What Are You Carrying?

Take a moment to think about your actual backpack. What do you carry in it every day? (e.g., books, pens, snacks, water bottle, phone).

Now, imagine an invisible backpack that everyone carries. What kinds of non-physical things might someone carry in their invisible backpack? Think about feelings, worries, exciting news, challenges, or even things they are proud of.





Share one thing (it can be general, not specific to you) that might be in someone's invisible backpack.

Lighten the Load

Reflect on today's lesson about invisible backpacks and empathy.

1. What is one new thing you learned or realized about empathy or perspective-taking today?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What is one small act of kindness or understanding you could show someone tomorrow to help lighten their invisible backpack?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Empathy Story Cards

Instructions:

1. You will work in small groups for this activity.
2. Your teacher will display a scenario (a "story card") on the board.
3. As a group, read the scenario carefully.
4. Discuss together:
   • What might be in this person's 'invisible backpack'? (Think about feelings, challenges, or situations they might be facing that aren't obvious).
   • How might this person be feeling?
   • What would showing empathy look like in this situation? (What could you do or say?)
5. Be prepared to share your group's ideas with the class.

Backpack of Empathy: Teacher Script

Warm Up: What Are You Carrying? (5 minutes)

(Display Backpack of Empathy Warm Up.)

Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! To start our session today, let's think about backpacks. We all carry a physical backpack to school, right? What sorts of things do you typically have in yours? Books, pens, snacks?" (Allow a few student responses.)

Teacher: "Now, I want you to imagine something different. Imagine everyone in this room, including me, carries an invisible backpack. This invisible backpack isn't filled with books; it's filled with everything we're dealing with – good things, bad things, things we want to share, and things we keep to ourselves. It could be worries, joys, challenges, or even things we're super proud of. Take a moment to think about what might be in your own invisible backpack, even if you're just keeping it in your head for now. Then, think about what might be in someone else's invisible backpack."

Teacher: "Now, on your warm-up sheet, write down one thing (it can be general, not specific to you) that might be in someone's invisible backpack. Once you've written it down, we'll share a few." (Allow students to write, then call on a few to share. Guide them to think broadly – e.g., 'a fear of a test,' 'excitement about a weekend trip,' 'a family challenge,' 'a secret talent.')

Introduction: Invisible Backpacks (3 minutes)

Teacher: "Thank you for those insightful shares! That idea of an invisible backpack, carrying things others can't see, is exactly what we're going to explore today. The amazing thing is that once we start thinking about what's in our own invisible backpacks, it becomes a lot easier to understand that others have them too. We're going to talk about 'empathy' and 'perspective-taking,' which is really about trying to understand what might be in someone else's invisible backpack."

(Display Slide 1: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "Our lesson today is called 'Backpack of Empathy: Understanding Others, Choosing Kindness.' Our goal is to understand what empathy and perspective-taking are, recognize this backpack analogy as a way to think about unseen challenges, and learn practical ways to show kindness every day."

Defining Empathy and Perspective-Taking (7 minutes)

(Display Slide 2: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "First, let's define empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It's not just feeling sorry for someone; it's about putting yourself in their shoes to truly get what they're going through. It's feeling with them."

(Display Slide 3: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "Closely related is 'perspective-taking.' This is about seeing a situation from someone else's point of view. It's trying to imagine what someone else might be thinking or feeling, based on their experiences, not just your own."

Teacher: "Think back to our invisible backpack analogy. Just like we don't know the exact weight or contents of someone's physical backpack, we often don't know the emotional weight or experiences someone is carrying in their invisible backpack. They might be dealing with something really difficult at home, or feeling anxious about a test, or perhaps they're incredibly excited about something but are trying to stay calm. That's why empathy and perspective-taking are so crucial – they remind us to be kind, because everyone is fighting a battle or carrying a burden we know nothing about. And remembering that we all have invisible backpacks helps us connect more deeply with others."

Exploring the Invisible Backpack (3 minutes)

(Display Slide 4: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "To help us think more deeply about what might be in someone's invisible backpack, let's look at some examples. As you can see on the slide, these backpacks can be filled with a variety of things: feelings like stress or joy, challenges like family issues or academic pressure, exciting experiences, or daily responsibilities. These are things that everyone, including each one of us, might carry. Can anyone think of other examples of things people might carry that aren't visible to others?" (Allow a few student responses to encourage brainstorming and shared understanding.)

