Journal: My Social Superpowers!
Instructions: Take a few moments to think about these questions and write down your thoughts. There are no right or wrong answers!
Prompt 1: My Friendly Strengths
What are two friendly things you are good at? (Like: listening, sharing, being kind, asking to play, helping a friend.) Describe a time you used one of these friendly skills well.
Prompt 2: A Social Try-Again Moment
Think about a time when it was hard to be social or you wanted to be better. (Like: meeting new kids, speaking up, sharing, understanding feelings.) Describe what happened.
Prompt 3: My Can-Do Plan
Now, how could a can-do mindset (thinking "I can try!") help you in the social situation you wrote about in Prompt 2? What is one small, friendly step you could try next time?
Prompt 4: My New Social Superpower Goal
What is one "social superpower" you want to practice growing this week? (Like: being a super listener, sharing, using kind words.)
Worksheet
Social Skill Practice Worksheet: Grow Your Superpowers!
Instructions: Think about what we talked about today for being a social superstar. Fill in the answers below.
1. What is one social skill you want to practice being better at?
(Choose from: listening, kind words, sharing, solving problems, playing together, making new friends, etc.)
2. Describe one social moment that might be a little tricky for you at school or with friends.
3. How would someone with a stuck mindset (thinking "I can't!") feel or think about this tricky moment?
(e.g., "I'm just not good at this," "It's too hard to fix.")
4. How would someone with a can-do mindset (thinking "I can try!") try to make this tricky moment better? What friendly steps might they take?
(e.g., "I can try a new idea," "I can ask a teacher for help," "I can learn from this.")
5. What is one new thing you learned today about how a can-do mindset helps you with your social skills?
Lesson Plan
Social Skills
Students will identify basic social skills, understand the idea of a growth mindset in social situations, and practice friendly ways to interact with others.
Learning good social skills helps students make friends, work together, and feel happy at school. A growth mindset teaches them that they can always get better at being a good friend and classmate.
Audience
3rd Grade Students
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive stories, group discussion, and role-play.
Materials
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
Review the Friendly Feathers: Social Skills Charades, Social Skills Slide Deck, Social Scenario Cards, Growth Mindset Reflection Journal, and Social Skill Practice Worksheet. Familiarize yourself with the activities and discussion prompts. Ensure all materials are printed or ready for digital display.
Step 1
Warm-Up: Friendly Feathers Charades (5 minutes)
5 minutes
Step 2
Introduction: Being a Social Superstar! (10 minutes)
10 minutes
Step 3
Activity: Social Story Cards (15 minutes)
15 minutes
Step 4
Reflection: My Social Powers! (10 minutes)
10 minutes
Step 5
Wrap-Up: Social Skill Practice Fun! (5 minutes)
5 minutes