Signal Decoders Teacher Guide
MISSION PLAYBOOK
SIGNAL DECODERS
Teacher Guide
Objective: Guide 5th-grade girls to decode the subtle signals of social exclusion, differentiate healthy boundaries from controlling cliques, and practice direct, high-status communication.
01
The Warm-Up: Static & Signals
5 Minutes
Introduce "Friendship Static" (whispers, exclusive body language). Explain that shifting friends is normal, but static occurs when circles become "cages" designed to lock others out.
02
The Tool: Circle vs. Cage
10 Minutes
Define the differences on the board:
• Circles: Open, supportive, allow outside friends.
• Cages: Restrictive, policed rules, demands total loyalty.
03
The Mission: Decode & Script
15 Minutes
Distribute the Squad Signals Worksheet. Have students work in pairs to analyze the real-world playground scenarios and write high-status, low-drama scripts.
04
Debrief & Sign-Off
5 Minutes
Have groups share scripts. Reiterate: students can choose close friends, but they cannot humiliate or systematically exclude others.
Facilitator Tips
- Keep it low-heat: Avoid calling out ongoing classroom dramas. Use fictional buffers.
- Validate shifts: Acknowledge that wanting new friends is normal and natural in 5th grade.
- Model posture: Practice standing tall and using cool, steady tones when delivering responses.
Discussion Starters
PROMPT 1:
"Why is it harder to speak up when we see someone else being left out than when it happens to us?"
PROMPT 2:
"What's the difference between needing some quiet space with one friend, and deliberately hiding from another?"
PROMPT 3:
"What are the unwritten rules of our playground that make people feel 'in' or 'out'?"
Pacing
35 Minutes Total
Focus Cohort
Grade 5 (Ages 10-11)
Format
Classroom Restorative
Squad Signals Worksheet
Agent Name: __________________________________________
Date: ____________________
STUDENT FIELD MISSION
SQUAD SIGNALS
Every day, we send social signals with our words, posture, and looks. Your mission: Decode these signals and practice keeping your friendship circles open.
The Circle (Open)
Welcomes others in. Encourages friends to play with new people. There are no rules about who you can talk to. Feels free, supportive, and safe.
The Cage (Closed)
Tries to lock people in and freeze others out. Demands total loyalty. Has unwritten rules about clothes, seats, and secrets. Feels stressful and unsafe.
FIELD ANALYSIS & SCRIPTS
SCENARIO A:
The Lunch Table Shift
CAGE SIGNAL DETECTED
Maya walks over to the table. Two girls quickly put backpacks on empty seats, whisper, pretend-cough and say, "Sorry, these seats are saved."
My Codebreaker Script (What could Maya or a bystander say?):
SCENARIO B:
The Exclusive Pivot
CAGE SIGNAL DETECTED
Chloe wants to invite the new girl, Clara, to join four-square. Lily whispers, "If you let her play, Ava and I are going to the swings without you."
My Codebreaker Script (How can Chloe respond to Lily with confidence?):
My Circle Pledge
One small action I can take this week to keep my friend group a Circle (not a Cage) is:
