Share Your Superpower!

Think about something you are really good at, or something you love to talk about.

In one or two sentences, how would you describe your 'superpower' to a friend?

Teacher's Script: Your Voice, Your Story!

Warm-Up: Share Your Superpower (10 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Good morning, everyone! Let's start our day with a fun warm-up. I want you to think about something you are really, really good at, or something you love to talk about more than anything else. It could be a hobby, a special skill, or even your favorite subject.

(Teacher says): "Now, in one or two sentences, how would you describe your 'superpower' to a friend? Take a moment to think about it. You'll share it with a partner or with the class, if you feel comfortable. Remember, when you share, try to speak clearly so everyone can hear your amazing superpower!"

Allow students a few minutes to think and then facilitate sharing. Encourage them to listen to each other respectfully.

Introduction: The Power of Voice (15 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Fantastic superpowers, everyone! It was wonderful to hear you share them. Today, we're going to talk about something super important that helps us share our superpowers and all our other thoughts and stories: our voice!"

(Teacher says): "Think about it: Why do you think your voice is such an important tool when you talk to others? What does it help you do?"

Pause for student responses. Guide the discussion to include ideas like 'sharing ideas,' 'telling stories,' 'connecting with people,' 'expressing feelings.'

(Teacher says): "Exactly! Our voice is powerful! It helps us do all those things and more. But sometimes, without even realizing it, our voice can get a little tricky. Maybe it gets too loud, or too soft, or sometimes it doesn't quite show how we feel. When that happens, it can sometimes be hard for others to hear or understand us comfortably."

(Teacher says): "Today, we're going to learn how to be the boss of our voices! We'll explore two important parts of our voice: volume and tone. Learning to control these will help us tell even more amazing stories and speak clearly to anyone, anywhere."

Reading & Discussion: The Power of Your Voice (25 minutes)

(Teacher says): "To help us understand more, I have a short reading for you called The Power of Your Voice Reading. You can read it quietly to yourselves, or if you prefer, we can read it aloud together as a class. Let's make sure everyone gets a copy."

Distribute the reading material. Allow sufficient time for reading.

(Teacher says): "Now that we've read about the power of our voices, let's talk about it. Look at the Group Discussion Guide for some questions."

Facilitate a discussion using the discussion guide. Encourage students to share their thoughts and connect the reading to their own experiences.

Activity: Storytelling Volume Challenge (30 minutes)

(Teacher says): "That was a great discussion! Now it's time to put what we've learned into practice with our Storytelling Volume Activity!"

(Teacher says): "Remember how we talked about volume – how loud or soft our voice is? When we tell stories, changing our volume can make the story much more exciting and interesting! Imagine you're telling a secret – would you whisper or shout?"

Pause for answers: whisper.

(Teacher says): "What if a big, scary monster suddenly appeared in your story? Would your voice stay quiet, or would it get louder and more dramatic?"

Pause for answers: louder.

(Teacher says): "Exactly! Today, you'll each get a chance to tell a very short story – it can be about anything you like! It could be about your favorite animal, a fun day you had, or even a silly dream. As you tell your story, I want you to try changing your voice volume. Make some parts soft, some parts normal, and some parts a little louder to match what's happening in your story."

Explain the activity using the Storytelling Volume Activity details. Guide students through practicing a short story, providing gentle feedback and encouragement.

Worksheet: My Voice Control (20 minutes)

(Teacher says): "You all did a fantastic job practicing! It takes courage to try new things with our voices. To help you remember what we've learned, I have a My Voice Control Worksheet for you. This worksheet will help you think about your own voice and how you can practice using it effectively."

Distribute the worksheets. Provide support as needed while students complete them.

Quiz: Voice Skills Check (15 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Now that we've practiced and reflected, let's see what we've learned with a quick Voice Skills Quiz. Don't worry, it's just to help us all see what we remember. Do your best!"

Administer the quiz. After students complete it, review the answers together as a class, clarifying any misunderstandings.

Cool Down: Reflect and Connect (5 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Wow, we've covered a lot about our amazing voices today! Before we finish, let's take a moment to reflect."

(Teacher says): "Looking at our Reflect and Connect Cool Down, can you share one thing you learned today about your voice, or one way you plan to use your voice more effectively in the future?"

Allow students to share. Thank them for their participation and effort.

The Power of Your Voice

Our voice is like a special instrument we carry with us everywhere! It helps us share our thoughts, feelings, and amazing stories with the world. Just like a musician uses different notes, we can use different parts of our voice to make our message clear and interesting.

Understanding Volume

Volume is simply how loud or soft your voice is. Think about it like a faucet: you can turn it to a gentle drip, a steady stream, or a powerful gush! Our voices can do the same thing.

• Soft Voice: This is like a whisper or when you're telling a secret. It's good for quiet moments or when you're close to someone.
• Normal Voice: This is your everyday voice, perfect for talking to one or two friends or family members in a quiet room. It's easy for people nearby to hear.
• Loud Voice: This is when you need many people to hear you, like when you're sharing a story with a whole group, giving a presentation, or calling across a room. You want to be heard, but not shout so loudly that it's uncomfortable for others.

