Concluding the Unit

Time: approximately 20–25 minutes (More time will be needed to extend into making a class book.)
Grouping: whole class and partners

What Did We Learn? [Self-monitoring]

  • Have the students stand up and look around the classroom with you, turning slowly. Point out the drama centre with all of the party materials, the map of the world with the people around it, the greeting card display, the photos of friends and friendship, and the charts we made as we learned more about friends. You may choose to read some of the photo captions and review the contents of a chart.

Teaching Tip: Now might be a good time to revisit the book Whoever You Are to help focus the students’ discussions. You can do a picture walk to help students remember the key points, or simply read the text again.

  • What did we learn about friends? What is a friend? Why should we be friends? Can each of us do something to help us all be friends? What can we do?

    Gather together and talk briefly about the inquiry question: “Why should we be friends?” Display a sentence strip containing this question, and display the three texts examined in the unit, along with the globe, nearby, to help students access their knowledge.

What Can I Do? [Self-monitoring]

  • Ask students to talk in partners or small groups about why we should be friends.

  • I want you to think about why we should be friends. I could say that we all need to feel safe and happy every day.

    Ask each student or group of students to respond to the “Why should we be friends?” inquiry question. You may wish to conclude the inquiry through this oral review, or you may choose to write student responses in a class big book entitled ‘Why Should We Be Friends?’ Digital photos taken throughout the unit may be included in the book if they support a response, or you may wish to simply include a photo with each student’s name. Provide students with a sentence starter such as, ‘______says we all ___________.’ Each student can write their own name as they share the pen with you. The book can be reread and be added to the classroom library.