Unit Plan 32 (Grade 4 Counselor): Friendship and Empathy Review

Focus: Review empathy, cooperation, respectful communication, inclusion, friendship repair, and group belonging. The counselor uses realistic friendship-change scenarios and asks students to identify feelings, needs, and respectful choices. Students reflect on one social skill they use well and one they still want to strengthen.

Grade Level: 4

Subject Area: School Counseling (Friendship Skills • Empathy • Respectful Communication)

Total Unit Duration: 1–2 weeks, 30 minutes per session

I. Introduction

This Grade 4 counseling lesson reviews the friendship and empathy skills students have practiced throughout the year. Students revisit how to notice others’ feelings, include classmates, listen respectfully, cooperate in groups, repair harm, and communicate during disagreements. The counselor emphasizes that friendship skills are not only used with close friends; they also help students work with classmates, participate in groups, and build a respectful classroom community.

Students analyze realistic friendship-change and group-belonging scenarios involving recess, lunch tables, partner choices, group projects, exclusion, gossip, hurt feelings, and disagreements. They identify feelings, needs, respectful communication choices, and possible repair actions. The goal is for students to recognize the social skills they already use well and name one skill they want to keep strengthening.

Essential Questions

• How can empathy help students understand what others may feel or need?
• What choices help classmates feel included, respected, and valued?
• How can students cooperate and contribute during group work or shared activities?
• What respectful communication skills help during friendship changes, disagreements, or hurt feelings?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify how classmates may feel in friendship, group work, recess, lunch, or classroom-community situations.
2. Choose respectful and caring responses that show empathy and inclusion.
3. Explain how cooperation skills, such as sharing responsibilities, listening to ideas, accepting roles, and helping the group succeed, support belonging.
4. Practice respectful communication skills, including active listening, assertive communication, connected responses, and respectful disagreement.
5. Reflect on one friendship or social skill they use well and one skill they want to strengthen.
6. (Optional Session) Complete a friendship and empathy review challenge using scenarios, role-play, or a reflection activity.

Standards Alignment — Grade 4 (ASCA-based Custom)

• C:S3.4a — Show Empathy and Respect for Others
  • Recognize how others may feel and respond with kindness, respect, and care.
  • Example: A student notices a classmate is being left out of a game and says, “You can join our team.”
• C:S3.4b — Cooperate and Contribute in Groups
  • Work cooperatively by sharing responsibilities, listening to ideas, accepting roles, and helping the group succeed.
  • Example: A student agrees to be the recorder while another student leads the discussion during a group task.
• C:S3.4c — Communicate Respectfully with Peers and Adults
  • Use respectful language, active listening, assertive communication, and connected responses during conversations, disagreements, and group work.
  • Example: A student says, “I understand your idea, but I think we should try this because it solves the problem faster.”

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can identify how someone might feel in a friendship or group situation.
• I can choose a respectful response that shows empathy.
• I can include others and help classmates feel like they belong.
• I can cooperate by listening, sharing roles, and helping the group succeed.
• I can use respectful words during conversations, disagreements, and group work.
• I can name one social skill I use well and one I want to improve.