High school is a dynamic period where students experience significant personal growth, including changes in friendships. Special educators play a vital role in guiding students through these transitions, teaching them essential skills to handle evolving social dynamics with resilience. This blog post delves into the significance of adapting to changing friendships in high school and provides a practical lesson plan with engaging, no-prep activities, featuring the free worksheet “Handling Changes with Friends” from Everyday Speech.
The Dynamics of High School Friendships
High school friendships are characterized by:
- Transition and Exploration: Students often explore different interests and identities.
- Social Maturity: Developing deeper social awareness and emotional intelligence.
- Dynamic Shifts: Friendships may change due to evolving interests or personal growth.
The Importance of Adaptability in Friendships
Teaching adaptability in friendships helps students:
- Navigate Transitions: Learn to cope with changing social circles.
- Build Resilience: Develop the ability to bounce back from friendship challenges.
- Cultivate Empathy: Understand the perspectives of friends experiencing changes.
Handling Changes with Friends High School Lesson
Objective:
Equip high school students with strategies to navigate and adapt to changing friendships.
Materials:
- “Handling Changes with Friends” worksheet from Everyday Speech
- Markers, pens, and paper
- Whiteboard and markers
Step-by-Step Activities:
- Worksheet Activity (10 minutes)
- Distribute the “Handling Changes with Friends” worksheet.
- Encourage students to fill in the blanks and reflect on their own experiences.
2. Group Discussion (5 minutes)
- Facilitate a group discussion based on the completed worksheets.
- Encourage students to share their thoughts on handling changes in friendships.
3. Role-Playing Scenarios (10 minutes)
- Create hypothetical friendship scenarios.
- Divide students into groups and have them role-play how they would handle the changes in each situation.
Conclusion
Navigating changing friendships in high school is a crucial aspect of personal development. By equipping students with adaptability skills, special educators can empower them to embrace these changes with resilience, empathy, and a positive outlook.
Sample Video
Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video-modeling lesson below. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 30 days here!
