Body Language Blueprint Worksheet Clue Hunters
Lesson 1: The Non-Verbal Toolkit
Sleuth Mission
Communication isn't just about what we say. Most of our messages are sent through our eyes, face, and body . Today, we are hunting for non-verbal clues to guess how others are feeling!
The Facial Blueprint
Look at the clues below. What is the face telling you? Write the emotion in the box.
🤨
• One eyebrow up
• Lips pressed tight
• Head tilted slightly
😰
• Wide eyes
• Eyebrows raised & close
• Mouth slightly open
Body Language Lab
Match the body language clue to what the person might be thinking. Draw a line to the correct match.
Arms crossed tight, shoulders up
Fidgeting with hands, looking away
Leaning forward, nodding head
"I'm nervous or uncomfortable."
"I'm listening and interested!"
"I'm feeling defensive or closed off."
The "Caught in the Act" Case
Scenario: You are telling your friend about a cool movie. Your friend is looking at their watch, tapping their foot, and glancing toward the door.
1. What are the Body Clues?
2. What is your Sleuth Guess? (How do they feel?)
3. What could you do next?
Remember: A good sleuth looks for "Clue Clusters" (face + body + situation)!
Clue Hunters Slides Unit: Social Sleuths
Clue
Hunters
Lesson 1: Mastering Non-Verbal Cues
Detective Training
What is a Sleuth?
A Social Sleuth is a detective who looks for hidden clues to understand how people are feeling.
Fact:
Only 7% of our feelings are shared through words!
👂
Words (The What)
👀
Body & Face (The How)
🗣️
Tone of Voice (The Why)
The Face File
Where do we look for clues?
Eyes
"Are they wide? Squinting? Looking away?"
~~
Eyebrows
"Up in surprise? Scrunched in anger?"
Mouth
"A smile? A frown? Biting their lip?"
CASE STUDY #101
The Cafeteria Cold-Shoulder
!
"Leo sits down next to Sam. Sam doesn't look up from his tray. Sam's shoulders are hunched, and he is picking at his food with a tiny frown."
Sleuth Questions:
What are the Body Clues ?
What are the Face Clues ?
How is Sam likely feeling?
How do you know?
Mission Summary
Before you speak, take a Quick Pic with your brain of their face and body!
Ready to start your Detective Log?
Clue Hunters Teacher Guide Teacher Case File
Lesson 1: Clue Hunters
Instructional Guide
Duration
45 - 60 Minutes
Skill Focus
Non-Verbal Decoding
Materials
Slides, Detective Log
Learning Objective
Students will identify 3-5 facial and body language clues and use them to hypothesize another person's emotional state in a given scenario.
Instructional Script & Flow
01
Introduction (Slides 1-2)
Hook the students by framing social skills as "detective work." Discuss the 7% rule (7% words, 93% non-verbal/tone).
"Sleuths, did you know your mouth can say one thing, but your body says another? If I say 'I'm fine' while stomping my feet, which one do you believe?"
02
Direct Instruction (Slide 3)
Review specific zones: Eyes, Brows, Mouth. Practice "Face Freezes" where you model an emotion and students shout out the clues they see.
03
Guided Analysis (Slide 4)
Use the Cafeteria Case Study. Encourage students to name the clues BEFORE naming the emotion.
04
Independent Work (Worksheet)
Students complete the Detective Log. Circulate to help with spelling and connecting clues to feelings.
Differentiation & IEP Support
Visual Processing
Provide a printed "Emotion Map" with pictures of various faces if student struggles to identify emojis or drawings.
Language Support
Allow students to circle pre-written emotion words instead of writing them from scratch on Part 1 of the worksheet.
Discussion Power-Prompts
Q: Can two people show the same feeling with different body clues?
Goal: Understand individual differences in expression.
Q: What happens if we only listen to the words and ignore the body?
Goal: Identify the consequences of missing social cues (e.g., annoying someone, missing they are sad).
Tone Tracker Worksheet Volume & Vibe
Lesson 2: The Sound of Feelings
Tone Tracker
"It's not just what you say, it's how you say it." Tone of voice is like the 'vibe' of your words.
One Phrase, Three Vibes
Your teacher will say the phrase "I'm going now" in three different ways. Write down the vibe (emotion) you hear for each one.
1
Teacher says it like:
This vibe feels like:
2
Teacher says it like:
This vibe feels like:
3
Teacher says it like:
This vibe feels like:
Tone Detective Skills
Match the Sound Clue to the Feeling .
The Sound Clue
Fast, loud, and choppy words
Quiet, slow, and soft words
Sing-songy or rising at the end
The Feeling Guess
"Sad or Tired"
"Excited or Happy"
"Angry or In a Hurry"
Why Does it Matter?
Sometimes we use a tone that sounds rude or mean without meaning to! This happens when we have "Big Feelings" like frustration or being overwhelmed.
Scenario:
"Your mom asks if you did your homework. You are tired and say 'YEAH I DID' really loudly."
1. How might your Mom feel when she hears that tone?
2. What was the *real* feeling inside you? (Frustrated? Tired? Mad?)
Volume and Vibe Slides Unit: Social Sleuths
Volume
& Vibe
Lesson 2: Listening for the "How"
Vibe Check!
The Power of "How"
"Nice work."
Vibe A
Said with a smile and a high pitch.
Vibe B
Said with a flat voice and an eye roll.
Vibe C
Said quickly while rushing past you.
The Tone Toolkit
What are our ears actually hunting for?
Pitch
Is the voice high (excited) or low (grumpy)?
