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Listening Ears

Ashlyn Wood

Tier 2
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Active Listening Guide

Students will practice identifying key words and following instructions by participating in a telephone game, strengthening their active listening skills.

Active listening helps kindergarteners focus, follow directions, and build social skills. This short session uses play to model and reinforce listening behaviors.

Audience

Kindergarten Small Group

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive telephone-style play and guided reflection.

Materials

Telephone-Style Message Cards, Soft Ball or Plush Toy, and Timer or Stopwatch

Prep

Gather and Review Materials

5 minutes

  • Prepare a set of 5–7 simple {
    "type": "Material",
    "name": "Telephone-Style Message Cards",
    "id": "telephone-style-message-cards"
    } with short phrases or images.
  • Select a soft ball or plush toy to pass as the "speaker".
  • Set up a timer or have a stopwatch ready.
  • Review the lesson steps and key listening tips to discuss with students.

Step 1

Introduction

2 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle.
  • Explain active listening: using eyes, ears, and brain to hear and understand.
  • Show one {
    "type": "Material",
    "name": "Telephone-Style Message Cards",
    "id": "telephone-style-message-cards"
    } and read it aloud slowly as an example.

Step 2

Modeling

2 minutes

  • Use the plush toy to demonstrate the telephone game.
  • Whisper the phrase from the card to the first student.
  • Have each student whisper what they heard to the next.
  • Reveal the original message and compare to the final version.

Step 3

Telephone Game

5 minutes

  • Hand the plush toy and a new message card to the first student.
  • Each child whispers what they heard to the next in line until everyone has whispered once.
  • The last student says the message aloud, then show the card to compare.

Step 4

Discussion – “What Did You Hear?”

3 minutes

  • Ask each student to share the phrase they heard.
  • Discuss how and why the message changed.
  • Point out that focusing and staying quiet helps us listen well.

Step 5

Reflection & Tips

3 minutes

  • Brainstorm simple listening tips as a group (e.g., eyes on speaker, quiet mouth, thinking about words).
  • Invite each student to share one tip they will remember.
  • Reinforce that practicing these tips will make listening easier and more fun.
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Game

Listening Ears Materials

Kindergarten Telephone Game

Use this game to practice active listening through a fun, whisper-based telephone activity.

Materials Needed:

  • Telephone-Style Message Cards
  • Soft Ball or Plush Toy (speaker token)

Game Instructions:

  1. Gather students in a circle.
  2. Choose a message card and show it only to the teacher.
  3. Whisper the message to the first student while handing them the plush toy.
  4. Each student quietly whispers what they heard to the next, passing the toy along.
  5. The last student says the message out loud.
  6. Reveal the original card and compare together, celebrating accurate listening or laughing at fun changes.

Time: 5 minutes

Learning Goal: Strengthen listening skills, memory recall, and clear communication in a playful setting.

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Discussion

Discussion – What Did You Hear?

Purpose: Reflect on your listening experience during the telephone game and learn why messages can change.

1. What was the final message you heard?
Write the exact phrase you said at the end of the game:


2. How did your message differ from the original?
• Did any words change or get mixed up?
• Why do you think that happened?

Follow-up Prompts: Were the words hard to remember? Did someone whisper too quietly or too quickly?





3. Which listening tip helped you?
Choose one you practiced from the Active Listening Guide:

  • 👀 Eyes on speaker
  • 🤐 Quiet mouth
  • 🤔 Thinking about words


4. Add your own listening tip:
What is one new tip you can share with the group to help everyone listen better?





Partner Share & Group Reflection:

  • Turn to a partner and compare answers for question 2.
  • Share one new tip from question 4 with the whole group.

Closing:
Listening carefully helps us work, play, and learn together. Let’s practice our favorite tip every day!

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lenny

Worksheet

Draw What You Listened To

Name: _______________________ Date: _______________________

1. Draw the Message You Heard

Draw a picture of the message you heard at the end of the telephone game:










2. Write the Message

Write the exact words of the message next to your drawing:


3. Compare with the Original

Look at the original Telephone-Style Message Cards. How is your drawing or words the same or different?





4. Listen & Draw a Tip

Choose one listening tip from the Active Listening Guide or share your own tip. Draw and label how you will remember to listen carefully next time:








5. Share With a Partner

Turn to a partner and show your drawing. Tell them:

  • The message you heard
  • One thing you found easy or tricky about listening today


Great job practicing your listening and creativity!

lenny
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