Check out this free elementary tuning in lesson plan and goal poster from Everyday Speech. As special educators, we play a crucial role in helping elementary students develop essential social skills. One key aspect of social development is being aware of our surroundings and making informed choices based on the context. By fostering social awareness in our students, we empower them to navigate social interactions with confidence and empathy.

In this blog post, we will explore practical strategies to teach elementary students how to tune into their surroundings, make better social choices, and provide you with a printable goal poster to reinforce their learning. This lesson plan is designed to engage students and enhance their social awareness skills in a fun and interactive way.

Tuning In Concept

Tuning In involves analyzing the impact of one’s own actions and words on a person’s feelings. To do this, one must match their own behavior to the place and situation, while making small adjustments to their words during moment-to-moment changes in conversations.

Tuning In Lesson Plan

Objective: To help elementary students develop social awareness skills and make better choices based on their surroundings.

Materials Needed:

1. Everyday Speech Printable Goal Poster
2. Notecards or sticky notes
3. Markers or colored pencils

Procedure:

1. Introduction: Begin the lesson by discussing the importance of social awareness and its impact on making appropriate choices. Use relatable examples to help students understand the concept and its relevance in their daily lives.
2. Scenario Cards: Create scenario cards by writing different social situations on index cards or sticky notes. Examples may include: “You see someone drop their books in the hallway,” “A classmate invites you to play during recess,” or “You are in a restaurant and want to order your food.” Place the scenario cards face down on a table.
3. Role-Play: Divide students into pairs and distribute scenario cards. Instruct each pair to pick a card and role-play the scenario together. Encourage them to consider the specific context and make choices based on social awareness. After each role-play, encourage students to reflect on their decisions and discuss how they could have made better choices.
4. Tuning In Goal Poster: Download, print, and hang up this free Tuning In goal poster in your classroom to promote the carryover of this skill in your classroom.

Sample Video

Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video-modeling lesson below. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 30 days here!

Related Blog Posts:

Adapting to Social Situations: The Role of a Social Chameleon

Teaching Students to Find Good-Fit Friends: A Guide for Special Education Teachers