Empathy Mapping: Understanding Others

Shannon Janovitz

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Empathy Mapping: Understanding Others

Build emotional intelligence

In this lesson, students will engage in empathy mapping to explore and understand the feelings and perspectives of characters in case studies. This activity is designed to enhance students' emotional intelligence by encouraging them to consider different viewpoints and develop a deeper understanding of others' emotions. By the end of the lesson, students will have improved their ability to empathize and analyze emotional contexts.

Audience

12th Grade Students

Time

1 hour

Approach

Build emotional intelligence

Materials

Case study handouts, Empathy map templates, Pens and markers, and Discussion questions

Step 1

Introduction to Empathy Mapping

10 mins

Briefly explain the concept of empathy mapping and its importance in understanding others' perspectives.
Discuss how empathy mapping can be used in various fields such as marketing, design, and personal relationships.
Introduce the case studies that will be used for the activity.

Step 2

Empathy Mapping Activity

30 mins

Distribute the case study handouts and empathy map templates to each student.
Instruct students to read their assigned case study carefully.
Guide students to fill out the empathy map by considering what the character in the case study says, thinks, does, and feels.
Encourage students to use different colors for different sections to make their maps visually engaging.

Step 3

Group Discussion

15 mins

Organize students into small groups to share their empathy maps.
Use the provided discussion questions to facilitate a conversation about the different perspectives and insights gained from the activity.
Encourage students to reflect on how this exercise might change their approach to understanding others in real life.

Step 4

Closure and Reflection

5 mins

Ask students to reflect on what they learned about empathy and understanding others.
Encourage them to think about how they can apply these skills in their daily lives.
Collect the empathy maps for review and provide feedback in the next class.

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Discussion

Discussion Questions for Empathy Mapping

These questions are designed to guide a reflective discussion on the empathy mapping activity, helping students to articulate their insights and understandings.

What was the most surprising insight you gained from your empathy map?

Encourage students to think about unexpected emotions or thoughts they discovered about the character.

How did creating an empathy map change your perspective on the character?

Guide students to consider how the process of mapping out thoughts and feelings provided a deeper understanding.

In what ways can empathy mapping be applied in real-life situations?

Discuss practical applications of empathy mapping in personal relationships, workplaces, and social interactions.