Lesson Plan
Empathy Expedition Outline
Students will practice empathy by exploring different characters’ perspectives through readings, discussions, and role-play to enhance their social awareness and relationship skills.
Empathy is key to positive relationships; this lesson helps students understand others’ feelings, fostering a compassionate classroom culture.
Audience
4th Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive storytelling, discussions, and role-play.
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials
15 minutes
- Download and review Walk a Mile Slides.
- Print copies of Short Stories of Different Perspectives.
- Copy Empathy Circle Questions for display.
- Cut and organize Role-Play Scenarios into sets.
Step 1
Introduction: Journey Begins
10 minutes
- Display Walk a Mile Slides to introduce empathy.
- Discuss the definition: “walking in someone else’s shoes.”
- Pose a brief scenario and ask: “How might this character feel?”
Step 2
Exploring Different Perspectives
15 minutes
- Distribute Short Stories of Different Perspectives.
- Assign each student or pair a story to read.
- Have students note their character’s feelings and motivations.
Step 3
Circle of Insight
10 minutes
- Arrange students in a circle.
- Introduce Empathy Circle Questions.
- Students take turns sharing answers, practicing active listening and acknowledgment.
Step 4
Role-Play Scenarios
15 minutes
- Divide students into small groups.
- Provide each group with a Role-Play Scenarios card.
- Groups rehearse and present, focusing on expressing characters’ emotions and empathetic responses.
Step 5
Reflection and Assessment
10 minutes
- Ask students to complete an exit ticket: one insight they gained about empathy.
- Collect and review responses to assess understanding.
- Optionally, invite a few students to share highlights with the class.
Slide Deck
Empathy Expedition
Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.
Today we begin our journey to understand how others feel and why empathy matters.
Welcome students to the Empathy Expedition. Introduce our adventure: walking in someone else’s shoes to better understand their feelings.
What is Empathy?
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.
Define empathy clearly. Ask students if they’ve ever felt understood by someone else and how it made them feel.
Why Empathy Matters
• Builds strong friendships
• Helps solve problems peacefully
• Creates a caring classroom community
Explain why empathy is important. Highlight benefits for friendships and the classroom community.
Scenario: On the Playground
Alex sits alone at recess while others play.
• How do you think Alex feels?
• What could you do to help or include Alex?
Present this simple scenario. Encourage students to put themselves in Alex’s place and share ideas.
Guiding Questions
• What might this person be feeling?
• Why do you think they feel that way?
• What could you do to help or show you care?
Introduce guiding questions to deepen understanding. Emphasize active listening and respectful responses.
Reading
Short Stories of Different Perspectives
1. The New Kid at Elm Street School
Lily walked into Elm Street School clutching her backpack straps. It was her first day, and she felt her heart pounding like a drum. In her old school, she knew everyone’s names and favorite games. Here, every face was a stranger. During recess, she sat alone by the swings, watching groups of children laugh.
When two classmates invited her to play tag, Lily hesitated. What if they didn’t like her? What if she tripped and fell? Inside, she wanted to run away—but she took a deep breath and joined in. She felt proud of herself for being brave, even though she was still a little scared.
2. A Day in Mia’s Shoes
Mia stared at the reading assignment on her desk. Her classmates zoomed through the paragraphs, but the words on Mia’s page jumbled together. She wished she could read as quickly as everyone else. Each time her teacher asked Mia to read aloud, her cheeks burned red.
In class, Mia practiced quietly every day. Her best friend, Carlos, didn’t always understand why Mia took longer to finish. He thought she might not care about reading. But at home, Mia stayed up late, sounding out each word until her eyes grew heavy. She hoped one day her friends would know how hard she worked.
3. Jamal’s Busy Morning
Before the sun peeked through the curtains, Jamal tiptoed to his baby sister’s crib. He fed her breakfast and changed her diaper so his mom could get ready for work. Jamal loved helping at home, but some mornings he worried he wouldn’t have enough time to finish his homework.
He dashed out the door, books in hand, and arrived at school with a scribbled math problem still incomplete. His teacher gently reminded him to ask for help if he needed extra time. Jamal smiled inside—knowing that even though his mornings were busy, he had friends and teachers who cared about his success.
Discussion
Empathy Circle Questions
Use these questions in your circle discussion. After each question, pause and give students time to think and share. Encourage active listening—students should look at the speaker and wait respectfully for their turn.
- Which character’s story did you read today, and what part stood out to you most?
- How do you think your character felt at the beginning of the story? Why?
- What event or moment in the story changed how your character felt? Explain.
- Can you remember a time when you felt the same way as your character? What happened?
- If you were a friend of this character, what could you say or do to show you cared?
- How might your character’s feelings influence how they behaved or what they said?
- What is one new thing you learned about empathy from hearing these stories?
Activity
Role-Play Scenarios
Divide students into small groups and assign each group one scenario card. Each group should decide who will play each role, rehearse the scene focusing on expressing emotions, and demonstrate an empathetic response.
Scenario 1: The New Kid on the Playground
Context: Lily is new at school and sits alone during recess.
Roles:
- Lily (new student, feeling nervous)
- Classmate 1 (notices Lily alone)
- Classmate 2 (helps start the conversation)
Situation: Classmate 1 and Classmate 2 approach Lily and invite her to play. Show how you would welcome her and help her feel included.
Focus: Greet Lily, ask how she feels, offer to play, and listen to her response.
Scenario 2: A Friend Struggling to Read
Context: Mia finds reading assignments challenging and feels embarrassed when asked to read aloud.
Roles:
- Mia (struggles to read, feeling self-conscious)
- Carlos (Mia’s friend, curious why she takes longer)
- Teacher (encouraging and supportive)
Situation: Carlos asks Mia about reading. The teacher steps in to explain how Mia practices and offers support. Show how to respond with kindness and patience.
Focus: Ask gentle questions, acknowledge Mia’s effort, and offer help or encouragement.
Scenario 3: Jamal’s Busy Morning
Context: Jamal helps care for his baby sister before school and arrives with unfinished homework.
Roles:
- Jamal (rushed, worried about incomplete work)
- Teacher (notices Jamal’s stress)
- Classmate (offers support)
Situation: The teacher asks Jamal if he needs more time. The classmate offers to study together after school. Demonstrate understanding and support.
Focus: Show empathy by asking how Jamal is doing, validating his feelings, and offering a solution.
Scenario 4: Left Out During Group Work
Context: During a class project, one student feels ignored by team members.
Roles:
- Alex (feels left out)
- Teammate 1 (leading group)
- Teammate 2 (hesitant to include Alex)
Situation: Alex wants to share ideas but is interrupted. Teammate 1 notices and invites Alex to speak. Practice making space for everyone’s voice.
Focus: Recognize Alex’s feelings, apologize for ignoring, and actively listen to their ideas.