Middle School Oral Communication Activities

Discover the power of impromptu public speaking with this engaging set of 100 Public Speaking Prompts for Kids! Organized into 5 thoughtful categories—Learning, Silly, Gratitude, Fun, and Behavioral—each with 20 unique topics, this collection provides everything teachers need to foster meaningful discussions, inspire confidence, and encourage self-expression in the classroom.

Perfect for quick "speech-on-the-spot" activities, class discussions, or structured speaking practice, these prompts give kids the opportunity to explore new ideas, reflect on values, and share their creativity in a safe, supportive setting.

Skills Kids Will Learn:

• Confidence in expressing ideas and speaking in front of others
• Critical Thinking by reflecting on diverse and thought-provoking topics
• Creativity through imaginative and humorous prompts
• Empathy and Appreciation by recognizing and valuing the perspectives of others
• Listening and Respect as they engage in active discussions with their peers

From exploring fun "What if?" questions to discussing personal growth and appreciation, these topics are designed to build communication skills while tapping into kids’ natural curiosity. Whether you’re focusing on developing social skills or just looking to add more fun and laughter to your day, this pack has something for every classroom!

22 story maps for illustrating storytelling to writing activities. These hobby and life maps are excellent as first week icebreakers, using oral narratives to start the writing process, and learning more about students. Use as individual/small/whole group activities. Meets CCSS. Includes: Directions Example 2 Teacher Maps Singer Traveler (Local, State, US, World) Artist Baseball Softball Basketball Soccer Football Reader Writer Technology Music Dancers (Male & Female) Science My Life Story 3 Blank Story Map Templates Students will have fun while being engaged as they learn about their classmates, draw symbols for life events, write captions, and use storytelling as part of their writing process.

SPECIAL EDUCATION & AUTISM RESOURCES:

Question Word Cue Cards | Visual Supports for Answering WH Questions

Are any of your students struggling with auditory processing, understanding of language, question words, expressive language skills, or reading comprehension?

TRY THESE SIMPLE VISUAL CUE CARDS/PROMPT CARDS FOR ANSWERING QUESTIONS! :-)

**6 x Visual Cue Cards included **ranging from simple questions to more complex questions:

Simple Questions - who, what, where (concrete- usually requires one word answer).

Complex Questions- when, why, how (more abstract + requires more language/a longer response.

Use them during any literacy or communication activity (mat time, story time, oral language, reading, writing, etc.). You can also print out and laminate large copies for your classroom wall/board, and smaller copies for individual student desks.

Two colour options available - Full colour, and colour outline.

Link to BONUS RESOURCE (SLT Tips & Tricks!) also included in your product PDF!

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Embark on a mythical adventure with this set of 30 HeadBands cards featuring iconic figures from Ancient Greek mythology!

From powerful gods and goddesses to courageous heroes and fearsome monsters, test your knowledge and have fun guessing who you are.

This pack includes:

1. 30 cards featuring a variety of well-known characters from Greek mythology.
2. A diverse range of figures: Gods like Zeus and Poseidon, heroes like Hercules and Apollo, monsters like Medusa and the Minotaur, and more!

Engaging gameplay: Perfect for any elementart or middle school classroom.

Educational value: Learn about Greek mythology while having fun!

How to Play:

Insert a card into your headband or stick it to your forehead without looking at it.

Ask yes or no questions to the other players to figure out who you are.

Be the first to guess your character correctly to win!

With this pack, your HeadBands game will reach Olympian heights!

Use this activity as an icebreaker with your AVID students or for any class or content! This team building resource promotes good communication skills which allows for AVID families to build trust and relational capacity. It also helps students prepare to be successful in their future college and career endeavors. This engaging game will allow AVID students to continue to develop those peer relationship as well as develop necessary skills!

Check out the Halloween version HERE!

