Guess the Emotion Charades

Objective: To practice recognizing and expressing emotions using only non-verbal communication.

Materials:

• Small slips of paper with various emotions written on them (see list below)
• A bowl or hat to draw from

Instructions:

1. Divide into Teams: Split the class into small groups of 3-4 students.
2. Explain the Rules: One student from a team will draw an emotion from the bowl. They will then act out that emotion using only body language, facial expressions, and gestures – no talking or sounds!
3. Guessing: Their team members have 60 seconds to guess the emotion. If they guess correctly, their team gets a point.
4. Rotate: Teams take turns, and a new student from the acting team acts out the next emotion.
5. Discussion: After each round, briefly discuss how the actor conveyed the emotion and what specific non-verbal cues were used. This is a great opportunity to reinforce learning!

Emotion Ideas (write each on a separate slip of paper):

• Happy
• Sad
• Angry
• Surprised
• Confused
• Scared
• Excited
• Bored
• Proud
• Shy
• Frustrated
• Calm
• Curious
• Annoyed
• Nervous

Challenge: For older students, allow for more complex emotions or scenarios like:

• Trying to hide something
• Feeling left out
• Being very suspicious

Remember to encourage good sportsmanship and thoughtful observation!

The Day Leo Learned to Listen Without Ears

Leo loved to talk. He loved to tell jokes, share stories, and ask a million questions. But sometimes, Leo noticed that even when people were listening to his words, they didn’t always seem to understand him, or he didn't quite understand them.

One sunny afternoon, Leo was excitedly telling his friend, Maya, about his new pet hamster, Pip. "...and Pip built the most amazing tunnel system, like a tiny city!" Leo gesticulated wildly with his hands, making tunnels in the air.

Maya was nodding, saying, "Wow, that's cool!" But her shoulders were slumped, her eyes kept darting to the clock, and she was tapping her foot. Leo, caught up in his story, didn't really see these things. He just heard her words. When he finished, Maya quickly said, "That's great, Leo, but I really need to finish my homework. Gotta go!" and hurried away.

Leo felt a little confused and deflated. Hadn't Maya said it was cool? Why did she leave so fast?

Later that day, Leo was at the park. His older sister, Chloe, was sitting on a bench, staring at the ground. Her arms were crossed tightly, and her eyebrows were furrowed. Leo, ever the talker, sat next to her and started, "Hey, Chloe, guess what Pip did today—"

"Leo, please, not now," Chloe mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. She didn't even look up. This time, something clicked for Leo. He saw her posture, her crossed arms, the way her shoulders were hunched. He heard the quiet, sad tone of her voice. Chloe wasn't saying she was upset, but her whole body was shouting it.

He remembered his mom once saying, "Sometimes, Leo, people say one thing with their mouth, but another with their body." He slowly stood up, walked to the ice cream truck, and bought two scoops. He brought one back to Chloe and sat down, not saying a word. He just sat quietly next to her, eating his ice cream.

After a few minutes, Chloe uncrossed her arms and sighed. She took the ice cream. "Thanks, Leo," she said, a small, weak smile appearing. "I had a really tough day at school." Leo just nodded, taking a lick of his own ice cream. He didn't need words to know she appreciated his silent company.

From that day on, Leo started to look and listen with his eyes. He noticed how his teacher's smile widened when a student understood a tough concept, or how his classmate's shoulders would relax when they finished a big test. He even noticed that when he stood tall and looked people in the eye, they seemed to listen to him more intently.

He realized that the world was full of silent signals, a secret language everyone spoke, whether they knew it or not. And by learning to read it, he could understand people better, and even be a better friend.

Warm Up: What's Your Vibe?

Instructions: Look at the images below (imagine they are projected on the board).

1. Image 1: A person with wide eyes and an open mouth. What emotion do you think they are feeling? How can you tell?
   
   
   
2. Image 2: A person with slumped shoulders and looking at the ground. What message is their body sending?
   
   
   
3. Think about it: Without saying a word, how do you communicate when you are excited about something? What about when you are bored?
   
   
   

(Teacher Note: If no images are available, simply describe two scenarios for students to interpret.)

Cool Down: My Silent Message

Instructions: On a small piece of paper or in your notebook, answer the following question:

1. Think about one non-verbal cue (like eye contact, posture, or a gesture) that you will pay more attention to when you are communicating with others. Why did you choose this one?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What is one thing your body language usually communicates to others without you even realizing it?