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Making Friends

Fourth graders explore what it takes to make and keep good friends, from being friendly and listening well to including others and working through disagreements.

Grade 4CASEL: Relationship Skills35 minutes1 class periodCASEL SELExplicit teaching4 StandardsCASEL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Describe how to make a friend.
  • ✓Use friendly behaviors.
  • ✓Include and respect others.
  • ✓Work through problems kindly.
Essential Question

Good friends make school happier and life easier, but friendships take care. What habits help you make friends and keep them?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Explore Friendship

Project this and open each card to explore the habits that help you make and keep good friends.

🤝 Explore how to make and keep friendsTry it

The Lesson · SEL Flow (Check-In · Learn · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

35 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — A New Kid

5 min

A new student stands alone at recess. What could you do to help them feel welcome?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show the scene.
  • Ask for friendly moves.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Use — Explore Friendship

12 min

Students explore the habits of good friends.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Explore Friendship.
  • Open each card.
  • Name the habit.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explore.
  • Read.
  • Say it.
3

Modify — Friendly or Not

13 min

Students judge friendly behaviors.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show everyday actions.
  • Mark friendly ones.
  • Explain why.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Mark.
  • Explain.
4

Create — Friendship Plan

15 min

Students plan a kind act.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick someone to include.
  • Plan a friendly move.
  • Try it this week.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick.
  • Plan.
  • Try.
5

Reflect — Keeping Friends

5 min

Students reflect on staying friends.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • How do you include someone?
  • What keeps a friendship strong?
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CASEL 5 Social & Emotional Learning Competencies.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Build and maintain positive, supportive relationships.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Communicate clearly and listen actively.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Show empathy and care for others.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Resolve conflicts constructively.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Friendly-action picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “A good friend ___ .”
  • Explore one habit at a time.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with greeting and including.
  • Role-play a friendly hello.
  • Add one habit at a time.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Discuss repairing a friendship after a fight.
  • Explore friendships across differences.
  • Plan a class inclusion goal.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🖼️Scenario cards
  • 💻Explore Friendship
  • 🎭Role-play prompts
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

friendshipa caring relationship between people who enjoy and support each otherfriendlyacting warm and welcoming toward othersincludeto invite someone to join inshareto let others use something with youtake turnsto let each person have a turn in orderkindnessbeing caring and helpful toward othersempathyunderstanding how someone else feelscompromisefinding a solution that works for everyone
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Name two things you can do to make a new friend.
For example, say hello and be friendly, and invite them to join in (any two).
QUESTION 2
Why is including others important in a friendship?
It helps people feel welcome and cared about, and builds trust.
QUESTION 3
What can you do when two friends disagree?
Stay calm, listen to both sides, and find a fair solution together.

Create: a friendship plan.

Have students choose someone to include this week, plan one friendly move, and try it, then reflect on how it went. A printable friendship worksheet is in the Social-Emotional Learning library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Relationship Skills: Making FriendsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Relationship Skills: Making FriendsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Relationship Skills: Making FriendsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: compromise, empathy, friendly, friendship, include, kindness, share, take turns
  1. to let others use something with you
  2. to let each person have a turn in order
  3. understanding how someone else feels
  4. finding a solution that works for everyone
  5. to invite someone to join in
  6. being caring and helpful toward others
  7. a caring relationship between people who enjoy and support each other
  8. acting warm and welcoming toward others

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Name two things you can do to make a new friend.
  2. Why is including others important in a friendship?
  3. What can you do when two friends disagree?
Answer key — Part A: 1) share · 2) take turns · 3) empathy · 4) compromise · 5) include · 6) kindness · 7) friendship · 8) friendly
Part B: 1) For example, say hello and be friendly, and invite them to join in (any two). 2) It helps people feel welcome and cared about, and builds trust. 3) Stay calm, listen to both sides, and find a fair solution together.