Lesson Plan : One-Way Communication
Teacher Name: | Nancy Poe |
Grade: | Grade 6 |
Subject: | Other |
Topic: | Through a hands-on activity, this lesson emphasizes the importance of effective communication and its relationship to effective teamwork. |
Content: | One-Way Communication - When one person is doing all of the talking and no one else asks questions or interacts with the person. Two-Way Communication - When people interact, listen, and ask questions of one another to clearly understand what is said. Nonverbal Communication - What an individual says with his or her body, facial expressions, tone of voice, and posture. Slumped shoulders, no wyw contact, crossed arms, a low voice, and fidgeting are examples of nonverbal communication that should be avoided. Eye contac, smiling, a clear voice, and good posture are examples of nonverbal communication that should be utilized. |
Goals: | After participating in a one-way vs. tw0-way communication activity, the participants will be able to explain the advantages of two-way communication. The will also be able to relate the importance of communication. |
Objectives: | |
Materials: | Paper/plastic cups filled with small objects. Each cup should have contents identical to the other cups. (Examples include ice cream bar sticks, marbles, colored rings, etc. Different colored objects make it more challenging.) Manila Folders (to act as a partition between two players) |
Introduction: | Inform participants that they are building their knowledge of communication and will be able to utilize these skills in every aspect of their lives now and in the future. |
Development: | Form the participants into pairs, sitting across the table from one another. Each participant will be given a cup full of identical items. One of the participants will be expected to design a structure of an arrangement of items using all of the maaterials, including the cup. The other student will be expected to construct an exact replica of their partner's model, including color, by simply "listening" to the directions. Assign participants as "listener" and "communicator". |
Practice: | Emphasize to the participants the importance of not asking questions of trying to get additional information when they ar being given directions. Upon completion of the task, have particpants compare their arrangements. Wait until all partners are done, then have them swithc roles and repeat the exercise (although the other partner cannot build the same structure). The next task for the pairs wil be to contruct a new stucture or arrangement (not the same as the first or second one) and provide directions to their partners. This time the person being given directions can ask questions and attempt to get additional information, without looking at the structure. This task need only be done once per pair of students, unless time allows for an exchange of roles. Finally, the last task is to practice nonverbal communication. Have both student repeat the same activity only neither is allowed to talk. Allow time for both students to get a chance to exchange roles. Discuss the difference between the first and second tasks based on one-way vs. two-way and non-verbal communication. |
Accommodations: | |
Checking For Understanding: | Explain how the lack of communication oftentimes impacts teams and causes people to act externally ("moaning"). Assign participants the task of bringing in three examples where people have acted a certain way due to the effective or ineffective communication. |
Closure: | This can meet the first requirement in the Boy Scout Communications Merit Badge which states the following: 1. Do ONE of the following: a. For one day, keep a log in which you describe your communication activities. Keep track of the time and different ways you spend communicating, such as talking person-to-person, listening to your teachers or the radio, watching television, reading books, and other print media, and communicating online. Discuss with your counselor what your log reveals about the importance of communication in your life. Think of ways to improve your communications skills. b. For three days, keep a journal of your listening experiences. Identify one example of each of the following, and discuss with your counselor when you have listened to: 1. Obtain information 2. A persuasive argument 3. Appreciate or enjoy something 4. Understand someone's feelings c. In a small-group setting, meet with other scouts or with friends. Have them share personal stories about significant events in their lives that affected them in some way. Take note of how each scout participates in the group discussion and how effective each one is in telling his story. Report what you have learned to your counselor about the differences you observed in effective communication. d. List as many ways as you can think of to communicate with others (face-to-face, by telephone, letter, e-mail, fax). For each type of communication discuss with your counselor an instance when that method might not be appropriate or effective. This can also satisfy one of the following requirements for the Webelos Communicator Activity Badge: 1. Play a Body Language Game with your den. 4. Identify and discuss with your den as many different methods of communication as you can (at least six different methods). 5. Invent your own den secret code and send one of your den members a secret message. and the Cub Scout Communicating Belt Loop & Pin: Belt Loop Requirements 1. Tell a story or relate an incident to a group of people, such as your family, den, or members of your class. (Tell what your experience with this activity has taught you) Academics Pin Requirements 10. Read the directions for a new game. Explain to a family member or friend how to play it. |
Evaluation: | |
Teacher Reflections: | This activity can be done for requirements but it also builds and great sense of teamwork and helps strengthen any unit or troop you may be in. Therefore, I suggest using this with your leaders first and then introduce it to the boys. As adults frequently have issues with communication, this is a great activity to get us back on track. |
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