Lesson 9.1 Relationships and Communication Skills

Overview

This lesson focuses on healthy and unhealthy relationships people have in their lives. An important part of any relationship is communication. Knowing how to communicate with the people in your life and understanding different communication styles are valuable for having a healthy relationship.

Learning Targets

  • LO1: Evaluate similarities and differences between verbal and nonverbal communication.
  • LO2: Compare and contrast characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
  • LO3: Evaluate your communication style using the four communication styles described.
  • LO4: Demonstrate how to use an I message and active listening properly.
  • LO5: Analyze how a text message or a message on social media could be interpreted in two different ways.

Preparation

Chapter Opener: Use the chapter 9 Is My Relationship Healthy or Unhealthy? self-assessment to introduce the chapter before moving on to Lesson 9.1 or assign the self-assessment as a homework task before starting this lesson.

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the Journal Question on the board or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Open the Lesson 9.1 PowerPoint slides or make copies of the Lesson 9.1 Note-Taking Guide.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 9.1 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Communicating Using I Messages and Active Listening Skills.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on task.

  • Self-Assessment: Have students complete the Is My Relationship Healthy or Unhealthy? self-assessment.
  • Journal Question: Describe a text message, social media post, or conversation that was taken out of context from how you intended.
    • Option: Write or project the question and have students respond in their journal or on their “bell ringer” sheet as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in pairs, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 9.1 Vocabulary Review Worksheet.
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 9.1 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quiz and use it alongside a posttest to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

Lesson Focus: Using I Messages and Active Listening Skills

  1. Give each student a copy of the Lesson 9.1 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Communicating Using I Messages and Active Listening Skills.
  2. Students will write I messages explaining how Kai feels.
  3. Students will then write a response to Kai’s I messages for Isla using active listening.
  4. After the messages are written, pair students and have them act out their I messages and active listening responses. Make sure they effectively use verbal and nonverbal communication as they act them out.

Challenge Activity

Have students needing an additional challenge work on the following Thinking Critically task.

A friend wants to copy your homework but you don’t want her to. Write a conversation between the two of you that is aggressive and then rewrite it in an assertive way.

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you...

  • Evaluate similarities and differences between verbal and nonverbal communication?

    Verbal and nonverbal communication are both ways to deliver information to people, they can be used together to deliver a message, and they can both be misinterpreted by the receiver of the message. In verbal communication, people can hear what is being said or they can read what is written, but in nonverbal communication, people use facial expressions, hand gestures, and tone and volume of their voice to deliver a message.

  • Compare and contrast characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships?

    Healthy and unhealthy relationships involve communication, and both can affect a person’s social, physical, mental, and emotional health. Healthy relationships help each person in the relationship feel supported and connected to each other without losing their individuality. Good communication, support, and trust and respect exist between the people in the relationship. In unhealthy relationships, one person often has power over the other person which can leave people feeling uncomfortable, sad, or afraid. Communication is often lacking, fighting is often constant, and dishonesty and disrespect occur between the people in the relationship.

  • Evaluate your communication style using the four communication styles described?

    The four communication styles are passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. Students should examine figure 9.3 and consider how they primarily communicate with others.

  • Demonstrate how to use an I message and active listening properly?

    Students complete the skill-building challenge in this lesson to achieve this learning target.

  • Analyze how a text message or a message on social media could be interpreted in two different ways?

    Using texting abbreviations and emojis may not mean the same to other people as they do to you. If people don’t understand your message, they may interpret the message in a different way than it was intended, and miscommunication can happen that can cause confusion and hurt feelings.

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

Take It Home

Ask an adult family member or family friend how they communicated with their friends before there were cell phones and social media. Ask them how technology has affected their communication with their friends. Think about how you communicate with your friends compared to how your family member or friend did at your same age. Do you think communication with your friends would be better without smartphones and social media? Why or why not?

Option: Assign the Is My Relationship Healthy or Unhealthy? self-assessment as a homework task if it was not used at the start of this lesson.