Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · 2nd Class · Myself and Others: Relationships · 3.º Período

Making and Keeping Friends

Children explore the qualities of a good friend, the importance of inclusion, and how to show empathy.

TL;DR:Friendship is a central part of a child's school experience, and 2nd Class is a key time for developing more complex social skills. This topic explores what it means to be a good friend, focusing on qualities like kindness, honesty, and empathy. Students also learn about inclusion, ensuring that no one is left out of games or groups, and how to recognize and respond to the feelings of others. This aligns with the NCCA's 'My Friends and Other People' strand unit.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• Strand: Myself and others
• Strand Unit: My friends and other people

About This Topic

Friendship is a central part of a child's school experience, and 2nd Class is a key time for developing more complex social skills. This topic explores what it means to be a good friend, focusing on qualities like kindness, honesty, and empathy. Students also learn about inclusion, ensuring that no one is left out of games or groups, and how to recognize and respond to the feelings of others. This aligns with the NCCA's 'My Friends and Other People' strand unit.

Developing strong friendship skills is linked to better emotional well-being and academic success. This topic comes alive when students can practice social interactions in real-time. Active learning through role plays and collaborative games allows students to experience the positive feelings of inclusion and practice the specific language of kindness, making these behaviors more likely to occur on the playground.

Key Questions

1. What makes someone a good friend?
2. How can we include others in our games?
3. How do we show kindness to our friends?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

A good friend is someone who always does what I want to do.

What to Teach Instead

Children often confuse friendship with compliance. Use role play to show that friends can have different ideas and that taking turns or compromising is what makes a friendship strong.

Common Misconception

If I am friends with one person, I can't be friends with anyone else.

What to Teach Instead

Exclusive 'best friend' pairings can lead to exclusion. Collaborative group investigations help students see that they can have different friends for different activities and that 'the more the merrier' is often true.

Active Learning Ideas

Role Play

The Inclusion Invitation

In small groups, students act out a scene where one person is standing alone at break time. They practice different ways to invite that person to join their game, focusing on using a welcoming tone and body language.

25 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk

The Recipe for a Good Friend

Pairs draw a 'giant mixing bowl' and write 'ingredients' for a good friend (e.g., 2 cups of kindness, a pinch of listening). They walk around the room to see which ingredients are most common across the class 'recipes.'

30 min·Pairs

Simulation Game

The Empathy Glasses

The teacher gives a scenario (e.g., someone dropped their lunch). Students put on imaginary 'empathy glasses' and describe what that person might be thinking and feeling, then brainstorm one kind thing they could do to help.

20 min·Whole Class

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I deal with 'friendship groups' that are becoming exclusive?

Use frequent 'random' grouping for classroom activities to break up cliques. Explicitly teach the skill of 'including others' as a classroom value. Use role play to practice the specific words needed to join a group and the words to welcome someone new.

What is the best way to teach empathy to 7-year-olds?

Empathy is best taught through stories and 'perspective-taking.' Ask questions like, 'How would you feel if that happened to you?' Use the 'Empathy Glasses' activity to help them look for physical cues (tears, downcast eyes) that signal how someone else is feeling.

How can active learning help students build better friendships?

Friendship is a social practice, not a set of facts. Active learning strategies like role play and collaborative games provide a 'social laboratory' where students can test out different ways of interacting. This hands-on practice builds the social confidence and 'muscle memory' needed to act kindly and inclusively in the heat of the moment on the playground.

How do I help a child who is consistently left out?

Observe the playground dynamics to see if there are specific social skills the child needs support with. In the classroom, use 'buddy' systems and structured collaborative tasks where every child has a specific, valued role, ensuring the child is seen as a contributor by their peers.