Psychological Corollary:

Starting a social relationship may require personal effort and initiative.

Lesson Objective:

Students will be able to identify three efforts they might make to begin a relationship with another person. For example, to establish such a relationship, you might start a conversation with the person, show initiative, and ask the person to join you in an activity.

Social Behaviors:

This lesson shows students that successful people:

• mix socially
• show initiative
• are active-not passive
• are assertive
• are friendly
• show interest

Social Vocabulary:

• "get lost’’
• initiative

Suggested Lesson Plans

Introduction

Introduce vocabulary.

Group Use of Student Workbook

• Have students complete each cartoon in this way:
• Read the cartoon.
• In the empty balloon, write what the person could say to help him or her make new friends.
• Have students share what they wrote. Discuss responses.
• Have students write and share their titles for each cartoon.

Follow - Up

• Ask students the following questions:
• How are the two cartoons alike? (Both concern meeting new people.)
• What would happen if the man in the cafeteria ate alone? (He wouldn't get to know new people.)
• What would happen if the woman at the party decided not to talk with the man? (She probably wouldn't make his acquaintance.)
• What would happen if neither of the boys in the last cartoon said anything to the other about being friends? (They might not end up with a friendship.)
• Ask students what is most difficult about getting to know someone (e.g., taking the risk that the other person may not respond positively).

Behavior Development Activity

To encourage students to mix socially and show initiative:

• Tell students to imagine that they are going to a party where they will each meet their "ideal" person. Ask students to describe this person on a card, listing the following information: My ideal person's
• Favorite movie or TV show
• Hobby (e.g., collecting bumper stickers)
• Ultimate adventure (e.g., flying the Space Shuttle)
• Dream occupation or career
• Plan of what they would like to be doing five years from now
• Collect the cards and redistribute them randomly.
• Tell students to imagine they are at a party. Ask students to play the role of the person described on the card they have been given.
• Have students mix within the group and talk with different people until they locate their "ideals." Explain that students are not to show their cards to other students; identification of each ideal person must be accomplished by asking conversational questions.
• Discuss the activity by asking students what they said in order to learn more about the people at the party.

Review

• Ask students to identify three ways to meet someone new (e.g., invite him or her to do something, start a conversation, and pay a compliment).
• Ask students to demonstrate how to approach a person they don't know well and start a conversation.

Homework (Optional)

Ask students to identify two things they could say to begin a conversation with a person who interests them.