Definition:

A friend is someone you like spending time with because they make you feel happy and special, and help you when you need it. 

In short:

Build bonds that last forever.

Summary:
Most young children need tips on how to make and keep friends. Growing flowers is like growing friendships, we start by “planting seeds”, like introducing ourselves, using good words to encourage others, and doing nice things for each other. How do we become good friends? We invest in friendship by doing things together, cheering each other up, apologizing when a mistake is made, and working together to resolve conflicts. This book has simple and practical ideas to help kids navigate the sometimes tricky but very important challenge of making and keeping friends. 

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Armed with practical ideas on how to make and keep friends, students will feel more confident to go beyond their hesitations and use problem solving strategies when it comes to relationship challenges. 
2. Teachers can guide students in discussions about the relationship strategies presented in this book. Teachers can form small groups and meet with them frequently to discuss how it’s going in their relationships with one another, and with other kids at school. 

Guiding Questions: 

1. Explain how starting a new friendship is like planting seeds, using examples from the story. 
2. Do you introduce yourself to someone new, or do you wait for them to introduce themselves? 
3. “The best way to make a friend is to be a friend.” Explain what this means to you. 
4. What are three different ways to use words to make friends? 
5. What are three different ways to do nice things for others? 
6. What are three different ways to be a good friend? 
7. Do you ever have disagreements with your friends? 
8. How do you solve conflicts with friends or family members? 
9. If you don’t have a good friend, what could you do to make that happen? Who could help you do that? 
10. Do you have someone who cheers you up when you’re feeling sad? If so, how do they do that? Do you cheer anyone up? What do you do?