Exploring Communication Tools
Science • 20 • 14 students • Created with AI following Aligned with Common Core State Standards
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Teaching Instructions
STEMcoach in Action An essential aspect of facilitating student understanding is insight into student thinking. This insight is best provided by observing how students are able to communicate their understanding. When we say “facilitating questioning and discourse”, we are describing the effective questioning and meaningful communication that the teacher uses to establish what students know and are able to do. For further information on Facilitating Questioning and Discourse, please click on the provided link.
Site
Description
(CCC) Students are introduced to and discuss the different ways we communicate.
Materials Printed Material 1 How Do We Communicate? (per class) 1 Set Communication Device Cards (per group)
Consumable 1 Chart paper (per class) (optional)
Procedure and Facilitation points Show the students the Communication Device Cards. Discuss: What do you think these devices have in common? You can talk on them, you can call people from other places, etc. These devices help us talk to people who aren’t with us—they may live in another house nearby or they could live very far away. How do we depend on technology to communicate with others? Objects such as computers, phones, etc. allow us to send and receive messages quickly and communicate over long distances. Use the bar graph (or recreate the bar graph on chart paper) to record the number of students who have used each device for communication. Discuss: How do people communicate? They talk to each other. (SEP) How do people talk to other people who are not close by, such as grandparents who live out of state, a friend in another country, or a relative in another city? They make a call on the phone, use a walkie-talkie or radio, etc. (SEP) Can we communicate without words when we’re far away? Yes, some people use video chat, Morse code, letters, emails, texts, social media, etc. Can we communicate without words, but with sounds, when we’re far away? Yes, we can use sirens, bells, drums, etc. Can we communicate with light when we’re far away? Yes, flashing lights, such as SOS (… - - - …), tell when boats or people are in trouble. Lighthouses provide light to help boats navigate and avoid dangers. Add the above information to the graphic organizer. Have students brainstorm other ways to communicate and add them to the graphic organizer. Connection to the Investigative Phenomena Once students have completed the activity, have them refer to the Investigative Phenomena question, anchor their learning, and revise their thinking.
Language Acquisition Strategies Sentence Stems
For emerging language acquisition strategies, have the materials translated into their native language as a reference for them to use during the activity. After the group activity, students can complete the sentence stems in their journals or as an exit ticket at the end of class.
Emerging: I can use _, __, and __ to communicate.
Students may draw pictures of tools they have used to communicate with others.
Expanding/Bridging: I have used __, __, and _ to communicate. I use _ (communication tool) when I need to communicate __. __ helps me communicate far away without words. __ helps me communicate far away with words. STEMcoach in Action An essential aspect of facilitating student understanding is insight into student thinking. This insight is best provided by observing how students are able to communicate their understanding. When we say “facilitating questioning and discourse”, we are describing the effective questioning and meaningful communication that the teacher uses to establish what students know and are able to do. For further information on Facilitating Questioning and Discourse, please click on the provided link.
Site
Description
(CCC) Students are introduced to and discuss the different ways we communicate.
Materials Printed Material 1 How Do We Communicate? (per class) 1 Set Communication Device Cards (per group)
Consumable 1 Chart paper (per class) (optional)
Procedure and Facilitation points Show the students the Communication Device Cards. Discuss: What do you think these devices have in common? You can talk on them, you can call people from other places, etc. These devices help us talk to people who aren’t with us—they may live in another house nearby or they could live very far away. How do we depend on technology to communicate with others? Objects such as computers, phones, etc. allow us to send and receive messages quickly and communicate over long distances. Use the bar graph (or recreate the bar graph on chart paper) to record the number of students who have used each device for communication. Discuss: How do people communicate? They talk to each other. (SEP) How do people talk to other people who are not close by, such as grandparents who live out of state, a friend in another country, or a relative in another city? They make a call on the phone, use a walkie-talkie or radio, etc. (SEP) Can we communicate without words when we’re far away? Yes, some people use video chat, Morse code, letters, emails, texts, social media, etc. Can we communicate without words, but with sounds, when we’re far away? Yes, we can use sirens, bells, drums, etc. Can we communicate with light when we’re far away? Yes, flashing lights, such as SOS (… - - - …), tell when boats or people are in trouble. Lighthouses provide light to help boats navigate and avoid dangers. Add the above information to the graphic organizer. Have students brainstorm other ways to communicate and add them to the graphic organizer. Connection to the Investigative Phenomena Once students have completed the activity, have them refer to the Investigative Phenomena question, anchor their learning, and revise their thinking.
