Labels Are For Cans

This video shows the power of opening up to others, and not labeling others according to what they look like:


http://youtu.be/84OT0NLlqfM

Friendship

"Friendship is precious, not only in the shade of life, but the sunshine of life."

-Thomas Jefferson

Just saying "hi"

Watch the following video: http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/111-Just-Say-Hi

How did saying "hi" change the girl's expression when she was walking down the hall?
Did you think the girls at the locker were going to say "hi"?
Do you have friends that are nice to people?
Do you have friends that encourage you to see the good in others?
What is positive peer pressure?
Can you create positive peer pressure in your group of friends?

Challenge your class to say "hi" to someone new today.

Give-up The "One-Up"

Have you ever wondered why it is that people compare themselves to each other?
Why do we view little things as challenges or competitions?
When someone is telling you about thier accomplishments do you ever want to tell them something you did that may be "better"?

Realize that it's OK not to "win" when it comes to relationships.  By showing that you are willing to let THEM be the best, you show how much you care about them.

You are great!!

Validation is something that everyone needs.  When you validate someone you feel good about yourself and you are lifting the other person.  It strengthens relationships and opens communication.  When you are a positive person it draws positive things into your life.  In the following video watch for the following things:
-Was the parking lot attendant sincere?  How can you tell?
-How did people react at first?
-What would the world look like if people talked to each other this way?

*This is a short film about validation.  It is worth watching.  HOWEVER, if you are using it as part of a longer lesson, I suggest that you watch only the first about 4 minutes and cut it after the main character validates the boss. 

http://www.wimp.com/funclips/

Friends Word Search

Visit the following link to print off a friendship word search:
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/de/resources/friendship%20unit/wordsearch/friendship_print.html

Introduce the word search by talking about friends and the characteristics of a good friend.  Have the students complete the word search. You may also want to challenge the students to write a paragraph about friends using all of the words from the word search.

Making Friends Activity

Purpose: To identify how to get to know new people and make friends

Materials:
Newsprint and markers or board and chalk, masking tape

Time: 40-50 minutes

Planning Notes:

• Create a poster of the instructions in Step 6.

Procedure:

1. Say that there are times when participants will want to make new friends or become friends with someone who is only an acquaintance. Ask for examples of situations when that is likely to happen. (Examples include, but are not limited to: starting at a new school; having a best friend move away; joining a team or club; losing a friend to drugs; going to a party with a new group of people; or feeling like old friends have different interests now.)
2. Write the following phrases on the board, creating two columns:
   YES! Could be friends NO! Could not be friends
3. Ask participants to imagine themselves in a situation with a group of teens their age. How do they decide whom they would like to know? How do they decide who could be friends and who could not be friends?
4. Brainstorm what adolescents look for when meeting new people, things that help them decide they want to make friends with someone. List their responses under “YES! Could be friends.”
5. Next, brainstorm things that tell the teens that they do not want to make friends with someone. Remind the group not to say anything that would hurt the feelings of anyone else in the group. List their responses under “NO! Could not be friends.”
6. Divide into small groups of four or five. Distribute two sheets of newsprint and markers or chalk to each group. Post the instructions you already prepared:
• As a group, describe two imaginary new students at your school (one male, one female) with whom you would be interested in becoming friends.
• Include what you might look for (such as personal characteristics, background, skills, and interests) if you were to make friends with these two people.
7. Allow participants 10 to 15 minutes to work in groups, then ask each group to post its descriptions on the walls.
8. Have the adolescents move around the room, reading each group’s descriptions. Ask each of them to choose the two imaginary students (one male and one female) they would be most interested in meeting, based on the descriptions written up by the groups. Then ask them to return to their seats.
9. Ask volunteers to share their choices and the reasons the imaginary potential friends are appealing.
10. Make summary comments to help participants reflect on their choices. (For example, point out if no group described a new friend who has a physical disability; indicate if most people chose a friend from their same cultural background, gender, race and so on.)
11. Conclude the activity using the discussion points below.

