Materials
The Friendship Tree by Kathy Caple
Scissors
Chart paper
Marker
Instructions
1. Read The Friendship Tree by Kathy Caple with the children. The book has four chapters, so you might want to read a chapter a day.
2. After reading the book, discuss the many ways we can show we care for others. Talk about simple things such as letting others have a turn, sharing art supplies, including others in our play, reading with a friend, caring for pets and plants, cleaning up after ourselves, and helping others clean up. Encourage them to talk about people they care about, too.
3. Cut out a large heart shape from chart paper.
4. On the heart, write down the children's suggestions for ways to show caring.More to doArt: Provide a variety of art materials. Pair the children and encourage each child in the pair to make something for the other. Ask each child to show her item at group time and present it to the other child in her pair.Snack: A Shared Snack: Provide tablespoons, quart-size plastic bags, and bowls of small snack items such as raisins, different cereals, and sunflower seeds. Ask two children to take turns putting a spoonful of each item into one bag. Then, ask them to close the bag and take turns shaking it to mix the ingredients. Give both children a small paper cup and ask them to pour half of the mix into each cup. Now they can sit together and enjoy eating their "shared snack."
