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lenny

Use Your Words!

dawn.maskell

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Use Your Words Lesson Plan

Students will learn strategies to express feelings and needs using words instead of hitting, then apply these strategies through role-play and reflect on their communication choices.

Teaching students to use words builds social-emotional skills, reduces conflicts, and fosters a respectful classroom community by providing constructive ways to communicate needs.

Audience

2nd Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Discussion, modeling, role-play, and reflection.

Materials

  • Feelings Faces Chart, - Use Your Words Poster, - Scenario Cards for Role-Play, and - Reflection Sheet: Expressing Feelings with Words

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print and display the Use Your Words Poster.
  • Print copies of the Feelings Faces Chart and place them where students can see.
  • Cut and organize the Scenario Cards for Role-Play into sets for pairs.
  • Print one Reflection Sheet: Expressing Feelings with Words for each student.
  • Review the lesson plan and materials to ensure smooth delivery.

Step 1

Introduction and Discussion

5 minutes

  • Gather students on the carpet and explain today’s focus: using words, not hands.
  • Show the Feelings Faces Chart and ask: “How do you know when someone is upset?”
  • Discuss examples of feeling angry or frustrated with a friend.
  • Ask volunteers to share a time they felt upset and what they did.

Step 2

Teach and Model

7 minutes

  • Present the Use Your Words Poster; read the key steps aloud.
  • Model an “I feel” statement: “I feel sad when you take my pencil. Please ask first.”
  • Ask a student volunteer to help model another statement using “I feel…when…please…”
  • Highlight the importance of tone, eye contact, and calm words.

Step 3

Guided Role-Play Practice

12 minutes

  • Pair up students and distribute one Scenario Cards for Role-Play to each pair.
  • Instruct pairs to read their scenario and act it out using only words to solve the problem.
  • Circulate, observe, and prompt students to use “I feel…” statements and polite requests.
  • Provide on-the-spot feedback and praise effective communication.

Step 4

Reflection and Closure

6 minutes

  • Hand out the Reflection Sheet: Expressing Feelings with Words.
  • Ask students to complete the prompt: “Next time I feel upset, I will say…”
  • Invite volunteers to share their reflections with the class.
  • Reinforce how using words helps everyone feel heard and respected.
lenny

Slide Deck

Use Your Words!

Express your feelings with words, not actions.

Welcome students! Introduce today’s lesson: using words instead of hands to solve problems.

Today’s Goals

  • Learn strategies to use words instead of hitting.
  • Practice “I feel…when…please” statements.
  • Reflect on how words help solve problems.

Read the goals aloud. Emphasize that by the end, they will know strategies, practice statements, and reflect.

Recognizing Feelings

Feelings Faces Chart

Show the chart and ask: “How do you know when someone is upset?” Invite examples.

Why Use Words?

  • Helps friends understand how you feel
  • Solves problems peacefully
  • Shows respect and kindness

Discuss each reason. Ask students why using words is better than hitting.

Steps to Use Your Words

  1. I feel… (Name your feeling)
  2. when… (Tell what happened)
  3. please… (Ask kindly)

(See the Use Your Words Poster)

Display the poster while reviewing each step. Encourage students to repeat the steps aloud.

Example Statement

“I feel sad when you take my pencil. Please ask first.”

Model the example. Then invite a volunteer to practice another example with you.

Guided Role-Play

  • Pair up with a friend
  • Take a Scenario Card
  • Practice solving the problem using your words

Explain the role-play activity. Remind pairs to use the three steps. Circulate to support.

Reflection Time

Complete your Reflection Sheet: Expressing Feelings with Words

Prompt: “Next time I feel upset, I will say…”

Hand out reflection sheets. Monitor and encourage thoughtful responses.

Great Job!

Remember: Use your words to be a good friend and solve problems peacefully.

Praise students for their efforts. Remind them to use words every day.

lenny

Worksheet

Scenario Cards for Role-Play

Cut along the lines to use each card in your paired practice. Read your scenario and use “I feel… when… please…” statements to solve the problem.

Scenario 1: You and a friend both want to swing on the same swing at recess. What can you say?

Scenario 2: A classmate takes the pencil you were using without asking. What can you say?

Scenario 3: Someone bumps into you in the hallway and your books fall. What can you say?

Scenario 4: Two friends both want the same toy during free play. What can you say?

Scenario 5: A student calls you a name you don’t like. What can you say?

Scenario 6: Your partner is not sharing the markers during art time. What can you say?

Scenario 7: You and a friend both want to be the line leader today. What can you say?

Scenario 8: A classmate keeps talking while you are speaking. What can you say?

Scenario 9: Your group member won’t listen to your idea during a project. What can you say?

Scenario 10: Someone laughs at your drawing in art class. What can you say?

lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Reflection Sheet: Expressing Feelings with Words

Name: ____________________________ Date: _______________

Think and Write

Next time I feel upset, I will say:







Draw Your Words

Draw a picture showing how you will use your words to solve a problem instead of hitting.











lenny
lenny

Reading

Feelings Faces Chart

Understanding how we feel—and how our friends feel—helps us use the right words to talk. Look at each face and its feeling word.

FaceFeeling
🙂Happy
😢Sad
😠Mad/Angry
😲Surprised
😨Scared
😀Excited

When you notice someone’s face looks different, you can say, “You look ______. Are you okay?”
Or you can practice saying, “I feel ______ when ______, please ______,” to share your own feelings.

lenny
lenny

Project Guide

USE YOUR WORDS!

3 Steps to Share Your Feelings and Needs

  1. I feel… 😊 😢 😠
    • Name your feeling.
  2. When… ⏰
    • Tell what happened.
  3. Please… 🙏
    • Ask kindly for what you need.

Tips:

  • Use a calm voice and kind tone.
  • Make eye contact.
  • Speak slowly and clearly.

Using your words helps everyone feel heard and respected!

lenny
lenny

Warm Up

Feelings Check-In

Time: 5 minutes

  1. Look at the Feelings Faces Chart.
  2. Think about how you feel right now.
  3. Circle the face below that matches your feeling:

🙂 😢 😠 😲 😨 😀

  1. Write or draw one reason you feel this way:






  1. (Optional) Turn to a partner and share:
    “I feel ______ because ______.”
lenny
lenny

Cool Down

Communication Promise

Name: ____________________________ Date: _______________

My Promise

I promise that next time I feel upset, frustrated, or angry, I will use my words instead of my hands. I will say:

“I feel ______________ when ______________. Please ______________.”







Draw Your Promise

Draw a picture showing how you will use your words to solve a problem instead of hitting.











lenny
lenny