Tuning in on Tone

Objective:
In preparation for exploring interrogative sentences and developing questioning skills, students
will learn to identify tone of voice. Students will explore various tones such as excited,
inquisitive, content, angry etc. through role playing different emotions. Students will then
identify tone using body language, voice inflection, and words. Students will further how word
choice influences tones by listing specific verbs and adjectives that support tone. The specific
tone of interrogative sentences will be discussed. Finally, students will then apply their
understanding of tone by choosing a tone word and writing a piece using verbs, adjectives, and
descriptive language as their basis.
Background:

Students should already have a working definition of tone words that are discussed such
as inquisitive, excited, serious, uninterested, etc.
Students have been taught the difference between verb, noun, and adjective.
Students have been taught the difference between showing and telling
Students understand how use descriptive verbs and adjectives to convey emotion

Target Age Group: Second Grade

Assignment:
Introduction Activity:
Begin by explaining to the class that often we can gather information about how a person feels or
about a specific setting by using clues other than words themselves. Pick one student to come up
and act out a specific emotion (tone word) in front of the class. Begin role playing by holding a
basic conversation with that student. After completing the conversation, ask the rest of the class
which emotion they thought were observing. After correctly identifying the emotion, ask
students to pinpoint specifically what body language, voice inflection, and words gave them the
clues needed to draw their conclusion. Repeat several times with different emotions.
Discussion: Tone words (using verbs and adjectives)
As a class, discuss how emotions influence the way we communicate with one another. It is
important to be clear in our tone to understand one another and avoid confusion. Have you ever
had an experience where someone said one thing but acted completely different? In writing, it is
also important for writers to be able to convey emotions so they can connect with their readers.
They do this by using tone, or words that convey specific feelings, moods, and emotions. Often
tone is communicated through juicy adjectives and verbs that express body language.
Make a chart on the board with 3 categories: tone words, adjectives, and verbs. As a class, have
students pick a tone word and choose at least 3 adjectives and 3 nouns that support the tone.
Relate: Because the class is beginning a unit on questioning and students are preparing
specifically to begin exploring interrogative sentences, take a moment to identify specific tones

and voice inflections that are used while asking questions. What makes questions different from
declarative sentences? Ask a question out loud using correct and incorrect tones of voices and
have students give a thumbs up if it sounds correct or a thumbs down if it is incorrect.
Apply: Students will pick one of the tones we have discussed as a class and add a few more
descriptive words to their list, making it so they have a total of five adjectives and verbs
supporting their tone. Then, have students craft five sentences using the words on their list.
Materials Needed: White board and writing materials

Explanation: This lesson plan prepares students to differentiate tone of voice within texts and
interpersonal communication. Students are introduced to role that tone of voice plays in
questions, which will aid their understanding of interrogative sentences in future lessons. This
lesson also provides students practical skills that they can use outside the classroom as they learn
how body language, voice inflection, and specific word choices influence communication.
Several learning methods are implemented as students are asked to participate in auditory,
verbal, visual, and kinesthetic learning, catering to the needs of a classroom of diverse learners.
The use of role play, discussions, and class interaction allows learning to become interacting and
engaging. Finally, student are given the opportunity to enhance their writing skills by using
showing verbs and adjectives to describe different tones and emotions.