Chatting Champs Lesson Plan Chatting Champs!
Lesson Plan • Tier 2 Social Skills
Time
20 Minutes
Audience
2nd-3rd Grade (ASD)
Approach
Direct Instruction
Why This Matters
Mastering conversation skills helps students build stronger friendships, understand social cues better, and communicate their thoughts and feelings more effectively in various social settings. This targeted session focuses on the mechanics of social exchange.
Learning Objective
"Students will understand and practice key conversation expectations: making eye contact, active listening, and making comments that connect to the topic."
Teacher Prep (10 min)
Review the lesson plan and teacher script.
Print and cut out the Conversation Connection Cards .
Ready the Chatting Champs Slide Deck on a projector.
Lesson Roadmap
1
Introduction: The Game of Catch
2 Min
• Greet students and introduce the "Chatting Champs" theme.
• Use Slide 2 to explain that conversations are like playing catch: you have to throw the ball (talk) and catch the ball (listen).
2
Conversation Expectations
8 Min
• Eye Contact: Explain it shows you are listening and helps understand feelings.
• Active Listening: Listening with ears and brain, not just waiting for a turn.
• Connected Comments: Responding with comments or questions that relate to the partner's topic.
• Model good and bad examples (non-examples) using the script.
3
Card Practice
8 Min
• Distribute Conversation Connection Cards to pairs.
• Students pick a card and practice a short exchange focusing on the 3 skills.
• Teacher circulates to provide positive reinforcement and coaching.
4
Wrap-up & Review
2 Min
• Review the 3 expectations using the final slide.
• Student Share: "One way I can be a Chatting Champ today..."
Chatting Champs Slide Deck Champions League
Chatting Champs!
Become a Super Talker!
Talking
Listening
Connecting
Conversation Catch!
Imagine a conversation is like playing catch with a ball.
1
One person "throws" an idea.
2
The other person "catches" it by listening.
3
Then they "throw" their idea back!
What happens if you don't throw or catch?
Rule #1
Eyes Up, Ears Open!
Show you're listening with your eyes!
Look at the person (or near their face).
It shows you care about their words.
It helps you understand feelings.
Ready, Set...
Practice!
Try looking at your partner's face right now!
Rule #2
Listen Up, Brain On!
Listen with your ears AND your brain!
Don't just wait for your turn to talk.
Think about what they are saying.
Try to understand their ideas.
Quiet Challenge
Close your eyes and listen to 1 sound in the room for...
5
Seconds
Rule #3
Connect Your Comments!
Keep the conversation rolling!
Say something related .
Ask a question about it.
Share a similar feeling.
Championship Move:
💬
Friend: "I saw a big dog at the park!"
🏆
You: "Oh, what kind of dog was it? I love dogs!"
Be a Chatting Champ!
3 Super Skills to Remember:
1
Eyes Up, Ears Open!
Eye Contact
2
Listen Up, Brain On!
Active Listening
3
Connect Your Comments!
Related Responses
YOU'VE GOT THIS! 🏆
Chatting Champs Script Teacher Script
Lesson: Chatting Champs!
Teacher Facing
SLIDE 1
Introduction (2 min)
"Hello, future Chatting Champs! Today, we're going on an exciting adventure to learn how to be super talkers. Have you ever had a conversation that felt really fun and easy? Or maybe one that felt a little tricky? We're going to learn some special skills to make all our conversations awesome!"
SLIDE 2
Conversation Catch
"Imagine a conversation is like playing catch with a ball. One person 'throws' an idea, like 'I went to the park today!' The other person 'catches' it by listening carefully. Then, they 'throw' their idea back, maybe by asking a question or sharing something similar. What do you think happens if no one throws the ball, or if someone throws it in a different direction?"
[ Wait for student responses ]
"Exactly! The game stops, or it gets confusing! So, to be great at conversation catch, we need to learn three important rules."
SLIDE 3
Rule 1: Eyes Up, Ears Open!
"Our first rule is 'Eyes Up, Ears Open!' This means we try to look at the person who is talking, or somewhere near their face. Why do you think this is helpful?"
[ Wait for student responses ]
"Yes! When you look at someone, it shows them you are listening and you care about what they're saying. It also helps you see their face and understand their feelings better. For some of us, looking directly in the eyes can feel a little uncomfortable, and that's totally okay! You can try looking at their forehead, their nose, or even their mouth. The important thing is that your body is facing them, and they know you are paying attention."
SLIDE 4
Rule 2: Listen Up, Brain On!
"Our second rule is 'Listen Up, Brain On!' This means we're not just hearing words with our ears, but our brain is working too! We're thinking about what the other person is saying, trying to understand their ideas and feelings. It's not just waiting for your turn to talk. It's truly listening ."
Quick Activity:
"Close your eyes for five seconds and just listen to all the sounds you can hear in the room..."
SLIDE 5
Rule 3: Connect Your Comments!
"Our third and final rule is 'Connect Your Comments!' This is how we keep the conversation ball rolling! When someone says something, your response should be connected to their topic. It's like throwing the ball back to them, not to a totally different person!"
Modeling Scenario 1:
"My favorite animal is a dolphin because they are so smart!"
Option A: "Dolphins are cool! I saw one at the aquarium once."
Conversation Connection Cards Conversation Connection Cards
Instructions: Cut out each card. Students take turns picking a card and starting a conversation about the topic. The listener practices 'Eyes Up, Ears Open!' and 'Listen Up, Brain On!' before making a 'Connect Your Comment!'
Card 01
My favorite animal is...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 02
Something I did last weekend was...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 03
If I could have any superpower, it would be...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 04
My favorite food is...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 05
A fun game to play is...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 06
Something I'm excited about is...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 07
My favorite color is...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 08
I like to read books about...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 09
If I could visit any place, I would go to...
Chatting Champ Topic
Card 10
One thing I'm good at is...
Chatting Champ Topic
