Body Language Charades

Time: 5 minutes

Instructions:

1. Teacher will explain that body language is how we communicate without words. (1 minute)
2. Teacher will act out a few emotions or situations using only body language (e.g., happy, sad, confused, bored, excited). (2 minutes)
3. Students guess the emotion or situation. (2 minutes)

Teacher Script Prompts:

• "What do you notice about how I'm standing?"
• "What do you think I'm feeling?"
• "How can you tell without me saying anything?"

Teacher Script: Body Language Basics

Warm-Up: Body Language Charades (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something really interesting: how we communicate without even saying a word! Has anyone ever heard of 'body language'?"

(Pause for student responses, affirm correct ideas)

Teacher: "Exactly! Body language is how our bodies 'talk' to others. It's all the ways we show what we're thinking or feeling using our faces, our hands, how we stand, or even how we sit."

Teacher: "To get us started, I'm going to act out some feelings or situations using only my body. Your job is to guess what I'm trying to say!"

(Teacher acts out various emotions/situations: happy, confused, bored, excited, frustrated, confident. Encourage students to guess and explain what clues they observed.)

Teacher: "Great job everyone! You were really good at picking up on those unspoken messages. So, how important do you think these unspoken messages are in our daily lives?"

Introduction to Body Language (5 minutes) - Using Body Language Basics Slide Deck

Teacher: "That brings us perfectly to our topic for today: Body Language Basics. Let's dive deeper into what our bodies are constantly communicating."

(Display Slide 1: "What Does Your Body Say?")

Teacher: "As you saw with our charades, our bodies are always sending messages, even when our mouths are closed. What are some of the ways you notice people communicate without words?"

(Display Slide 2: "Body Language: Your Silent Message")

Teacher: "These are all great points! Body language includes how you stand or sit, your facial expressions, your hand gestures, and even eye contact. It's a huge part of how we interact with others."

(Display Slide 3: "Positive Body Language")

Teacher: "Now, just like words can be positive or negative, body language can be too! Let's start with positive body language. These are the cues that make people feel good, comfortable, and open to talking with you."

Teacher: "Can you give me an example of when someone's body language made you feel like they were happy or interested in what you were saying?"

(Discuss examples like open posture, smiling, nodding, good eye contact.)

(Display Slide 4: "Negative Body Language")

Teacher: "On the other hand, we have negative body language. These are the cues that might make someone feel uncomfortable, unheard, or like you're not interested."

Teacher: "When has someone's body language made you feel a little uncomfortable or like they didn't want to talk?"

(Discuss examples like crossed arms, frowning, avoiding eye contact, slouching, tapping.)

Discussion: What Does Your Body Say? (7 minutes) - Using Body Language Discussion Guide

Teacher: "Now that we've looked at some examples, let's have a discussion. I want you to think about how body language impacts our daily lives. We'll be using our Body Language Discussion Guide."

Teacher: "Think about this: Have you ever misunderstood someone because of their body language, or have they misunderstood you? What happened?"

Teacher: "How can being aware of your own body language help you in school, with friends, or at home?"

Teacher: "What kind of body language would make you feel most comfortable talking to a new person?"

(Encourage open sharing and facilitate discussion, linking back to positive/negative examples.)

Activity: Role Play Scenarios (8 minutes) - Using Body Language Activity: Role Play Cards

Teacher: "You've all shared some excellent insights! Now, let's put our knowledge to the test with a quick role-play activity. I'm going to give each group a card with a scenario. One person will act out the scenario using either positive or negative body language, and the others will guess what kind of body language they used and how it made them feel."

(Divide students into small groups and distribute the Body Language Activity: Role Play Cards. Give clear instructions for the role play.)

Teacher: "Alright, groups, take a couple of minutes to practice. When you're ready, we'll have each group share one scenario with the class."

(Circulate, offer guidance. After practice, have groups demonstrate a scenario.)

Teacher: "Fantastic work, everyone! What did we learn from these role plays? How did it feel to see the different types of body language in action?"

Wrap-Up

Teacher: "Today we explored how powerful our bodies are in communicating. Remember, being aware of both your own body language and others' can really change how you connect with people. Keep practicing those positive body language skills!"

Body Language Discussion Guide

Instructions: Discuss the following questions as a group, sharing your thoughts and experiences. Remember to listen respectfully to each other.

Question 1

Think about a time when someone's body language (not their words) told you a lot about how they were feeling. What did you notice, and how did it make you feel?

Question 2

Why do you think it's important to be aware of your own body language, especially when you're talking to someone important like a teacher or a parent?

Question 3

Imagine you are meeting someone new. What kind of positive body language could you use to show them you are friendly and open to talking?

Question 4

Can negative body language sometimes be a misunderstanding? For example, someone might have their arms crossed because they are cold, not because they are angry. How can we make sure we don't jump to conclusions?

Body Language Activity: Role Play Cards

Instructions: In your small groups, pick a card. One person will act out the scenario using only body language (no talking!). The rest of the group will guess:

1. What is the situation?
2. Is the person using positive or negative body language?
3. How does their body language make you feel?

Then, discuss how the body language could be changed to send a different message.

Card 1: Listening to a Friend

Scenario: Your friend is telling you about their favorite video game.

Body Language to Use: Positive (e.g., nodding, eye contact, relaxed posture, smiling)

Card 2: Feeling Bored

Scenario: You are in a meeting that you find very uninteresting.

Body Language to Use: Negative (e.g., slouching, looking away, fiddling with something, sighing)

Card 3: Confused by Homework

Scenario: Your teacher is explaining a math problem, and you don't understand.

Body Language to Use: Negative (e.g., furrowed brow, looking down, biting lip, avoiding eye contact)

Card 4: Excited for a Field Trip

Scenario: Your teacher just announced a surprise field trip.

Body Language to Use: Positive (e.g., wide eyes, leaning forward, smiling, hands clasped together)

Card 5: Disagreeing with Someone

Scenario: You are talking to someone who has a different opinion than you.

Body Language to Use: Negative (e.g., crossed arms, stern face, slight head shake, tense shoulders)

Card 6: Asking for Help

Scenario: You need help from a classmate with a project.

Body Language to Use: Positive (e.g., open hands, direct eye contact, friendly expression, slight lean forward)