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Break the Ice

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Kimberly Bills

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Break the Ice Lesson Plan

Equip 7th graders with practical strategies—open-ended questions, active listening, and positive body language—to confidently initiate conversations through guided practice and reflection.

Strong conversation skills boost student confidence, foster positive peer relationships, and create an inclusive classroom atmosphere by reducing social anxiety.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive examples, hands-on practice, and reflection.

Materials

  • Open-Ended Questions Handout, - Conversation Starters Slide Deck, - Role-Play Scenario Cards, - Reflection Worksheet, - Timer, and - Whiteboard and markers

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print enough copies of Open-Ended Questions Handout and Reflection Worksheet.
  • Load and review the Conversation Starters Slide Deck on the classroom projector.
  • Cut, shuffle, and organize the Role-Play Scenario Cards.
  • Ensure Timer and whiteboard/markers are available and functioning.

Step 1

Introduction

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and state the lesson objective.
  • Display examples on the Conversation Starters Slide Deck: compare closed vs. open-ended questions.
  • Facilitate a brief discussion: “Why might open-ended questions help when meeting someone new?”

Step 2

Open-Ended Question Practice

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Open-Ended Questions Handout.
  • In pairs, students read prompts and craft three open-ended questions each.
  • Volunteers share one question; class identifies why it’s open-ended.

Step 3

Role-Play Activity

10 minutes

  • Arrange students in pairs or triads and give each group a Role-Play Scenario Cards.
  • Student A initiates conversation using an open-ended question; Student B practices active listening and positive body language.
  • Rotate roles; use Timer to keep each turn to 2 minutes.

Step 4

Reflection

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Reflection Worksheet.
  • Students note what strategies worked, challenges faced, and set a personal goal for conversation skills.
  • Invite a few students to share insights; record key takeaways on the whiteboard.
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Slide Deck

Breaking the Ice: Starting Conversations

Today’s Objective:
• Learn the difference between closed and open-ended questions
• Practice crafting open-ended questions to start conversations
• Build confidence through discussion and role-play

Welcome students. Introduce today’s topic and objective: learning how to start conversations confidently using open-ended questions. Explain that we will compare question types and practice generating our own.

What Is a Closed-Ended Question?

A closed-ended question can be answered with a single word or short phrase (often “yes” or “no”).

Example:
• “Do you like pizza?”

Define closed-ended questions. Ask for a volunteer example. Emphasize that these questions limit responses.

What Is an Open-Ended Question?

An open-ended question requires more thought and encourages detailed responses.

Example:
• “What do you like most about your favorite pizza?”

Introduce open-ended questions. Highlight how they invite elaboration. Invite one or two student examples.

Closed vs. Open-Ended Questions

Closed-Ended:
• Limits response to yes/no or a brief answer

Open-Ended:
• Invites detailed answers and discussion

Draw students’ attention to the differences. You might write both examples side by side on the board and ask: which question would keep a conversation going?

Why Use Open-Ended Questions?

• Encourage the other person to share more information
• Show genuine interest and build rapport
• Keep conversations flowing smoothly

Discuss why we prefer open-ended questions when meeting someone new. Solicit student input and record key points on the board.

Open-Ended Conversation Starters

Try one of these:
• “What was the best part of your weekend?”
• “How did you get interested in your favorite hobby?”
• “Tell me about a book or movie you enjoyed recently.”
• “What are you most excited about this school year?”
• “Describe a fun thing you did last summer.”

Read through these starters together. Ask volunteers to pick one prompt and practice asking it to a neighbor.

Your Turn: Craft Questions

• Open your Open-Ended Questions Handout
• Choose three topics or prompts
• Write one open-ended question for each
• Be ready to share one with the class

Transition students to the handout. Explain they will write three open-ended questions based on prompts from the handout.

Next Up: Role-Play Practice

• Pair up and pick a scenario card
• Student A asks an open-ended question first
• Student B responds and shows positive body language
• Switch roles after 2 minutes

Explain the role-play process: in pairs, one student asks questions while the other practices active listening and positive body language. Then switch roles.

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Worksheet

Open-Ended Questions Handout

Objective: Practice writing questions that invite detailed answers. Use words like who, what, when, where, why, or how to start your questions.

  1. Topic: Your favorite hobby
    Write an open-ended question to learn more about someone’s hobby:





  2. Topic: Something fun you did last weekend
    Craft an open-ended question that encourages someone to share their weekend experience:





  3. Topic: A book or movie you enjoyed recently
    Compose an open-ended question to get details about their favorite book or film:





  4. Optional Extension
    Choose another topic (for example, a school subject, a family trip, a favorite meal) and write an open-ended question about it:










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Activity

Role-Play Scenario Cards

Use these cards to guide your conversation practice. Cut them apart and distribute one per pair or triad.

Scenario 1: Meeting a New Student
You just met someone who moved here from another town. Ask about their interests and hobbies.

Scenario 2: Weekend Recap
Talk to a classmate about what you each did over the weekend. Find out the most exciting part of their weekend.

Scenario 3: Favorite School Subject
Ask someone about their favorite subject in school and why they like it. Explore any challenges they face.

Scenario 4: After-School Activities
You notice a peer wearing a team or club shirt. Ask them about the activity and what they enjoy most about it.

Scenario 5: Group Project Partner
You’ve been assigned a group project. Initiate a conversation to learn your partner’s strengths and ideas for the project.

Scenario 6: Lunchtime Chat
Strike up a conversation in the cafeteria. Ask about their favorite lunch food and any fun stories from school meals.

Scenario 7: Library Encounter
You see someone reading a book you like. Ask about the book and what makes it interesting to them.

Scenario 8: Waiting at the Bus Stop
You’re waiting for the bus with classmates. Ask a question that helps pass the time and learn something new about them.

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Worksheet

Reflection Worksheet

Objective: Reflect on your conversation practice to identify strengths, challenges, and set a goal for improvement.

  1. Which conversation strategy did you find most helpful today (open-ended questions, active listening, positive body language)? Explain why:





  2. Describe one moment during the role-play when you felt confident initiating a conversation. What did you say or do?









  3. What challenge or difficulty did you face while starting or keeping a conversation going? How could you overcome this challenge in the future?










  4. Set a personal goal related to initiating conversations. What will you practice or improve before the next class?










  5. (Optional) Write one open-ended question you plan to ask someone outside of class to start a conversation:









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