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Grades level iconsGrades 1–5
Session time icon1 Session: 1 Hour
Genre information iconNarrative
Resource type iconLessons

From a Friend

Nicolien Buholzer, 826LA
Presented by: Cartoon Network
In this lesson, students write letters to someone special and reflect on the impact of being kind towards others.
Download Includes
Lesson instructions
1 Lesson slideshow
3 Lesson handouts
What Your Students Will Learn

Students discuss the role that empathy and kindness has played in their lives, and the lives of those around them, and write affirming letters to someone they know.

Common Core Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1 Common Core Standards Icon
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.2 Common Core Standards Icon
Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.1 Common Core Standards Icon
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g., because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons, and provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.2 Common Core Standards Icon
Write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.1 Common Core Standards Icon
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 Common Core Standards Icon
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.1 Common Core Standards Icon
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 Common Core Standards Icon
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1 Common Core Standards Icon
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2 Common Core Standards Icon
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
What Your Students Will Produce

Students will write letters full of affirmation and kindness to someone special in their lives.

What You Will Do
Session 1
Timer
Introduction :

This lesson was developed and made possible as part of the Inclusion Storytelling Project, a collaboration between 826LA, 826 National, and Cartoon Network’s award-winning “Stop Bullying: Speak Up” campaign. This lesson from 826LA is centered on writing as a vehicle for Social Emotional Learning and is designed to encourage youth to share their individual stories about kindness and empathy in an effort to stop bullying before it starts.

STEP 1

10 minutes

“Kid President” Discussion

Show one of the clips from the Kid President video collection, “20 Things We Should Say More Often” video, which names the number one thing to say as “something nice.” Give students time to react to the video, then use that last point (“say something nice”) to lead into the prompt. Consider the following questions to lead discussion:

  • What would you want to add to the list of “20 Things”?
  • What is something nice you can share today?

Following discussion, let students know they will be writing a letter to someone in their lives as the objective of today’s lesson:

“Kid President challenged us to “say something nice.” Pick someone in your life and write them a letter with at least five nice things that they can read when they are feeling down.”

If you choose to not show the Kid President video to start your lesson, ask students to share why it’s important to compliment or “say something nice” to a person and that they will be writing a letter to a person in their life with at least five nice things that they can read when they are feeling down.

STEP 2

10 minutes

Brainstorm

Move on to the “From a Friend Brainstorm” handout. Show the example, found in the slideshow, to students to jumpstart ideas. Students will complete the brainstorm worksheet with the name of the special person they chose in the center. Students will fill the outer circle with as many nice things about that person as they can think of, making sure to at least have five. If you’re working with younger students, ask them to develop at least three separate ideas.

STEP 3

20-25 minutes

Drafting
It’s time to write! Display the letter prompt again and direct students to look at their brainstorm worksheet and circle the points that they want to include in their letter. At minimum, students should have 5 things circled; at maximum, they should have ten. Students will then write the letter for the person they’ve chosen on the From a Friend Letter Template. Throughout the lesson, project the “Not Sure What to Write?” slide for some sentence starters for students who may be stuck on what to write or how to start their letter.

For time or for students feeling stuck, use the Modified From a Friend Template that includes all the sentence starters.

For early finishers, allow students to pick another person to write a Kindness Letter to, or give them the option to help another student who is not yet finished with their letter.

*Note: This is not meant to simply be a fill-in the blanks and write a letter. This is just to jog any stuck brains.

STEP 4

10-15 minutes

Have students share their letters or general themes, either as a whole class or as in small groups. If students would like to give their letter to the person to whom they wrote, make a copy to keep and give the original back to students to share with the person they wrote about.

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