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lenny

Speak Up!

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jtoomey

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Speak Up Lesson Plan

Students will practice active listening, express ideas clearly, and give constructive feedback through interactive activities.

Effective communication builds collaboration, confidence, and success in academic and social settings by teaching students to listen, articulate ideas, and support peers.

Audience

9th Grade

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Interactive role-plays and collaborative activities.

Materials

  • Communication Skills Slide Deck, - Warm-Up Prompt Sheet, - Feedback Worksheet, and - Whiteboard and Markers

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print enough copies of Warm-Up Prompt Sheet and Feedback Worksheet for each student.
  • Open the Communication Skills Slide Deck and review the content.
  • Ensure the whiteboard and markers are ready for group discussion.

Step 1

Warm-Up Activity

10 minutes

  • Distribute Warm-Up Prompt Sheet.
  • In pairs, students discuss a time they felt misunderstood.
  • Invite volunteers to share key takeaways with the class.

Step 2

Teaching Key Concepts

15 minutes

  • Present slides from the Communication Skills Slide Deck.
  • Define active listening, clear expression, and constructive feedback.
  • Ask students to give real-life examples for each concept.

Step 3

Role-Play Practice

20 minutes

  • Assign students to pairs and provide a scenario.
  • Students role-play speaker and listener, practicing active listening.
  • Use the Feedback Worksheet to note observations.
  • After 10 minutes, have pairs switch roles and repeat.

Step 4

Group Reflection

10 minutes

  • Reconvene as a whole class.
  • Ask volunteers to share challenges and successes from the role-play.
  • Discuss strategies to overcome common communication barriers.

Step 5

Exit Ticket

5 minutes

  • Ask students to write on an index card: “What is one communication skill you’ll improve this week?”
  • Collect the cards for review and follow-up.
lenny

Slide Deck

Speak Up!

Mastering Communication Skills

• Active Listening
• Clear Expression
• Constructive Feedback

Welcome students! Introduce the lesson by emphasizing the power of communication in academics, friendships, and future careers. Share a brief personal story about a time when listening closely changed an outcome.

Lesson Objectives

By the end of this session, you will:
• Practice active listening
• Express your ideas clearly
• Give constructive feedback

Review each objective aloud, asking students to give a quick thumbs-up if they agree these skills are important. Explain that by the end of today’s class, they will practice each one.

Warm-Up Activity

Think-Pair-Share: Times You Felt Misunderstood

  1. Pair up with a classmate.
  2. Describe a situation where you felt someone didn’t understand you.
  3. Listen actively to your partner’s story.
  4. Prepare to share one insight with the class.

Distribute the Warm-Up Prompt Sheet. Instruct pairs to share a moment when they felt misunderstood. Circulate to listen in, then invite two or three pairs to share highlights.

Active Listening

What Is It?
• Fully focusing on the speaker
• Showing you understand through paraphrase and questions
• Using nonverbal cues: eye contact, nods

Define active listening. Emphasize nonverbal cues (eye contact, nodding), paraphrasing, and asking clarifying questions. Demonstrate with a quick role-play.

Clear Expression

What Is It?
• Organizing your thoughts before speaking
• Using clear, concise language
• Being mindful of tone and pace

Explain that clear expression means organizing thoughts and using simple language. Highlight tone and pacing. Ask students to say “My weekend was great” in two different tones.

Constructive Feedback

What Is It?
• Start with something positive
• Be specific and factual
• Offer suggestions, end with encouragement

Introduce the sandwich method: start with positive, give specific feedback, end with encouragement. Model with a simple classroom example—e.g., feedback on a class poster.

Real-Life Examples

Let’s Connect to Life!

• Share an example of active listening you’ve seen.
• Describe a time someone conveyed an idea clearly.
• Recall feedback that helped you improve.

Engage the class: ask for one real-life example of each skill. Write volunteers’ responses on the board to reinforce understanding.

Role-Play Practice

  1. Form pairs and choose roles: Speaker & Listener
  2. Use scenario card to guide your conversation
  3. Listener practices active listening
  4. Speaker expresses their idea clearly
  5. Use the Feedback Worksheet to note strengths and suggestions
  6. Switch roles after 10 minutes

Explain role-play instructions and distribute scenario cards plus Feedback Worksheets. Walk through one example, then let pairs begin.

Group Reflection

Reflect Together

• What was easiest or hardest about role-playing?
• Which communication barrier popped up?
• How did you overcome it?
• What will you do differently next time?

Gather students in a circle. Ask volunteers to share challenges they faced and what strategies helped. Emphasize growth mindset and continual practice.

Exit Ticket

On an index card, write:
“What is one communication skill you’ll improve this week?”

Distribute index cards. Read the prompt aloud. Collect cards as students finish so you can gauge next steps.

Wrap-Up & Next Steps

Great work today!

• Practice these skills daily
• Reflect on your progress
• Next session: Applying communication in group projects

Thank students for their participation. Encourage them to apply these skills in group projects, family conversations, and social interactions. Preview next week’s lesson topic.

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Warm Up

Warm-Up Prompt Sheet: Think-Pair-Share — Times You Felt Misunderstood

Step 1: Think (1 minute)

  • Recall a moment when you felt someone didn’t understand you.
  • Reflect on:
    • The situation
    • How you felt
    • What you wish you’d communicated




Step 2: Pair (4 minutes)

  • Partner A (Speaker): Share your story clearly and specifically.
  • Partner B (Listener): Practice active listening—make eye contact, nod, and paraphrase what you hear.
  • Listener, ask one clarifying question at the end (e.g., “What did you want them to understand most?”).
  • After 2 minutes, switch roles.






Step 3: Share (2 minutes)

  • Together, decide on one key insight from your partner’s story (e.g., a strategy that would have helped or a moment that stood out).
  • Be ready to share your insight with the whole class when called upon.
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lenny

Worksheet

Feedback Worksheet

Name: ______________________


Partner Name: ______________________


Date: ______________________

Part A: Active Listening Reflection

  1. List three active listening techniques you used (e.g., eye contact, nodding, paraphrasing):
    1. ______________________

    1. ______________________

    1. ______________________


  1. What is one thing you could do better next time to show active listening?





Part B: Observing Your Partner’s Clear Expression

  1. Describe one moment when your partner expressed their idea very clearly:







  2. Suggest one specific way they could clarify their message even more:







Part C: Providing Constructive Feedback (Sandwich Method)

Positive Comment (Start with something positive):





Specific Suggestion (Area for improvement):





Encouragement (End with support):




Part D: Self-Reflection

What is one communication skill you’ll focus on improving as a speaker?






What is one communication skill you’ll focus on improving as a listener?





lenny
lenny