The Friendship Race

Language Arts Activity

In this game, students work together to explore qualities and attitudes that help make lasting friendships.

Ask the class to brainstorm qualities and attitudes that contribute to good friendships. (Example: “Friends are nice to each other.”) Write the list on the board.
Then have students select one of the statements and brainstorm how it manifests itself in friendship. For example, ways that “friends are nice to each other” might include: “say encouraging things, call each other on the phone, make plans together, and so forth.”
Explain to the class that they are going to play a game in which winning involves the ability to come up with creative, specific statements about friendship. Divide the class into groups and give each group a game grid and a dictionary.
When the game begins, each group must fill in each square using a word or a phrase that begins with the letter over that square. For example: “Ways that friends are nice to each other” under the letter F might be “forgive.”
The first group to complete the race completely and accurately wins!

Groups can use blank grids to fill in their own statements about friendship.
The information on the grids can be used to develop a classroom game of “Friendship Feud.” Example: What's the number one way friends can be nice to each other? Survey response: “Help a friend who is having a problem!”