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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 develop empathy, navigate social situations more effectively, and build stronger relationships. This skill is vital for both personal growth and academic success.

Audience

6th Grade

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Through interactive activities and video analysis, students will practice identifying subtle emotional cues.

Materials

Prep

Review Materials

10 minutes

  • Review the More Than Just Words Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content and talking points.
    - Print copies of the Observation Log Worksheet for each student.
    - Prepare a short, age-appropriate film clip (2-3 minutes) showing a social interaction where emotions are clearly but subtly conveyed without dialogue. Ensure the clip is free of inappropriate content. (e.g., a scene from a Pixar short, a silent film clip, or a clip focusing on non-verbal reactions).
    - Review the Film Clip Discussion Guide to prepare for leading the discussion.
    - Review the Emotion Charades Warm-Up instructions.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Emotion Charades

5 minutes

  • Greet students and introduce the day's topic: understanding unspoken emotions.
    - Lead the Emotion Charades Warm-Up activity. Have students guess emotions based on non-verbal cues. (Teacher Note: This activates prior knowledge and sets the stage for analyzing subtle cues.)

Step 2

Introduction to Subtle Cues

5 minutes

  • Present the More Than Just Words Slide Deck slides on 'Subtle Cues,' 'Tone of Voice,' 'Body Language,' and 'Social Context.'
    - Explain that people often communicate emotions without words through their tone of voice, body language, and the situation they are in.
    - Discuss the key concepts of 'Reading the Room' and how paying attention to these cues helps us understand others better.

Step 3

Video Analysis Activity

7 minutes

  • Distribute the Observation Log Worksheet to each student.
    - Introduce the short film clip, explaining that students will watch for unspoken emotions.
    - Play the selected film clip.
    - After the clip, have students complete their Observation Log Worksheet, noting down at least two unspoken emotions they observed and the cues that led them to that conclusion (body language, tone, context).

Step 4

Group Debrief

3 minutes

  • Facilitate a class discussion using the Film Clip Discussion Guide.
    - Ask students to share their observations from the film clip and their worksheets.
    - Emphasize that noticing these subtle cues can help them understand their friends and family better.
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Slide Deck

More Than Just Words: Reading Unspoken Emotions

How can you tell what someone is feeling without them saying a word?

Welcome students and introduce the lesson's main question. Briefly explain that understanding how people feel, even when they don't say it, is a superpower in social situations.

Subtle Cues: The Tiny Signals

What are these hidden clues?

  • Small actions or reactions
  • Things people do without realizing it

Explain that 'subtle cues' are small, often unnoticed signals. Give a simple example like a sigh or a shrug.

Tone of Voice: How We Say It

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

  • Pitch: High or low?
  • Volume: Loud or soft?
  • Speed: Fast or slow?
  • Inflection: Rising or falling at the end of a sentence?

Discuss how the way someone speaks can reveal a lot. Emphasize pitch, volume, and speed. Ask students for examples.

Body Language: Our Silent Story

Our bodies speak volumes without making a sound.

  • Facial Expressions: Happy, sad, surprised, angry
  • Posture: Slumped, upright, arms crossed
  • Gestures: Hand movements, fidgeting
  • Eye Contact: Direct, avoiding

Talk about common body language examples: folded arms, eye contact, fidgeting. Ask students what different postures might communicate.

Social Context: The Situation Matters

Where you are and what's happening changes how you interpret cues.

  • Who are you with?
  • What is the event or environment?
  • What just happened?

Explain that the situation itself provides context. A frown at a party means something different than a frown during a test. Give examples.

Reading the Room: Putting it Together

By observing tone of voice, body language, and understanding the social context, you can 'read the room' and better understand what others are feeling, even when they don't say it!

Summarize by reiterating that combining these observations helps 'read the room' and understand social situations better.

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Discussion

Film Clip Discussion Guide: Unspoken Emotions

Objective: To reflect on the subtle cues observed in the film clip and discuss how they reveal unspoken emotions.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What was happening in the film clip? Briefly describe the scenario.


  2. Were there any characters who didn't say how they were feeling with words, but you could still tell what they felt? How?




  3. What specific body language did you notice? (e.g., facial expressions, posture, hand gestures, eye contact)
    * How did these body language cues help you understand their emotions?





  4. Could you tell anything from a character's tone of voice, even if they only made a sound like a sigh or a gasp? If so, what did it tell you?
    * What might a soft, slow tone suggest? What about a loud, fast tone?





  5. How did the social context or situation influence your understanding of the characters' emotions? Would their actions mean something different in a different situation?





  6. Did any character's emotions seem to change during the clip? What subtle cues indicated this change?




  7. Why is it important to pay attention to these unspoken emotions in real life?
    * How can understanding subtle cues help you in your friendships or with your family?






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Worksheet

Unspoken Emotions: Observation Log

Name: ____________________________

Date: ____________________________

Instructions: As you watch the film clip, pay close attention to what the characters are feeling, even if they don't say it. Use this log to record at least two different unspoken emotions you observe and the clues (subtle cues) that helped you figure them out.

Observation 1

1. What unspoken emotion did you observe?


2. What specific clues (subtle cues) helped you identify this emotion? (Think about body language, facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, or tone of voice if any sounds were made.)












3. How did the social context (the situation) play a role in understanding this emotion?





Observation 2

1. What unspoken emotion did you observe?


2. What specific clues (subtle cues) helped you identify this emotion? (Think about body language, facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, or tone of voice if any sounds were made.)












3. How did the social context (the situation) play a role in understanding this emotion?





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Warm Up

Emotion Charades Warm-Up

Objective: To activate prior knowledge about non-verbal communication and introduce the idea of unspoken emotions.

Time: 5 minutes

Instructions for Teacher:

  1. Introduce the Activity (1 minute): Explain to students that you're going to play a quick game called
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