Craft Lesson #3: Minn and Jake

Friendship

Targeted age Group
First Grade

Introduction
Friendships are important relationships that we experience throughout our lives. It’s important for children to learn what makes someone a good friend and how to be a good friend to others

How to teach it
I would read Minn and Jake out loud to the class for a few days until the book was finished and then focus on one passage. On page 7 I would read the passage that reads:

“There are lots of good ways to choose a friend.
You can choose a friend because you like the same games,
Or because you live on the same street,
Or because your parents work together,
Or because you need to borrow a pen.
Or you can choose a friend because she smiles at you
And it makes you feel good”

Then begin a class discussion bring up questions like:

-How do you pick your friends?
-What are ways we can be good friend to others?
-How do we want our friends to treat us?
-Why are friends important?

Write the students responses on a big piece of paper and hang it in the class room. When there are disputes between students you can refer back to the chart to remind students how they think friends should treat each other.

Resources
Wong, Janet S. Minn and Jake. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NY: Frances Foster Books, 2003