Facilitator Master Guide Social
Playbook
High School Social Skills Curriculum
TEACHER GUIDE
Program Overview
The Social Playbook is a 8-week curriculum designed specifically for high school boys. It focuses on tactical communication and authentic connection using a "playbook" framework.
Pillars of Growth
Active Listening
Emotional Awareness
Conflict Resolution
Target Outcomes
Increased Confidence
Authentic Friendships
Curriculum Roadmap
01
The Starting Lineup
Foundations
02
Signal Strength
Listening
03
The Follow-Through
Flow
04
Reading the Field
Non-Verbal
05
Scouting Report
Searching
06
Team Chemistry
Consistency
07
Reset & Recover
Conflict
08
Championship Ring
Wrap Up
Facilitator Playbook
Group Philosophy
Avoid "clinical" language. Use "strategy," "tactics," and "mechanics." Treat the group as a team learning a system rather than students being corrected.
Session Structure (60 mins)
0-10m
Warm-up & Review
10-25m
The Scouting Report (Slides)
25-50m
Live Scrimmage (Practice)
50-60m
Post-Game Analysis (Debrief)
Managing Group Dynamics
1
Handle the "Hype-Man"
The student who uses humor to deflect. Acknowledge the joke, then pivot back: "Good one—now let's see how that looks in a serious convo."
2
The "Silent Defender"
The student who stays quiet. Use "low-stakes" participation—ask for a thumbs up/down before asking for verbal input.
Starting Lineup Slides Week 01
The Starting
Lineup
Foundations & Group Norms
Social Playbook
The Objective
We aren't here to learn how to be "polite." We're here to learn how to read the room and build a crew you actually want to hang with.
Today's Drills:
Set the Rules of the Game
Defining "High-Value" Friends
"Your circle should inspire you, not just entertain you."
The Ground Rules
Vault Mode
What stays in this locker room, stays in this locker room. Respect the privacy of the team.
No Fluff
Keep it real. If something is awkward, call it out. If it's helpful, double down on it.
All In
You get out what you put in. We're all here to improve our social game. No bystanders.
Friendship ROI
(Return on Investment)
50%
Shared Interests
The "Hook" - Sports, gaming, music, coding, cars.
50%
Reliability
The "Glue" - Showing up, responding to texts, having their back.
=
100%
Strong Crew
My Social Profile Worksheet My Social Profile
Week 01 // Scouting Report
Name: ______________________
Date: _______________________
01. Identifying Interests
The fastest way to find a crew is finding people with the same "Hook."
Top 3 Hobbies/Interests
Favorite Media/Games
02. The Teammate Audit
Check the top 5 traits you value in a friend:
Loyalty
Humor
Reliable
Honesty
Kindness
Courage
Chill
Athletic
Creative
03. Goal Setting
What is one specific social goal you want to achieve by the end of this group?
Week 1 Challenge
Identify 3 potential shared interests with one person this week. Just observe for now.
Signal Strength Slides Week 02
Signal
Strength
The Mechanics of Listening
Static vs. Signal
The Static
Phone distraction
Planning your next line
Scanning the room
The Signal
Eye contact (4-sec rule)
Verbal nods ("Yeah", "Cool")
The Recap (Repeat back)
The Listening Playbook
1
Lock In
Put the phone face down. Face your chest toward them. Focus on the words, not the reply.
2
Feedback
Nod. React to emotions. If they're excited, look excited. If they're frustrated, look serious.
3
The Recap
"So you're saying..." or "That's wild that this happened." Prove you heard it.
Static vs Signal Worksheet Static vs. Signal
Week 02 // Listening Mechanics
Name: ______________________
01. Identifying the Static
What stops you from actually hearing people? List your biggest distractions:
02. The Recap Drill
Read the scenario. Write a response that proves you were listening.
Friend Says:
"I'm so stressed about the math test. I studied for like four hours, but I still feel like I don't get the quadratic formula. My parents are gonna kill me if I fail."
Your Recap Response:
"So it sounds like you put in a lot of work but still feel _________________________, especially because of the pressure from _________________________."
