Lesson Plan
Empathy Role-Play Guide
Students will practice stepping into others’ shoes through structured role-play scenarios to identify and respond to emotions empathetically, using the Empathy Performance Rubric to guide their interactions.
Building empathy strengthens peer relationships, reduces conflict, and promotes a supportive classroom culture by helping students recognize and validate each other’s feelings.
Audience
Time
Approach
Materials
Prep
Teacher Preparation
10 minutes
Step 1
Introduction to Empathy
5 minutes
Step 2
Teacher Modeling
10 minutes
Step 3
Pair Role-Play Practice
25 minutes
Step 4
Group Debrief Discussion
15 minutes
Step 5
Differentiation Strategies
Ongoing

Slide Deck
Walk in Their Shoes
What Is Empathy?
Why Empathy Matters
Empathy in Action: Example Dialogue
Empathy Performance Rubric
Role-Play Instructions
Reflection Questions
Next Steps

Activity


Discussion


Rubric

