Students will write or draw characteristics and traits that make a good friend before we start this unit. Students have the opportunity to share any of their ideas with the class and have a group discussion about these characteristics.

The teacher will read the buddy bench as a read aloud to the class. Afterward, on an anchor chart, the class will brainstorm ideas on how to make someone feel included at recess, and how to apply this in real life.

An important aspect of friendship is making your friends know why they are important and special to you. Students will have a chance to write and draw a card to a friend and bring it to them.

The teacher will read the read aloud Making Friends is an Art. Afterwords students will fill out a graphic organizer about a characteristic that makes them unique and special. For example, they may discuss how they are kind, smart, help, others, etc..

The teacher will present a friendship scenario and will ask for volunteers to role-play the scenario. For example, one student is alone at recess. What can you do in the situation? The students will act out the situation.

Students will make friendship bracelets. Students are given a random student to give the bracelet to you in the class. The student will give the bracelet and give a kind compliment to the student to spread and promote kindness.

The teacher will read the read aloud to Taste your Words. Students will then turn and talk about a time where they were mean, or someone was mean to them. Afterwards, students will share about this time, and the class will discuss how it made them feel. As a class, everyone will brainstorm a solution instead of being mean.

Students will vote and agree on a charity to raise money for with loose change. Once the class has decided on a charity, students will be able to bring in any loose. Change to donate. The teacher will discuss the importance of working together as a community to help others, and how it can bring the class closer together.

Students will listen to the read aloud You can be a Good Friend. After, students will write one thing they can do to be a good friend on a small piece of rectangular paper. The class will then turned the pieces of paper into a paper chain around the classroom as a reminder about how we can be good friends to one another.

Students will fill out an All About Me worksheet where they are able to discuss what makes them unique. The categories talk about how they look, what they like, what they like to do, etc. After, the class is able to present their work sheet. Students will notice that everyone is different and it makes the classroom interesting and fun that we are all different.

Students will listen to the read aloud a friend for Henry. After the read aloud, Student will brainstorm ways they could make Henry feel included if he were to join the class. Students will discuss in small groups and then have a chance to share their ideas with the whole class.

Students will be partnered up with a student in second grade as a penpal. Students will write a letter once a month to their penpal. This practice their reading and writing while promoting friendship and the school beyond the first grade classroom.