Full response if different: ________________________________________________________________
03. Body Language Check
Check your default "static" signals:
Leaning In
Arms Crossed
Phone in Hand
Eye Contact
Week 2 Challenge
Use the "Recap" technique at least 3 times this week. Notice the difference.
The Follow Through Slides Week 03
The Follow
Through
Mastering Conversational Flow
Ping-Pong vs. Solitaire
Solitaire
You talk...
You talk more...
They zone out.
Ping-Pong
You serve (Q)
They hit (A)
You return (Follow-up)
The "Dead-End" Trap
Closed Questions (Kills Convo)
"Did you have a good weekend?"
Response: "Yeah." [Conversation Dead]
Open Questions (Continues Convo)
"What was the highlight of your weekend?"
Response: "I went to this concert..." [Conversation Alive]
Pro-Tip: Use "How" or "What"
Starting questions with How or What forces a longer answer and gives you more "signal" to follow up on.
#Tactical
#FlowState
Conversation Starters Handout Conversation Starters
Week 03 // Follow-Through Strategy
Name: ______________________
01. The "Open-Ended" Flip
Turn these "Dead-End" questions into "Open-Ended" starters.
Dead-End Question:
"Do you like this class?"
"What ____________________________________________________________________"
Dead-End Question:
"Did you see the game last night?"
"How ____________________________________________________________________"
02. Follow-Up Tactics
When someone gives you "Signal," return the ball using these plays:
The Deepener
"What made you want to start doing that?"
The Bridge
"That's cool—I heard they are adding a new character to that."
The Emotion Match
"That sounds like a total nightmare. How'd you handle it?"
03. The Mission Prep
Write down 2 open-ended questions for a conversation you'll have today.
Q1: ____________________________________________________________________
Q2: ____________________________________________________________________
Week 3 Challenge
Hit 2 "Ping-Pong" returns in every conversation this week.
Reading the Field Slides Week 04
Reading the
Field
Non-Verbal Intelligence
The Silent Scoreboard
Posturing
Are they squared up or angled away?
Angled away = "I'm ready to leave."
Proximity
The 2-Foot Rule. Too close is aggressive; too far is disconnected.
Find the "Neutral Zone."
The "Micros"
Checking phone, looking at the door, tapping feet.
Signal: "Low Battery" (End convo).
Tone Is The
Vibe
It's not what you say, it's the frequency you send it on.
Example: "That's cool."
• Flat: "I don't care."
• High Pitch: "Wow, really?"
• Low/Slow: "Interesting..."
The "Social Radar"
Matching Energy (Sync Up)
Leading Energy (Lift the mood)
Mismatched (Awkward Zone)
The Silent Scoreboard Handout The Silent Scoreboard
Week 04 // Non-Verbal Drills
Name: ______________________
01. Decoding Body Language
Match the cue to the meaning.
Cue Feet pointed toward door
Meaning ____________________
Cue Touching / Rubbing Neck
Meaning ____________________
Cue Raised Eyebrows
Meaning ____________________
02. The Proximity Zone
Imagine you are standing in the center. Mark the zones for different people:
YOU
Outer Zone: Stranger / Acquaintance
03. Matching the Vibe
If someone is talking in a low, slow tone about something sad, and you respond in a high-pitched, fast tone , what does that communicate? How can you fix it?
Week 4 Challenge
People-Watch for 10 minutes this week. Find one person who looks bored and one person who looks engaged. What cues told you so?
Scouting Report Slides Week 05
Scouting
Report
Finding Your Crew
Scouting "Green Flags"
Before you approach, observe. Who is High Value to have in your circle?
They treat staff/others well.
They actually listen (Signal!)
They don't talk trash about friends.
Red Flags (Abort)
• Constantly one-upping every story.
• Only talks about themselves.
• Rude to people "below" them.
The Cold Open
Stage 1: Observation
Find a "Hook" (Jersey, laptop sticker, game they are playing).
Stage 2: The Opener
"Yo, is that the new [Hook]? How do you like it so far?"
Stage 3: Exit Plan
"Cool, well I'm heading to class. See ya around." (No pressure!)
Low Stakes = High Success Rate
Friendship Map Handout Friendship Map
Week 05 // Scouting Strategy
Name: _________________________
01. Scouting the Territory
Where do people with your "Hooks" hang out? List 3 specific locations.
