1. Lesson 3: No One Communicates Alone
No One Eats Alone™
Presented by Beyond Differences
Lesson 3: No One Communicates Alone

2. Objectives
Students will begin to discover how much personal space they need. 
Students will compare and contrast their need and size for their own personal space with a partner’s need and size for their own personal space. 
Students will analyze the power of body language and will evaluate the power of body language in communication. 
Students will understand how mirror neurons play a role in social interactions. 
Students will practice expressing different emotions and will analyze how mirror neurons affect our perception of our interactions. 
Students will evaluate the importance of body language and energy when attempting to help end social isolation. 

3. Journal and Discuss
Is it easy or hard for you to communicate how you are feeling to others? 
Who is a person with whom you communicate your feelings most easily? What makes it easy to communicate with them? 
Who is someone with whom you struggle to communicate your feelings? What makes it hard to communicate with them? 
When is the last time you can remember communicating with someone you don’t know at all? How did it go? Try to list things that went well and things that felt awkward.
***For Discussion: Do not share names! Practice confidentiality!

4. Communication Games and Fun Warm Up
Today we are going to play some games in order to discover how we can become better communicators. 
Steps:
Stand in a circle.
Reach toward the sky and twinkle your fingers. 
Reach towards the ground and try and touch your toes. 
Reach back up to the sky and twinkle your fingers. 
Twinkle your fingers and say hi to someone across the room.
Speed it up!
Discussion:
Ask students to define “personal space.” 
• Personal Space: refers to the physical distance between two people in a social environment. 
• Consider explaining the analogy of a “personal bubble” to students. 
• Ask students: How do we know the distance of someone else’s personal space?
Ask students: Why is personal space and respecting someone’s personal space important?
Let students respond and then guide them to these key points:
The distance of personal space needed varies from person to person depending on a variety of factors: how well you know the person, your relationship to that person, and how much you trust him or her. 
It is important to be aware and respectful of both your own personal need for space as well as that of others in order to maintain healthy and positive relationships. 

5. Discuss How do you define “personal space?”
Personal Space: refers to the physical distance between two people in a social environment. 
Personal Bubble
How do we know the distance of someone’s personal space?
The distance of personal space needed varies from person to person depending on a variety of factors: how well you know the person, your relationship to that person, and how much you trust him or her. 
Why is personal space and respecting someone’s personal space important?
It is important to be aware and respectful of both your own personal need for space as well as that of others in order to maintain healthy and positive relationships. 

6. Personal Space and Communication Round 1
Being able to talk about and articulate our personal space is important. We are going to play a game.
The first line is going to be the communicating line. You are responsible for articulating your personal space to your partner.
The second line is our listening and respect line. You are responsible for listening to your partner.
When I say ‘Go!’ line 1 is going to instruct line 2 to come closer, stop, or move back. You can also ask them to make eye contact, etc. It is your job to communicate your personal space. (2 mins)
Line 2 is now is the communicating line. (2 mins)
Words are not the only way we can communicate. Can anyone think of other ways?
***Hint: Hand gestures and body language are really important, too!
Divide the circle in half and instruct students to stand in a line facing a partner on the opposite line. 

7. Personal Space and Communication Round 2
We are going to play this game again, only this time you may not use words, you can only use hand gestures to communicate to your partner.
Line 1 will communicate first and line 2 will listen and show respect; then, we will switch.
Discuss:
What did you notice in using hand gestures? 
Was it easier or harder? 
How did it feel? 
Do you think it was effective? 

8. Personal Space and Communication Round 3
We are going to play this game one last time.
This time you may not use words or hand gestures - you can only use body language to communicate to your partner.
Try to be creative!
Line 1 will communicate first and line 2 will listen and show respect; then we will switch.
Discuss:
What did you notice in using hand gestures?
Was it easier or harder? 
How did it feel? 
Do you think it was effective? 
How might this activity be different if you were playing with a parent or a stranger? 

9. Gestures and Facial Expression
We use our body to communicate our intentions and our feelings through gestures and facial expressions.
It is really important that we not only know how to communicate our intentions but that we are able to read someone else’s body language.
If someone is feeling isolated for example, it might be overwhelming for them to have someone enter their personal space without asking what are their boundaries and need for personal space.
Discuss: If you saw someone who was isolated, how might you approach and include them?” 

10. Mirror Neuron Round 1 Stand in a circle.
We are going to go around the circle and each say our name.
You can pick any tone you wish and the entire group is going to see if they can replicate that tone and say your name back to you.
Teacher starts first and it moves to the left.
Say your name with a happy tone!

11. Mirror Neuron Round 2
We are going to go around another time, but this time, you need to add a gesture to your name.
Teacher starts first and moves to the left.
The more dramatic your gesture the more the group will get into it. 

12. Mirror Neuron Round 3
We are going to go around again, but this time you are going to say your name and make a gesture. Keep in mind you just received the saddest news you’ve ever heard.
Teacher starts first and moves to the left.
Discuss:
How did it feel this time going around the circle? 

13. Mirror Neuron Round 4
We are going to go around again, but this time you are going to say your name and make a gesture. You are going to pretend you just got a puppy for your birthday!
Teacher starts first and moves to the left.
Discuss:
How did it feel going around the circle this last time? 
What was the difference between getting a puppy and hearing the saddest news? 
Did you sense yourself feeling other people’s emotions? 
Did you make progress in sharing with your classmates as we moved from the first time of saying our names out loud to the last? Was it easier or harder? Did you feel more confident or less?

14. Mirror Neuron Background Knowledge
The reason we are able to feel other people’s emotions in this short activity is because all humans have something called mirror neurons in our brain.
Mirror neurons are essential in how we interact and communicate. These neurons are able to read people’s intentions, body language, emotions and actions.
We automatically reflect that emotion back to the person. For instance, if I am sad and talking to you, you might feel my sadness through empathy and feel sad, too. If I am happy, it might make you feel happy!

15. Mirror Neuron Reflection and Discussion
How do you think knowing about mirror neurons might help me in communicating with others? 
How do you think it might affect how I approach someone who is feeling isolated? 
If we know about mirror neurons we are better able to respond to others and better able to combat social isolation.
For instance, if I know someone is feeling sad from being isolated, I can go to them and listen, knowing that I might feel a little sad, too. But then I can invite that person to do something fun and see if I can change both of our emotions!
Simply by smiling at a person, we can set off their mirror neurons and give them a chance to experience the feeling we feel when we smile!

16. Wrap-Up: No One Communicates Alone Worksheet
Use your worksheet and reflect on the following questions:
What did you learn about communication today? 
What skills might make you a better communicator? 
Next time you want to communicate with someone you don’t know, what is something you might want to try?

17. No One Eats Alone™!