Team Player Slides Social Skills Playbook
Lesson 1 • 30-Minute Focus
Positive Communication & Group Dynamics
The Team Player
Playbook
How polite words, active listening, and fair sharing make any group project a winning team.
Polite Talk
Shared Roles
Respectful Teamwork
1
The Two Core Powers
What makes a teammate great?
Power #1: Bridge Words
The way you speak invites people closer or pushes them away. Tone, polite requests, and warmth build bridges.
“Could we try this together? What do you think?”
Power #2: Shared Space
Group work means sharing airtime, sharing supplies, and welcoming everybody’s ideas instead of taking over.
“You go first, then I will share my idea next.”
Key Goal: Leave your partner feeling respected, heard, and excited to work with you.
2
The Word Swap Strategy
Turn Push Words into Bridge Words
Push Word (Blunt)
“Give me the markers right now!”
SWAP
Bridge Word (Polite)
“May I please use the green marker when you are done?”
Push Word (Blunt)
“That idea is terrible and won’t work.”
SWAP
Bridge Word (Polite)
“I see your point! What if we also added this idea?”
Notice how Bridge Words ask questions and use polite phrasing instead of demands.
3
4 Rules for Group Work
How Champions Collaborate
1. Listen Without Cutting In
Wait until your peer finishes their sentence before jumping in with yours.
2. Share Airtime & Roles
Nobody does everything alone. Divide tasks: writer, timer, researcher, presenter.
3. Attack the Problem, Not Peer
Disagree with an idea kindly. Never insult someone’s ability, speed, or name.
4. Give Honest Praise
Say “Great idea!” or “Thanks for helping me with that” at least once per session.
Great groups don’t agree on everything—they just treat each other with respect while solving it!
4
Playbook In Action
Spot the Better Play
The Scenario:
Your partner wants to draw a poster in blue, but you think yellow looks much better. You feel frustrated.
The Penalty Play
Grab the marker, say “Blue looks ugly, I am drawing it,” and turn your back to the partner.
The Champion Play
“Blue is cool! What if we use blue for the border and yellow for the title so we use both?”
Compromise means both teammates feel like winners!
5
My Game Plan Today
Pick Your Play
Tone Check
I will keep my voice calm, friendly, and use “Please” and “Thank you” at least 3 times.
Daily Goal #1
Wait 3 Seconds
When my peer speaks, I will pause for 3 seconds before responding instead of interrupting.
Daily Goal #2
Offer to Share
I will offer materials or ask: “Do you want to do this part together?”
Daily Goal #3
“Being kind isn’t weak—it is the strongest skill a teammate can have.”
Team Player Action Sheet Team Player Series • Student Mission Page 1 of 2
Team Player Action Sheet
Turning Sharp “Push Words” into Helpful “Bridge Words”
Name
Date
The Word Swap Rule:
Before speaking, ask yourself: Does this build a bridge to my teammate, or push them away?
Goal: 100% Bridge Words
Part 1: Scenario Word Swaps
Rewrite each blunt demand into a polite, cooperative request
1 Situation: Sharing Classroom Supplies
Push Words: “Give me the glue stick right now!”
Your Bridge Words (Ask politely, using “please” or asking when they will finish):
2 Situation: Disagreeing on a Group Project Plan
Push Words: “That idea is stupid. We are doing my way.”
Your Bridge Words (Acknowledge their thought, then offer an idea kindly):
3 Situation: An Accidental Mistake on a Shared Poster
Push Words: “You messed it up! You ruin everything!”
Your Bridge Words (Stay calm, reassure them, and focus on fixing it together):
4 Situation: Wanting a Turn to Speak
Push Words: “Shut up! It’s my turn!”
Your Bridge Words (Politely signal that you want to share an idea next):
“Polite words turn group work into teamwork.” Flip over for Group Missions →
The 3-Step Group Play
How to collaborate smoothly when working with a partner or small group
Page 2 of 2
1
Listen & Echo
Hear their idea first. Say: “I hear you saying...”
2
Add & Offer
Share your thoughts with: “Could we also try...?”
3
Find the Match
Combine ideas so both teammates contribute equally.
Part 2: Practice Challenge Scenario
Group Challenge
The Problem:
You and your partner need to make a science poster. Your partner wants to begin coloring immediately, but the teacher said everyone must write down the 4 key facts first. You feel impatient and annoyed.
How will you politely guide your partner so you follow the rules together without arguing?
Part 3: My Team Player Commitment
Check off each promise you will put into practice today:
Tone Rule: I will use a calm, pleasant voice, even when I feel frustrated.
Sharing Rule: I will share materials and make sure my peers get equal turns.
Praise Rule: I will give at least one genuine compliment to a partner (“Nice work!”).
Team Player Facilitator Guide Educator Facilitation Plan Page 1 of 2
Team Player Facilitator Guide
Instructional Script, Pacing Options & Behavioral Coaching Cues
Focus Level Grades 3–6 • Tier 1/2 SEL
Option A: 30-Minute Targeted Block
• 00–05m: Hook & Analogy (Rowboat vs. Tug-of-War)
• 05–13m: Modeling (Push vs. Bridge Words)
• 13–25m: Guided Role-Play & Action Sheet
• 25–30m: Debrief & Personal Contract
Option B: Modular Split (2 × 15 Mins)
• Session 1 (15m): Words Matter — Slides 1–3 + Action Sheet Part 1 (Scenario Word Swaps).
• Session 2 (15m): Collaborative Play — Slides 4–6 + Action Sheet Part 2 & Contract.
Four-Phase Facilitation Script
Phase 1: Safe Hook & Reframing (5 Mins) Dignity First
Say: “Working with other people is one of the hardest things we do in school. Today isn’t about getting in trouble—it is about unlocking superpowers that make classmates actually want to be on your team.”
Analogy: In tug-of-war, both sides pull hard and get exhausted. In a rowboat, when everyone rows in sync, the boat glides effortlessly.
Phase 2: Explicit Modeling & The Word Swap (8 Mins) Slides 2–3
Teacher Talk: “Push words sound like demands or insults. Even if you don’t mean to be mean, they make the other person shut down. Bridge words use questions, pleasant tone, and polite magic words like ‘Could we...’ or ‘What do you think?’”
Coach Demonstration: Contrast tone of voice. Say the same phrase with tense shoulders and flat voice vs. relaxed posture and warm tone.
Phase 3: Guided Practice & Role-Rehearsal (12 Mins) Action Sheet
Work with the student through Scenarios 1–4. Have the student verbally rehearse their Bridge Words aloud before writing them down.
Tip: If the student gives a stiff answer like “Please give it,” coach them to make it natural: “May I borrow that when you finish?”
Coach Tip: Handling Student Defensiveness
If the student says, “They started it” or “They are just annoying,” validate without excusing: “It makes sense that you felt frustrated. Big feelings are normal. But a champion controls their reaction. You get to decide if your words start a fight or solve a problem.”
Exemplar Key & Tracking Rubric
Model responses for the Action Sheet and observational monitoring criteria
