Winter Hello Lesson Plan Winter Hello!
Spreading warmth with greetings and snowy chats.
Tier 1 Classroom Lesson
Quick Info
Time
15 Minutes
Audience
3rd Grade Students
Approach
Role-playing & Interactive Discussion
Materials
Winter Greetings Slide Deck
Greeting Practice Script
Festive Greeting Warm-Up
Winter Chat Cool-Down
Why This Matters
Learning how to greet others and start conversations respectfully helps students build confidence, make friends, and participate more fully in social situations, especially during the festive season.
Objective
Students will learn and practice festive greetings and conversation starters, incorporating appropriate body language and choosing the best time and place to initiate a chat.
Prep (5 Minutes)
Review the Winter Greetings Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
Read through the Greeting Practice Script to prepare for leading the discussion and activities.
Ensure the projector or interactive whiteboard is ready to display the slide deck.
Instructions
Warm-Up: Frosty Greetings
2 MIN
Begin by asking students to share their favorite winter activity (e.g., "Who loves building snowmen? Who enjoys drinking hot cocoa?").
Introduce the idea of how we greet people during the winter holidays and how those greetings can make people feel warm and happy.
Introducing Festive Greetings & Conversation Starters
5 MIN
Use the Winter Greetings Slide Deck to introduce various festive greetings like "Happy Holidays!" "Merry Christmas!" "Happy Kwanzaa!" or "Season's Greetings!"
Discuss conversation starters related to winter: "How's your winter break planning going?" "Did you see the first snow?" "What's your favorite holiday tradition?"
Emphasize the importance of body language (eye contact, a smile) and choosing the right time and place to talk. Ask: "Would you interrupt someone who's super busy? Why or why not?"
Practice Pairs: Snowy Chats
6 MIN
Divide students into pairs. Explain that they will take turns practicing greetings and conversation starters.
Provide scenarios: "You see a friend in the hallway during winter break." "You're at a holiday party."
Circulate to offer feedback on their greetings, body language, and conversation initiation. Encourage positive feedback.
Prompt students to try at least two different greetings and two different conversation starters.
Cool-Down: One Last Snowflake
2 MIN
Bring the class back together. Ask a few students to share one new greeting or conversation starter they learned or tried.
Remind them that practicing these skills helps spread joy and connect with others.
Winter Greetings Slide Deck Winter Hello!
Spreading Warmth with Words!
Who loves winter? What's your favorite winter activity?
Welcome students and get them thinking about winter fun. This also serves as a quick engagement check.
Why Talk?
Good greetings help us:
Make new friends
Show we care
Feel confident
Spread cheer!
Explain the importance of greetings and conversation starters, especially during the festive season. Connect it to making others feel good.
Festive Greetings!
Try these:
🎄 "Happy Holidays!"
🕯️ "Merry Christmas!"
👐 "Happy Kwanzaa!"
❄️ "Season's Greetings!"
🧣 "Warmest Winter Wishes!"
Introduce various festive greetings. Emphasize that there are many ways to say hello during this time.
Starting a Snowy Chat
After "hello," try asking:
"How's your winter break planning going?"
"Did you see the first snow?"
"What's your favorite holiday tradition?"
"Are you excited for [holiday]?"
Provide examples of how to start a conversation with a winter theme. Encourage students to think of their own.
Body Talk & Best Time!
Your Body Speaks
Eye Contact: Look at the person.Smile: Show you're friendly.
When & Where
Good Timing: Wait for a good moment.Good Place: Don't interrupt important work!
Crucial slide for non-verbal communication and social awareness. Discuss body language and timing.
Practice Time!
Work with a partner:
Choose a scenario
Practice different greetings
Try out conversation starters
Remember body language!
Explain the pair practice activity. Reiterate the goal of trying different greetings and starters.
Share & Shine!
What new greeting or conversation starter did you try?
How can these skills help you spread joy this winter?
Wrap up the lesson, asking for reflections and reinforcing the main takeaways.
Greeting Practice Script Greeting Practice Script
Winter Hello! • Facilitator Guide
Teacher Resource
1
Warm-Up: Frosty Greetings
2 MINUTES
"Good morning, everyone! Or should I say, 'Happy almost-winter-break!' I'm so excited to dive into some really important skills today, especially with the festive season right around the corner!"
"To get us started, I want to hear about your favorite things to do in winter. Who loves building snowmen? Raise your hand! Who enjoys a warm mug of hot cocoa by a fireplace? How about decorating for the holidays? Awesome!"
"Today, we're going to talk about how we can share that warm, happy feeling with others through our words and actions, just like a cozy winter day!"
2
Instruction: Festive Greetings & Conversation Starters
5 MINUTES
Display Slide: Festive Greetings!
"When we see someone we know, or even someone new, especially during this special time of year, how do we say 'hello'? Instead of just 'hi,' we can use greetings that bring extra cheer!"
"Look at these examples on the screen: 'Happy Holidays!' 'Merry Christmas!' 'Happy Kwanzaa!' 'Season's Greetings!' and 'Warmest Winter Wishes!' These are all wonderful ways to greet people. Does anyone know what 'Season's Greetings' means? Yes, it's a way to wish someone well for all the different holidays happening this time of year."
Display Slide: Starting a Snowy Chat
"Now, once we've said hello, how do we keep the conversation going? We don't want to just say 'Happy Holidays' and then stand there, right? We want to start a 'snowy chat'!"
"Here are some ideas: 'How's your winter break planning going?' 'Did you see the first snow?' 'What's your favorite holiday tradition?' These are called conversation starters. They're like little keys that unlock a chat."
Display Slide: Body Talk & Best Time!
"But words aren't the only way we talk! Our bodies 'talk' too. Who can tell me what 'body language' means? Yes, it's what your body shows without speaking."
"Two very important parts of body language are eye contact and a smile. When you're talking to someone, try to look at their eyes. It shows you're listening and interested. And a friendly smile? It makes people feel welcome and happy!"
"Another thing to think about is timing and place. Would you interrupt someone who's super busy writing a note to their parent? Why not? Right, it's not the best time. We want to wait for a moment when they can focus on our conversation. And would you try to have a chat with someone when they're running late to catch the bus? Probably not. So, we choose the best time and best place."
3
Practice Pairs: Snowy Chats
Festive Greeting Warm-Up Warm-Up Activity
Winter Wonders!
Name
Date
Good morning, future conversation starters! Let's kick off our class today by thinking about all the wonderful things that make winter special.
1 What's one thing you LOVE about winter or the holidays?
It could be a snowy day, a special tradition, a favorite treat, or something else entirely!
2 Imagine you see a friend you haven't seen in a while during the winter break. What's the very first thing you'd say to them?
Think about how those greetings make you and your friends feel. Today, we're going to become experts at spreading that winter cheer!
Winter Chat Cool-Down Reflection Activity
Snowflake Reflections
Student Name
Date
Great job today, everyone! Before you head off, let's take a quick moment to reflect on our festive greeting and conversation practice.
1 Write down one new festive greeting or conversation starter you learned today.
2 Why is it important to use good body language (like eye contact and a smile) when you greet someone?
3 How will you use these skills to spread warmth and make connections this winter?
Remember, every friendly greeting and thoughtful question is like a little snowflake of kindness!
