Break the Silence Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Objective: Get students thinking about barriers to speaking up and prepare them to share feelings openly.

Materials:

• Sticky notes
• Pens
• Whiteboard or chart paper and markers

Activity Steps:

1. Distribute one sticky note and a pen to each student.
2. Prompt: “Think of a time you felt upset or frustrated but stayed silent. On your sticky note, write one short sentence about what stopped you from speaking up.”
   
   
   
3. Have students stick their notes on the whiteboard or chart paper.
4. Invite 2–3 volunteers to read their own (or another’s, if they’re comfortable) aloud.
5. Facilitate a quick discussion:
   • What common barriers did we notice? (e.g., fear, confusion, not wanting to upset others)
   • How might expressing our feelings calmly help in these moments?

Transition: Explain that today’s lesson will teach strategies—like I-Statements and empathetic listening—to overcome these barriers and communicate more confidently.

Conflict Role-Play Challenge (10 minutes)

Objective:
Students will practice using I-statements, empathy phrases, and calm body language to resolve realistic conflict scenarios with peers, adults, and family members.

Materials:

• Conflict Scenario Cards
• Timer
• Reflect-and-Respond Worksheet
• (Optional) Small sticky dots or tokens for ‘points’

Setup (1 minute):

1. Shuffle the Conflict Scenario Cards and place them face down in the center.
2. Pair students and give each pair a few sticky dots or tokens (if using).

How to Play:

1. Each pair draws one scenario card.
2. Role Assignment (30 sec): Student A plays themselves; Student B plays the other person in the scenario (peer, teacher, or family member).
3. Planning (1 min): Together, students agree on one I-statement and one empathy phrase to use (e.g., “I feel upset when…”; “I understand you…”). They jot these on their worksheet.
4. Role-Play (2 min): Students enact the scenario, focusing on tone, eye contact, and I-statements.
5. Feedback & Scoring (1 min): After the role-play:
   • Partners give one positive feedback on I-statement use and one suggestion for staying calm.
   • Award 1 token for each successful I-statement and 1 for empathetic listening.
6. Switch Roles & Repeat (3.5 min): Draw a new card, swap roles, and repeat steps 2–5.

Debrief (2 minutes):

• Invite pairs to share a highlight: “Which I-statement felt most natural?” or “What helped you stay calm?”
  
  
  
• Discuss strategies that worked across scenarios.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Remind students to record any new insights on their Reflect-and-Respond Worksheet.

Differentiation:

• Struggling learners: Provide a checklist of key phrases (I-statements, empathy starters) on the table.
• Advanced learners: Challenge them to suggest a positive next step after resolving the conflict (e.g., “Can we study together next time?”).

Empathy Bingo (8 minutes)

Objective:
Reinforce empathetic listening by recognizing and practicing empathy phrases.

Materials:

• Empathy Bingo Cards
• Pens

Setup (1 minute):

1. Distribute one Bingo card to each student and a pen.
2. Explain that each square on the card lists a common empathy phrase (e.g., “I understand you,” “That sounds tough,” etc.).

How to Play:

1. Pair up. Student A describes a recent conflict or frustrating situation for 1 minute.
2. Student B listens carefully and uses empathy phrases when responding.
3. Each time Student B uses a phrase that appears on Student A’s card, Student A marks that square.
4. After 2 minutes, switch roles: Student B shares, Student A listens and marks.
5. The first student to complete five squares in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) calls “Bingo!” and then shares which empathy phrases they heard and used.

Debrief (2 minutes):

• Which empathy phrase felt most natural to use?
  
  
  
• How did it feel to be listened to with empathy?
  
  
  
• When might you use these phrases in a real conversation at school or home?
  
  
  
  
  
  

Differentiation:

• Provide a phrase bank or sentence starters on each desk for students who need extra support.
• Challenge advanced learners to write an additional, original empathy phrase on their empty square.

Cool-Down Discussion (8 minutes)

Objective:
Help students reflect on what they learned, recognize growth in communication skills, and plan real-life applications.

Materials:

• Reflect-and-Respond Worksheet
• Whiteboard or chart paper and markers

Discussion Steps:

1. Gather & Ground (1 minute)
   • Invite students to sit in a circle.
   • Remind them of ground rules: one speaker at a time, respectful listening.
2. Share Key Takeaways (3 minutes)
   • Prompt each student to share one thing they did well today. For example:
     • “One I-statement I felt confident using…”
       
       
       
   • Write highlights on the board as students speak.
3. Deepen Understanding (3 minutes)
   • Ask follow-up questions to the group:
     • Which empathy phrase made you feel heard? Why?
       
       
       
     • What was the biggest challenge when trying to stay calm? How did you overcome it?
       
       
       
     • If you could do one scenario again, what would you do differently?
       
       
       
4. Plan for Real-Life (1 minute)
   • Direct students back to their Reflect-and-Respond Worksheet to jot down:
     1. A real situation this week where they will use an I-statement.
     2. One empathy phrase they’ll try when listening.

Wrap-Up:

• Encourage students to support each other: “If you see a friend struggling to speak up, remind them of what you learned today!”
• Congratulate them on practicing new skills and close with a group “high five.”

Conflict Scenario Cards

Use these cards for role-play activities. Each card describes a realistic conflict scenario. Practice using I-statements and empathy phrases to resolve each situation.

1. Borrowed Supplies Gone Missing
   A classmate borrowed your favorite pencil last week and still hasn’t returned it, even after you reminded them.
2. Group Project Imbalance
   In a group project, one partner isn’t doing their share of the work, and it’s affecting the whole group’s grade.
3. Late for Family Dinner
   Your parent is upset because you came home late for dinner without calling, and they think you were irresponsible.
4. Misunderstood Question in Class
   The teacher asked you a question in front of the class, but you didn’t understand it and felt embarrassed when you couldn’t answer.
5. Spreading a Rumor
   You heard that your close friend told other students something about you that isn’t true, and now people keep asking you about it.
6. Sibling Interruptions
   Your brother or sister constantly interrupts you when you’re playing a game or doing homework, and it’s driving you crazy.
7. Extra Help From Teacher
   You want more time or help on an assignment, but your teacher seems too busy and hasn’t given you a chance to explain.
8. Curfew Conflict
   You want to stay out later with friends this weekend, but your parents insist on the original curfew time.

Select a card, decide who will role-play each part, and use your I-statements and empathy phrases to work toward a calm solution.

Reflect-and-Respond Worksheet

Name: _________________________ Date: ________________

1. Scenario Practiced:
   Which conflict scenario did you role-play? Describe briefly.

1. I-Statement Reflection:
   Write the I-statement you used during your role-play.

1. Empathy Phrase Reflection:
   Which empathy phrase did you use when listening or responding?

1. Identify One Challenge:
   What was the biggest challenge you faced when trying to stay calm or communicate clearly? How might you handle it differently next time?

1. Celebrate a Success:
   What is one thing you did well in today’s activities?

1. Calming Strategy:
   What technique or strategy helped you stay calm during the role-play?

Plan for Real Life

7a. Describe a real situation you expect to face this week where you can use an I-statement.

7b. Write the I-statement you plan to use in that situation.

7c. Write one empathy phrase you will try when listening in real conversations.