08/25/2026
Friendship Salad Teaches a Big Lesson at Kubacak Elementary
Itβs not every day that we get to make Friendship Salad, but Friday was our lucky day! A special lesson was taking place at Kubacak Elementary. A lesson about kindness, happiness, respect, and the importance of saying kind words to others.
When we walked into the room, Pre-K teacher Mrs. Murphy was reading Our Class Is a Family by Shannon Olsen. Although the students were very curious when we first arrived, our Pre-K friends quickly turned their attention back to their teacher. Considering it was only the second week of school, they were doing an amazing job!
The book teaches students that their classroom is a place where it is safe to be themselves, where it's okay to make mistakes, and where being kind to others is important. The students were engaged, listening carefully and eagerly answering Mrs. Murphyβs questions.
After the story, Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Simmons gathered the students in a circle on the carpet for the next part of the lesson. Each student received a cup and learned they would be filling it with some very special ingredients to create a Friendship Salad!
As each ingredient was added, students discovered that each type of fruit represented a positive friendship trait, such as kindness, hard work, happiness, and using kind words. Then Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Simmons introduced one final ingredient: a rotten banana!
The Pre-K friends immediately squealed, βEwww, gross! We donβt want a rotten banana!β
Mrs. Murphy used the moment as a valuable teaching opportunity, explaining that sometimes people make poor choices. However, when we fill our lives with positive traits and make good decisions, those qualities can help guide us back in the right direction. That is a big concept for Pre-K students, but she did an amazing job teaching it to her class!
Once everyone had all their ingredients, the students mixed everything together and enjoyed their Friendship Salad. They even made a cup for us to try!
This was a special lesson for our youngest learners as they began their learning journey. The activity provided a fun and memorable way to learn about friendship and character. Weβre pretty sure that every time they eat an orange, grape, or strawberry, theyβll remember the lesson they learned in Mrs. Murphyβs classroom.
Thank you, Mrs. Murphy, for opening your door and allowing us to take a sneak peek into your classroom and witness this meaningful moment. Our littlest Chiefs are already off to a great start!
