Friendship

This week, we are talking about friendship.  For the 1st & 2nd graders, I am using the book called Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, by Aaron Blabey.  I really like this story because it is quick, simple, and straight to the point.  You can also use it for differences, accepting others, and helping out.  So with this lesson, I really wanted to help the students understand the importance of being there for their friend(s), through thick and thin, and that friendship can't work without being nice, caring, showing support, etc. 

Friendship Lesson (1st & 2nd grade):

I started out by asking the class who likes to have friends?  (duh, everyone raised their hands).  Then I asked the class why its important to have friends. 

I then read the story Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley.  After reading the story, I asked the class to idenitify what things helped Pearl and Charlie be such good friends.

Last, I asked the class how an ice cream cone would taste without the ice cream.  I used the annalogy that an ice cream cone doesn't taste the same as if there were ice cream piled on top.  Friendship doesn't work unless there is good stuff (ice cream scoops) too!  I found a graphic organzier to help the students with this writing assignment (here), using an ice cream cone.  I had the class draw an ice cream cone with scoops on top. 

Then I had them write FRIENDSHIP on the cone and then write one friendship characteristic on each scoop of ice cream.  When they finished that, I had them write a story about their friend and how each one of the characteristics help them be friends.

At the end, I picked a couple of people to share their stories.