Empathy in Action

Shaniquia Bethany

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Empathy in Action

Empathy

This lesson introduces pre-kindergarten students to the concept of empathy through a brief discussion, a simple activity, and a short reading. Teaching empathy at an early age helps children understand and share the feelings of others, fostering a more compassionate and cooperative classroom environment.

Audience

Pre-K

Time

5 minutes

Approach

Inquiry-Based Learning

Materials

Discussion Questions, Empathy Activity, and Short Reading on Empathy

Step 1

Introduction

1 minute

Gather students in a circle on the carpet.
Briefly explain that today we're going to talk about feelings and how we can understand how others feel.

Step 2

Discussion

1 minute

Use the Discussion Questions to guide a short conversation about feelings.
Ask students if they have ever felt happy, sad, or scared, and how they knew what they were feeling.

Step 3

Activity

2 minutes

Conduct the Empathy Activity where students pair up and take turns expressing a feeling (e.g., happy, sad) while the other guesses the feeling.
Encourage students to think about how their partner might be feeling.

Step 4

Reading

1 minute

Read a short story from the Short Reading on Empathy that illustrates a character showing empathy.
Ask students how the character showed they understood someone else's feelings.

Step 5

Closure

1 minute

Recap the importance of understanding others' feelings.
Encourage students to practice empathy with their friends and family.

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Discussion

Discussion Questions: Empathy

A set of questions to guide a brief discussion on empathy with pre-kindergarten students.

What does it mean to feel happy?

Encourage students to share experiences when they felt happy.

How do you know when someone else is feeling sad?

Discuss body language and facial expressions that indicate sadness.

Why is it important to understand how others feel?

Highlight the importance of kindness and helping others.

Worksheet

Empathy Activity

A simple activity where students practice identifying and expressing feelings with a partner.

Take turns with your partner to express a feeling. Can your partner guess what it is?

Use facial expressions and body language to show feelings.

Reading

Short Reading on Empathy

A brief story illustrating empathy for pre-kindergarten students.

Title: The Kind Friend
Once upon a time, there was a little bear named Benny. One day, Benny saw his friend Lucy looking sad. Benny asked, 'Lucy, why are you sad?' Lucy said, 'I lost my favorite toy.' Benny felt sad for Lucy and said, 'Let's look for it together.' Benny helped Lucy find her toy, and Lucy felt happy again. Benny showed empathy by understanding Lucy's feelings and helping her.