Lesson Plan
Empathy Building Lesson Plan for Prekindergarten
Introduce empathy through simple stories and activities that encourage sharing and understanding feelings.
Teaching empathy at a young age helps children develop social skills, emotional awareness, and kindness.
Audience
Prekindergarten Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Storytelling and interactive play
Materials
Prep
Prepare Materials and Review Lesson Plan
15 minutes
- Review the Empathy Building Lesson Plan for Prekindergarten thoroughly.
- Gather materials for the Empathy Storytime session.
- Prepare the Feelings Faces Activity materials.
- Set up a comfortable space for the Empathy Sharing Circle.
Step 1
Introduction to Empathy
5 minutes
- Begin with a simple explanation of empathy: "Empathy is when we try to understand how someone else is feeling."
- Use facial expressions and gestures to demonstrate different emotions.
Step 2
Empathy Storytime
10 minutes
- Read a story that highlights empathy and understanding others' feelings.
- Pause to ask questions about how characters might be feeling and why.
Step 3
Feelings Faces Activity
10 minutes
- Use Feelings Faces Activity cards to help children identify and express different emotions.
- Encourage children to make faces that match the emotions on the cards.
Step 4
Empathy Sharing Circle
5 minutes
- Gather children in a circle for the Empathy Sharing Circle.
- Encourage them to share a time when they felt happy, sad, or needed a friend.
- Reinforce the idea of listening and caring for each other's feelings.
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Slide Deck
Empathy Storytime
Today, we will read a story about a little bear who learns to understand and share the feelings of his friends. Let's see how he shows empathy!
Introduce empathy through a simple story that children can relate to. Use expressive reading to engage the children and highlight moments of empathy in the story.
Understanding Feelings
- How do you think the little bear feels when his friend is sad?
- What can the little bear do to help his friend feel better?
Pause during the story to ask questions about the characters' feelings. Encourage children to think about how they would feel in similar situations.
What We Learned
- Empathy is when we try to understand how someone else is feeling.
- We can show empathy by listening, helping, and being kind to our friends.
Conclude the storytime by summarizing the key moments of empathy shown by the characters. Reinforce the idea that empathy is about caring for others.
Activity
Feelings Faces Activity
Objective:
- To help children recognize and express different emotions through facial expressions and emotion cards.
Materials Needed:
- Emotion cards with faces showing different feelings (happy, sad, angry, surprised, etc.)
- Mirror (optional)
Instructions:
-
Introduction (2 minutes):
- Explain that we all have different feelings and it's okay to feel happy, sad, or even angry sometimes.
- Show the emotion cards and explain what each face is feeling.
-
Activity (5 minutes):
- Hold up an emotion card and ask the children to make a face that matches the emotion.
- Encourage them to look in a mirror to see their expressions (if available).
-
Discussion (3 minutes):
- Ask the children how they feel when they see someone with a happy face or a sad face.
- Discuss how we can help someone who is feeling sad or upset.
-
Reflection (2 minutes):
- Encourage children to share a time when they felt one of the emotions on the cards.
- Reinforce the idea that understanding our own feelings helps us understand others.
Follow-Up Questions:
- How do you feel when you see a friend who is sad?
- What can you do to help a friend who is feeling upset?
This activity is designed to be simple and engaging for young children, helping them to connect with their own emotions and those of others. Encourage them to express themselves freely and support each other in the process.
Discussion
Empathy Sharing Circle
Objective:
- To encourage young children to share simple experiences and feelings, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding.
Materials Needed:
- Comfortable seating arrangement for a circle
- A soft toy or object to pass around (optional, to indicate who has the floor to speak)
Instructions:
-
Introduction (2 minutes):
- Explain to the children that they will be sitting in a circle to share their feelings and listen to their friends.
- Emphasize the importance of listening and being kind to one another.
-
Sharing Feelings (5 minutes):
- Invite each child to share a time when they felt happy, sad, or needed a friend.
- Use a soft toy or object to pass around, indicating whose turn it is to speak.
-
Discussion (3 minutes):
- After each child shares, encourage others to respond with kind words or gestures.
- Discuss how it feels to share and listen to each other.
-
Reflection (2 minutes):
- Ask the children how they can help a friend who is feeling sad or upset.
- Reinforce the idea that caring for each other's feelings is important.
Follow-Up Questions:
- How do you feel when someone listens to you?
- What can you do to make a friend feel better?
This discussion is designed to be gentle and supportive, allowing young children to express their feelings and learn from each other. Encourage them to be open and kind, and remind them that everyone has feelings that matter.