⭐Save 30% with the AVID card game bundle!⭐

⭐Save 30% with the AVID team-building bundle!⭐

What's Included:

• cover page
• directions page
• 48 drawing cards

Directions:

• Print and laminate multiple sets of the image cards.
• Divide the class into multiple groups.
• Group members take turns drawing a card from a pile.
• The person who drew a card must not show their team the image or use words to describe it. Ie if it is a rainbow you can only use shapes, lines, and location to describe the drawing and cannot say things like, "it forms after the rain."
• The group member describes and gives directions on how to draw the image.
• The team then tries to use listening skills to copy the drawing based on the directions given.
• Repeat until all cards have been used.

Uses:

• teambuilding
• communication practice
• listening practice
• framework Friday

Click HERE to see our other AVID resources. We also have several great AVID bundle options available down below!

AVID Mega Growing Bundle

AVID Teambuilding Bundle

AVID Writing Bundle

Enhance your French language teaching with this comprehensive collection of 100 conversation starters! Perfect for beginners and intermediate learners, these prompts will help spark engaging discussions, improve speaking skills, and boost confidence in conversational French.

What's Included:

• 100 Conversation Starters: A mix of beginner to intermediate prompts, covering various topics such as hobbies, food, travel, and personal experiences.

Enhance your French language teaching with this comprehensive collection of 100 conversation starters! Perfect for beginners and intermediate learners, these prompts will help spark engaging discussions, improve speaking skills, and boost confidence in conversational French.

What's Included:

• 100 Conversation Starters: A mix of beginner to intermediate prompts, covering various topics such as hobbies, food, travel, and personal experiences.

This resource should accompany The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Upper elementary, middle school, and high school students need reading fluency practice too, but we don't always think about it at these stages. This editable resource asks students to practice a passage directly from The Diary of Anne Frank and focus on accuracy, pace, expression, and punctuation. Students are asked to practice reading the passage to an adult. I have always had my students record themselves reading the passage at the end of a week, and I grade them using the same rubric that is on this assignment.

Enhance team collaboration and communication with this AVID Partner Interview Introductions Form. This is a perfect icebreaker and team building activity where students have the opportunity to get to know each other while practicing public speaking skills. Simply print the Google Doc and give hard copies to students, or share the Google Doc with students electronically.

Interview introductions are a great way to break the ice with a new group of students. This excersize has them finding out about each other and then introducing the person they interviewed to the entire class or to smaller groups. It is a lot less threatening to talk about someone else rather than yourself!

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⭐Save 30% with this Public Speaking Bundle!⭐

⭐Save 30% with this Public Speaking Card Game Bundle!⭐

Directions

• Divide your class into pairs.

• Each person interviews the other. The information gained forms a brief introduction speech they'll present to the class OR to smaller groups.

• Establish a time limit for the interviews. 10 minutes works well. Keep track of the time and call change at the halfway point, 5 minutes, to ensure both people get an opportunity to be interviewed and to interview.

• When students present the introduction may begin like this: "This is Mary and she was named after her mother..." and the students will go through each answer by presenting it like a speech.

*This resources is available for Outschool teachers to purchase without the need for extra licenses.

Check out more Back-to-School resources**HERE!**

Check out other AVID resources HERE!

Check out more Collaboration resources HERE!

Check out more Public Speaking resources HERE!

Kids choose one emotion and one action and have to act out the action with the expression of the emotion.

Targeted Skills Include:

• Nonverbal communication: interpreting body language, facial expressions and gestures.
• Social Awareness: Observation skills and critical thinking
• Self-Awareness: Students have to be aware of how their actions are being interpreted
• Team Building: Play in teams for as a whole class this game is funny and non-competitive

Lots of replay value!

Easy to differentiate for diverse learners!

This resource includes:

• 28 emotions in text form
• 42 actions in text form
• 1 blank template to write your own
• 24 emotions in picture + text form
• 48 actions in picture + text form

If you like this one, you'll like:

Speak Up or Let it Go?

The No Fair Game

Did you know … you can earn credits to apply to future purchases by leaving feedback on your purchases? Just click on the 'My TeachShare' dropdown menu, go to 'My Purchases' and then click on products to leave feedback.

