1 class periods of 45 minutes each
Explore the concept of "love currency" through activities.
Nonverbal communication is the way a person expresses him/herself through movement, posture, and facial expression. It is possible to send one type of verbal message and at the same time, a different type with body language. Nonverbal communication is powerful. Seventy percent of the time, a woman's nonverbal communication initiates dating and guides the pace of the relationship.
A woman's "Interested" body language:
A woman's "Not Interested" body language:
A man's "Interested" body language:
1. (5 min.) Divide the class into groups of five or six. Give each group 6 large plastic cups, stacked and labeled 1through 6. The cup labeled 1 should be at the top. Also give each group a rubber band with 6 pieces of 1-1/2 foot-long yarn tied to it. The task: The groups must arrange their cups into pyramids using teamwork. Each team grabs a piece of yarn (not touching the yarn from one foot where it is marked to the rubber band.) The rubber band is used to lift the cups and arrange them. The teams cannot otherwise use their hands and they cannot talk! Repeat the activity, but this time let them talk.
2. (5 min.) Discuss the activity. Questions to ask:
3. (15 min.) Hand out the body language worksheets. Let the class go through the worksheets in groups, then as a class.
4. (5 min.) Introduction to "Love Currency". Show the class foreign currency. Have each table guess how much money is represented. Reward the table that is the closest. Questions to ask:
5. (5 min.) Explain the concept of "love currency". We all give love and appreciation in different ways. For example, some people may buy gifts while others may simply say, "I love you." Maybe your family shows love by playing games together or attending each other's after-school activities. But if we don't recognize how other people give love and encouragement, it would be like having Korean money--it will be without value. We all communicate our love for each other in different ways. We may feel hurt because someone is not expressing love to us, but in reality, they may be expressing love in a different "currency". What we need to do is figure out how someone else gives love and appreciation.
6. (5 min.) Hand out the Love Currency worksheet. Have students color a picture representing how they, their families, and a friend show love.
7. (5 min.) Conclusion. Love currency is a type of nonverbal communication. We express love sometimes without saying it. That is really what can make nonverbal communication so confusing; different people interpret things in different ways.
1. Brent Barlow