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More Than Just Words

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Lesson Plan

More Than Just Words

Students will be able to identify at least two unspoken emotions in a social scenario by analyzing tone of voice, body language, and context.

Understanding unspoken emotions helps students better navigate social situations, build stronger relationships, and develop empathy. This lesson provides practical tools for 'reading the room' and interpreting subtle social cues.

Audience

6th Grade

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Through interactive activities and video analysis, students will learn to recognize non-verbal communication.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

  • Review the More Than Just Words Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
    - Print copies of the Observation Log Worksheet for each student.
    - Select an age-appropriate 3-5 minute film clip that clearly displays unspoken emotions through body language and tone of voice. Preview the clip to identify key moments for discussion.
    - Review the Film Clip Discussion Guide to prepare discussion points.
    - Ensure whiteboard or projector is ready.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Emotion Charades

5 minutes

  • Begin with a quick game of 'Emotion Charades' to get students thinking about expressing emotions non-verbally.
    - Divide students into small groups or call on individual volunteers to act out simple emotions (e.g., happy, sad, angry, confused, surprised) without speaking.
    - Have the rest of the class guess the emotion.
    - Briefly discuss how they identified the emotion (body language, facial expressions).

Step 2

Introduction to Subtle Cues

5 minutes

  • Use the More Than Just Words Slide Deck to introduce the key concepts: Subtle Cues, Tone of Voice, Social Context, and Reading the Room.
    - Explain that emotions are often communicated without words through body language, facial expressions, and how someone speaks (tone).
    - Emphasize the importance of looking at the 'whole picture' (social context) to understand what's truly going on.
    - Introduce the Observation Log Worksheet and explain that students will use it to record their observations.

Step 3

Video Analysis Activity

7 minutes

  • Play the pre-selected film clip (3-5 minutes) for the class.
    - Ask students to pay close attention to the characters' body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice, even when no words are spoken.
    - After the clip, have students complete the Observation Log Worksheet, focusing on identifying at least two unspoken emotions and the cues that led them to that conclusion.
    - Facilitate a brief discussion using the Film Clip Discussion Guide, prompting students to share their observations and interpretations.

Step 4

Group Debrief

3 minutes

  • Bring the class back together for a whole-group debrief.
    - Ask students to share one new thing they learned about understanding unspoken emotions or one strategy they will try to use in social situations.
    - Reinforce that 'reading the room' is a skill that gets better with practice and observation.
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Slide Deck

More Than Just Words

What do people say without speaking?

Welcome students to the lesson. Briefly introduce the idea that we communicate a lot without actually speaking. Ask if they can think of examples where someone's actions or sounds spoke louder than words.

Subtle Cues: The Hidden Messages

Little hints that tell us what's really going on.

Explain that 'subtle cues' are small, often unnoticed signals that give us clues about what someone is feeling or thinking. These aren't big, obvious signs, but tiny hints.

Tone of Voice: How We Say It

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

Discuss how the way someone says something can completely change the meaning. Give examples: 'I'm fine.' said happily vs. 'I'm fine...' said sadly. Emphasize that it's not just the words, but the sound.

Social Context: Where and When

The situation around us gives clues about emotions.

Talk about how the situation or 'social context' helps us understand emotions. A yell of excitement at a game is different from a yell of anger during an argument. The setting matters!

Reading the Room: Putting it All Together

Observing body language, tone, and context to understand feelings.

Introduce the idea of 'reading the room' as putting all these clues together. It's like being a detective! You look at everything to figure out the emotional landscape.

Practice Makes Perfect!

Keep observing! You'll become a social detective in no time.

Reiterate the main goal: to become better at noticing and understanding unspoken emotions. Encourage students to practice this skill in their daily lives.

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Discussion

Film Clip Discussion Guide

After watching the film clip, let's discuss what we observed. Remember, we are focusing on emotions that weren't directly stated with words.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What emotions did you notice in the characters in the film clip? List at least two.



  2. What specific subtle cues (body language, facial expressions, tone of voice) did you observe that made you think a character was feeling a certain emotion? Be specific with your examples.





  3. How did the social context of the scene help you understand what the characters were feeling? (e.g., Where were they? What was happening around them?)





  4. Were there any moments where a character said one thing, but their actions or tone of voice suggested they felt something different? Explain.





  5. What did you learn about "reading the room" from watching this clip? How can you apply this in your own life?

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Worksheet

Observation Log Worksheet

Name: ________________________

Date: ________________________

As you watch the film clip, pay close attention to the characters. Your goal is to identify emotions they are feeling without them saying the emotion out loud. Look at their body language, facial expressions, and how they sound (even if they don't use words).

Character 1 Observation

Character Name/Description: ___________________________________

Emotion you observed (without words):


What subtle cues led you to this conclusion? (e.g., body language, facial expression, tone of voice, actions, context):





Character 2 Observation

Character Name/Description: ___________________________________

Emotion you observed (without words):


What subtle cues led you to this conclusion? (e.g., body language, facial expression, tone of voice, actions, context):





Reflection

What was one interesting thing you noticed about unspoken emotions while watching this clip?





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More Than Just Words • Lenny Learning