TERMS OF USE

By purchasing this resource, you are agreeing that the contents are the property of Diana Cortese and licensed to you only for classroom/personal use as a single user. I retain the copyright, and reserve all rights to this product.

Use this Earth Day team-building activity to not only get students excited about learning how we can protect our Earth but also as a way to promote good communication and public speaking skills! This printable game is also great for use as a brain break, morning meeting activity, indoor recess, transition activity, reward and so much more.

✨Earth Day Activity Packet & Drawing Challenge Bundle✨

What's Included:

• cover page
• directions page
• 48 Earth Day-themed drawing cards

Directions:

• Print and laminate multiple sets of image cards.
• Divide the class into groups.
• Group members take turns drawing a card from a pile.
• The person who drew a card must not show their team the image or use words to describe it. Ie if it is a you can only use shapes, lines, and location to describe the drawing and cannot say things like, "it forms after the rain."
• The group member describes and gives directions on how to draw the image.
• The team then tries to use listening skills to copy the drawing based on the directions given.
• Repeat until all cards have been used.

Uses:

• Earth Day challenge
• teambuilding
• communication practice
• listening practice
• Fun Friday
• and more!

Earth Day

Activity Packet

Would You Rather

Find Someone Who

Symmetry Drawings

Spring

Finish the Story

Would You Rather

Activity Packet

Find Someone Who

Stand Up

This resource should be used with Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Tell-Tale Heart. With this activity, students will read the M'Naghten rule of 1843 and decide whether or not they believe the main character of The Tell-Tale Heart would be found legally sane or insane. This resource includes space for students to collect textual evidence to support their answer, space for students to write other open-ended questions for discussion, and a discussion grading rubric.

I used this activity with my 8th grade students, and they absolutely loved it. They found great evidence to back up their explanations, and gained a deeper understanding of the short story and the M'Naghten rule. We used this resource in a socratic seminar formatted discussion, and they had enough to say about the main character and the M'Naghten rule that the majority of our 55 minute class period was covered.

Halloween Team Building and Public Speaking Card Game Activity- Connect the Dots: This Halloween AVID inspired Card Game is the ultimate public speaking and team-building resource for AVID students (or any content area) - This engaging and educational card game is designed to help students develop their public speaking skills and build teamwork in a fun and interactive way. It is perfect for AVID classrooms and beyond! It's suitable for use in AVID classrooms, as well as any classroom that values public speaking and teamwork. Students will draw 2 Halloween-themed cards and try to connect the 2 words by telling a story with them.

Connect the dots boosts confidence, enhances communication, and fosters collaboration. Through playing this card game, students will gain the confidence and skills necessary to succeed in public speaking and work effectively in teams, setting them up for success both in and out of the classroom.

⭐Save 30% with this AVID BUNDLE!⭐

Save 30% with this AVID Halloween Bundle!

⭐Save 30% with this Public Speaking Bundle!⭐

⭐Save 20% with this Speed Philosophical Chairs Bundle!⭐

⭐Save 30% with the Connect the Dots Bundle!⭐

How to Play Connect the Dots

• Print, cut, and laminate the 200 cards provided.

• Put the word cards into box or non-see through bag.

• A player picks two cards and then must immediately begin telling a story connecting both words together convincingly. The story should only be 1-2 minutes, complicated, or true!

• Once your class is comfortable with connecting two words, add to your word collection and increase the number of cards selected to three or even four.

Skills

• Moving from one idea to another smoothly, in a way that can be readily understood and followed by your audience, is a must-have public speaking skill.

• Connect the Dots gives people the opportunity to practice. Finding a way to conenct the words and practicing the ability to make those connections will become stronger and stronger.

• An added benefit of the game is listening and learning from each other.

What's Included

• Directions page
• Skills page
• Example story
• 200 word cards
• blank cards to write your own words

*This resource is available for Outschool teachers to purchase without the need for extra licenses.

Check out other AVID resources HERE!

Check out more Collaboration resources HERE!

Check out more Public Speaking resources HERE!

Build positive peer connections with these fun, fill-in-the-blank conversation starters!

