Planerium AI Lesson Plan
Creative Friendship Hands: Designing Kindness
Original printable
Hand outline template for students to design and decorate a hand for coloring, crafting and self-portraits; includes tracing, size-comparison measurement activities and an online-editable outline for seasonal crafts. Great for practicing fine motor control, visual‑spatial plannin
Learning Objective
Students will use creative thinking to design and decorate a hand outline representing ways to be a good friend.
Teacher-Selected Inputs
Why this printable fits
This printable supports the subject of Friendship by allowing students to creatively express what makes a good friend through designing and decorating a hand outline. It encourages students to think about friendship qualities and share them visually, practicing creative thinking and connection to friendship.
Vocabulary
PRE-TEACH
- Friendship: Being kind and caring with others.
- Creative: Using your imagination to make new things.
- Kindness: Doing nice things for friends.
USE DURING LESSON
- Hand outline
- Decorate
- Pattern
- Colors
- Friend
Materials
- Printed Hand Outline Printable Template for each student
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
- Example decorated hand outline
Prep
- Print one hand outline template per student
- Prepare a model decorated hand outline with simple patterns and friendship words
Lesson Steps
- Introduction5 minTeacher actions: Show the hand outline printable to the class. Explain that the hand will be decorated to show kindness and friendship. Model how to think of nice things friends do.Teacher script: Today, we will use our hands to show how to be a good friend. I will color my hand with pictures and words about kindness. Let's think about ways we can be kind friends.Example / model: Model a hand outline with words like 'share,' 'help,' and colorful hearts or stars.Printable use: Show and explain the blank hand outline printable as the canvas for ideas.Move on when: Students can name at least one way to be a kind friend before moving on.Support if needed: Use a sentence frame: 'A good friend is someone who _____.
- Guided Practice10 minTeacher actions: Help students brainstorm friendship ideas aloud. Guide them in decorating one finger each with a kind act or word. Provide a visual example and sentence frames.Teacher script: Let's think together: what can you do to be a kind friend? You can write or draw these ideas on your hand fingers. For example, 'share toys' or 'say nice words.Example / model: Teacher says aloud ideas while drawing on the fingers: 'Share,' 'help,' 'listen.Printable use: Students decorate each finger with a word or small picture representing kindness or friendship.Move on when: Students have colored or drawn on at least three fingers with friendship ideas.Support if needed: Provide a word bank card with simple friendship words or picture icons for support.
- Independent Work10 minTeacher actions: Let students finish decorating the whole hand outline. Circulate and ask students to explain their pictures or words.Teacher script: Now you can finish your hand. Think of more ways to be a good friend and show them on your hand. Tell me what you chose and why.Example / model: Student explains their hand: 'This finger shows sharing because I share my toys with friends.Printable use: Students decorate the palm and remaining fingers with patterns, words, or pictures about friendship kindness.Move on when: Most students have decorated the whole hand and can verbally share one kindness idea on their hand.Support if needed: Pair a student with an assigned partner for peer support and discussion.
- Sharing and Closing5 minTeacher actions: Invite several students to share their decorated hands and kindness ideas. Praise creative thinking and friendly actions. Summarize key friendship ideas.Teacher script: Who wants to show their friendship hand and tell us about one kind thing you drew? Great ideas! Remember, being a good friend means doing kind things every day.Example / model: Student holds up hand and says, 'I drew helping others because I help my friends when they're sad.Printable use: Use the decorated hand outline to share friendship ideas aloud with the class.Move on when: Students can verbally share at least one friendship idea from their hand with the group.Support if needed: Provide sentence frames for sharing, e.g., 'I drew _____ because _____.
Formative Check
- Step: Guided Practice
- Ask students to: Ask students to name one kind thing they are adding to their hand and show it.
- Look for: Students can verbally express a kindness idea and point to the corresponding drawing or word on their hand outline.
Success Criteria
- Students can verbally name at least two ways to be a kind friend using the hand outline.
- Students can decorate all five fingers of the hand outline with words or pictures representing friendship kindness for at least 75% of the class.
Differentiation
Support: Use word bank cards with simple friendship words and pictures to help students choose kindness ideas to draw or write on their hand outline.
Scaffold tool: Word Bank Card
Standard: Students complete the hand outline with friendship kindness words or pictures on each finger and share ideas aloud.
Extension: Students add a sentence to the palm of the hand explaining why being a kind friend is important.
Early Finishers: Students can create a second hand to show ways to help friends at school or at home.
Accommodations
- Provide larger print hand outlines for students who need more space.
- Allow use of stamps or stickers to decorate for students with fine motor challenges.
- Offer adult or peer scribing for students who struggle with writing.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may confuse kindness with only physical actions; explain kind words and feelings are also important.
- Some students may think friendship only happens with their best friend; encourage thinking about many friends.
- Students might focus on self-related ideas; guide them to think about others' feelings.
Assessment
- Observe if students can orally express kindness ideas related to their hand outlines.
- Check if students can represent multiple friendship actions visually on their hand.
- Evaluate if students can share their reasons for choosing certain kindness ideas during the closing sharing.
Teacher Notes
Standards
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1: Participate in collaborative conversations about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults.
IF SHORT ON TIME
- Keep: Step 2: Guided Practice to model and create kindness ideas.
- Skip or shorten: Step 3: Independent Work can be shortened by allowing simpler decorations.
FOLLOW-UP OPTIONS
- Create friendship bracelets while discussing kind actions.
- Read a story about friendship and identify kind actions characters take.
- Write a thank-you note to a friend using sentences about kindness.
HOME CONNECTION
Ask your child to share ways they can be kind to friends and family at home.