02. Scripting the Opener
Choose a "Hook" and complete this 3-stage conversation starter.
Step 1: The Observation
"I noticed you are ____________________________________________________"
Step 2: The Serve
"What do you think of ________________________________________________?"
Step 3: The Low-Stakes Exit
"For sure, well I'm gonna ____________________. See ya later."
03. Green Flag Inventory
Describe someone you've scouted who has "Green Flag" potential. Why?
Week 5 Challenge
Perform one "Cold Open" this week. No pressure, just practice the mechanics.
Team Chemistry Slides Week 06
Team
Chemistry
Keeping the Momentum
Levels of the Game
Level 1
Acquaintance
Level 2
Casual Friend
Level 3
Close Friend
Level 4
THE CORE
The Long Game
Friendships are maintained through consistency.
Maintenance Checks:
The "Just Checking In" Text
Sending a Reel/Meme they'd like
Planning the next Hangout
The 50/200 Rule
Research says it takes about 50 hours to become a friend, and 200 hours for a "best" friend.
Put in the reps.
Friendship Consistency Log Friendship Maintenance
Week 06 // Consistency Log
Name: _________________________
01. Your Roster
Who are the people in your "Core Four"?
1
2
3
4
02. Maintenance Log
Identify 3 specific maintenance plays to run this week:
Text / Meme / Invitation
Plan: ____________________________________________________________________
Gaming / Discord Session
Plan: ____________________________________________________________________
In-Person Check-In
Plan: ____________________________________________________________________
03. Repetition Counter
Estimate your "reps" (hours) with your closest friend. How can you add more?
Notes / Total Reps:
Week 6 Challenge
Reach out to one person from your Core Four that you haven't spoken to in 3+ days.
Reset and Recover Slides Week 07
Reset &
Recover
Navigating Friction & Conflict
The Friction Point
Even the best teams have bad games. Conflict doesn't mean the friendship is over.
Healthy Friction:
• "I'm annoyed you did that."
• Addressing the problem directly.
• Listening to their side (Signal!)
Toxic Friction:
• Ghosting/Silent treatment.
• Trash talking behind their back.
• Physical aggression or threats.
The I-Statement Play
"I feel [Emotion] when [Behavior] happens because [Impact]."
Bad Play:
"You always act like a jerk when we play games."
Pro Play:
"I feel annoyed when you yell after losing because it makes me not want to play."
De-Escalation Script Handout De-Escalation Script
Week 07 // Conflict Playbook
Name: _________________________
01. The Heat Map
What are the common things that cause friction in your friendships?
!
!
02. Scripting the Reset
Write an "I-Statement" to address a friction point.
I feel...
When... (The Behavior)
Because... (The Impact)
03. Drawing the Line
What is one "Dealbreaker" behavior that would make you end a friendship?
"A major red flag for me is ____________________________________________."
Week 7 Challenge
Try to address one small piece of friction using an "I-Statement" this week.
Championship Ring Slides Week 08
Championship
Ring
Final Review & Success Plan
Social MVP Checklist
You've put in 8 weeks of reps. You now have the Tactical Advantage.
Can identify "Signal" vs. "Static"
Knows how to run a "Ping-Pong" convo
Can execute a "Cold Open"
The Goal
"Don't let these skills get rusty. A crew is built one conversation at a time."
Your Post-Season Plan
MONTH 1
Join one new club or group related to your "Hook."
MONTH 2
Organize one "Drill" (Hangout) with your Core Four.
MONTH 3
Be the "Green Flag" friend for someone new.
Social Success Plan Handout Social Success Plan
Week 08 // Post-Season Strategy
Name: _________________________
01. Final Growth Audit
Reflect on your progress. Rate yourself 1-5:
Active Listening (Signal)
Starting Convos (Cold Opens)
Handling Conflict (Reset)
02. Next Season Goal
What is one big social "Championship" you want to win in the next 6 months?
03. The Takeaway
What was the single most useful "Play" you learned in this group?
CHAMPIONSHIP MENTALITY
You've graduated. Now go lead the crew.
