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Reading the Room

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Lesson Plan

Reading the Room

Students will be able to identify self-advocacy skills for challenging situations and classify various nonverbal social cues (play, work, frustrated, happy, sad), practicing appropriate responses.

Understanding nonverbal cues helps you 'read the room' and know how others are feeling, which is key to navigating social situations and building stronger relationships. Learning self-advocacy helps you speak up for yourself respectfully when things are tough.

Audience

Four 5th Grade Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Through discussion, examples, and practice, students will learn to interpret and respond to social cues.

Materials

Reading the Room Slides, and Social Cues Worksheet

Prep

Review Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What are Social Cues?

3 minutes

  • Begin with a quick discussion: "What does it mean to 'read the room'? Why is it important to pay attention to how people are acting without words?"
    - Introduce the concept of nonverbal social cues (facial expressions, body language, tone of voice).
    - Show the first few slides of the Reading the Room Slides to introduce the topic.

Step 2

Decoding Social Cues Activity

7 minutes

  • Present various scenarios or images from the Reading the Room Slides that demonstrate different emotions (play, work, frustrated, happy, sad).
    - Ask students to identify the nonverbal cues they see and classify the emotion.
    - Distribute the Social Cues Worksheet and have students work individually or in pairs to complete it.
    - Discuss appropriate responses to each cue, emphasizing empathy and respect.

Step 3

Self-Advocacy in Action

3 minutes

  • Introduce the idea of self-advocacy: "Sometimes, even when we understand the room, we need to speak up for ourselves. What does it mean to advocate for yourself in a challenging situation?"
    - Provide examples of appropriate self-advocacy, such as: 'I need a moment to think,' 'Can we talk about this later?', 'I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable with this right now.'
    - Encourage students to share their own examples of when they might need to use self-advocacy.

Step 4

Wrap-Up & Quick Check

2 minutes

  • Ask students to share one new nonverbal cue they learned to recognize or one self-advocacy phrase they might use.
    - Reiterate the importance of paying attention to others and speaking up for themselves respectfully.
    - Collect the Social Cues Worksheet for a quick check of understanding.
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Slide Deck

Reading the Room

Decoding Social Cues to Understand Others

Sometimes people say a lot without saying anything at all!

Welcome students and introduce the topic of understanding how people communicate without words. Ask if anyone has heard the phrase 'reading the room' before.

What are Social Cues?

  • Nonverbal Communication: Messages sent without words.
  • Examples: Facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, gestures.
  • These cues help us understand situations and people better.

Explain that social cues are like clues that tell us how someone is feeling or what they are thinking, even when they don't use words.

Why Do They Matter?

  • Helps you understand how others are feeling.
  • Guides you on how to respond appropriately.
  • Builds stronger relationships.
  • Avoids misunderstandings.

Emphasize why it's important for them personally – it helps them be better friends, understand teachers, and navigate school.

Cue #1: Playful!

How do people act when they're playing or having fun?

  • Smiling, laughing
  • Relaxed body, active movements
  • Sharing toys or activities
  • Making eye contact and inviting others to join

Discuss examples of 'Play' cues. Ask students for examples of what it looks like when people are playing.

Cue #2: Working Hard!

What does it look like when someone is focused on their work?

  • Concentrated expression, possibly a slight frown
  • Sitting still, focused on a task
  • Quiet, not talking much
  • May be looking at a book, computer, or assignment

Discuss examples of 'Work' cues. Ask students what it looks like when people are focused on work.

Cue #3: Happy!

How do you know when someone is happy?

  • Big smiles, bright eyes
  • Upbeat tone of voice (if talking)
  • Relaxed posture, open body language
  • Engaged and positive energy

Discuss 'Happy' cues. This is usually an easy one for students to identify.

Cue #4: Feeling Sad

What signs show someone is sad?

  • Downcast eyes, frowning, teary eyes
  • Slumped shoulders, quiet movements
  • Withdrawn, less engaged
  • May avoid eye contact

Discuss 'Sad' cues. Ask how they might respond if they see someone looking sad.

Cue #5: Frustrated!

How can you tell if someone is frustrated?

  • Frowning, furrowed brow, tight lips
  • Crossed arms, fidgeting, maybe sighing heavily
  • May be mumbling to themselves or making small, sharp movements
  • Looks stressed or stuck on a task

Discuss 'Frustrated' cues. Emphasize that frustration is a normal feeling and how important it is to recognize it in others.

Speaking Up: Self-Advocacy

What is Self-Advocacy?

  • Speaking up for yourself when you need something or feel uncomfortable.
  • Respectfully communicating your thoughts, feelings, and needs.
  • It's about being your own best helper!

Transition to self-advocacy. Explain that sometimes even if we understand others, we need to communicate our own needs.

Self-Advocacy Phrases

When you need to advocate for yourself, try saying:

  • "I need a moment to think."
  • "Can we talk about this later?"
  • "I'm feeling a bit uncomfortable with this right now."
  • "Could you please explain that again?"
  • "I need help with..."

Provide these examples and ask students if they can think of other ways to advocate for themselves in challenging situations.

Practice Makes Perfect!

The more you pay attention to social cues and practice self-advocacy, the easier it becomes.

Keep observing and keep speaking up for yourself respectfully!

Conclude by reminding students that these skills help them navigate their world more effectively.

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Worksheet

Social Cues Worksheet: Reading the Room

Name: ____________________________

Part 1: What's the Feeling?

Read the descriptions below and identify the social cue (Playful, Working Hard, Happy, Sad, Frustrated). Then, write down one nonverbal cue that helped you decide.

  1. A student is smiling broadly, laughing with friends, and moving around a lot during recess.



    Feeling: _____________________________

    Cue: _____________________________

  2. Another student has their eyebrows furrowed, is sighing, and keeps erasing their math problem over and over.



    Feeling: _____________________________

    Cue: _____________________________

  3. Your classmate is sitting quietly, looking down at their desk, and their shoulders are slumped.



    Feeling: _____________________________

    Cue: _____________________________

  4. Someone in your group has a concentrated look on their face and is writing carefully in their notebook, not looking up.



    Feeling: _____________________________

    Cue: _____________________________

  5. Your teacher has a relaxed smile, is making eye contact with the class, and speaking in a calm, upbeat tone.



    Feeling: _____________________________

    Cue: _____________________________

Part 2: How Would You Respond?

For each situation, identify the social cue and then write down an appropriate way to respond.

  1. You see a friend sitting alone with their arms crossed and a frown. You think they might be feeling frustrated or sad.



    Your Response: _____________________________

  2. During a group project, a teammate is laughing, making jokes, and poking others. You think they might be feeling playful, but it's distracting.



    Your Response: _____________________________

  3. You are trying to focus on your independent reading, but the student next to you is humming loudly and tapping their pencil. They seem to be feeling happy but are making it hard for you to concentrate.



    Your Response: _____________________________

Part 3: Self-Advocacy

Write a self-advocacy statement for each challenging situation. Remember to be clear and respectful.

  1. You are asked to present your project, but you feel nervous and need a moment to collect your thoughts.



    Self-Advocacy Statement: _____________________________

  2. A friend is telling you about a problem, but you don't feel comfortable giving advice on that topic.



    Self-Advocacy Statement: _____________________________

  3. You don't understand the instructions for an assignment, and you need the teacher to explain them again.



    Self-Advocacy Statement: _____________________________

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