Materials:  film clip, 2 songs, Knife Fight story, a sheet of blank typing paper for each student, technology to allow interviews to be heard (speakers, auxillary cord, etc.)

Hook:  Give each student an 81/2 X 11 sheet of paper and ask them to follow your instructions.  Use the Listening Assessment Experience under Documents.

Lesson:   Explain the difference between hearing and listening. See Listening Notes sheet in Documents. Introduce students to the various types of listening.  (See Listening Powerpoint in Documents.)  A film clip is needed for an example during the powerpoint.  Use a clip from Law and Order or any detective show or movie where a suspect is being questioned.  There are other activities to use during the powerpoint.

               Introduce the road blocks to listening.  (See Listening Roadblocks Powerpoint in Documents.)

               Participate in Music Appreciation Day by asking students to bring their favorite song to class for the class to hear.  Make sure it is school appropriate.  Start with the teacher's favorite song.  After each song, briefly discuss why the song might be good, bad or indifferent for the students.  

                    Teach strategies to improve listening/be an active listener. See Listening Actively in Documents. 

Guided Practice:  Students will participate in the Listening Activity called Knife Fight.  Allow at least 30 minutes of class time for this activitiy.  (See Knife Fight in Documents.)

Independent Practice/Assessment:    Students will conduct interviews and share their information with the class. (See Story Corps in Documents)

See Listening Survey, Listening Circumstances, and Listening Barriers in Documents for additional independent practice. 

Closure:  What was your favorite interview and what did you learn from it?