Empathy in Action

Micaela Flynn

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Empathy in Action

Enhance empathy through perspective-taking

This lesson aims to enhance empathy by encouraging students to step into others' shoes. Through guided exercises, students will practice seeing conflicts from different viewpoints. This lesson is important as it helps students develop social-emotional skills, particularly empathy, which is crucial for building positive relationships and understanding others' feelings and perspectives.

Audience

11th Grade Students with Autism

Time

30 mins

Approach

Enhance empathy through perspective-taking

Materials

Discussion Questions, Role-Playing Scenarios, and Reflection Worksheet

Step 1

Introduction

5 mins

Begin with a brief discussion on what empathy means.
Ask students to share examples of when they felt understood by someone else.

Step 2

Role-Playing Activity

10 mins

Divide students into small groups.
Provide each group with a scenario where they must act out a conflict from different perspectives.
Encourage students to express how each character might feel and why.

Step 3

Guided Discussion

10 mins

Reconvene as a class and discuss the role-playing activity.
Use discussion questions to explore how perspectives differed and what was learned.

Step 4

Reflection

5 mins

Distribute the reflection worksheet.
Ask students to write about what they learned about empathy and how they can apply it in real life.

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Discussion

Discussion Questions

Questions to guide a class discussion on empathy and perspective-taking.

What does empathy mean to you?

Encourage students to think about times they felt understood or misunderstood.

How did the role-playing activity change your perspective?

Discuss how seeing a situation from another's viewpoint can alter understanding.

Why is it important to understand others' perspectives?

Highlight the role of empathy in building relationships and resolving conflicts.

Worksheet

Role-Playing Scenarios

Printable cards with scenarios for students to act out, focusing on different perspectives.

Scenario 1: A student feels left out during group work.

Scenario 2: A disagreement over a shared resource in class.

Scenario 3: Miscommunication between friends about a weekend plan.

Worksheet

Reflection Worksheet

A worksheet for students to reflect on what they learned about empathy and perspective-taking.

Describe a time when you felt understood by someone else.

Think about how it made you feel and why it was important.

How can you apply empathy in your daily interactions?

Consider specific actions you can take to understand others better.