Activity: Empathy Story Cards (12 minutes)

Teacher: "Now, let's put our empathy and perspective-taking skills into practice! I'm going to divide you into small groups. Once in your groups, you'll get a copy of the Backpack of Empathy Story Cards instructions. We will use the scenarios on Slides 5-8: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck as our 'story cards.'"

Teacher: "In your groups, for each scenario, discuss what might be in the person's 'invisible backpack.' How might they be feeling, and most importantly, what would showing empathy look like? What could you do or say? Remember, there are no single 'right' answers, but we want to explore different empathetic responses. Use your own understanding of carrying an invisible backpack to help you imagine what the person in the scenario might be experiencing."

(Divide students into groups. Display Slide 5: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck and give groups a few minutes to discuss. Rotate through Slides 6-8: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck, allowing discussion time for each. Circulate among groups to offer guidance and listen to discussions.)

Teacher: "Alright, let's bring it back together. Can a few groups share some of your insights or empathetic responses for one of the scenarios?" (Facilitate a brief whole-class share-out, highlighting diverse perspectives and compassionate actions.)

It's Not Always About You (2 minutes)

(Display Slide 9: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "Those were powerful discussions. Now, let's address something important. Sometimes people act in ways that are confusing or even hurtful. It's easy to react with frustration or to take it personally. But remember, their actions are not always a reflection of you. Understanding why someone might be struggling or acting out doesn't make their behavior okay or acceptable, but taking a second to consider their 'invisible backpack' can help you choose how to respond with kindness, rather than just reacting with anger or hurt. It allows us to pause and consider if there's a different, more empathetic way to approach the situation. And your own experience with your invisible backpack can help you remember this pause."

The Power of Kindness (3 minutes)

(Display Slide 10: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "Excellent discussions, everyone. As we've seen, taking a moment to put ourselves in someone else's shoes, even just for a second, can truly change everything. Choosing kindness, even when it feels hard, can lighten someone's load significantly."

Teacher: "Can you think of a time when someone showed you empathy, and it made a difference in your day or how you felt? Or a time when you showed empathy to someone else, and you saw the positive impact? Often, the ability to show empathy comes from remembering our own experiences with challenges or feelings." (Allow a few student shares if they feel comfortable. Reinforce that even small acts matter.)

Conclusion: Key Takeaways (5 minutes)

(Display Slide 11: Backpack of Empathy Slide Deck.)

Teacher: "Let's wrap up by looking at our key takeaways from today's lesson. Remember that everyone carries an invisible backpack, filled with unseen feelings and challenges. And crucially, you carry one too. We've learned the power of perspective-taking – trying to see things from another's point of view, which is made easier by reflecting on your own experiences. Your kindness can truly lighten someone's load, and it's important to remember that someone's actions aren't always about you; understanding the 'why' (and drawing on your own 'why's') can help you respond with empathy instead of just reacting. So, let's continue to be mindful, be understanding, and most importantly, be kind in our school community and beyond."

(Transition to Cool Down. )
Teacher: "For our cool down today, you have two options. You can complete the Backpack of Empathy Cool Down which asks you to reflect on the lesson and how you can show kindness, or you can choose the Backpack of Empathy Personal Reflection Cool Down which asks you to think about your own invisible backpack and what you might want an adult at school to know. Both are great ways to wrap up, so choose the one that resonates most with you, or if we have extra time and you'd like to do both for a deeper reflection, that's an option too. The personal reflection cool-down is a great opportunity to connect what we've discussed today about everyone having an invisible backpack to your own experiences, and it can also help you understand that if you have things you want others to know, then others likely do too, strengthening your empathy."

*(Distribute chosen cool-down(s) and have students complete it as an exit ticket.)"

My Invisible Backpack

Reflect on your own invisible backpack.

1. Without sharing specific personal details you don't want to, what is one general feeling, challenge, or positive experience you carry in your invisible backpack that makes you who you are?
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. If you could share one general thing about your invisible backpack with a trusted adult at school (like a teacher, counselor, or administrator) that would help them understand you better, what might it be? (Again, no need for specific details, just the general idea).