Teacher Script: Chatting Champs

Warm-Up: Conversation Starter Cards (3 minutes)

(Display Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 1: "Welcome, Chatting Champs!")

Teacher: "Good morning, future Chatting Champs! Today, we're going to talk about something super important that we do every single day: having conversations! Who here loves to talk to their friends, family, or even their pets?" (Pause for responses)

Teacher: "Awesome! Talking is how we share our ideas, tell stories, and learn new things about each other. To get our brains ready for some great chatting, we're going to start with a fun warm-up. I'm going to give each of you, or your partners, a special card. These are our Warm-Up: Conversation Starter Cards."

(Distribute cards.)

Teacher: "On your card, there's a question or a picture. I want you to talk with your partner for about one minute about what's on your card. Try to share your ideas and listen to what your partner says. Go ahead!"

(Circulate and listen to conversations. After one minute, bring the class back together.)

Teacher: "Alright, bring your attention back up here! Can a few pairs share what you talked about? How did you start your conversation?"

(Call on a few students. Praise their ability to start a conversation.)

Introduction to Chatting Champs (4 minutes)

(Advance to Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 2: "What is a Conversation?")

Teacher: "That was a fantastic warm-up! You were all having conversations! As our slide says, what exactly is a conversation? Think of it like playing catch with words! One person throws out an idea, and the other person catches it and throws an idea back, related to the first idea. It's a back-and-forth exchange of thoughts and feelings."

(Advance to Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 3: "Staying on Topic!")

Teacher: "Now, imagine you're playing catch, but suddenly your friend throws a different ball at you entirely – maybe a basketball instead of a baseball! That would be confusing, right? It's the same in a conversation. We need to learn how to 'stay on topic.' This means we keep talking about the same thing and don't suddenly jump to a completely new idea."

Teacher: "Why do you think it's important to stay on topic? What happens if someone keeps changing the subject?"

(Allow students to share ideas. Guide them towards answers like: 'It helps everyone understand,' 'It's easier to follow,' 'It makes conversations more fun.')

(Advance to Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 4: "Good Conversation Example")

Teacher: "Let's look at an example of a good conversation. See how Friend 2 talks about their dog, Sparky, after Friend 1 talks about dogs? They stayed on topic!"

(Advance to Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 5: "Off-Topic Example")

Teacher: "Now, here's an off-topic example. Friend 1 talks about dogs, and then Friend 2 suddenly talks about their favorite color! How confusing is that? It makes it hard to continue the conversation. Has anyone ever talked to you about something really interesting, and then someone else changed the subject? How did that feel?"

(Allow students to share experiences. Emphasize that it can feel frustrating or like the other person isn't listening.)

Activity: Role-Play Scenarios (8 minutes)

(Advance to Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 6: "Time to Practice!")

Teacher: "Alright, my Chatting Champs, it's time to practice our amazing conversation skills! We're going to do some role-playing using our Activity: Role-Play Scenarios. I'll put you into small groups or pairs, and each group will get a scenario card."

(Divide students into small groups or pairs. Distribute scenario cards.)

Teacher: "Your job is to act out the scenario and try your very best to keep the conversation going and stay on topic. Remember our 'playing catch with words' idea. Listen carefully to what your partner says and respond with something related to that topic."

Teacher: "I'll be walking around to listen to your super conversations. Don't worry if it's tricky at first; that's why we're practicing!"

(Circulate, listen, and offer prompts and positive feedback. If a group goes off-topic, gently redirect them: 'What were you just talking about?' or 'How can you connect what you just said back to [original topic]?')

Worksheet: On-Topic Tracker & Discussion (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Fantastic role-playing, everyone! You were really thinking about staying on topic. Now, I have a quick Worksheet: On-Topic Tracker for you."

(Distribute worksheets.)

Teacher: "On this worksheet, I want you to think about the role-play you just did, or even a conversation you had recently. Write down one thing you did really well to stay on topic or keep the conversation going. For example, maybe you asked a question, or you told a story about the same thing your friend was talking about."

(Allow a minute for students to write.)

Teacher: "Who would like to share what they wrote? What was a good conversation strategy you used?"

(Call on a few students. Praise specific examples and reinforce good strategies.)

Teacher: "You can hold onto these worksheets for now. They will be helpful for our cool-down and perhaps a future project!"

Cool-Down: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down (2 minutes)

(Advance to Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 7: "Chatting Champ Tips!")

Teacher: "To wrap up our lesson, let's do a quick 'Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down' check! I'm going to give you some short conversation examples. If you think the conversation stayed on topic, give me a thumbs up! If you think it went off topic, give me a thumbs down!"

(Present examples from Cool-Down: Conversation Check. Wait for student responses before discussing each one.)

Teacher: "Example 1: 'I love pizza!' 'Me too! My favorite is pepperoni.'"
(Expected: Thumbs Up)
Teacher: "Why was that on topic?" (Guide to: They both talked about pizza.)

Teacher: "Example 2: 'My shoes are red.' 'I like to play soccer.'"
(Expected: Thumbs Down)
Teacher: "Why was that off topic?" (Guide to: One talked about shoes, the other about soccer.)

Teacher: "Example 3: 'What's your favorite animal?' 'I really like dogs because they're so playful.'"
(Expected: Thumbs Up)
Teacher: "Why was that on topic?" (Guide to: The second person answered the question about animals.)

(Advance to Chatting Champs Slide Deck - Slide 8: "You are Chatting Champs!")

Teacher: "Excellent job, Chatting Champs! You are all becoming experts at staying on topic and keeping conversations going. We'll continue to practice these skills, and you'll have a Quiz: Conversation Check and maybe even a special Project: My Conversation Plan coming up soon to show what you've learned. Keep chatting like champs!"

