Warm-Up Activity: Friendship Greeting

Time: 2 minutes
Objective: Students will identify a kind behavior that helps build friendship and practice sharing it aloud.
Materials:

• Friendship Seed Cards (one per student)
• Name tags (to help with peer names)

Steps for Implementation

1. Gather in a Circle
   • Invite students to sit in a circle on the carpet so everyone can see each other.
   • Ensure each child has their name tag on—teachers can use this to learn or reinforce names.
2. Introduce the Seed Cards
   • Hold up a sample Friendship Seed Card and briefly name the behavior pictured (e.g., sharing, helping, listening).
   • Explain: “Each card shows one way we can be a good friend.”
3. Model the Greeting
   • Teacher picks a card and says, “Hello, I am a good friend by helping.”
   • Emphasize clear voice, eye contact, and pointing to the picture on your card.
4. Student Turn-Taking
   • Pass out one seed card to each student (face down for surprise).
   • Going around the circle, invite each child to:
     a. Flip their card to reveal the behavior.
     b. Say, “Hello, I am a good friend by _____.”
   • Encourage applause or thumbs-up after each share.
5. Quick Reflection Question
   • After all have shared, ask: “Which friendship seed did you hear that surprised you?”
   • Solicit one or two responses to build listening skills.

Teacher Tips & Differentiation

• Modeling & Scaffolding:
  • Provide sentence frames: “Hello, I am a good friend by ___.”
  • Show a picture card and verbal cue for students needing extra support.
• Supports for Early Talkers or ELLs:
  • Allow children to say just the key word (e.g., “sharing”) paired with a gesture.
  • Pair non-verbal students with a peer buddy for assistance.
• Positive Reinforcement:
  • Use stickers or verbal praise (“Great job, Maya!”) to encourage participation.
  • Acknowledge effort: “I love how you showed listening with your eyes.”
• Behavior Management:
  • Keep a simple visual timer (e.g., 10-second sand timer) to keep turns brisk.
  • Establish a “Friendship Clap” after each turn to maintain energy.

This warm-up gets everyone engaged, sets a positive tone, and primes students for our main activity of “Planting Friendship Seeds.”

Main Activity: Planting Friendship Seeds

Time: 5 minutes
Objective: Students will place their friendship seed cards in our garden and describe how each behavior helps build friendships.
Materials:

• Friendship Seed Cards (one per student)
• Friendship Circle Poster
• Carpet or meeting area with space for the poster

Steps for Implementation

1. Gather Around the Garden
   • Lay the Friendship Circle Poster flat in the center of the circle.
   • Remind students: “This is our friendship garden. Each seed helps it grow!”
2. Model Planting a Seed
   • Teacher selects a sample seed card.
   • Place the card on the poster and say: “I am planting helping because when I help my friends, they feel cared for.”
3. Student Planting & Sharing
   • One by one, invite each student to:
     a. Place their seed card on the poster in any empty spot.
     b. Name the behavior and finish the sentence: “I am planting ___ because ___.”
   • After each student shares, classmates give a thumbs-up or clap.
4. Check the Garden
   • Once all cards are planted, read a few aloud: “Here we have sharing, listening, and turning-taking.”
   • Emphasize: “Every seed is important—our garden looks beautiful!”

Teacher Tips & Differentiation

• Sentence Frames & Prompts:
  • Provide sentence starters on the poster: “I am planting ___ because ___.”
  • For early talkers, allow one-word responses with gestures.
• Supports for Diverse Learners:
  • Pair ELL or shy students with a peer buddy for shared planting and speaking.
  • Use visual cues (point to picture on a card) to prompt explanation.
• Maintaining Engagement:
  • Use a “garden watering” sound (e.g., gentle patting on the poster) after each share.
  • Keep transitions brisk—signal next turn with a small bell or chime.
• Extension & Challenge:
  • Ask advanced students to give an example of when they used that behavior with a friend.

After planting our seeds and sharing, we’ll end by talking about how our friendship garden can grow every day when we practice these kind behaviors.

Cool-Down: Growing Our Garden

Time: 3 minutes
Objective: Students will reflect on how sharing friendship behaviors felt and set a simple friendship goal to practice.
Materials:

• Friendship Circle Poster
• Crayons or markers (one per student)

Steps for Implementation

1. Gather Around the Garden
   • Have students sit back in the circle around the Friendship Circle Poster.
   • Remind them: “Our garden is growing because of each of your seeds!”
2. Reflect Together
   • Ask: “How did it feel to share your friendship seed?”
     
     
     
     
     
     
   • Ask: “Which seed would you like to plant again tomorrow?”
     
     
     
     
     
     
3. Draw Your Own Seed & Set a Goal
   • Give each child a crayon or marker.
   • Prompt: “Draw a friendship seed showing one way you will be kind.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
4. Share Your Goal
   • Invite volunteers to hold up their drawing and finish this sentence:
     “I will be a good friend by ______.”

Teacher Tips & Differentiation

• Supports for Early Talkers or ELLs:
  • Allow one-word or gesture responses (e.g., “sharing” + hug motion).
  • Pair with a buddy who can help label their drawing.
• Positive Reinforcement:
  • Praise effort (“I love how you chose listening as your seed!”).
  • Display drawings on a “Garden Goals” board to reinforce daily practice.
• Extension:
  • Refer back to the students’ drawings during line time or transitions: “Remember our friendship seed of helping?”

This cool-down closes the lesson by strengthening students’ emotional connection to kindness and giving them a tangible goal to grow our classroom Friendship Garden every day.

Friendship Seed Cards

Print this page and cut each card along the lines. Each card shows a kind behavior you can plant in our Friendship Garden!
Write your name on the back of your card before planting it.

🤲
Sharing

🤝
Helping

👂
Listening

🔄
Taking Turns

👍
Encouraging

👫
Including Others