Clue Crew: Nonverbal Cues

Madison Pozner

Tier 2

Lesson Plan

Clue Crew: Nonverbal Cues

Students will be able to identify common nonverbal cues (facial expressions, body language, tone of voice) and practice appropriate responses in social situations.

Learning to recognize and respond to nonverbal cues helps students better understand others' feelings and intentions, leading to more successful social interactions and friendships. This is especially important for students who may find these cues challenging to interpret.

Audience

Third Grade Students (Tier 2 Group)

Time

30 Minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, visual aids, and engaging activities to practice identifying and responding to nonverbal cues.

Materials

Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Nonverbal Cues Slide Deck, Nonverbal Detective Game Cards, and Emoji Response Activity Sheet

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Review the Nonverbal Cues Slide Deck for familiarity.
- Print and cut out the Nonverbal Detective Game Cards.
- Print the Emoji Response Activity Sheet.
- Ensure a whiteboard or chart paper and markers are available.

Step 1

Introduction: What Are Nonverbal Cues?

5 minutes

Begin with a brief discussion: "What do you think 'nonverbal cues' mean?" (Guide them to understand it's about communicating without words.)
- Use the first few slides of the Nonverbal Cues Slide Deck to introduce facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
- Ask students to share examples of how they know someone is happy, sad, or confused without them saying a word.

Step 2

Nonverbal Detective Game

10 minutes

Introduce the Nonverbal Detective Game Cards. Explain that each card shows a situation or emotion.
- Students take turns picking a card and demonstrating the nonverbal cue, while the other student guesses the emotion or situation.
- After guessing, discuss appropriate verbal and nonverbal responses to that cue. Use the Slide Deck as a reference if needed.

Step 3

Emoji Response Activity

10 minutes

Distribute the Emoji Response Activity Sheet.
- Explain that each emoji represents a different emotion.
- Students will draw or write how they would respond to someone showing that emoji's emotion in a common social situation (e.g., a friend looks sad, what would you do/say?).
- Discuss their responses, emphasizing empathy and appropriate social behavior.

Step 4

Wrap-Up: Reflect and Review

5 minutes

Review the main nonverbal cues learned today using the final slides of the Nonverbal Cues Slide Deck.
- Ask students: "Why is it important to understand how people show their feelings without words?"
- Encourage them to practice observing nonverbal cues in their daily interactions and share what they notice in the next session.

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Slide Deck

Welcome, Clue Crew!

Today, we're becoming 'Clue Crew' detectives! We'll learn how to understand what people are saying without using words. These are called nonverbal cues!

Welcome the students and introduce the topic. Ask them to think about how they show feelings without using words.

What Are Nonverbal Cues?

Nonverbal cues are messages we send without speaking.

Facial Expressions: What your face shows.
Body Language: How you hold your body.
Tone of Voice: How your voice sounds when you speak.

Explain that nonverbal cues are signals people send through their bodies. Ask for initial ideas on what these might be.

Face Clues: Facial Expressions

Our faces tell a big story!

Happy: Smiling, bright eyes.
Sad: Frowning, downturned mouth, watery eyes.
Angry: Scrunched eyebrows, tight lips.
Surprised: Wide eyes, open mouth.

Focus on facial expressions. Use exaggerated examples if helpful. Ask students to demonstrate different expressions.

Body Clues: Body Language

How we stand or sit can give clues.

Open Body Language: Arms uncrossed, facing someone – shows you are friendly and listening.
Closed Body Language: Arms crossed, turned away – might mean you are upset or not interested.
Slumped Shoulders: Can show sadness or tiredness.
Tapping Foot: Can show impatience or nervousness.

Discuss body language. Ask students to show 'confident' vs. 'shy' body language.

Voice Clues: Tone of Voice

It's not just what you say, but how you say it!

High-pitched, Fast: Can show excitement or nervousness.
Low-pitched, Slow: Can show sadness or seriousness.
Loud: Can show anger or excitement.
Soft: Can show shyness or comfort.

Explain tone of voice. Emphasize it's how words are said. Give examples of saying the same word ('hello') in different tones (happy, sad, angry).

Time to Be Nonverbal Detectives!

Now that we know about different clues, it's time to put our detective skills to the test!

We'll play a game to practice recognizing these cues and thinking about how to respond.

Introduce the game and explain its purpose. Remind them to pay close attention.

Responding with Empathy

Knowing what someone is feeling helps us be a good friend.

How would you help a friend who looks sad?
What if someone looks excited? How would you share their joy?

We'll do an activity to practice responding kindly.

Explain the activity and how it connects to real-life responses. Encourage empathy.

Great Job, Clue Crew!

You've learned to spot many nonverbal cues today!

Remember: Faces, bodies, and voices all give us clues.
Paying attention helps us understand others and be better friends.

Keep practicing your detective skills every day!

Summarize the key takeaways and encourage continued observation in real life. Praise their participation.

Game

Nonverbal Detective Game Cards

Instructions for the Teacher:

Print and cut out each of the cards below. Laminate if desired for durability.
Explain to students that they will take turns being the "Actor" and the "Detective."
The Actor picks a card (without showing it to the Detective) and acts out the emotion or situation using only nonverbal cues (facial expressions, body language, tone of voice if speaking is required by the card).
The Detective observes the Actor and tries to guess the emotion or situation.
After the Detective guesses, both students discuss:
- What nonverbal cues did the Actor use?
- How would someone typically respond to this emotion or situation (verbally and nonverbally)?
Encourage students to provide specific examples of nonverbal cues they observed.

Game Cards:

Card 1: Happy!

Emotion: Pure joy and happiness.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Big smile, bright eyes, possibly a little jump or clap, cheerful tone if saying something simple like "Yay!"

Card 2: Sad

Emotion: Feeling down or upset.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Frown, downturned mouth, possibly watery eyes, slumped shoulders, quiet voice if speaking.

Card 3: Confused

Emotion: Not understanding something.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Wrinkled forehead, slightly tilted head, puzzled expression, maybe shrugging shoulders.

Card 4: Excited!

Emotion: Eager and full of energy.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Wide smile, bouncing slightly, fidgeting happily, quick movements, energetic tone if speaking.

Card 5: Angry

Emotion: Feeling mad or frustrated.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Scrunched eyebrows, tight lips, crossed arms, stern gaze, loud or sharp tone if speaking.

Card 6: Surprised

Emotion: Unexpected wonder or shock.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Wide eyes, open mouth, raised eyebrows, maybe a quick step back.

Card 7: Nervous

Emotion: Feeling anxious or worried.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Fidgeting, looking down, chewing lip, slightly shaky voice, rubbing hands.

Card 8: Shy

Emotion: Feeling timid or hesitant.
Nonverbal Cues to Act: Looking away, quiet voice, slight slouch, avoiding eye contact, perhaps hiding behind hands or an object.

Activity

Emoji Response Activity Sheet

Instructions:

Look at each emoji below. Imagine a friend or classmate is showing this emotion without saying a word. In the space provided, draw or write:

What nonverbal cues (face, body, voice tone) they might be showing.
How you would respond to them. What would you say or do?