Pace
Is the voice fast (hurried) or slow (bored)?
Power
Is the voice loud (intense) or soft (shy)?
Case Study #202
The Playground Panic
"You ask to join a game of tag. The person says: 'SURE, YOU CAN PLAY.' But they say it very fast, with a loud voice, and they don't look at you."
Sleuth Analysis:
What was the Pace ? (Fast or Slow?)
What was the Power ? (Loud or Soft?)
What is the Hidden Message?
Ears Open!
When people talk, don't just hear the Words. Listen for the Vibe!
Perspective Portraits Worksheet Flip the Lens
Lesson 3: The Perspective Power
The Surprise Test
Situation: The teacher announces a surprise math quiz.
😎
Alex (Loves Math)
How do they feel?
What are they thinking?
😟
Riley (Hates Math)
How do they feel?
What are they thinking?
Look Through My Lens
01
"You are running in the hall and bump into a teacher. You are laughing, but the teacher looks very serious."
Your Perspective
"I was just having fun! It was an accident."
The Teacher's Perspective
02
"You are telling a funny story, but your friend keeps checking the clock and tapping their foot."
Your Perspective
"My story is so funny! They are going to love this part."
Their Perspective
Sleuth Secret
Just because you aren't mad doesn't mean the other person isn't mad.Their "Lens" is different from your "Lens"!
The Purpose Puzzle Worksheet The Why Decoder
Lesson 4: Decoding the Message
Boundary / Rule
"Stop. Not now. This is the rule."
Big Feeling
"I'm so frustrated! This is hard!"
Unkind / Rude
"You're a loser. Move away."
Match the Mission
What is the person trying to do? Draw a line to the correct function.
"I'm not sharing my tablet right now, it's my turn."
"Gosh, why are you so slow at this game? It's annoying!"
"AHHH! I can't find my shoes and we are going to be late!"
Expressing a Big Feeling
Setting a Boundary / Rule
Being Unkind / Rude
The Tone Connection
Sometimes a Boundary sounds Unkind because of the tone. Let's decode it.
"A teacher says: STOP TALKING RIGHT NOW. Her face is red, and her voice is very loud and fast."
Is this a Boundary or Rude?
How do you know?
Sleuth Secret: Rules are meant to keep things Safe or Fair. Rude behavior is meant to Hurt feelings.
Sleuth Response Lab
How should we respond to different types of communication?
If someone is setting a Rule or Boundary:
Goal: Respect the limit, even if you don't like it.
Write a respectful response here...
If someone is expressing a Big Feeling:
Goal: Give them space or offer help (if safe).
Write an empathetic response here...
If someone is being Unkind or Rude:
Goal: Walk away or tell a teacher.
Write a response (or action) here...
Boundary Boss Slides Unit: Social Sleuths
Boundary
Boss
Lesson 5: Firm vs. Mean
Limit Detective
What is a Boundary?
A boundary is like an invisible fence. It tells people where they can and cannot go with your body, your feelings, or your stuff.
The Purpose
SAFETY FAIRNESS
Examples:
✅ "Please don't touch my hair."
✅ "I need to finish my work first."
✅ "I'm not ready to share yet."
Firm vs. Mean
Boundaries can sound intense, but that doesn't make them rude.
FIRM
🔊 Level voice (even if loud)
👁️ Clear eye contact
🎯 Focuses on the ACTION
"I need you to step back."
MEAN
🔊 Mocking or whiny voice
🙄 Eye rolling or scoffing
🎯 Focuses on the PERSON
"Get away from me, weirdo."
The Sleuth Test
MISSION #505
"A kid at lunch says: 'NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE MY CHIPS. I'M STILL EATING.' They say it loudly and don't smile."
Test 1:
Is it about Safety or Fairness?
Test 2:
Did they try to hurt you?
Conclusion:
Boundary or Mean?
Case Closed!
Just because a message Feels Bad doesn't mean it's Rude. Sometimes people are just protecting their space!
Next Up: The Final Showdown
Sleuth Showdown Assessment Sleuth Showdown
Final Learning Assessment
Detective:
Date:
Part 1: The Cue File
1. Look at the description below. Circle the non-verbal clues you find.
"Jamie's face is red. Their eyes are squinting, and their hands are squeezed into tight balls (fists). They are breathing very fast."
2. Based on those clues, what is Jamie likely feeling?
Happy
Sad
Angry
Bored
Part 2: Tone & Lens
3. Phrase: "I don't care."
If someone says this with a flat voice while looking at the floor, they are likely feeling:
Excited
Frustrated or Sad
Funny
4. Flip the Lens:
"You are trying to tell a joke, but your friend is crying because they lost their lunch money."
Your View
"I'm being funny and helpful!"
Their View
Part 3: The Why Decoder
5. Read the scenario and decide the Function (The Why).
Scenario A: A teacher says: "YOU MUST CLEAN UP THE FLOOR NOW." She is using a very loud, firm voice because the room is a mess and students are tripping.
The Function is:
Boundary / Rule
Big Feeling
Rude / Unkind
Scenario B: A student says: "NOBODY LIKES YOUR DRAWING. IT'S STUPID." They are whispering and laughing with another friend while looking at you.
The Function is:
Boundary / Rule
Big Feeling
Rude / Unkind
Part 4: The Final Case
"Charlie is working on a difficult puzzle. When Leo tries to help, Charlie says: 'LEAVE ME ALONE!' in a loud, shaky voice. Charlie's face is red and they look like they might cry."
Is Charlie being Rude or having a Big Feeling?
What clue cluster (face/body/tone) tells you the answer?
