The Friend Group Challenge
You start your new year at high school and quickly make friends, but soon discover that friendship groups can be complicated. You face moments where anxiety appears—in yourself and in your friends—and you must decide how to handle these tricky social situations.
A free Story Adventure for Young learners at CEFR B1 level. Topic: Understanding and navigating the complexities of social dynamics in high school friendships.
Story
- It is your first day at a new high school. You feel nervous because you don't know anyone. In your English class, a friendly girl named Maya sits next to you and smiles. She introduces herself and asks if you want to sit with her group at lunch. You feel a little anxious about meeting new people,…
- At lunch, Maya introduces you to her friends: Kai, Sofia, and Liam. They are all nice and ask you questions about yourself. However, you notice that Sofia looks worried and quiet. She keeps checking her phone and seems stressed. When Kai makes a joke, Sofia doesn't laugh like the others do. You…
- You eat lunch alone in the library. It feels safe and calm, but you also feel lonely. You watch other students laughing together at tables nearby. After lunch, you think about what you missed. You realize that sometimes when we feel anxious, we avoid situations that could actually help us feel…
- You ask Sofia if she is okay. At first, she seems surprised, but then she opens up. She tells you that she has a big test coming up next week and she feels very worried about it. She says her mind keeps thinking about all the ways she could fail. You listen carefully. Sofia explains that her…
- You decide not to ask Sofia about her behavior. Instead, you focus on making Kai and Liam laugh with funny stories. The lunch feels fun, and the three of you become friends quickly. However, over the next few weeks, you notice that Sofia starts to sit away from the group. She eats lunch with…
- You tell Sofia about deep breathing and suggest that she talk to the school counselor. Sofia looks relieved. She says she never thought about asking for help because she thought she should handle it alone. You explain that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. When people experience…
- Sofia looks hurt by your words. She stands up and leaves the lunch table without saying anything. Later that week, you learn that Sofia told Maya what you said. Maya is disappointed in you. She explains that anxiety is a real emotion and that telling someone not to worry does not actually help…
- The next day, you find Maya at her locker and apologize for missing lunch. You explain that you felt anxious about meeting new people, so you avoided the situation. Maya is understanding and kind. She says that everyone feels nervous sometimes, and that is okay. She invites you to sit with the…
Vocabulary
- anxious
- nervous
- anxiety
- threat response
- stressed
- experience
- avoid
- temporary
- struggle
- ignore
- counselor
- emotion
- apology
- guilt
Printable worksheet
This Story Adventure comes with a free printable worksheet: 2 parts for students to do after the game, and an answer key for the teacher. It prints at three levels (Support, Core and Challenge); this is the Challenge sheet. Sign in free to print the whole sheet.
What's on the worksheet
- Remember the story · Answer in a full sentence.
- A new ending · Write a new ending for the story. Use three story words.
Part 1: Remember the story
Answer in a full sentence.
- Why does the main character feel nervous at the beginning of the story?
- What do you notice about Sofia during lunch?
- What does the character learn about avoiding situations when feeling anxious?