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Focus & Chat Fun!

Lesson Plan

Focus & Chat Fun! Lesson Plan

Students will actively practice focusing during listening tasks and clearly communicate their thoughts and ideas within a small group setting.

Developing strong focusing and communication skills helps students understand instructions, participate effectively in class, build relationships, and express themselves confidently, which is especially important for students with reading and vocabulary delays.

Audience

3rd Grade Students (Tier 2 Small Group)

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive games and structured discussions.

Materials

Small soft ball or 'talking stick', Focus & Chat Slides, Listen Up! Activity, Story Chain Game, My Focus & Feelings Worksheet, and Exit Ticket: Chat Check-in

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-up: Focus Finder

5 minutes

  • Begin with a quick 'Focus Finder' activity (not a separate material, just an instruction here).
  • Teacher Script: "Alright team, let's get our focus muscles ready! I'm going to say a color, and I want you to silently find three things of that color in the room. Ready? Green!" (Give 30 seconds). "Okay, now close your eyes. What three green things did you see?" (Have 1-2 students share quickly).
  • Transition to discussing what 'focus' means and why it's important during conversations. Use Focus & Chat Slides Slide 1.

Step 2

Listen Up! Activity

10 minutes

  • Introduce the Listen Up! Activity. Explain the rules clearly, emphasizing active listening and repeating instructions.
  • Distribute the activity sheets.
  • Teacher Script: "Today we're going to practice being super listeners and clear speakers! Let's try the Listen Up! Activity. I'll give you a simple drawing instruction, and your job is to listen carefully and draw exactly what I say. Then, you'll tell your partner what you drew using complete sentences."
  • Facilitate the activity, providing support and checking for understanding. After each step, model clear communication and active listening.

Step 3

Story Chain Game

10 minutes

  • Transition to the Story Chain Game using the soft ball or talking stick.
  • Teacher Script: "Now that we've practiced listening and speaking, let's put it all together with a fun game! We're going to tell a story together. When you have the talking stick, you add one sentence to our story, making sure it connects to the last sentence you heard. Listen closely!"
  • Model the first sentence and pass the ball. Encourage active listening and coherent additions to the story. Provide sentence starters or prompts if students struggle with vocabulary or generating ideas.

Step 4

Wrap-up & Reflection

5 minutes

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Slide Deck

Welcome to Focus & Chat Fun!

Let's become super listeners and clear communicators!

Welcome students and introduce the topic of focusing and communication. Emphasize that these are skills we can practice and get better at together. Connect it to why it's important in school and with friends.

What is FOCUS?

It's giving all your attention to one thing.

  • Your eyes are watching.
  • Your ears are listening.
  • Your brain is thinking about just that!

Why is focusing important?

Explain what 'focus' means. Use simple language and provide relatable examples. Ask students for their own ideas of what it means to focus. This slide supports the 'Warm-up: Focus Finder' in the lesson plan.

Listen Up! Activity

Our goal: Listen carefully and tell others clearly.

Here's how:

  1. I'll give drawing instructions.
  2. Draw exactly what I say.
  3. Share your drawing by telling your partner what you drew!

Introduce the 'Listen Up! Activity'. Clearly state the objective: listening carefully and communicating clearly. Briefly outline the process as described in the lesson plan.

Story Chain Game

Let's build a story together!

Rules:

  1. When you have the talking stick, add ONE sentence to the story.
  2. Make sure your sentence fits with the last sentence you heard.
  3. Listen carefully so our story makes sense!

Introduce the 'Story Chain Game'. Explain the rules of adding one sentence and listening to the previous one. Reinforce the use of the 'talking stick' or soft ball.

You Did Great!

Today we practiced:

  • Focusing our attention
  • Listening carefully
  • Communicating clearly

Keep practicing these skills every day!

Conclude the lesson by reviewing the skills practiced and reinforcing their importance. Encourage students to keep practicing their focusing and communication skills.

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Activity

Listen Up! Activity: Draw What I Say!

Objective: To practice active listening and clear communication.

Instructions for Students:

  1. Listen Carefully: Your teacher will give you step-by-step instructions to draw something. Listen very carefully to each word.
  2. Draw: Draw exactly what your teacher tells you on your paper.
  3. Share Clearly: After you finish drawing, you will show your picture to a partner and tell them, using complete sentences, what you drew and how you followed the instructions.

Your Drawing Space

Draw what your teacher says in the box below!































My Communication Check-in

After drawing, tell your partner about your picture. Use complete sentences!

Example: "I drew a big circle on the top of my paper, just like the teacher said."

How clearly did you explain your drawing?


What did you do well when listening?


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Game

Story Chain Game: Build a Tale!

Objective: To practice active listening, quick thinking, and clear verbal communication by collaboratively building a story.

Materials: A soft ball or a 'talking stick'.

How to Play:

  1. Start the Story: The teacher will start a story with one sentence.
  2. Listen Carefully: When you get the talking stick/ball, listen to the sentence that came before yours.
  3. Add On: Add one new sentence to the story. Make sure your sentence makes sense with what was just said! It's like adding a new link to a chain.
  4. Pass it On: Pass the talking stick/ball to the next person.

Example:

  • Teacher:
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Worksheet

My Focus & Feelings Worksheet

Objective: To reflect on your focusing and communication skills during our activities today.

Part 1: How did I Focus?

  1. During the "Listen Up! Activity," what did you do to help yourself focus on the teacher's words?






  2. Was it easy or hard to focus during the "Story Chain Game"? Why?






  3. What is one thing you can do next time to focus even better?






Part 2: My Feelings About Chatting

  1. How did you feel when it was your turn to speak during the "Story Chain Game"?






  2. What makes it easy or hard for you to share your ideas with others?






  3. How can clear speaking and careful listening help you make friends and learn in school?






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