Discussion Points:

1. What did you learn about your choice in friends?
2. Are your best friends similar to the new friends the groups described? Does anyone have a close friend who does not match any of the descriptions? What is special about that person?
3. Are there any qualities of a new friend that might be misleading—a quality you find appealing when you first meet someone, but later discover does not make him/her a good friend? What about the reverse—qualities that at first are not appealing, but become important?
4. What could you talk about when you first meet someone you would like to get to know?
5. What are the three worst things someone could do when you meet for the first time, things that would make you unwilling to be friends?
6. How do you let others know you are open to meeting new people and making new friends? What would make them think the opposite is true?
7. How can you help youth who are new to your school or community to feel more welcome and comfortable? (Answers include, but are not limited to: introduce yourself and say something friendly; invite her/him to join in group activities with your current friends; eat lunch with him/her; offer to help explain things that may be confusing, like how the bus system works or how a particular teacher gives grades.)
8. In your circle of friends, are there things that make it difficult for newcomers to be accepted? If so, please explain. What would make it easier for adolescents to establish friendships within your circle of friends? What could you do to help? Have you ever brought a new person into your circle of friends?
9. What happens when one person wants to be friends and the other does not?

Life Planning Education, Advocates for Youth, Updated 2009

Fake friend or True Friend?

Have the class discuss the characteristics of a good friend. (See the healthy relationships label for more info.)
Test their understanding by reading the following scenario.

The situation: "I have a friend who makes fun of me a lot.  She laughs at how I dress, and she makes fun of my nationality.  She interrupts me to talk about herself.  I don't want to be her friend anymore, but she talks about what a good friend I am to her.  What should I do?" 

-Have the class brainstorm some advice for this teen and openly discuss her options to stay with her friend or move on.  The class can simplify the discussion by writing down the advantages and disadvantages of being friends with this girl.
www.scholastic.com

Friends

http://www.wimp.com/unlikelyfriendship/

View the video of this peculiar animal friendship:
Process what you have viewed by asking- What were the feelings the elephant was dealing with?
How was the elephant coping/ dealing with those emotions?  How did the friendship save the life of this animal?  How can we relate our relationships to these two animals?

How do we get along?

Communication Classroom Activity and Discussion

Research illustrates that young people who have difficulty developing relationships are more likely to participate in aggression, bullying, abuse drugs or suffer from depression.  Here is a lesson that encourages students to examine what it means to relate to others and to maintain productive relationships.

Step 1: Assessing how you relate to others.  Complete the survey below.  Write yes or no next to each question.  Answer scale is at the end of the lesson.

1.  Do you start conversations with others (text, email, call)?
2.  Do you respond when other people start conversations with you?
3.  Are you a member of a group or organization?
4.  Do you cry or laugh at things (movies, books, songs, etc.)?
5.  Do you say you're sorry when needed?
6.  Do you accept apologies from others?
7.  Do you share private thoughts with others?
8.  Do others share their private thoughts with you?
9.  Do you seek the advice or opinion of others?
10.  Do others come to you for advice or for your opinion?

Total #of Yes answers___________
Total # of No answers___________

8-10 YES answers- You relate well to others
5-7 YES answers- You are somewhat social
3-4 YES answers- You need to work on relating with others better
0-2 YES answers- You are in need of a complete relating makeover

Step 2:  Defining how you relate with others.  Answer the following questions in a complete sentence.

• Is it easier to get along with people or to fight with them?
• Can any positive effects come from not getting along with others?

Step 3: Reshaping how you relate with others.  Answer the following:

• How can you improve your interaction with others?
• List things that help build relationships.
• List things that are harmful to relationships.

Simple Smile

We shall never know the good that a simple smile can do.

- Mother Teresa

Actions

"My Life is my message."- Ghandi

Believe in Yourself

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."-Ghandi