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Unlock Your Voice

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Lesson Plan

Unlock Your Voice Lesson Plan

Students will develop clear expression and active listening skills through guided discussion, partner activities, and interactive games to enhance collaboration and conflict resolution in real-life situations.

Effective communication empowers students to collaborate, resolve conflicts respectfully, and feel heard. These skills build confidence, improve peer relationships, and support academic and social success.

Audience

Middle School Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Through discussion, role-play, and interactive games.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Communication Icebreaker

5 minutes

  • Students form a circle.
  • Prompt: “State your name and a favorite hobby in a clear, loud voice.”
  • Each student repeats the previous student’s hobby before sharing their own.
    Differentiation:
  • Provide sentence starters (e.g., “My favorite hobby is ___ because ___”).
  • Allow extra think-time for IEP/504 students.

Step 2

Discussion: What Is Effective Communication?

10 minutes

  • Display a simple definition of communication on the whiteboard.
  • Ask: “What makes communication clear and respectful?” Record responses.
  • Highlight active listening cues: eye contact, nodding, asking questions.
    Differentiation:
  • Use visuals on slides.
  • Pair English learners with peers for support.

Step 3

Partner Activity: Active Listening

10 minutes

  • Students pair up.
  • Partner A shares a short personal story (1 minute) using clear expression.
  • Partner B listens and completes the Active Listening Worksheet.
  • Roles switch.
    Differentiation:
  • Offer sentence frames (e.g., “So you felt ___ when ___?”).
  • Allow drawing responses on the worksheet.

Step 4

Game: Expression Role-Play Relay

15 minutes

  • Divide class into small teams.
  • Teams take turns selecting an Expression Role-Play Card.
  • One student from each team acts out the scenario; teammates guess which skill is shown (clear expression or active listening).
  • Award points for correct guesses.
  • First team to finish the game board on the Scenario Game Board wins.
    Differentiation:
  • Simplify scenarios for language learners.
  • Pair stronger readers with students needing support.

Step 5

Cool-Down and Reflection

5 minutes

  • Bring students together.
  • On the whiteboard, write one thing you learned and one way you’ll use it.
  • Students volunteer to share or post responses on sticky notes.
    Assessment:
  • Collect and review worksheets for understanding.
  • Observe participation and check reflection notes for key takeaways.
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Slide Deck

Unlock Your Voice

Effective Communication Skills

Welcome students to the lesson. Introduce the goal: practice clear speaking and active listening.

Warm-Up: Communication Icebreaker

• Form a circle
• Say your name and a favorite hobby clearly
• Repeat the previous person’s hobby before sharing yours

Explain the icebreaker. Model one turn. Encourage clear volume and eye contact.

What Is Effective Communication?

Clear speaking and respectful listening

Think: What makes speaking clear and respectful?

Define communication in simple terms. Solicit student ideas and record them on the board.

Active Listening Cues

• Eye contact
• Nodding
• Asking questions
• Not interrupting

Highlight each cue with a quick demonstration or ask students to show one.

Partner Activity: Active Listening

  1. Pair up
  2. Partner A shares a short story (1 min)
  3. Partner B listens and fills the worksheet
  4. Switch roles

Review the worksheet and sentence frames. Circulate to support pairs.

Game: Expression Role-Play Relay

• Teams draw a role-play card
• Act out clear expression or listening
• Teammates guess the skill
• Earn points and advance on the game board

Explain the relay rules and point system. Keep teams small and rotate quickly.

Cool-Down: Reflection

  1. Write one thing you learned
  2. Write one way you’ll use it
    Share with the class

Collect student reflections. Ask volunteers to share aloud or post sticky notes.

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Worksheet

Active Listening Worksheet

Part 1: Active Listening Cues

Check the boxes when you see these cues in your partner:

☐ Eye contact
☐ Nodding
☐ Asking questions
☐ Not interrupting

Part 2: Paraphrase

In your own words, explain what your partner said:






Part 3: Question to Ask

Write one question you can ask to show you are listening:



Part 4: Draw Feeling

Draw a picture of how your partner felt during their story:












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Activity

Expression Role-Play Cards

Use these cards during the relay game. Each card describes a short scenario. Teams act out the scenario showing either clear expression or active listening. Teammates guess which skill is being demonstrated.

