Materials Needed

• Two glass jars or clear plastic cups
• "Fuel" items (beads, colorful pom-poms, or dried beans)
• Paper and drawing supplies (markers, crayons, colored pencils)
• Large sheet of paper or poster board
• Scissors and glue
• Optional: A few small snack items (some healthy, some "sometimes" treats)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, Cora will be able to:

• Identify at least four qualities that make a "high-quality" friend.
• Explain that families come in many different shapes and sizes, all built on love and care.
• Define peer pressure and demonstrate a "Power Move" to say no to unhealthy choices.
• Recognize how friends and family influence our health decisions (like what we eat or how we stay safe).

1. Introduction: The Social Battery (The Hook)

Hook: Ask Cora, "Have you ever noticed how some people make you feel like a fully charged tablet—full of energy and happy—while other situations make you feel like your battery is at 5%? Today, we are going to learn how to find the 'High-Quality Fuel' for our social lives!"

The Big Idea: Just like a car needs the right gas to run, our lives need the right people to help us grow healthy and strong. We’re going to look at our Friendship Fuel, our Family Foundations, and how to stay in the driver's seat when friends try to push us in the wrong direction.

2. Friendship Fuel (I Do / We Do)

I Do: Explain that a good friend isn't just someone we play toys with. A true friend provides "Premium Fuel." This includes traits like Honesty, Kindness, Listening, and Encouragement.

We Do (The Friendship Jar): Take two jars. Label one "High-Quality Fuel" and one "Empty Tank." Read out different behaviors. If it's a good friend trait, Cora adds a bead to the "High-Quality Fuel" jar. If it's a "clogged fuel" trait, put it in the "Empty Tank."

• "A friend tells you that you’re bad at a game." (Empty Tank)
• "A friend shares their snack when you forgot yours." (High-Quality)
• "A friend listens when you are feeling sad." (High-Quality)
• "A friend tells a secret you asked them to keep." (Empty Tank)

Discussion: Which jar would you rather have in your car? Why? How does it feel when your friend "fills your tank"?

3. Family Foundations (We Do / You Do)

I Do: Explain that if friends are the fuel, family is the Foundation (the ground the car drives on). Families are the people who take care of us, but no two families look exactly the same!

The Family Forest Activity: Explain that families are like trees. Some are tall (lots of generations), some have many branches (lots of siblings or cousins), and some are small but very strong. List different types:

• Nuclear families (Two parents and kids)
• Single-parent families
• Blended families (Step-parents and step-siblings)
• Extended families (Living with grandparents or aunts)
• Foster or Adoptive families

You Do: Cora draws her "Family Tree." She can include anyone who makes up her "foundation"—including pets! Prompt: "What is one health habit your family does together? (e.g., walking the dog, eating broccoli, brushing teeth)."

4. Peer Pressure & Health Choices (The Power Move)

I Do: Sometimes, our friends try to get us to do things. This is called Influence. If they try to get us to do something we know isn't healthy or safe, that’s Peer Pressure.

The "Check Your Engine" Roleplay: Set up three scenarios where a friend asks Cora to make a choice. Cora has to decide if it's a "Green Light" (Good for health) or "Red Light" (Bad for health).

1. "Hey Cora, let's skip wearing our helmets today while we bike. It's too hot!" (Red Light)
2. "Cora, let's see who can eat the most candy before dinner without getting caught!" (Red Light)
3. "Cora, let's go outside and practice our soccer kicks!" (Green Light)

The Power Move: Teach Cora a simple phrase to use when she feels pressured: "No thanks, I’m good!" or "That’s not really my thing." Practice saying it in a confident "Super-Cora" voice.

5. Conclusion: The Road Map (Recap & Closure)

Summary: Today we learned that:

• Friends should fill our tanks with kindness.
• Families are our foundations, and every family is unique and special.
• Peer Pressure is when others try to pick our path, but we have the Power Move to stay on the healthy road!

Final Reflection: Ask Cora: "What is one way you can be 'High-Quality Fuel' for a friend today?"

Success Criteria & Assessment

How to tell Cora mastered the lesson:

• Formative: Did she correctly categorize the beads in the "Fuel Jar" activity?
• Creative: Does her "Family Tree" reflect an understanding of her specific support system?
• Summative: Can she role-play a refusal to an unhealthy choice (like the bike helmet scenario) using a confident voice?

Adaptations & Extensions

• For More Challenge: Discuss "Positive Peer Pressure"—how friends can encourage us to try new healthy foods or work harder at a hobby.
• For More Support: Use "Emotion Cards" (faces with expressions) to help Cora identify how she feels when someone is being a "Fuel Tank Filler" vs. a "Fuel Tank Drainer."
• Real-World Application: Next time Cora is at a park or with friends, have a "check-in" afterward: "Was your fuel tank filled or drained today?"