Grades K-2
Reading
Writing
Art

My New Friend

Students will interview, illustrate, and introduce a new friend to the class.

Activity Partner
Total time estimate:
30-60 minutes
Activity Objectives
  • Students will meet new classmates and ask questions to learn more about them, then illustrate a symbol of their friendship
  • Through this activity, students will practice respectful communication skills, such as asking thoughtful questions, listening carefully, and showing interest in each other
Materials
  • Paper, pencils, crayons, markers, paint, and other art materials

This activity supports the development of the following social-emotional skills: relationship skills and social awareness.

Illustrate

Engage students in a conversation about friendship. You might ask them: 

  • Think about a friend that you have - who are they? How did you meet them? Why did you become friends? 
  • Do you have any items or traditions that represent your friendship? For example, do you have photos of the two of you together, favorite memories, go-to activities or games, or secret handshakes?

Then, ask students to walk around the classroom and find someone who they don’t know very well. Once they have a partner, they should ask the following questions to get to know their new friend:

  • What is your favorite thing to do?
  • What is your favorite food?
  • What is your favorite thing about yourself? 
  • What is your favorite color?
  • What is a place you like to visit?

Students should then use a sheet of paper to draw a picture of themselves with their new friends, using the information they learned.

Share

Once completed, students can share their illustration by completing the Flipgrid activity below. Share your Flipgrid Topic code with your Empatico partner class, so students in both classes can get to know each other. You might even challenge them to complete these steps with a student from your partner class!

Reflect

Guide students through a post-activity reflection by asking the following questions: 

  • What was something interesting that you learned about your new friend? Did anything surprise you?
  • Do you share anything in common with each other?
  • What do you still wonder about your friend?

This activity was created in partnership with the Merrills EDU.

Did you finish this activity? We'd love your input.