Communication Lesson Plans for High School, Middle School and Upper Elementary: The BIG list of Communication Activities for your Students!

Communication Lesson Plans and Activities for High School students, Middle School and Upper Elementary – Mar 1, 2024: Effective communication is more than just a presentation mark.

• Here’s a free Text Message Puzzle: Why would you post it online? Can your students figure out who is texting and what is going on?
• Chat GPT has completely changed how we can communicate. Read more.

Communication is about getting your message across in a clear, effective way – especially when you’re tired, stressed out, or talking about hot-topic, controversial topics.

Here are some lessons to help students communicate clearly and effectively by understanding how communication breaks down. Students also reflect on their communication style. Are you assertive? Aggressive? Passive? Passive-Aggressive? Take the student survey to start the conversation!

Are you talking about ChatGPT and Education in your Communication Lesson Plans

ChatGPT is going to completely change Education. (Whether you want it to or not.)

A lot of teachers have mixed feelings about using ChatGPT in the classroom.

• Here’s a free YouTube video exploring if ChatGPT should be allowed in School
• Check out the Chat GPT Critical Thinking Debate lesson, which includes the slideshow and handouts used in that video.

Here are three ways we can use ChatGPT to help improve communication

1. Ask ChatGPT for feedback on how to say something more assertively.
2. Ask ChatGPT to predict how someone might respond to your message.
3. Ask ChatGPT to rephrase your ideas to communicate more clearly or concisely.

Anyone can use this artificial intelligence tool to give us a second opinion on how we can get our message across more effectively.

Now imagine what it can do for a student who is an English Language Learner (ELL, ESL) or a student with a learning disability.

If you have the ideas in your head, but you have trouble writing them down, or communicating them clearly, you can simply ask Chat GPT for help: “Here are some ideas I have. Can you help me put them together into a paragraph?”

PS, Chat GPT speaks multiple languages.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Our robot friends can learn to become biased or sexist (just like the Google search algorithm did. Here’s an example of how Google search provides sexist misinformation video lesson at 36:44)

Who are these Effective Communication Lesson Plans for?

Teachers could use these communication lesson plans to introduce the concept that communication is a skill. And, we can choose to use strategies to communicate more clearly.

Communication Lesson Plans for Homeroom teachers / Advisory Class

• Do this package in the first month of class, to set the gold standard ideal for what good communication looks like.
• Throughout the year, when students are having tough moments, you could explore whether they were being assertive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, or passive and this becomes a framework to help them communicate more clearly, especially when they’re in conflict or upset.

Communication Lesson Plans for English Language Arts teachers (English teachers / ESL / ELL teachers)

• Reading Lesson – Reading notes about 4 communicate styles and using criteria to come up with assertive responses. (Activity 11)
• Writing Lesson – Creating memes (Activity 9) and assertive responses (Activity 11)
• Oral Communication Lesson– (Activity 1-11)
  • Express meaning in multiple ways
  • Ask questions or listen actively
  • Verbal communication
  • Non-Verbal communication
  • Visual communication
  • Clearly express yourself
  • Respect different perspectives – local / global
  • List communication strategies and communication styles. (REMEMBER)
  • Explain communication styles (UNDERSTAND)
  • Watch new videos / scenarios and justify which communication style is predominant (APPLY)
  • Compare / contrast different communication styles (ANALYZE)
  • Justify an opinion by appraising the evidence supporting and against a specific communication style for a given video (EVALUATE)
  • Some students will create a deep understanding (ah-ha moment) about the subtle differences between the 4 communication styles (CREATE)

  Guidance Teachers / Life Skills / Social-Emotional Learning

  Healthy Communication is a key component of building Relationship Skills and Social-Emotional Learning.

  Use this communication curriculum to help students

  • communicate their needs, wants and hard limits more effectively.
  • develop positive relationships with themselves, their friends and family, their teachers and classmates, etc.
  • resist peer pressure and societal pressure by communicating assertively.
  • stand up for others and communicate as an active bystander.

  School leaders / Admin

  Principals, Admin, Division Leaders) could use these communication lessons in their schools to create a common language and exploration of growth mindset.

  • This unit provides a systematic way for a grade, division, or school to explore learning skills / character development as a framework for delivering curriculum.
  • Communication is often taken for granted. If all students are exposed to this framework, it makes it easier for teachers and students to try to be more assertive and to communicate more clearly.
  • Doing the same (Frayer model) vocabulary building graphic organizer provides a common tool / framework that students and teachers can build around in other areas (i.e. math concepts, grammar concepts, science concepts, etc).
  • This unit provides a systematic way for a grade, division, or school to explore learning skills / character development as a framework for delivering curriculum.
  • Communication is often taken for granted. If all students are exposed to this framework, it makes it easier for teachers and students to try to be more assertive and to communicate more clearly.
  • Doing the same (Frayer model) vocabulary building graphic organizer provides a common tool / framework that students and teachers can build around in other areas (i.e. math concepts, grammar concepts, science concepts, etc).