Cards:

  1. Prompt: “Ask a friend politely if you can borrow their pencil.”
    Skill: Clear Expression

  2. Prompt: “Listen quietly while your partner describes their weekend plans.”
    Skill: Active Listening

  3. Prompt: “Explain to the class how to solve a simple math problem step by step.”
    Skill: Clear Expression

  4. Prompt: “Nod and say ‘I understand’ while a classmate shares a story.”
    Skill: Active Listening

  5. Prompt: “Ask a follow-up question about your partner’s favorite hobby.”
    Skill: Active Listening

  6. Prompt: “Tell someone you disagree with their idea in a polite way.”
    Skill: Clear Expression

  7. Prompt: “Paraphrase your partner: ‘So you felt happy when…’”
    Skill: Active Listening

  8. Prompt: “Give clear directions to a friend on how to get to the library.”
    Skill: Clear Expression

  9. Prompt: “Maintain eye contact and don’t interrupt while someone explains a game.”
    Skill: Active Listening

  10. Prompt: “Announce the rules of a game to your team in a loud, clear voice.”
    Skill: Clear Expression

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Game

Scenario Game Board

Objective: Be the first team to reach [Finish] by earning points in the Expression Role-Play Relay.

How to Move:

  • Each correct guess in the relay earns your team 1 point.
  • For each point, move forward 1 space on the game board.
  • No points (incorrect guess) means you stay on your current space.

Game Board:

[Start] - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - ⭐5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 🎉10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - ⭐15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - [Finish]

Milestones:

  • ⭐5 & ⭐15: Share one tip for clear expression or active listening. If approved by the teacher, move ahead 1 extra space.
  • 🎉10: Team picks a bonus cue (e.g., “What is eye contact?”). If correct, move ahead 2 extra spaces.

Winning:
First team to land on or pass [Finish] wins the game!

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Discussion

Communication Discussion

Purpose

Guide students to define and explore the elements of effective communication through small-group and whole-class dialogue.

Time Allocation

  • Small-group discussion: 7 minutes
  • Whole-class share-out: 5 minutes

Setup and Roles

  1. Divide students into groups of 3–4.
  2. Assign roles in each group:
    • Facilitator – Keeps the group on task and tracks time.
    • Recorder – Takes notes on key ideas.
    • Reporter – Shares group’s insights with the class.
  3. Display or distribute a copy of these questions to each group.

Small-Group Prompts (7 minutes)

  1. In your own words, what does effective communication mean?
    • Why do you think those elements are important?



  2. Recall a time you felt truly heard.
    • What made that conversation effective?




  3. Identify one active listening cue (eye contact, nodding, question-asking, not interrupting) you notice most often.
    • How does that cue help the speaker?




  4. How does speaking clearly (volume, tone, word choice) help avoid misunderstandings?
    • Share a brief example.




Optional Follow-Up Prompts

  • Has anyone disagreed or felt misunderstood? What happened?
  • How might you combine clear expression and active listening in a conflict?

Whole-Class Share-Out (5 minutes)

  1. Each group’s Reporter shares one key insight or example.
  2. Teacher records recurring themes or new ideas on the whiteboard.
  3. Teacher asks a follow-up:
    • “Which listening cue or speaking tip surprised you most?”
    • “How could you practice this skill today?”

End Reflection:

  • On a sticky note or exit ticket, write one thing you learned and one way you’ll use it outside class.
  • Post notes on the board or hand them in as you leave.
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Cool Down

Cool-Down: Reflection

Instructions

  1. Take a sticky note or a sheet of paper.
  2. Write one thing you learned today about communication:




  3. Write one way you will use this skill outside of class:




  4. When you finish, share your note with a classmate or post it on the board.

Great job today! Use these ideas to practice clear expression and active listening every day.

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