Mini Lesson Plan: Josh Takes a Risk (grades 4-8) March 7, 2010

After reading the Communication Skills story called “Josh Takes a Risk,” students will take part in a variety of follow-up activities to enhance the learning experience. Here is a story scenario you can use to help teach about the importance of making eye contact with your teacher and your classmates when you give a public speaking speech or performance.

Step 1: Read the story called “Josh Takes a Risk.”

Story Description: Imagine your teacher expects each student in the room to give a speech or perform a story. You, however, are feeling nervous or reluctant to perform. That’s the way that a boy named Josh felt.

Here is a story scenario you can use to help teach about importance of making eye contact with others when you do public speaking.

As you may be aware, many students would rather eat nails than get up in front of their classmates to do any kind of public speaking. Making eye contact with your teacher and the other students in the room is one technique that really helps build your comfort level in the long run. A boy named Josh did not believe that making eye contact could actually help him build his comfort level; however, when he finally took the risk to try it out, he found it actually worked for him as well.

Step 2: Have class participate in the role-play based on the story called “Josh Takes a Risk.”

Communication Skills role-play: Josh Takes a Risk

Step 3: Have class participate in discussion questions about this story.

Let’s Discuss Josh Takes a Risk

Let’s Discuss Communication Skills Tale: Josh Takes a Risk

After reading the story called “Josh Takes a Risk,” hold a class discussion using these ten discussion questions. You can also act the story out by using the scripted role-play provided.

Link to Communication Skills story: Josh Takes a Risk

Link to Communication Skills role-play: Josh Takes a Risk

Click COMMUNICATION SKILLS to read ten Class Discussion Questions as a follow-up to the story called “Josh Takes a Risk.”

Communication Skills role-play: Josh Takes a Risk March 5, 2010

Visit this page to get the link to the PDF file for the scripted role-play to print for classroom use called “Josh Takes a Risk.”

A. Students participate in scripted role-play called “Josh Takes a Risk.”

Story Description: This role-play called “Josh Takes a Risk” illustrates the importance of making eye contact with your teacher and your classmates when you give a public speaking speech or performance.

Additional Note: Imagine your teacher expects each student in the room to give a speech or perform a story. You, however, are feeling nervous or reluctant to perform. That’s the way that a boy named Josh felt.

Here is a story scenario you can use to help teach about importance of making eye contact with others when you do public speaking.

As you may be aware, many students would rather eat nails than get up in front of their classmates to do any kind of public speaking. Making eye contact with your teacher and the other students in the room is one technique that really helps build your comfort level in the long run. A boy named Josh did not believe that making eye contact could actually help him build his comfort level; however, when he finally took the risk to try it out, he found it actually worked for him as well.

Click COMMUNICATION SKILLS to read and download the role-play on Examiner.com.

Communication Skills Tale – Josh Takes a Risk March 4, 2010

Imagine your teacher expects each student in the room to give a speech or perform a story. You, however, are feeling nervous or reluctant to perform. That’s the way that a boy named Josh felt.

Here is a story scenario you can use to help teach about importance of making eye contact with others when you do public speaking.

As you may be aware, many students would rather eat nails than get up in front of their classmates to do any kind of public speaking. Making eye contact with your teacher and the other students in the room is one technique that really helps build your comfort level in the long run. A boy named Josh did not believe that making eye contact could actually help him build his comfort level; however, when he finally took the risk to try it out, he found it actually worked for him as well.

A. Teacher reads story to the class called “Josh Takes a Risk.”

B. Story Description: This story called “Josh Takes a Risk” illustrates the importance of making eye contact with your teacher and your classmates when you give a public speaking speech or performance.

Click COMMUNICATION SKILLS to read the entire short story.