Perfect for building communication skills, confidence, and friendships in kids.

Get your students up and moving by making a game out of teaching conversation skills!

Print out the papers, laminate and then put them on the floor with the students forming a circle around them.

Then take turns tossing a bean bag to the sentence starters and have your students complete the sentence and then ask a peer the same question.

Included:

24 full page conversation starter prompts

Same 24 conversation prompts but smaller version (4 to a page)

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If you like this one, you may also like:

Speak Up or Let it Go?

The No Fair Game

Did you know … you can earn credits to apply to future purchases by leaving feedback on your purchases? Just click on the 'My TeachShare' dropdown menu, go to 'My Purchases' and then click on products to leave feedback.

Need a no-prep engaging ice breaker activity to end this school year with a bang? This interactive and engaging before summer break game is designed to help your students reflect on their academic accomplishments and experiences throughout the school year as well as share exciting plans for the summer!

Find someone who will help build classroom community while practicing speaking and listening skills. Students will walk around the room and try to find classmates that fit into various end of year and summer themed categories, such as "someone who made you laugh this year" This is the perfect activity to end the school year with!

What's included?

• 1 Find Someone Who worksheet with 16 boxes for students to fill in
• Editable version with clipart included
• Editable version without clipart

How to use:

• Students will walk around the room and find different classmates who fit the description in each box.
• Once they find a classmate who fits the description they will have them write their name in the box.
• Students will keep finding classmates until all 16 boxes are full.

Some examples included:

• Find someone who has plans to make some money this summer.
• Find someone who was never absent this year.
• Find someone who inspired you this year.

Click HERE to see our other find someone who resources!

Click HERE to see our other end-of-the-year resources!

Click HERE to see more team building resources!

*Note this product may be used in brick and mortar classes as well as virtual systems like Outschool

Team Building Public Speaking and Listening Card Game Activity- Connect the DotsThis: This Card Game is the ultimate public speaking team-building resource for your AVID students (or any content area) - This engaging and educational card game is designed to help students develop their public speaking skills and build teamwork in a fun and interactive way. It is perfect for AVID classrooms and beyond! It's suitable for use in AVID classrooms, as well as any classroom that values public speaking and teamwork.

Connect the dots boosts confidence, enhances communication, and fosters collaboration. Through playing this card game, students will gain the confidence and skills necessary to succeed in public speaking and work effectively in teams, setting them up for success both in and out of the classroom.

*Save 30% with this Public Speaking Bundle!

*Save 30% with this Public Speaking Card Game Bundle!

*Save 30% with the AVID bundle!

*Save 30% with the Connect the Dots Bundle!

How to Play Connect the Dots

• Print, cut, and laminate the 200 cards provided.

• Put the word cards into box or non-see through bag.

• A player picks two cards and then must immediately begin telling a story connecting both words together convincingly. The story should only be 1-2 minutes, complicated, or true!

• Once your class is comfortable with connecting two words, add to your word collection and increase the number of cards selected to three or even four.

Skills

• Moving from one idea to another smoothly, in a way that can be readily understood and followed by your audience, is a must-have public speaking skill.

• Connect the Dots gives people the opportunity to practice. Finding a way to conenct the words and practicing the ability to make those connections will become stronger and stronger.

• An added benefit of the game is listening and learning from each other.

What's Included

• Directions page
• Skills page
• Example story
• 200 word cards
• blank cards to write your own words

*This resources is available for Outschool teachers to purchase without the need for extra licenses.

Check out other AVID resources HERE!

Check out more Collaboration resources HERE!

Check out more Public Speaking resources HERE!

Teach your students conflict resolution skills & self-awareness through learning about the 4 basic communication styles:

1. Passive
2. Assertive
3. Aggressive
4. Passive-Aggressive

Perfect for your Social Skills Group, School Counseling Group, or Speech Therapy Session!

Students take turns reading scenarios aloud and then randomly picking a response from those that are scattered on the table. They read the response aloud and think about which communication style it represents and puts the response strip under which communication style they think it corresponds to.