  Ultimately, these communication lessons are meant to kick off a year / lifetime of discussion, as opposed to being a one-off activity.

  • If all classes start off with the same approach, then throughout the year, as teachers do different activities, you could still connect it back to concepts of communication.
  • During group work, students could be asked if they are being assertive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, or passive. Which strategy might help them to better communicate and get the learning done?

  

  SAMPLE TWO WEEK LESSONS about Communication: (12 EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION LESSON PLANS)

  We base this schedule on a 50 minute period and provide around 40-45 minutes of content per lesson. Depending on your teaching style, how often you see your class, and class dynamics, you may find that you can get through all 12 lessons in 10 days… or it stretches out to a month.

  Communication activities for students – PRO TIPS:

  • If you’re short on time: pick and choose which communication games to do with your class, and which videos to watch. (You don’t have to use everything in these communication lesson plans – although you can!)
  • Watch the video yourself about the Four Basic Parts of Communication to get an idea of where the unit is going in terms of Sender, Receiver, Message, and Feedback. This way you can paraphrase student answers from this perspective to help them make connections later on:
  • In Part 1, we have 11 different ice breakers / activities that highlight different aspects of communication.

  OPTION 1: Do all of the ice breakers / communication games in a row

  • Thereby developing classroom spirit and finding patterns in communication.

  OPTION 2: Do one or two icebreakers / communication games each day

  • Each class could start with a different icebreaker each day before getting into some of the more complex and deep conversations around communication styles (assertive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, passive)
  • By spreading it out, it’s not like they’re learning a bunch of games in one day.

  THE BIG LIST of EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION LESSON PLANS / ACTIVITIES

  Here are 11 different communication activities and communication games for students to explore how communication works and why it breaks down.

  If we understand the communication process, and problems with communication, we can reflect on how we can improve communication so it doesn’t break down (and the message gets across clearly.)

  1. Who Am I (Express meaning in multiple ways, ask questions, listen actively, verbal communication) – oral communication lesson
  2. Charades (Express meaning in multiple ways, non-verbal communication)
  3. Pictionary (Express meaning in multiple ways, visual communication)
  4. Taboo (Express meaning in multiple ways, verbal communication) – oral communication lesson
  5. Follow the Leader (Express meaning in multiple ways, non-verbal communication)
  6. Counting Numbers (“Listen” actively to understand what is communicated, non-verbal communication)
  7. Twenty Questions (Express meaning in multiple ways, ask questions / listen actively; verbal communication)
  8. Describe the Drawing (Express meaning in multiple ways, ask questions / listen actively; clearly express yourself; verbal communication)
  9. Metaphors and Symbols. Memes and Emojis. (Express meaning in multiple ways, express yourself; written communication, virtual spaces)
  10. What’s your style? (Express meaning in multiple ways, ask questions / listen actively; clearly express yourself; respect different perspectives; verbal communication)
  11. Strategies to be Assertive / Practice being assertive (Express meaning in multiple ways, ask questions / listen actively; clearly express yourself; respect different perspectives; verbal communication)

  Communication Lesson Plans – PART 1. EXPERIENCE

  DAY / LESSON 1 (50 min) Communication Games for Students/Activities Part 1 (slides 1-20)

  • Introduction to Communication (slides 1-5) – 5 min
  • #1 Who am I Communication Game (slides 6-10) – 15 min
  • #2 Charades Communication Game (slides 11-15) – 15 min
  • #3 Pictionary Communication Game (slides 16-20) – 15 min

  DAY / LESSON 2 (45 min) Communication Games for Students/Activities Part 2 (slides 21 – 34)

  • #4 Taboo Communication Game (slides 21-25) – 15 min
  • #5 Follow the leader Communication Game (slides 26-29) – 15 min
  • #6 Counting numbers Communication Game (slides 30-34) – 15 min

  DAY / LESSON 3 (45 min) Communication Games for Students/Activities Part 3 (slides 35 – 52)

  • #7 Twenty Questions Communication Game (slides 35-39) – 15 min
  • #8 Describe the Drawing Communication Game (slides 40-52) – 30 min
    • Round 1 (slide 40-45)
    • Round 2 (slide 46-48)
    • Round 3 (slide 49-50)
    • Round 4 (slide 51-52)