Language Acquisition Strategies Sentence Stems
For emerging language acquisition strategies, have the materials translated into their native language as a reference for them to use during the activity. After the group activity, students can complete the sentence stems in their journals or as an exit ticket at the end of class.
Emerging: I can use _, __, and __ to communicate.
Students may draw pictures of tools they have used to communicate with others.
Expanding/Bridging: I have used __, __, and _ to communicate. I use _ (communication tool) when I need to communicate __. __ helps me communicate far away without words. __ helps me communicate far away with words.
Objective
Students will understand the different ways people communicate, including the use of technology, sounds, lights, and non-verbal cues. They will identify communication devices and describe how these tools help people share information over distances.
Aligned Common Core State Standards (CCSS):
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1
Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.2
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. - CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.8
With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Materials
- Printed:
- 1 "How Do We Communicate?" poster/chart (class use)
- 1 Set of Communication Device Cards (per group of 3-4 students)
- Consumable:
- 1 sheet chart paper for bar graph (optional)
- Student science journals or notebooks
- Additional:
- Colored markers or crayons for drawing
Time Breakdown
| Activity | Time (minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction & Device Cards | 5 |
| Group Discussion & Bar Graph | 6 |
| Communication Brainstorm & Organizer | 6 |
| Sentence Stems & Exit Ticket | 3 |
Detailed Procedure
1. Introduction & Device Cards (5 minutes)
- Gather students and show the Communication Device Cards (phone, walkie-talkie, computer, letter, drum, flash light, etc.).
- Facilitate open discussion:
- "What do these devices have in common?"
- Guide students to realize these tools help people talk to others who are not close.
- Highlight that technology (phones, computers) allows fast communication, even far away.
- Use questioning to check understanding:
- "Have you ever used one of these to talk to someone?"
- "How did it help?"
2. Group Discussion & Bar Graph (6 minutes)
- In groups of 3-4, distribute device cards. Ask students to share if they have used these tools.
- On chart paper, recreate or update a simple bar graph tracking how many students have used each device.
- Discuss:
- "Which communication tool do most people use?"
- "Are there any tools some of you haven’t used yet?"
- Emphasize talking as the simplest way to communicate; introduce alternative communication like signals, lights, and sounds.
3. Communication Brainstorm & Graphic Organizer (6 minutes)
- Display or draw a graphic organizer with categories: Speaking, Sounds, Lights, Writing, and Other.
- Add examples (phone calls, sirens, flashing SOS, letters, emails, etc.).
- Use facilitating discourse questions:
- "What are ways we can communicate if we’re far apart without words?"
- "Can sounds send messages?"
- "How can lights help us?"
- Have students suggest other communication methods to add.
- Encourage students to reference the Investigative Phenomena question: How do people communicate with each other, even if they are far apart?
- Help students anchor their learning and revise thoughts if needed.
4. Sentence Stems & Exit Ticket (3 minutes)
- Provide sentence stems aligned to language acquisition levels:
- Emerging:
I can use __, __, and __ to communicate. - Expanding/Bridging:
I have used __, __, and __ to communicate. I use __ when I need to communicate __. __ helps me communicate far away without words. __ helps me communicate far away with words.
- Emerging:
- Students complete stems in their journals or as an exit ticket.
- Optionally, students may draw pictures representing communication tools they’ve used.
Differentiation & Language Supports
- Emerging English learners: Provide materials translated in native language for reference, paired with visuals.
- Visual learners: Use graphic organizers, picture cards, and drawings.
- Kinesthetic learners: Handling device cards and participating in group graphing.
- Culturally responsive: Encourage sharing of communication methods from diverse cultural backgrounds (e.g., drum signals, smoke signals).
Assessment
- Formative assessment through observation of student discourse, participation in group work, and contributions to the bar graph.
- Review responses from sentence stems for understanding communication concepts and vocabulary.
- Anecdotal notes during questioning to capture insight into student thinking and misconceptions.
Classroom Management Tips
- Keep device cards accessible, rotate among groups to encourage interaction.
- Use think-pair-share to allow students time to process and articulate ideas.
- Celebrate all contributions to foster confidence in communication skills.
Extensions / Home Connection
- Encourage students to ask family members how they communicate with people far away and share stories or tools during next class.
- Suggest a simple “communication diary” for students to record ways they communicated during the day or week (calls, notes, gestures).
Final Thought:
This lesson not only builds foundational science understanding of communication but also integrates language development and social-emotional skills through meaningful collaboration and speaking practice — all within a manageable, engaging 20-minute timeframe.
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