Warm-Up: Conversation Starter Cards

Instructions: With a partner, pick a card and talk about the prompt. Try to keep your conversation going!

Card 1

What is your favorite animal and why?

Card 2

What is your favorite thing to do outside?

Card 3

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Card 4

What is your favorite food to eat for a snack?

Card 5

What is a fun game you like to play?

Card 6

What is your favorite color and why?

Card 7

What is something exciting you did recently?

Card 8

What is your favorite book or story?

Activity: Role-Play Scenarios

Instructions: With your partner or small group, choose a scenario and act it out. Try your best to keep the conversation going and stay on topic!

Scenario 1: The New Toy

Characters: Two friends (A and B)

Situation: Friend A got a new toy car and is very excited to tell Friend B about it.

Start the conversation:
Friend A: "Guess what? I got a new toy car! It's red and super fast!"
Friend B: "Wow! Tell me more about it!"

Scenario 2: What We Did This Weekend

Characters: Two classmates (A and B)

Situation: It's Monday morning, and Classmate A wants to tell Classmate B about their fun weekend at the park.

Start the conversation:
Classmate A: "I had so much fun at the park this weekend! I went on the swings!"
Classmate B: "Oh, really? I love swings! What else did you do?"

Scenario 3: Our Favorite Snacks

Characters: Two friends (A and B)

Situation: Friends A and B are talking about their favorite healthy snacks.

Start the conversation:
Friend A: "I really like eating apples for a snack. They're so crunchy!"
Friend B: "Apples are good! I like carrots. What kind of apple is your favorite?"

Scenario 4: Planning a Game

Characters: Three friends (A, B, and C)

Situation: Friends A, B, and C are trying to decide what game to play together at recess.

Start the conversation:
Friend A: "What game should we play at recess today?"
Friend B: "How about tag?"
Friend C: "Tag is fun! What kind of tag should we play?"

Worksheet: On-Topic Tracker

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Instructions: Think about a conversation you just had, or one you had recently. Answer the questions below.

1. What was the main topic of your conversation?
   
   
   
   

2. Did you try to stay on topic? Yes or No?
   
   
   
   

3. Write down one thing you did well to stay on topic or keep the conversation going. (For example: I asked a question, I shared an idea about the same topic, I listened carefully.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. What is one thing you could try to do better next time to stay on topic?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Rubric: Conversation Skills

Student Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Conversation Skills Assessment

Teacher Comments:

Cool-Down: Conversation Check

Instructions: Listen to the conversation examples your teacher gives. Give a thumbs up if the conversation stays on topic, and a thumbs down if it goes off topic.

Example 1

Person 1: "I love to draw pictures of animals!"
Person 2: "Me too! My favorite animal to draw is a cat."

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

Example 2

Person 1: "I ate a yummy sandwich for lunch."
Person 2: "My shoes are blue."

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

Example 3

Person 1: "What is your favorite book?"
Person 2: "I really like the book about the little bear who goes to space."

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

Example 4

Person 1: "It's so cold outside today!"
Person 2: "I like ice cream!"

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

Answer Key: Quiz: Conversation Check

Question 1

Which conversation stays on topic?

• Correct Answer: A) "I like dogs!" "I like cats!"
  • Reasoning: Both people are talking about animals, specifically types of pets. Options B and C introduce completely new, unrelated topics.

Question 2

What does it mean to "stay on topic"?

• Correct Answer: B) Keep talking about the same main idea.
  • Reasoning: Staying on topic means focusing your contributions on the central theme of the conversation, similar to playing catch with the same ball.

Question 3

Your friend says, "My favorite game is hide-and-seek!" Write one thing you could say to stay on topic.

• Correct Answer: Varied answers, but should be related to hide-and-seek or games. E.g., "I love hide-and-seek too! Where do you usually hide?" or "That's a fun game! I like playing tag." (if explained how it's also a game)
  • Reasoning: A good on-topic response would acknowledge the friend's statement and extend the conversation about hide-and-seek or games in general.

Question 4

If your friend is talking about their favorite food, and you start talking about your shoes, what are you doing?

• Correct Answer: B) Changing the topic.
  • Reasoning: Talking about shoes when the friend is discussing food is a clear example of shifting the topic to something unrelated.

Question 5

Why is it important to stay on topic when you are talking to someone?

• Correct Answer: Varied answers, but should focus on clarity, understanding, or good communication. E.g., "So everyone knows what we are talking about," or "It helps people understand your ideas." (Student-friendly language)
  • Reasoning: Staying on topic ensures that all participants in the conversation are on the same page, leading to clearer understanding and more effective communication. It also shows respect for the other person's thoughts.

Project: My Conversation Plan

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Your Mission: Become a Conversation Planner!

Now that you are a Chatting Champ, it's time to create your very own Conversation Plan! This plan will help you remember how to have awesome conversations and stay on topic with your friends and family.

Part 1: My Best Conversation Tips (Draw & Write)

Think about all the things we learned today. What are the most important tips for staying on topic and keeping a conversation going? Choose three tips.

For each tip, you will:

• Draw a picture that shows the tip in action.
• Write one sentence explaining the tip.

Tip 1:

My sentence: _________________________________________________________________

Tip 2:

My sentence: _________________________________________________________________

Tip 3:

My sentence: _________________________________________________________________

Part 2: Conversation Practice!

Think about a time you will have a conversation this week (e.g., with a friend at recess, with a grown-up at home, with a classmate during group work).

1. Who will you talk to?
   
   
   
   

2. What might be the topic of your conversation?
   
   
   
   

3. How will you use one of your