    DAY / LESSON 4 (50 min) Communication Games for Students/Activities Part 4 (slides 53 – 85)

    • #9 Communication Activity Part 1: Metaphors and Symbols (slides 53 – 63) – 20 min
      • Introduction (slides 53-54)
      • What is a metaphor (slides 55-60)
      • What is a symbol? (slides 61-63)
      • Emojis (slides 64-71) – 10 min
      • Meme (slide 72-85) – 20 min
        • What is a meme? (slide 72-76)
        • Explain the meme
          • Success Kid (slide 77)
          • Jack Sparrow Being Chased (slide 78-81)
          • Grumpy Cat (slide 82-85)

          DAY / LESSON 5 (45 min) Communication Games for Students/Activities Part 5 (slides 86 – 89)

          • #9 Communication Activity Part 2: Create your own meme (slide 86-89) – 45 min

          DAY / LESSON 6 (50 min) Communication Games for Students/Activities Part 6 (slide 90 – 152)

          • #10 What’s your style? Communication Activity (slide 90-115) – 20 min
          • #11 Styles of Communication Communication Activity (slide 116 – 152) – 30 min

          DAY / LESSON 7 (50 min) Communication Games for Students/Activities Part 7 (slides 153 – 170)

          • Communication Strategies to be assertive / practice (slide 153 -170) 50 min
            • Review assertive communication style (slide 153-159)
            • Strategies (slides 160-169)
            • Practice handout (slide 170)

            Communication Lesson Plans – PART 2. WATCH

            DAY / LESSON 8 (50 min) Videos Part 1 (slides 171 – 187)

            • How we communicate Video #1 (slide 171 – 175) 25 min
              • Minds on – What are the different parts of communications (slide 171-173) – 5 min
              • Watch video – identify 4 parts of communication (slide 174-176) – 10 min
              • How could communication break down (slide 177 – 178) – 5 min
              • What could you do to prevent communication break down (slide 179) – 5 min

              DAY / LESSON 9 (55 min) Videos Part 2 (slides 188 – 216)

              • Passive Aggression Video #3 (slide 188-189) 15 min
              • Office Space Video #4 (slide 190 – 206) 20 min
                • Watch the video / discussion – 5 min
                • Scenario A – 5 min
                • Scenario B – 5 min
                • Scenario C – 5 min

                DAY / LESSON 10 (60 min) Videos Part 3 (slides 217 – 233)

                • Communicating differences (slide 217 – 233) 60 min
                  • Wrong Flower Video #5 (slides 219 – 222) 15 min
                  • Golf Video #6 (slide 223 – 226) 15 min
                  • Eels Video #7 (slide 227 – 230) 15 min
                  • Live Theatre Point of View Video #8 (slide 231 – 233) 15 min

                  Communication Lesson Plans – PART 3. UNDERSTAND

                  DAY / LESSON 11 (40 min) Vocabulary Builder (slides 234 – 250)

                  • Introduce Part 3 / Minds on (slides 234 – 236)
                  • Understand (Vocabulary Builder) (slide 237 – 238)
                  • Filling out the graphic organizer (slides 239 – 242)
                  • Revising graphic organizer (slides 243-247)
                  • Summary (slides 248-250)

                  DAY / LESSON 12 – Self Evaluation / Review 40 minutes total Self Evaluation / Review – (slides 251-256)

                  • Student Self Evaluation (slide 251-255) – 10 min
                  • Chapter Review Test (slide 256) – 30 min

                  HERE’S WHAT YOU GET when you download the zipped file:

                  THE READ ME file in the PREVIEW file section tells you exactly what you get when you buy these communication lesson plans.

                  If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below!

                  We provide handouts:

                  • 5 handout packages of different activity cards: Who am I, Charades, Pictionary, Taboo, Copy this Drawing
                  • Create-your-own meme activity handout
                  • “What’s your Communication style?” student survey
                  • 3 DIFFERENTIATED versions of a communication styles handout + answer key
                  • “Practice being Assertive” handout + answer key
                  • Vocabulary Builder graphic organizer (to develop a deeper understanding of what Communication means.)
                  • Student Self Evaluation of their “Communication” Learning Skill
                  • Chapter Review assessment and answer key of possible answers

                  We provide 3 different versions of the lesson slideshow (256 slides):

                  • A link to the Google Slideshow so you can show it right away. (Get started in seconds!)
                  • A link to a version of the Google Slideshow that you can make a copy of the presentation. (Edit the content to fit your exact classroom needs.)
                  • A powerpoint file that you can download (PPTX) and modify. (Edit the presentation to fit your needs, and use the presentation when the internet is down!)