Today is one of those strange “non-holiday” holidays: Cheer Up the Lonely Day. I think “Befriend the Lonely,” might be a better name. Cheering up someone sounds way too fleeting—like you’re going to take a lonely person out for coffee and then not bother to see them again for a few months. Listening and befriending someone who is feeling alone is a behavior we should encourage in our students as well as ourselves. As teachers, we all know that books can start conversations.
Read aloud The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle. Then ask students to discuss how they can tell someone is lonely and how to help that person. Finally, have them make this cute craft to remind them of the story.