starting and ending
You see a classmate wearing a shirt with your favorite video game on it.
What’s a good way to start a conversation?
A) “Cool shirt! Do you play that game too?”
B) “Why are you wearing that?”
C) Say nothing and stare at them.
A) “Cool shirt! Do you play that game too?”
Your friend says, “I got new shoes for basketball!”
Which of these is ON topic?
A) “Cool! What color are they?”
B) “My dog barked this morning.”
C) “I don’t like sports.”
A) “Cool! What color are they?”
Your friend looks bored while you’re talking about your favorite game.
What might that mean?
A) They might not be interested anymore.
B) They want to listen more.
C) They’re having the best time ever.
A) They might not be interested anymore.
You don’t like your friend’s shirt. Should you think it or say it?
think it
You and your friend are talking about video games. They ask, “Do you like Mario Kart?”
Which answer keeps the conversation going?
A) “Yes.”
B) “Nah.”
C) “Yeah! I usually play as Yoshi—who do you pick?”
C) “Yeah! I usually play as Yoshi—who do you pick?”
You walk up to two friends talking about their pets.
What’s the BEST thing to do first?
A) Jump in and start talking about your pet.
B) Wait for a pause, then say, “I have a dog too!”
C) Walk away.
B) Wait for a pause, then say, “I have a dog too!”
Your friend says, “I went to the beach.”
Which is a good follow-up?
A) “Do you have pets?”
B) “Do you like pizza?”
C) “Did you go swimming?”
C) “Did you go swimming?”
You are talking to two of your friends about a tv show you all watch. One of your friends isn't talking much. What could you do to include them?
A) Keep talking about yourself.
B) Ask them a question about the show.
C) Change the topic without asking.
B) Ask them a question about the show.
You think, “Wow, their lunch smells really weird.”
What should you do?
A) Say it out loud so everyone hears.
B) Laugh about it.
C) Keep it in your head and don’t say it.
C) Keep it in your head and don’t say it.
You and your friend are talking about soccer. Suddenly, you remember something funny your dog did this morning.
What’s the BEST thing to do?
A) Tell the dog story right away.
B) Stay on topic and wait for a good time to change the subject.
C) Stop listening and think about the dog.
B) Stay on topic and wait for a good time to change the subject.
You started talking about your weekend, but now your friend seems ready to leave.
What could you say to wrap up politely?
“It was fun talking!”
“I’ll tell you more later!”
“See you soon!”
You and your friend are talking about video games. What is an on-topic question you could ask?
What game do you play?
Do you play with friends?
What level are you on?
Your friend says they didn’t like a movie that you loved. What should you do?
A) Argue until they agree with you.
B) Lie and say you hate it too.
C) Say, “That’s okay, I liked it though!”
C) Say, “That’s okay, I liked it though!”
Your friend is excitedly talking about a movie you didn’t like.
Which is the BEST way to respond?
A) “I didn’t love it, but I’m glad you liked it!”
B) “That movie was dumb.”
C) “Why would you like that?”
A) “I didn’t love it, but I’m glad you liked it!”
Your friend says, “My family got a new puppy last night!”
What’s a good follow-up question you could ask?
“What’s the puppy’s name?”
“What kind of dog is it?”
“Can I see a picture?”
How can you tell someone might not want to keep talking right now?
they’re looking away, checking their phone, giving short answers, not asking questions
You realize you changed the topic by accident and your friend looked confused.
What could you do to fix the conversation?
"Oh, we were talking about your trip—tell me more!” "Oops, I got off-topic—go ahead."
You’ve been talking for a while and your friend hasn’t said much.
How can you tell it might be time to stop or take turns? How can you involve them in the conversation?
They’re looking away, not asking questions, or giving short answers.
I could pause and ask them a question.
If you said, “Your shirt looks weird,” how might your friend feel? How might they act?
They might feel embarrassed
They could be sad or mad
They might not want to talk to me.
What could you say if you want to join a group conversation politely?
wait for a pause, make a comment about their topic, ask a question
Your friend always starts the conversations, but you never do.
How might that make your friend feel, and what could you do differently?
They might think I don’t want to talk
I could start the conversation sometimes too because it shows I care about them
Why is it important to stay on topic when talking with someone?
it shows you’re listening, helps people feel heard, keeps the conversation interesting for both
You’re talking about your weekend, but your friend changes the topic to a show they like. What could that mean, and what’s the BEST way to handle it?
They might want to talk about something else or share too.
I can go along with their topic for a bit or connect it back later.
Why is it helpful to filter our thoughts before we speak during a conversation?
So we don’t hurt feelings.
It helps people want to talk to us.
It keeps conversations friendly and positive.
You realize you accidentally interrupted your friend while they were talking about their weekend.
What could you do or say to repair the conversation and show good manners?
“Sorry for interrupting—what were you saying?” “My bad, go ahead!”