Friendship Fixers Lesson Plan Friendship Fixers
Building healthy relationships and solving conflict.
Duration
30 MIN
Grade 4
Learning Objective
Students will be able to identify characteristics of healthy friendships and apply problem-solving strategies to common friendship challenges.
Why this matters
Learning about healthy friendships helps students build positive relationships, communicate effectively, and develop empathy, which are crucial life skills for navigating social interactions in and out of school.
Approach
Interactive activities and collaborative problem-solving.
Preparation Steps (15 min)
Review the Friendship Fixers Slide Deck for content and transitions.
Print or prepare to display the 4 Corners Activity Instructions .
Print copies of the Seeking Advice Worksheet for each small group (one per group).
Clearly label four corners of the classroom: "I have seen this happen," "This has happened to me," "I have not seen this happen," and "I did this to someone."
Arrange the classroom for easy movement then for small group work.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector
Markers or pens
Friendship Fixers Slide Deck
4 Corners Activity Instructions
Seeking Advice Worksheet
Small groups (pre-assigned)
Instructional Steps
1
5 MIN
Introduction: What Makes a Good Friend?
Begin by asking students: "What does a good friend look like?" (2 min)
Facilitate a brief class discussion, writing key words on the board. (2 min)
Introduce the lesson: "Today, we're going to explore what makes friendships healthy and how we can solve problems with our friends." (1 min)
TEACHER NOTE: Use Slides 1-2
2
10 MIN
Activity 1: 4 Corners
Explain the 4 Corners activity: "Move to the corner that best describes your experience. Be ready to explain your choice!" (2 min)
Read statements from the 4 Corners Instructions , allowing students to move and briefly share their reasoning. (7 min)
Facilitate short discussions after 1-2 statements, encouraging respectful listening. (1 min)
TEACHER NOTE: Use Slides 3-7
3
5 MIN
Conflict Resolution Tools
Introduce the concept of a "Friendship Fixer Toolkit." (1 min)
Discuss "I" messages, self-talk, and strategies like compromise and taking turns. (3 min)
"These tools will help you navigate the scenarios in our next activity!" (1 min)
TEACHER NOTE: Use Slide 8
4
7 MIN
Activity 2: Seeking Advice
Transition to small groups to help friends solve tricky situations using the new toolkit. (1 min)
Distribute one Seeking Advice Worksheet to each group. (1 min)
Circulate among groups, providing guidance and prompting deeper thinking. (4 min)
Bring the class together to share one or two solutions quickly. (1 min)
TEACHER NOTE: Use Slide 9
5
3 MIN
Conclusion
Ask for one big takeaway about healthy friendships or solving problems. (1 min)
Summarize the importance of communication, empathy, and respect. (1 min)
Thank students for their participation. (1 min)
TEACHER NOTE: Use Slide 10
Friendship Fixers Slides Friendship Fixers
What does a good friend look like?
Let's Get Fixing
Teacher Notes: Greet students and start with an engaging question to activate prior knowledge about friendships. Encourage a few students to share their initial thoughts.
Today's Mission
Identify what makes a friendship healthy .
Practice solving common friendship problems.
Teacher Notes: Explain the day's objective: learning about healthy friendships and how to solve problems. This sets the stage for the activities.
Activity: 4 Corners!
Move to the corner that best describes your experience:
1
I have seen this happen.
2
This has happened to me.
3
I have not seen this.
4
I did this to someone.
Teacher Notes: Introduce the 4 Corners activity. Clearly explain the four options and that students will move to the corner that best matches their experience with a statement. Emphasize explaining their choice.
STATEMENT #1
"You and your friend made plans to play together, but then your friend decided to play with someone else without telling you."
Teacher Notes: Read the first statement. Give students time to move and then ask a few students from different corners why they chose their spot. Facilitate respectful discussion.
STATEMENT #2
"You saw a friend being left out or teased by others, and you chose to stand up for them."
Teacher Notes: Read the second statement. Repeat the process: students move, then share. Guide them to think about honesty and support, even when opinions differ.
STATEMENT #3
"You borrowed something from a friend and accidentally broke it, but you were afraid to tell them."
Teacher Notes: Read the third statement. Encourage thinking about mutual respect and shared interests. It's okay for friends to have different interests sometimes.
STATEMENT #4
"You had a disagreement with a friend, and both of you were able to talk about it calmly and find a way to make up."
Teacher Notes: Read the fourth statement. This one focuses on support and empathy during tough times. Discuss why it's important to be there for friends.
Friendship Fixer Toolkit!
"I" Messages
Say how you feel without blaming.
"I feel sad when..."
Self-Talk
Use kind words to yourself when upset.
4 Corners Activity Instructions Active Learning
4 Corners: Friendship Statements
Instructional guide for the movement-based activity.
