Expression and Communication Activities | Teachable Moments

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Grades: PreK-K, Grades 1-3, Grades 4-5, Grown-Ups and Educators

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Make a Dance

It doesn’t take much more than your imagination and a little movement to create a really fun dance routine. Attack Theatre dancers Sarah Zielinski and Allison Popieski show us how to choreograph a dance that reflects our own personalities. Get moving!

Your Voice Tells a Story

Does your voice need a “tune up?” Pittsburgh Festival Opera singer Emily Gallagher gives us a “melodious” lesson on the many ways you can use your voice. It’s also a one-minute introduction to opera!

Act Out Your Feelings

Learn how to use all your emotions in an acting game called, “These pretzels are making me thirsty.” Jim Scriven, a long-time faculty member of the Pittsburgh CLO Academy, demonstrates—along with some student actors—how acting out different emotions helps build confidence.

Signing the Alphabet

There are many ways to recite the alphabet! Delaney Gara, teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Riverview Intermediate Unit #6 in Clarion, PA, shows us how to do it with our hands. She introduces us to American Sign Language, which is a language expressed by movements of the hands and face.

Intro to Interviewing

The mission at SLB Radio Productions is to amplify voices of youth and other community members whose voices often go unheard. A great way to do this is through interviewing and listening. In this Teachable Moment, Larry Berger and Morgan McCray share interviewing tips.

Home Alphabet Lesson

Joe DiLucente and Susan McKeever, from the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, select a letter of the alphabet and then find things around their homes that start with that letter.

Become a Volunteer

City Mission in Washington, PA is a homeless shelter that serves nearly 175 residents including men, women, children and veterans. Leah and Beckett Dietrich explain how volunteering can help you learn new skills and become connected to a community while making a difference.

Girls of Steel: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!

Girls of Steel is a robotics program based at Carnegie Mellon University for children and young adults in grades K-12. Grace Goslin and Samhita Gudapati from the program’s high school team remind us of the importance of teamwork, not only in building a robot, but in our everyday lives.

Support Materials

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
Become a Volunteer
Home Alphabet Lesson
Intro to Interviewing
Signing the Alphabet
Act Your Feelings
Your Voice Tells a Story
Make a Dance

About

This media gallery of Teachable Moments videos focuses on activities you can do to practice expression and communication. Try out these activities on your own and check out the resources for more ways to extend the learning.

iQ: smartparent Teachable Moments are short vignettes that “extend the learning” at home or in the classroom with additional information, resources, and ideas in the form of PDFs

iQ: smartparent is an Emmy Award-winning program about parenting in the digital age. WQED-TV created a television series and social network for parents to empower them with new knowledge, tools, and abilities to successfully guide their children in the use of digital media and technology. Our show is developed in partnership with WQED’s award-winning education, production, and interactive teams.

Credits: WQED

Standards

Pennsylvania English Language Arts Standards (K–5)

Speaking & Listening (CC.1.5)

CC.1.5.K–5.A — Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults.
CC.1.5.K–5.B — Ask and answer questions to clarify understanding.
CC.1.5.K–5.C — Describe familiar people, places, things, and events.
CC.1.5.K–5.E — Produce complete sentences when speaking.
CC.1.5.K–5.G — Demonstrate command of formal and informal English as appropriate.

Pennsylvania SEL / Career Ready Skills (K–5)

Self‑Awareness

CRS.A.1 — Identify personal strengths, interests, and emotions.
CRS.A.2 — Recognize how emotions influence behavior.
CRS.A.3 — Demonstrate awareness of personal needs and feelings.

Self‑Management

CRS.B.1 — Demonstrate ability to manage emotions constructively.
CRS.B.2 — Use organizational skills to complete tasks.
CRS.B.3 — Set goals and work toward achieving them.

Social Awareness

CRS.C.1 — Demonstrate empathy and consideration for others.
CRS.C.2 — Recognize and respect differences in others.

Relationship Skills

CRS.D.1 — Communicate effectively in a variety of situations.
CRS.D.2 — Work cooperatively in teams.
CRS.D.3 — Resolve conflicts constructively.

Responsible Decision‑Making

CRS.E.1 — Make safe and constructive choices.
CRS.E.2 — Identify consequences of actions.
CRS.E.3 — Use problem‑solving strategies.

Early Learning Standards (PreK–2) — Language & SEL

Language & Literacy Development

1.1 PK–2.A — Demonstrate understanding of spoken language.
1.2 PK–2.B — Engage in conversations and ask questions.
1.3 PK–2.C — Use emergent writing to communicate ideas.
1.4 PK–2.D — Retell stories and describe events.

Social & Emotional Development

16.1 PK–2.A — Recognize and label emotions.
16.1 PK–2.B — Demonstrate self‑control and coping strategies.
16.2 PK–2.A — Interact positively with peers and adults.
16.2 PK–2.B — Use communication to resolve conflicts.
16.3 PK–2.A — Show curiosity, persistence, and problem‑solving.