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South Carolina Communication Standards: C:MC:1
Materials and activities are created by SYT and are intended for classroom use only. Activities and materials may not be reproduced or replicated for any other purposes.
My Voice Brings Change
My Voice Brings Change
The crayons used their voices to explain to Duncan that they felt some things were not fair. As a result, Duncan listened and made some changes that made the world a better place for the crayons.
The crayons used their voices to explain to Duncan that they felt some things were not fair. As a result, Duncan listened and made some changes that made the world a better place for the crayons.
Think about your world, your classroom and your school. How can you use your voice to create positive change that will make the world a better place for everyone? Use the recording sheet below to record your ideas and then be sure to share with your class!
Change Starts With ME!_ SYT.pdfBeing a Good Listener
Being a Good Listener
The crayons shared with Duncan their feelings and opinions, but in order for any change to happen, Duncan had to listen to them
The crayons shared with Duncan their feelings and opinions, but in order for any change to happen, Duncan had to listen to them
What does it mean to be a good listener? Participate in the activity below to practice and reflect on your listening skills.
As a class, brainstorm what qualities a good listener has or how you know someone is listening to you. The teacher will record the thoughts on the board or chart paper.
Next, find a partner and sit knee to knee with him/her.
Each partner will have a turn to complete the following-
Partner A will begin talking about anything he/she wants for 30 seconds. Partner B can only listen- no responding, no nodding, no "mmmhmm", no body language or facial expressions-Partner B will focus on only LISTENING to what is being said, NOT responding.
After both partners have had an opportunity to talk and listen, spend some time talking together and reflecting on these questions:
How did you feel when you were talking?
How did you feel when you were listening?
Were you thinking about all the things you wanted to say back to your friend or were you able to really hear what they were trying to say?
What was hard? What was easy?
What did you learn about yourself as a listener?
Come together as a full class and discuss reflections. Discuss how in order to be a good listener, we can't think about ourselves and our responses, but rather we have to de-center ourself and really focus on the other person.
Revist the "What Makes A Good Listener" chart from the beginning of the activity. Add any additional thoughts.
Finally, have students share one thing they will do this week to be better listeners for their friends. This can be written or oral.
Note: We can show a talker that we are engaged by nodding and using facial expressions, but the purpose of taking them away in this activity is to allow students to focus only on listening, not responding.
If you have any questions or need assistance, contact Alyssa at alyssaclikens@gmail.com
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