While all 48 of the FasTracKids lessons are designed to enhance and improve the students' communication skills, this lesson presents and explores reasons why and how. Communicating effectively requires certain skills as well as practice, and this lesson offers both by way of games, activities and presentations.

"Setting the Stage" - Do you sometimes have a difficult time explaining what you want or need? Do people sometimes misunderstand what you are trying to say? Is it more interesting to listen to someone who tells you what they want clearly and with energy or enthusiasm?

"Find Spencer's Friend"
This lesson begins with a very busy, colorful image on the Learning Station. Spencer Bunny, our narrator through much of the lesson, asks the students to help him find his friend hidden in the image. Students should be encouraged to use their observation and listening skills as they, through the process of elimination, locate Spencer's friend. Once the friend, Jean, is located talk about what information helped them determine their answer. Students are then asked to think of a time or place where it would be important to communicate as clearly as possible. Safety rules, directions, cooking instructions are just a few ideas to introduce.

"Find the Snake"
The previous exercise is repeated with a different image, but with a minimum of information provided - a snake with shiny eyes. Because all of the snakes pictured have shiny eyes, students are asked to provide more information to help determine the correct answer.

"Play the Eye Spy Game"
Role-play/teamwork activity - The teacher should divide the class into teams of 2. Two images (City scene and jungle scene) are presented on the Learning Station. By touching the image, teams choose which picture they would like to talk about. The teams then choose something in the picture to discuss. They should give one hint at a time describing the chosen item. The rest of the class guesses, through process of elimination, what is being described. The teacher may want to play once to give the students a better understanding of how to proceed. Encourage the students to share responsibility in describing the item and to use complete sentences. (Press the "FF" button to advance.)

"Scott's Birthday Bicycle"
This short story about a boy and his birthday gift illustrates how important it is to describe something clearly. Scott wants a new bike. He knows what it looks like but fails to express himself clearly to his family. When Scott receives his present it is a bike, but nothing like what he wanted. Talk about how miscommunication can lead to misunderstandings. Talk about what Scott should have conveyed to get his message across more clearly. Also encourage the students to discuss a similar situation to which they can identify or relate.
Hands-on activity - provide students with the handout (on disk) of the bicycle from the story. Students are instructed to decorate and/or color the bike as creatively as possible. Students then take turns describing their bikes as clearly as possible.

"Using Words to Communicate"
The importance of using words and building a vocabulary is presented. Talk about the importance of learning new words every day. Ask students to provide a word that is new to them. A sample exercise of the following game is provided on the Learning Station. Three blocks with pictures on their sides are shown - a snake, ice cream, and a radio. The words are arranged to create a sentence. The sentence is given in the most simple and unexciting way possible, while still conveying the message. The sentence is then given in a much more colorful and expressive way. Students are encouraged to discuss which style of communication they preferred and why.

"The Block Game"
Touch-screen game - Divide the class into teams of 2. Word blocks are shown on the Learning Station. The teams are instructed to decide which 3 blocks to use to create a sentence. Again, encourage teamwork during this exercise. Students arrange their 3 blocks by simply touching and dragging them on the Learning Station. If teams seem to prefer the same 3 blocks, encourage more creative and challenging sentences. This may require leading questions from the teacher (color, size, smell, weight, action, etc.). (Press the"FF" button to advance.)

"Create Your Own Blocks"
Hands-on activity- Using the sample provided on your disk as a template, provide cutouts of blocks for the students to decorate with pictures. Then, fold along the dotted lines to make blocks, using the tabs to tape or glue together. Instruct your students to create a sentence using their blocks, as they did on the Learning Station, but by using pictures of their choice and creation. Encourage them to play the game at home with their families.

"Order and Communication"
A 6-panel comic strip presents a simple story of friends going on a camping trip to look for bugs. The story is first presented in an incorrect and nonsense order. Students are then asked if the story would make more sense in a different order.

"Put the Story in the Correct Order"
Touch-screen activity - By touching the pictures on the Learning Station, students can rearrange them to put them into the correct order. If the wrong image is chosen, they are encouraged to try again. The teacher may want to offer encouragement or hints by asking questions, if necessary. Talk about how much clearer the story becomes when it is presented in its logical order. (Press "FF" to advance.)

"Role-Play the Story"
Role-play activity - The teacher should divide the class into several teams to role-play the story using the comic strip images as they appear in the correct order on the Learning Station. The number of characters can be determined by the teacher, depending on class size and arrangement. Emphasize to the students that the story does not have to be told exactly like the one presented by the narration. Encourage the students to be creative in their presentations and to communicate the story as clearly as possibly. You may want to encourage a 'rehearsal' presentation prior to videotaping.
Hands-on activity - A handout of the 6 panels is provided (on disk) for students to color, cut out and put in correct order on another piece of paper. If teams are encouraged to work on this together, the younger students will be more familiar with the story line as they color and arrange. This is also a good time to be practicing their presentations.

"Good and Bad Communication"
Role-play activity - Students are shown two different presentation styles by characters on the Learning Station. Students are encouraged to talk about which styles they found to be most effective and why. After a variety of examples are shown, students are encouraged to (again in teams of 2) give both presentation styles. Some students will take this opportunity to exaggerate the negative style to the point of silliness. They are still learning from this and should be encouraged to talk about why it would be a poor presentation style.

"Compare the Bugs"
Different pictures of insects are presented on the Learning Station. Their characteristics are described by the narration. Students are asked to discuss differences and similarities between them. Encourage the students to use their listening and observation skills. This is a good activity to demonstrate how to compare and contrast similar things. Students are also encouraged to describe specific aspects of each presented insect. After all of the insect images are shown, students are instructed to choose 2 from the picture that they would like to talk about. Encourage complete sentences during their descriptions. (Press "FF" to advance.)

"Before You Go Home"
A picture of the campsite and the insects is provided on your disk. If time permits, students can color and decorate based on the information that was just provided to them. Encourage them to remember what they just learned about the similarities and differences.

Supply List for Activities
"Today I Discovered" - parents handout
bike picture (on disk) to color and describe, markers or crayons
stiff paper precut to make word blocks (see example on disk) - use tabs to tape or glue together, tape or glue
handout of comic strip (6 panels) to cut and arrange into correct order (on disk)
insect picture to color (on disk)
videotape