Using the "just right" volume helps everyone listen comfortably and understand what you're saying.

Exploring Tone

Tone is the feeling or emotion in your voice. It's how your voice sounds, beyond just the words you use. Imagine saying the words, "Oh, really?"

• If you say it with a happy tone, it might mean you're excited about something new.
• If you say it with a sarcastic tone, it might mean you don't believe what someone is saying.
• If you say it with a questioning tone, it might mean you're curious and want to know more.

Your tone helps people understand how you feel about what you are saying. It adds color and emotion to your words. A story told with a flat tone can be boring, but a story told with changing tones (excitement, mystery, seriousness) can be captivating!

Putting It Together

Learning to control your volume and tone is like learning to play your voice instrument beautifully. When you can choose to be soft, normal, or loud, and when you can let your voice show excitement, happiness, or seriousness, your communication becomes much more powerful and engaging. It makes your stories come alive and helps you connect with others in a deeper way. It also ensures that when you're speaking, people can listen comfortably and clearly understand your message, whether it's a quiet chat or a big presentation.

Storytelling Volume Challenge!

Today, we're going to become amazing storytellers by controlling our voice volume! Remember, volume is how loud or soft our voice is. Changing your volume makes your stories exciting and helps your listeners understand the feelings and events in your tale.

Your Challenge:

1. Choose Your Story: Think of a very short story you can tell. It could be:
   • A funny thing that happened to you.
   • A time you felt very excited or surprised.
   • A simple story about your favorite animal or a character.
   • A dream you had.
2. Practice Different Volumes: As you tell your story, try to use different voice volumes for different parts. Here are some ideas:
   • Whisper: For a secret, something small, or a quiet moment.
   • Normal: For most of the story, when things are calm.
   • Loud (but not yelling!): For something exciting, a big surprise, or when a character is shouting.

Example Story Idea:

• "One sunny morning, (normal volume) I went for a walk. I heard a tiny, tiny 'meow' (soft volume, almost a whisper) from under a bush! To my surprise, a fluffy kitten popped out! (slightly louder, excited volume) It was so cute!"

Time to Share!

• Pair Up: You can practice with a partner, or if you feel brave, share your story with the whole class!
• Listen Actively: When others are sharing, listen for how they change their volume. Encourage each other with claps and smiles!

Reflection Questions (After sharing):

• How did it feel to change your voice volume while telling your story?

• What part of your story was easiest to make loud? What part was easiest to make soft?

• How did changing your volume make your story more interesting for your listeners?

Group Discussion Guide: The Power of Your Voice

Let's discuss what we've learned from "The Power of Your Voice" reading. Share your thoughts and ideas respectfully.

Discussion Questions:

1. The reading compared our voice to a special instrument. What does that mean to you?
   
   
   
   
2. What is the difference between volume and tone in our voices?
   
   
   
3. Can you give an example of a time when using a soft volume would be important? What about a loud volume?
   
   
   
   
4. How can the tone of your voice change how someone understands what you're saying, even if you use the exact same words? Think of an example.
   
   
   
   
5. The reading says that controlling our volume and tone makes our stories "come alive." What does that mean? How does it help us connect with others?
   
   
   
   
6. Think about a time someone spoke to you. How did their voice (their volume or tone) make you feel? Did it make you want to listen more, or less?
   
   
   
   
7. What is one new idea you learned about your voice from the reading?
   
   
   
   

My Voice Control Worksheet

Name: ____________________________ Date: ___________________

Today, we learned about the superpower of our voices: controlling volume and tone!

Part 1: Reflecting on My Voice

1. When I tell a story or talk to a group, do I usually speak:
   • Very softly (hard for others to hear)?
   • Just right (easy for others to hear)?
   • Very loudly (sometimes too loud for others)?
     
     
     
     
2. Can you think of a time when your voice volume was just right for the situation?
   
   
   
   
   
3. Can you think of a time when your voice was too loud or too soft for the situation? How did it feel?
   
   
   
   
   
4. How do you think your feelings (like being happy, excited, or serious) show up in your voice?
   
   
   
   
   

Part 2: Practicing My Voice Superpower

5. Think about one specific thing you want to try with your voice this week (e.g., trying to speak a little softer when indoors, trying to speak a little louder when sharing an idea in a group, or trying to show more excitement in your voice).

   I will try to:
   
   
   
   

6. Who is one person you could practice this with (a friend, family member, or teacher)?

   I can practice with:
   
   
   
   

7. Imagine telling a short story about your favorite animal. Write down one sentence you would say in a soft voice, and one sentence you would say in a louder voice.

   • Soft Voice Sentence:
     
     
     
     
   • Louder Voice Sentence:
     
     
     
     

Great job reflecting on your voice! Keep practicing and notice the difference!

Reflect and Connect Cool Down

Let's take a moment to reflect on what we've learned about our voices today.

1. What is one new thing you learned about your voice or how to use it effectively?
   
   
   
   
   

2. What is one way you will try to use your voice more effectively this week, whether it's changing your volume or your tone?
   
   
   
   
   

3. How do you think using your "voice superpower" can help you connect better with others?