Lesson Plan

Friendship Helpers Lesson Plan

Students will learn three key strategies for getting along—kindness, cooperation, and clear communication—by engaging in a warm-up, practicing role-plays, and reflecting on teamwork behaviors.

Developing strong social skills helps 1st graders build positive relationships, fosters a caring classroom, and reduces conflicts. Learning to work and communicate kindly supports their academic and emotional growth.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Kindness Clap

2 minutes

Step 2

Interactive Group Activity: Scenario Role-Play

8 minutes

Step 3

Quick Reflection: Share and Connect

5 minutes

lenny

Slide Deck

Friendship Helpers

Welcome, friends! Today we are our classroom’s Friendship Helpers. We’ll learn how to get along by practicing kindness, cooperation, and clear communication. Let’s get started!

Today We Will Learn

Explain that these three friendship superpowers help us work and play well with others. Ask: What does kindness mean? What about cooperation? What is clear communication?

Warm-Up: Kindness Clap

Model the Kindness Clap with one student first. Encourage big smiles and clear compliments. Keep the pace lively so all students get one turn in about 2 minutes.

Interactive Activity: Role-Play

Divide students into groups of 2–3. Hand out [Friendship Scenarios Cards](#friendship-scenarios-cards). Remind them to use kindness, cooperation, and clear communication as they plan. Circulate to support and award [Kindness Heart Tokens](#kindness-heart-tokens) for positive teamwork.

Friendship Scenarios

Show a few scenario examples. Invite one volunteer to read each scenario aloud. Ask the class: Which strategy could help in this situation? Encourage thoughtful answers.

Quick Reflection

Bring everyone back to the circle. Choose 2–3 groups to share which strategy they used and how it helped. Record key words (kindness, teamwork, listening) on chart paper.

Great Job, Friendship Helpers!

Praise all groups for their great teamwork and caring ideas. Remind students to use these friendship strategies every day—at recess, in line, and in group work.

lenny

Worksheet

lenny
lenny

Activity

lenny
lenny
lenny

Friendship Helpers

user image

Jordyn Dowd

Tier 1
For Schools
lenny-learning-logo

Lenny Learning

Create Lesson

CASEL

Health & Wellness

Behavioral Supports

Counseling & Therapy

Family Engagement

School Climate

Special Education

Academic Integration

Seasonal

Career & Life Skills

Arts & Creativity

My Lessons

My Lessons

Video Library

Video Library

Support

Support

Log In