Activity Overview
Relationship skills are the ability to form and maintain meaningful and healthy relationships with other individuals. They can be romantic, professional, teammates, or friendships. Important components of healthy relationships of any kind include open communication, listening, trust, collaboration, compromise, and problem solving. It is also crucial for children to understand what an UNhealthy relationship looks like.
For this activity, the teacher will read aloud the book A Letter to Amy by Jack Ezra Keats. After discussing the book, students will create a 3 cell storyboard that illustrates a scenario of a positive and healthy relationship. The example provided only includes illustrations and speech bubbles, but teachers may add a writing component by adding description boxes and headings if they choose.
Other Picture Books for Teaching Relationship Skills
- The Almost Terrible Playdate by Richard Torrey
- Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon
- It Wasn’t Me by Oliver Jeffers
- Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival
- Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that illustrates a positive and healthy relationship scenario.
- Click “Start Assignment”.
- In each cell, create a scene for a story that shows a positive and healthy relationship. Be sure to use dialogue and appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
Activity Overview
Relationship skills are the ability to form and maintain meaningful and healthy relationships with other individuals. They can be romantic, professional, teammates, or friendships. Important components of healthy relationships of any kind include open communication, listening, trust, collaboration, compromise, and problem solving. It is also crucial for children to understand what an UNhealthy relationship looks like.
For this activity, the teacher will read aloud the book A Letter to Amy by Jack Ezra Keats. After discussing the book, students will create a 3 cell storyboard that illustrates a scenario of a positive and healthy relationship. The example provided only includes illustrations and speech bubbles, but teachers may add a writing component by adding description boxes and headings if they choose.
Other Picture Books for Teaching Relationship Skills
- The Almost Terrible Playdate by Richard Torrey
- Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon
- It Wasn’t Me by Oliver Jeffers
- Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival
- Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that illustrates a positive and healthy relationship scenario.
- Click “Start Assignment”.
- In each cell, create a scene for a story that shows a positive and healthy relationship. Be sure to use dialogue and appropriate scenes, characters, and items.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient 5 Points | Emerging 3 Points | Beginning 1 Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | The descriptions are clear and at least two sentences. | The descriptions can be understood but it are somewhat unclear. | The descriptions are unclear and are not at least two sentences. |
| Illustrations | The illustrations represent the descriptions using appropriate scenes, characters and items. | The illustrations relate to the descriptions, but are difficult to understand. | The illustrations do not clearly relate to the descriptions. |
| Evidence of Effort | Work is well written and carefully thought out. | Work shows some evidence of effort. | Work shows little evidence of any effort. |
| Conventions | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are somewhat correct. | Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are mostly incorrect. |
How Tos about A Letter to Amy: Healthy Relationships
Set clear expectations for respectful communication
Start your lesson by discussing what respectful communication looks like, including listening, taking turns, and using kind words. This helps students understand the foundation of healthy relationships and sets a positive tone for activities.
Model positive relationship behaviors during the lesson
Demonstrate active listening, empathy, and problem-solving while interacting with students. When students see these behaviors in action, they're more likely to mirror them in their own interactions.
Facilitate role-play activities to practice healthy relationship skills
Organize simple role-play scenarios where students can practice skills like compromise, expressing feelings, and resolving conflicts. Role-play gives students a safe space to try out new strategies before applying them in real life.
Encourage students to reflect on their interactions
Ask students to share or journal about times they used healthy relationship skills, either during class or outside of school. Reflection helps reinforce positive behaviors and builds self-awareness.
Frequently Asked Questions about A Letter to Amy: Healthy Relationships
What are healthy relationship skills for elementary students?
Healthy relationship skills for elementary students include open communication, listening, trust, collaboration, compromise, and problem solving. Teaching these helps children form positive bonds with peers and adults.
How can I teach healthy relationships using 'A Letter to Amy'?
Read A Letter to Amy aloud, then discuss examples of positive and negative relationships in the story. Have students create a 3-cell storyboard illustrating a healthy relationship scenario, using speech bubbles and character interactions.
What is a simple storyboard activity for teaching relationship skills?
Ask students to design a three-panel storyboard showing characters practicing healthy relationship skills like teamwork, listening, or resolving a conflict. Encourage creativity with illustrations, dialogue, and optional descriptions.
Which picture books help teach relationship skills to grades 3-4?
Recommended books include A Letter to Amy by Jack Ezra Keats, The Almost Terrible Playdate by Richard Torrey, Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon, It Wasn’t Me by Oliver Jeffers, Meesha Makes Friends by Tom Percival, and Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry.
How do I explain the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships to kids?
Use clear examples and stories to show that healthy relationships involve trust, respect, and communication, while unhealthy relationships may have exclusion, dishonesty, or lack of respect. Encourage students to identify these signs in familiar situations.
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