Introduction

Welcome to Fork in the Road, a game where students explore the impact of different behaviors on social interactions. In this activity, high school students will examine situations involving Conversation Drivers and Conversation Stoppers. Conversation Drivers are statements or questions that start or keep a conversation going in a positive direction, while Conversation Stoppers abruptly end the conversation before it’s ready to end naturally. By engaging in this activity, students will learn how their actions can influence the feelings of others and the outcomes of social situations.

No-Prep Activity

In this no-prep activity, students will watch a scenario featuring two characters, Leah and Zach, discussing Zach’s sneakers. Zach will come to a Social Fork, a point where he can choose how to control the interaction. One path leads to a positive outcome, while the other may result in a negative outcome. The students’ task is to pick the best path for Zach.

First, read or play the provided scenario for your students. Pause at the Social Fork and ask the students to think about what might happen if Zach chooses to take a break from talking or continues talking. After discussing the potential outcomes, continue the scenario, showing the results of each path. Encourage students to reflect on how Zach’s choices affected the conversation and the feelings of those involved.

Discussion Questions

1. How did Zach’s choice to either take a break from talking or continue talking affect the conversation and Leah’s feelings?
2. Can you think of a time when you used a Conversation Driver or Conversation Stopper in a social situation? How did it affect the interaction?
3. What are some examples of Conversation Drivers and Conversation Stoppers you might use in your daily life?
4. Why is it important to be aware of the impact our actions can have on others during conversations?
5. How can practicing Conversation Drivers and avoiding Conversation Stoppers improve our social interactions and relationships?

Related Skills

While focusing on Conversation Drivers and Conversation Stoppers, this activity also helps students develop other related skills, such as:

• Active listening
• Empathy
• Reading social cues
• Assertive communication
• Conflict resolution

Next Steps

To further explore the concept of Conversation Drivers and Conversation Stoppers, as well as other valuable Social-Emotional Learning skills, sign up for free samples at Everyday Speech. By incorporating these activities and resources into your classroom, you can help your high school students better navigate social situations and develop strong communication skills.