Trauma Talk Lesson Plan Trauma Talk
Facilitator Lesson Plan
Objective
Students will practice structured storytelling and active listening to build peer support, emotional expression, and safe sharing skills.
Audience & Time
Grade: 7th Grade (Tier 2 Small Group)Duration: 40 Minutes
Why This Matters
"This lesson creates a supportive space for 7th graders to process feelings and strengthen connections, reducing isolation and fostering resilience."
Preparation
Arrange chairs in a circle to encourage eye contact and inclusion.
Post a visible copy of the ground rules on the board or wall.
Ensure a timer or clock is available for timekeeping.
Set aside 15 minutes for room setup and material printing.
Materials Needed
Emotion Charades Cards
Ground Rules & Prompts Script
Guided Story Sharing Prompts
Active Listening Log Worksheet
Instructional Sequence
1. Warm-Up: Emotion Charades
5 MIN
Explain that charades will help us warm up recognizing and expressing emotions.
Divide students into pairs and give each pair 2–3 cards from the Emotion Charades Cards .
Students take turns acting out the emotion while their partner guesses.
Debrief: “How did it feel to show or guess an emotion?”
2. Introduction: Ground Rules
5 MIN
Gather the group in a circle and review the Ground Rules & Prompts Script .
Read each rule aloud, inviting a volunteer to paraphrase:
Confidentiality: "What's said here stays here."Respectful Listening: No interruptions or judgment.Permission to Pass: No pressure to share.
3. Guided Story Sharing
15 MIN
Pass out the Guided Story Sharing Prompts .
Choose a student to start; they select one prompt (e.g., “Describe a time you felt proud of yourself”).
Speaker shares for up to 2 minutes. Others listen without commenting.
Rotate clockwise until 4–5 students have shared or time elapses. Use a timer to keep each share within the limit.
4. Active Listening Log
10 MIN
Distribute the Active Listening Log Worksheet .
In pairs, students interview each other about one story point:
Partner A asks clarifying questions while Partner B responds.
Partner A fills out the log (main idea, details, emotions).
Switch roles after 5 minutes.
5. Closure & Reflection
5 MIN
Reconvene as a whole group. Ask volunteers to share one insight from listening or speaking.
Reinforce the ground rules and praise respectful participation.
Remind students these skills help them support friends and themselves.
Facilitator Tips
If a student shares something highly sensitive or indicates danger to self/others, follow school mandatory reporting protocols immediately after the session. Maintain a calm, neutral, yet supportive presence throughout the sharing.
Emotion Charades Cards Emotion Charades
Tier 2 Small Group Warm-Up Activity
Instructions
Print and cut along the dotted lines. Give each pair of students 2–3 cards. Students take turns acting out the emotion on the card (no talking!) while their partner tries to guess it.
Happy
Sad
Angry
Surprised
Scared
Excited
Frustrated
Proud
Nervous
Calm
Cut along dotted lines to create 10 individual emotion cards.
Ground Rules & Prompts Script Facilitator Script
Ground Rules & Prompt Introduction
Opening Statement
“Alright everyone, let’s move our chairs into a circle so we can see and hear one another. Today we’re going to share stories and listen to each other. Before we begin, we need to agree on some ground rules to make sure everyone feels safe and respected.”
1. Confidentiality
Teacher: “Our first rule is confidentiality. That means what we share in this room stays in this room.”
Prompt to students:
“Why do you think it’s important to keep what’s said here private?”
Wait for responses.
Teacher: “Exactly—confidentiality helps us trust each other and feel safe to open up.”
2. Respectful Listening
Teacher: “Our second rule is respectful listening. That means no interruptions, no side conversations, and no judging.”
Prompt to students:
“What does respectful listening look like or sound like?”
Wait for responses.
Teacher: “Great ideas—looking at the speaker, waiting until they finish before asking questions, and keeping an open mind.”
3. Permission to Pass
Teacher: “Our third rule is permission to pass. If you’re not comfortable answering a prompt, you can always say ‘I’ll pass,’ and that’s completely okay.”
Prompt to students:
“Why might someone choose to pass today?”
Wait for responses.
Teacher: “Right—sometimes it feels too hard or personal, and we respect that choice.”
Introducing the Prompts
“I’m handing out our Guided Story Sharing Prompts. These prompts are here to help you think of something you’d like to share. When it’s your turn, pick one prompt that feels right.”
“For example, one prompt says: ‘Describe a time you felt proud of yourself.’ Another says: ‘Share a moment when something unexpected happened.’ Each prompt gives you a starting point—feel free to answer it in whatever way makes sense to you.”
“Can someone read the first prompt out loud for us?”
(Wait for student to read, then thank them.)
“Remember, each share will be up to two minutes long. When you’re sharing, everyone else listens quietly. If you decide to pass, that’s fine—your turn will simply move to the next person.”
Guided Story Sharing Prompts Story Sharing Prompts
Sharing our stories, building our strength.
Instructions
Choose one prompt below that feels right to you. When it’s your turn, share your story for up to two minutes . Remember: you are in control of your story. If you’re not comfortable, you can always say “I’ll pass.”
1
Describe a time you felt proud of yourself.
2
Share a moment when something unexpected happened and how you reacted.
3
Talk about a challenge you faced and one thing you did to cope.
4
Describe a time you felt safe and supported by someone.
5
Recall a moment when you were scared but found a way to feel brave .
6
Share an act of kindness you experienced or gave to someone else.
7
Describe a comforting memory that brings you peace.
8
Talk about a goal you set for yourself and how you worked toward it.
9
Share a time you felt understood by a friend or family member.
10
Describe how you take care of yourself when you feel stressed.
Our stories are safe here.
Active Listening Log Worksheet Active Listening Log
Listening Partner
My Name:
Speaker Name:
Date:
Instructions: Listen carefully as your partner shares their story. Use this log to capture the core of their experience and practice asking clarifying questions. Focus on understanding, not judging.
1. Prompt chosen by your partner:
2. Main idea of the story (in one sentence):
3. Supporting details (list three things they mentioned):
A.
B.
C.
4. Emotions you noticed in your partner as they shared:
5. Two clarifying questions you asked and their responses:
Q1:
Response:
Q2:
Response:
6. Personal Reflection
What did you learn about your partner’s experience?
How did it feel to listen actively and respectfully?
Switch roles now: Partner B becomes the listener and completes their own log on the back of this worksheet.
