ROOTS AND WINGS
FOURTH GRADE
LESSON EIGHT
Rev. 7-04
I.
Review
The last time we were together we talked about diversity and tolerance.
II.
Overview
A. Tell the students that today you will explore what it means to be a friend.
III.
Program
A. Read story, “Friends” by Helme Heine. Discuss the story. What were
some of the important characteristics of the friends?
B. Individual work: Pass out the worksheet, “Important People in my Life.”
Have students complete the worksheet on their own. (15 minutes) Tell
students that they will use the information as a group next.
C. Group work: Explain to students that the qualities found in people who
are most important to them are many of the same qualities that they will
look for in a friend. Pass out the worksheet, “What is a friend?” Explain
that the students need to work as a team to come up with a list of
characteristics that are most important in a friend and they must rate the
characteristics on a scale from 1-10, 1 being the most important
characteristic. Tell them that as a group, they MUST agree on the order.
They will use the ideas generated from the first worksheet, “Important
People in my Life.”
D. When the students are nearly done with the group assignment, display the
poster “Important Qualities in a Friend.”
IV.
Evaluation
A. Ask students if it was difficult to agree on the order of the characteristics.
Explain that even though we may have similar lists, we are all individuals
and have different ideas. It is ok to have different priorities. What is
important is that each person knows what he or she values most so that
they can make friendships based on their own values, not someone else’s.
V.
Summary
A. Encourage the students to continue to add to their lists of friendship traits
as they become clearer about what is important to them.
Lesson Purpose
Students will begin to think about friendship traits that are important.
Students will identify important people in their lives.
Objectives:
1. The students will list people who are important to them.
2. The students will list friendship traits that are important.
PF Lesson Prep
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Check out book, “Friends,” by Helme Heine
Make copies of worksheet, “Important People in my Life”
Make copies of worksheet “What is a Friend?”
Optional: Poster “Important Qualities in a friend”
Lesson Material Required
1.
2.
3.
4.
Book, “Friends”
Worksheet “Important People in my Life”
Worksheet “What is a Friend?”
Optional: Stickers and poster
Important People in My Life
These are people whom I
These are the reasons I
love and trust:
love and trust them:
What is a Friend?
Rate the traits
from 1-10
These are the traits that are important to me in a friend:
(#1 is the most important)