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Two Stories of One Basketball

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Lesson Plan

Two Stories of One Basketball

social skills

This lesson focuses on developing social skills through a brief social story and an interactive activity. It is designed to help the student understand and practice key social interactions in a supportive environment. By engaging with a relatable social story and participating in a guided activity, the student will gain insights into effective communication and empathy, which are crucial for building positive relationships.

Audience

1 fourth grader

Time

10 minutes

Approach

Materials

Social Story Reading, Printable Social Skills Cards, and Interactive Social Skills Game

Step 1

Introduction

2 minutes

  • Greet the student warmly and explain that today's lesson will focus on social skills.
  • Briefly discuss the importance of social skills in making friends and working with others.

Step 2

Social Story Reading

3 minutes

  • Read a short social story that illustrates a common social situation, such as sharing or taking turns.
  • Pause at key moments to ask the student how they think the characters are feeling.

Step 3

Interactive Activity

3 minutes

  • Use the Printable Social Skills Cards to role-play different social scenarios.
  • Encourage the student to think about how they would respond in each situation and discuss why.

Step 4

Interactive Game

2 minutes

  • Play a quick game where the student must match emotions to scenarios using emotion cards.
  • Discuss why certain emotions fit specific scenarios and how understanding emotions can help in social interactions.

Step 5

Closure

2 minutes

  • Recap the key points from the social story and activities.
  • Ask the student to share one thing they learned about social skills today.
  • Encourage them to practice these skills in their daily interactions.
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Reading

Social Story Reading

A short social story designed to illustrate a common social situation, helping students understand and practice social skills.

Title: The Great Swish
The playground was bustling with laughter and the sound of sneakers on the pavement. The sun was shining brightly, casting playful shadows as children ran around. One day, as the bell rang for recess, Aaron and Benny sprinted to the basketball, eager to play. They both reached for it at the same time, their hands brushing against each other. "I got here first!" Aaron exclaimed, holding onto the ball tightly. Benny frowned, "But I really wanted to play with it today." They both stood there, unsure of what to do, as other kids started to gather around, watching the standoff. Aaron noticed Benny's disappointment and remembered how much fun they had playing together before. Taking a deep breath, Aaron said, "Let's play together! We can take turns." Benny, who was initially upset, looked around at the other kids playing happily and said, "Okay. Fine." They decided to play a game where they would pass the ball back and forth, trying to see who could keep it in the air the longest. As they played, they laughed and cheered each other on, drawing the attention of other kids who joined in.
Discussion Points:

  • How did Aaron and Benny solve their problem?
  • How do you think they felt when they shared the ball?
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Reading

Parallel Social Story

A follow-up social story focusing on another aspect of social skills, continuing with the characters Aaron and Benny.

Title: Air Ball
The playground was bustling with laughter and the sound of sneakers on the pavement. The sun was shining brightly, casting playful shadows as children ran around. One day, as the bell rang for recess, Aaron and Benny sprinted to the basketball, eager to play. They both reached for it at the same time, their hands brushing against each other. "I got here first!" Aaron exclaimed, holding onto the ball tightly. Benny frowned, "But I really wanted to play with it today." Instead of finding a solution, they both stood their ground, each refusing to let go of the ball. Minutes passed as they argued back and forth, neither willing to compromise. The other kids watched for a while, then moved on to play other games. As the recess bell rang, signaling the end of their break, Aaron and Benny realized they had spent the entire time arguing and hadn't played at all. They walked back to class, feeling disappointed and realizing that their stubbornness had cost them their playtime.
Discussion Points:

  • What could Aaron and Benny have done differently to enjoy their recess?
  • How do you think they felt after realizing they missed out on playing?
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Worksheet

Printable Social Skills Cards

Cards with different social scenarios for role-playing activities to help students practice social skills.




You want to join a game that others are playing. What do you say?







Your friend is upset because they lost a game. How can you help them feel better?







You and a friend both want to use the same toy. What can you do?







Someone new joins your class. How can you make them feel welcome?




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Worksheet

Interactive Social Skills Game

A set of emotion cards for a matching game to help students connect emotions with social scenarios.




Happy







Sad







Angry







Excited







Nervous







Confused




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