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Say What?! Tone & Volume

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Lesson Plan

Say What?! Tone & Volume

Students will explore how different tones of voice convey various emotions and learn to adjust their speaking volume to match social situations, fostering clearer communication and positive interactions.

Understanding tone and volume is crucial for effective communication and building relationships. For students with autism, explicitly learning these social cues can significantly improve their ability to express themselves and interpret others, reducing misunderstandings.

Audience

K-2 Present Grade Level Autism Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, role-playing, and activity-based learning.

Materials

Popsicle sticks with emotions (happy, sad, angry, excited), Tone & Volume Slides, Say What?! Worksheet, Warm Up: Emotion Check-In, and Cool Down: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

Prep

Gather Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm Up: Emotion Check-In

5 minutes

Begin with the Warm Up: Emotion Check-In activity. Ask students to share how they are feeling using the emotion popsicle sticks. Discuss how their voice might sound if they were feeling that emotion.

Step 2

Introduction to Tone & Volume

5 minutes

Use the first few slides of the Tone & Volume Slides to introduce the concepts of tone of voice and volume. Provide clear, simple definitions and examples. Explain that tone is how we say something and volume is how loud we say it.

Step 3

Exploring Emotions and Tone

10 minutes

Continue with the Tone & Volume Slides to explore different emotions and how they are expressed through tone. Practice saying simple sentences in different tones (e.g., "I like ice cream" in a happy tone, then a sad tone, then an excited tone). Guide students to identify the emotion based on the tone. Use the emotion popsicle sticks to aid this activity.

Step 4

Volume Control Practice

5 minutes

Transition to discussing volume using the Tone & Volume Slides. Discuss appropriate volume levels for different settings (e.g., library vs. playground). Practice saying a word or phrase at different volume levels (whisper, speaking voice, loud).

Step 5

Worksheet Activity

5 minutes

Distribute the Say What?! Worksheet. Guide students through the worksheet, reinforcing the concepts of tone and volume. Provide individual support as needed.

Step 6

Cool Down: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

5 minutes

Conclude the lesson with the Cool Down: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down activity. Review key takeaways and assess student understanding of appropriate tone and volume in different situations.

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Slide Deck

Say What?!

How do we use our voices to share feelings and ideas?

Welcome students and introduce the topic of how our voices can change messages. Ask them to think about how they use their voices.

Tone of Voice: The Feeling

Tone is the feeling in your voice.

  • Happy Tone
  • Sad Tone
  • Angry Tone
  • Excited Tone

Explain that 'tone' is like the feeling or emotion in our voice. Give simple examples like a happy tone versus a sad tone. Use the emotion popsicle sticks to demonstrate.

Tone Practice!

Let's say 'I like apples' in different ways!

  • Say it happily!
  • Say it sadly!
  • Say it excitedly!

Practice saying a simple sentence in different tones. Have students try along. Encourage them to listen to how their voice changes.

Volume: How Loud?

Volume is how loud your voice is.

  • Whisper (very quiet)
  • Speaking Voice (just right)
  • Loud Voice (very noisy)

Explain that 'volume' is how loud or quiet our voice is. Give examples of different volume levels.

Right Volume, Right Place

Where should our voices be:

  • In the library? 🤫
  • On the playground? 📢
  • In our classroom? 🗣️

Discuss appropriate volume for different places. Show pictures or act out scenarios for a library, playground, and classroom. Ask students what volume they would use.

Volume Practice!

Let's try saying 'Hello' in different volumes!

  • Whisper Hello!
  • Speaking Voice Hello!
  • Loud Hello!

Have students practice adjusting their volume. For example, say 'hello' in a whisper, then a normal voice, then a loud voice. Emphasize that we choose our volume based on the situation.

Remember This!

Our tone shows feelings. Our volume shows how loud. Both help us talk to friends!

Let's practice more on our worksheet!

Summarize the key takeaways: tone shows feeling, volume shows loudness. Both are important for good communication. Transition to the worksheet.

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Warm Up

Emotion Check-In

Instructions: Hold up the popsicle stick that shows how you are feeling right now!

  • How does your voice sound when you are feeling...?
    • Happy?


    • Sad?


    • Angry?


    • Excited?


Let's think about how our voice helps us show people how we feel, and how loud our voice is when we talk.

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Worksheet

Say What?! Tone & Volume Worksheet

Name: ________________________

Part 1: What's the Feeling? (Tone of Voice)

Look at the pictures. Circle the word that tells how the person is feeling by their voice.

  1. A child gets a new toy.

    • Happy
    • Sad
    • Angry



  2. A child drops their ice cream.

    • Happy
    • Sad
    • Excited



  3. A child is told they can't play outside.

    • Happy
    • Angry
    • Surprised



  4. A child sees their best friend after a long time.

    • Sad
    • Angry
    • Excited



Part 2: How Loud Is It? (Volume)

Draw a circle around the best voice volume for each place.

  1. In the library:

    • Whisper voice
    • Speaking voice
    • Loud voice



  2. On the playground:

    • Whisper voice
    • Speaking voice
    • Loud voice



  3. Talking to one friend close by:

    • Whisper voice
    • Speaking voice
    • Loud voice



  4. At a sports game:

    • Whisper voice
    • Speaking voice
    • Loud voice



Part 3: Show What You Know!

What is one thing you learned about using your voice today?












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Cool Down

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Tone & Volume Check

Instructions: Listen to the sentences. Give a Thumbs Up 👍 if the tone or volume is just right. Give a Thumbs Down 👎 if it's not right.

  1. Your friend says "I like playing!" in a happy voice at a normal volume.


  2. Someone shouts "I'm sad!" in the library.


  3. You whisper a secret to your friend next to you.


  4. A teacher uses a calm voice to tell you it's time to clean up.


  5. You shout your answer in class when the teacher is looking for quiet hands.


Reflect and Share:

What is one time you should use a quiet voice?


What is one time you should use a louder voice?


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