This is an interactive way (no writing required!) to get your students to reflect on the different ways to respond to tricky situations that often come up. Help them see how nuance in tone, word choice, and body language all affect how they are perceived by others and help them understand what others are trying to communicate to them.

Included are:

• 40 different social scenarios that are typical for students
• 20 potentially passive responses
• 20 potentially assertive responses
• 20 potentially aggressive responses
• 20 potentially passive-aggressive responses
• 1 page of questions to ask your students to promote group discussion
• 1 page of color reference guide explaining the communication styles
• 1 page black and white reference guide explaining communication styles
• 1 page for categorizing the responses
• Large print headers of the 4 communication styles for which the students can use to categorize the responses.

Get this in a bundle!

Communication Styles BUNDLE

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Use this AVID resource when students begin their argumentative writing! Students will quickly develop arguments on a variety of topics through a speed style variation of Philosophical Chairs. In turn, students will not only craft their thesis statements and come up with arguments for their essays, but they will also increase their public speaking and collaboration skills!

Overview:

Philosophical Chairs: Speed Formation utilizes many of the same components of the classic version, but is a fun, fast-paced variation that can be utilized during shortened class periods. This variation of Philosophical Chairs should only be utilized after students have developed their skills through the classic style.

What's Included:

• 1 student objective slides
• 1 overview slide
• 1 argumentative prompt slide
• 2 thesis statement teaching slides
• 6 rules of engagement slides/steps
• 2 basic norm slides
• 1 google doc where students reflect on the philosophical chairs

Click HERE to see our other AVID resources. We also have several great AVID bundle options available down below!

AVID Mega Growing Bundle

AVID Teambuilding Bundle

AVID Writing Bundle

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Bottle Flip is a partner team-building card game and it's the perfect icebreaker for your AVID students (or for students in any content area) who are returning to school after spring break! This activity allows students to talk and share their experiences in a fun and interactive way. Students will take turns trying to gain points by flipping a bottle upright! When they miss, they have to answer a question and lose a chance at points.

Whether you're a teacher looking to add a fun and interactive activity to your classroom curriculum, or a team leader looking to build team dynamics and improve communication skills, the AVID team-building card game is the perfect choice!

✨AVID Spring Bundle✨

✨ELA Spring Bundle✨

Bundle and save over 30%:

✨AVID Mega Bundle✨

Team Building Bundle

Partner Games Bundle

Bottle Flip Bundle

How to Play Bottle Flip

• Place students into random partners and give each set of partners a water bottle to flip
• Print discussion cards for each group
• Have students get out paper for scoring
• The oldest student flips first
• If they flip the bottle and it lands upright, the flipper gets 2 points, and then its their partners turn to flip
• If they flip the bottle and it does not land upright, they have to draw and answer a random question
• If the flipper answers the question, they get one point. If the student does not answer or says “I don’t know,” the OTHER student gets the point and they get to take their turn
• play for 10 minutes and switch partners!

What's Included

• Directions page
• 50 "after spring break" question cards
• blank cards to write your own words

*This resource is available for Outschool teachers to purchase without the need for extra licenses.

Check out other AVID resources HERE!

Check out more Collaboration resources HERE!

Group perspective taking activity targets social awareness, finding common interests, and conversation skills.

Kids to have fun learning about others and sharing about themselves. Students have to think like their peers in order to try to guess what their peers would choose.

This Social Emotional resource contains:

• an instruction sheet to plan your lesson
• 5 sheets of 12 cards with only words (60 pairs total)
• 1 sheet of 12 cards with only pictures
• 1 sheet of 12 cards with the same pictures and written text underneath
• one blank grid so you can write your own or have your students make their own!

Just cut along the perforated lines and fold along the solid lines. Then turn the cards face down. Kids take turns picking a card and reading the 2 choices. Then the rest of the group has to try to guess what that player would choose. (Not what they would choose!). The player then tells the group their preference.

⭐️ If you like this one, you may also like Emotion Charades!

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