Making
lesson 11 (Part 2):
spring season: Sowing and Growing
Lesson Summary
This lesson builds on student understanding of Spring as one of the Seasons of a Friendship (Lesson 11). This lesson deepens student understanding that what we put into our friendships is what we get out. New friendships need time, effort and patience to flourish.
Purpose
Purpose: In this lesson students understand what actions and behaviours they can choose to help grow a new friendship.
Process
Time Needed: 25-30 minutes.
Activity: Story (5 mins)
Intro: (2 mins)
Activity: Build or Break? (5-10 mins)
Optional Activity: Sow and Grow Your Own Plants (10 mins)
Debrief and Reflection (5 mins)
Materials & downloads
For this lesson, you will need the following:
Pens and pencils
Optional: Student workbook or notepad.
Optional: Plant pots, seeds, compost, tray, paper towels, water
Activity: story - (5 mins)
Read the story with the students before asking and answering the questions.
Alex was excited. A new student named Sam had joined their class, and Alex decided they would be best friends right away.
At lunch time, Alex ran up to Sam and said “Let’s be best friends!” “Do you want to come to my house today?”.
Sam smiled politely but looked a little surprised and said “Um…maybe another time.”
All week Alex tried everything to make Sam a best friend. Sam was invited to every game, saved a seat at lunch, and even given a bracelet. But Sam sometimes played with other people or wanted quiet time.
Alex felt frustrated and thought “Why aren’t we best friends yet? I’ve done so much!”.
That weekend, Alex helped their Grandma plant flowers. Grandma gently pressed seeds into the soil. “Will they bloom tomorrow?” Alex asked eagerly. Grandma smiled and laughed. “Of course not. We have to water them, give them sunlight, and be patient. A beautiful garden takes time.” she said gently. Alex suddenly understood something important. Friendships are like gardens! You can plant seeds and wish for them to suddenly be flowers, but they need time and care to grow.
On Monday, Alex simply smiled at Sam and said, “Want to draw together?” They then spent the afternoon doodling and laughing. Over the next few weeks they shared stories, played games, and slowly built trust.
By the end of the term, Alex realised something wonderful:
Sam wasn’t just a new classmate anymore, they were now a great friend! The time, kindness, and effort put in had helped the friendship to flourish.
After reading the story, ask the students the following questions and then give them time to pair and share with a partner before sharing with the class. Optional: Students can write their answers down.
Why is it important to give a new friendship time to grow instead of expecting it to happen right away?
Can you think of a friendship you have where patience and care helped it become stronger? What did you do that helped it grow?
What is your main learning from the story?
intro (2 mins)
Building strong friendships takes time and effort, what we put in is what we get out! We might think that simply liking someone or having fun together means we are suddenly best friends with that person.
Building trust and shared experiences take time and this means it is okay that friendships grow gradually. This means that if we put in our time, our kindness, our respect, we will help create a strong, healthy and happy friendship!
Activity: build or break? (10 mins)
Give each student a worksheet.
Each student will need two different coloured pencils.
Explain that the students are to decide which statements build a new friendship and which statements break a new friendship.
When complete, students can share their answers with the class.
Teacher Answers:
Builds a New Friendship
Smiling and saying hello to someone new.
Asking the person what they like or dislike.
Inviting them to join a game.
Showing them that we are listening when they speak.
Respecting their decision and being kind if they do not want to join in the first time we ask.
Breaks a New Friendship
Ignoring the person when they are trying to talk to us or join in our game.
Making fun of their ideas or interests.
Taking something of theirs, such as a pencil, book or soccer ball, without asking.
Not letting them speak in a conversation.
Getting angry at them if they do not want to play or talk to us.
Debrief:
It is important we take time to reflect on how our words and actions can affect our new friendships. We can’t control the other person and force them to be friends with us, but we can choose healthy and kind actions that can invite them to connect with us and encourage the friendship to grow.
Optional Activity: Sow and Grow your own plants! (10-15 mins)
In addition to, or in place of the previous activity, students can grow their own real plants, to clearly see how their friendships can be affected by their actions, care and attention (or lack of).
Collect 5-6 pots (encourage recycling and use clean yoghurt pots, ice cream tubs or old containers). Add a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage and add some soil or compost to each pot. Sow quick growing seeds such as cress or beans into the soil. To minimise mess, place the pots on a tray or paper towel.
Place 2-3 pots on a sunny window sill or shelf. Remember to give each plant a little bit of water every couple of days. These plants represent us putting care and attention into our friendships.
Place the remaining pots in a dark cupboard. Do not water them, just leave them alone. These plants represent us not putting care and attention into our friendships.
Over the next couple of weeks, watch what happens to your plants!
Lesson Debrief:
What we put in, really is what we get out! We cannot expect things to grow and improve if we do not put any effort in. This is true not just for our friendships but also our learning and life! Sometimes life and our friendships can be tricky and it is important in these moments not to give up and stop putting effort in completely, as we know this will not lead to a positive outcome or situation. Our energy and effort is in our control and means we can choose to take action and have a positive effect on our friendships and life.