Teacher Instructions
1 Set up the corners: Designate four corners of the room with labels: "I have seen this happen," "This has happened to me," "I have not seen this happen," and "I did this to someone."
2 Explain the rules: Tell students you will read a statement. They should move to the corner that best fits their experience.
3 Discuss: After students move, ask 1-2 students from different corners to share their why . Keep it quick and respectful.
Friendship Statements
Statement 1
"You and your friend made plans to play together, but then your friend decided to play with someone else without telling you."
Statement 2
"You saw a friend being left out or teased by others, and you chose to stand up for them."
Statement 3
"You borrowed something from a friend and accidentally broke it, but you were afraid to tell them."
Statement 4
"You had a disagreement with a friend, and both of you were able to talk about it calmly and find a way to make up."
Statement 5
"Someone told you a secret about your friend, and you decided not to share it with anyone else."
Statement 6
"You noticed your friend was feeling sad, so you went over to ask if they were okay and offered to help them."
Seeking Advice Worksheet Name:
Date:
Seeking Advice
FRIENDSHIP FIXER MISSION
Instructions
Read each letter from a student struggling with a friendship problem. Discuss with your group what advice you would give to help them fix the friendship . Use your Toolkit!
1
The Secret Keeper
Dear Advice Giver,
"I told my best friend, Maya, a really important secret. I made her promise not to tell. But yesterday, I heard kids whispering about it at recess! I think Maya told, but she says she didn't. I feel really hurt and don't know if I can trust her anymore. What should I do?"
— Sincerely, Lily
Our Advice for Lily:
2
The New Friend
Dear Advice Giver,
"My best friend, Ben, has been spending all his time with a new student, Chris. They play together at recess and sit together at lunch. I feel really left out and sad. I've tried to join them, but Ben seems too busy. I really miss him. How can I get my friend back?"
— Sincerely, Alex
Our Advice for Alex:
3
The Game Changer
Dear Advice Giver,
"My friends Sarah, Emily, and I always play the same game. But yesterday, Sarah wanted to play a different game and Emily joined her. They just went off without me! I felt so upset that they didn't even ask me. Now I'm not talking to them. What should I do?"
— Sincerely, Jessica
Our Advice for Jessica:
4
The Bossy Friend
Dear Advice Giver,
"I love playing with Leo, but he always wants to be the leader and make all the rules. If I suggest a different game, he gets annoyed and says he won't play with me anymore! I'm tired of always letting him have his way. What can I do?"
— Sincerely, Sam
Our Advice for Sam:
5
The Borrowed Item
Dear Advice Giver,
"I lent my favorite sparkly pen to Chloe. When she returned it, it was broken! Chloe said it just stopped working, but I actually saw her drop it earlier. I'm upset that my pen is broken and that Chloe isn't being honest. How should I talk to her?"
— Sincerely, Maria
Our Advice for Maria:
6
The Unfair Game
Dear Advice Giver,
"During kickball, Jake kept changing the rules so that he would always win! We started getting frustrated and didn't want to play, but Jake just laughed and said we were bad losers. It wasn't fun at all. What can we do when someone plays unfairly?"
— Sincerely, Noah
Seeking Advice Answer Key Answer Key
Seeking Advice: Friendship Problems
Teacher Resource
Grade 4 SEL
Purpose: This key provides suggested approaches. Student responses may vary but should demonstrate principles like communication, trust, respect, and empathy.
1
The Secret Keeper (Lily)
Focus: Trust & Communication
Talk directly: Lily should find a private time to talk to Maya calmly using "I" statements ("I feel hurt because I heard my secret...").Listen: Give Maya a chance to explain. It may have been an accident or an overhear.Set boundaries: Remind Maya about the importance of trust and decide on future sharing.
2
The New Friend (Alex)
Focus: Inclusion & Growth
Express feelings: Use "I" messages: "I feel left out since we haven't spent as much time together."Suggest an activity: Invite Ben to do something specific, or try to get to know the new friend, Chris, too.
3
The Game Changer (Jessica)
Focus: Compromise & Empathy
Communication: Jessica should speak up instead of ignoring them. Suggest a compromise (e.g., play the new game today, the old one tomorrow).Advice for Sarah/Emily: Be more inclusive and apologize if they realize they hurt her feelings.
4
The Bossy Friend (Sam)
Focus: Assertiveness & Healthy Patterns
"I" Statements: "I feel frustrated when I don't get a turn to choose."Take Turns: Propose a clear system for choosing games. Stand firm on needing balance in the friendship.
5
The Borrowed Item (Maria)
Focus: Honesty & Responsibility
Calm Explanation: Maria should explain her feelings about the pen and the value of honesty.Advice for Chloe: Apologize, be honest about the accident, and offer to make it right (fix or replace).
6
The Unfair Game (Noah)
Focus: Fairness & Sportsmanship
Group Voice: It's easier to address unfairness together: "We want to play fairly."Clear Rules: Agree on rules 
