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Kindness Counts

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Lesson Plan

Kindness Counts Lesson Plan

In this 30-minute lesson, students will explore the meaning of kindness, identify strategies for including peers, and practice these skills through scenarios and reflection.

Building kindness and inclusion in the classroom fosters empathy, reduces exclusion, and creates a supportive community where every student feels valued.

Audience

7th Grade (Middle School Students)

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Group discussion, scenario work, role-play, and individual reflection.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction and Objective Setting

5 minutes

  • Greet students and introduce today's theme: kindness and inclusion
  • Share the lesson objective: explore kindness strategies and practice including peers
  • Ask volunteers: "What does kindness mean to you?"

Step 2

Scenario Discussion

10 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups of 3–4
  • Distribute 1–2 Kindness Scenario Cards per group
  • In groups, students read each scenario and discuss:
    • What is happening in this situation?
    • How could someone show kindness here?
    • How would you include someone who feels left out?
  • Rotate cards if time allows

Step 3

Role-Play Activity

10 minutes

  • Invite groups to volunteer and act out one scenario, demonstrating a kind response
  • After each role-play, facilitate class discussion:
    • What strategies did you observe?
    • How did the actions make everyone feel included?

Step 4

Reflection and Closing

5 minutes

  • Distribute Kindness Reflection Worksheet
  • Students complete prompts individually:
    • Describe a time you showed kindness
    • Identify one new strategy you'll use to include others
  • Collect worksheets or invite shared insights
  • Summarize key takeaways and encourage practicing kindness daily
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Slide Deck

Kindness Counts

An interactive lesson on kindness and including others in our classroom community.

Welcome students and set a positive tone. Introduce yourself and today’s theme: kindness and inclusion.

Learning Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will:

  • Define what kindness means
  • Identify strategies for including peers
  • Practice kindness through scenarios and reflection

Read the objective aloud and explain each point briefly.

What Is Kindness?

Think–Pair–Share:

  1. What does kindness mean to you?
  2. Why is it important in our class?
  3. How does it feel to give or receive kindness?

Ask volunteers to share their definitions of kindness. Encourage multiple responses.

Scenario Discussion

In your groups:

  • Read your scenario card
  • Discuss:
    • What’s happening?
    • How could someone show kindness here?
    • How would you include someone who feels left out?
  • Rotate cards if time allows

Divide students into groups of 3–4 and distribute Kindness Scenario Cards. Circulate to prompt deeper thinking.

Role-Play Activity

Volunteers act out a scenario showing a kind response.
After each skit, discuss:

  • What strategies did you see?
  • How did those actions make everyone feel included?

Invite 2–3 groups to volunteer. After each role-play, highlight key strategies used.

Reflection

Individually complete:

  1. Describe a time you showed kindness.
  2. Identify one new strategy you’ll use to include others.

Option: Share one insight with a partner.

Distribute Kindness Reflection Worksheet. Give students 3–4 minutes to write.

Key Takeaways & Next Steps

• Kindness strengthens our community
• Small actions make a big difference
• Use your new inclusion strategy today!

Challenge: Perform at least one act of kindness before our next class.

Summarize key points and challenge students to practice kindness daily.

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Lesson Plan

Kindness Counts Lesson Plan

By the end of this 30-minute lesson, students will define kindness, identify strategies to include their peers, and practice these skills through group scenarios and individual reflection.

Teaching kindness and inclusion builds empathy, reduces exclusion, and creates a supportive classroom community where every student feels valued and respected.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Group discussion, scenario work, role-play, and individual reflection.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction and Objective Setting

5 minutes

  • Greet students and introduce today's theme: kindness and inclusion
  • Share the lesson objective: define kindness, identify inclusion strategies, and practice through scenarios
  • Ask volunteers: "What does kindness mean to you?"

Step 2

Scenario Discussion

10 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups of 3–4
  • Distribute 1–2 Kindness Scenario Cards to each group
  • In groups, discuss:
    • What is happening in this situation?
    • How could someone show kindness here?
    • How would you include someone who feels left out?
  • Rotate cards between groups if time allows

Step 3

Role-Play Activity

10 minutes

  • Invite each group to volunteer and act out one scenario, demonstrating a kind response
  • After each role-play, facilitate a whole-class discussion:
    • What strategies did you observe?
    • How did the actions make everyone feel included?

Step 4

Reflection and Closing

5 minutes

  • Distribute Kindness Reflection Worksheet
  • Students complete prompts individually:
    • Describe a time you showed kindness
    • Identify one new strategy you'll use to include others
  • Invite volunteers to share insights
  • Summarize key takeaways and challenge students to practice kindness daily
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Activity

Kindness Scenario Cards

Use these scenario cards during the Scenario Discussion and Role-Play activities. Print, cut out, and distribute 1–2 cards per group.

Card 1: The New Student at Lunch

Sarah just transferred into your school. At lunch, she sits by herself in the corner. A few students glance over but keep their heads down.

What could you and your friends do to help Sarah feel welcome?

Card 2: Excluded from the Game

During gym class, a group is playing basketball. Alex isn’t chosen for a team and stands off to the side watching.

How might you include Alex so they feel part of the group?

Card 3: Hurtful Comments Online

On the class social media group chat, someone posts a meme that makes fun of Julian’s accent. A few classmates laugh.

What steps could you take to respond kindly and stand up for Julian?

Card 4: Struggling in Group Work

Your group is assigned a science project. Maria seems nervous and hasn’t contributed ideas yet. Others have started planning without her.

How can your group invite Maria’s input and help her feel confident sharing?

Card 5: Forgotten on a Field Trip

At the museum, small groups explore different exhibits. When it’s time to move on, everyone leaves, forgetting that Leo was taking photos. He’s alone in the last room.

What could you do to make sure Leo isn’t left behind?

Card 6: Spreading a Rumor

Rumors start circulating that Naomi cheated on last week’s test. Some students start whispering and avoiding her.

How can you address the rumor and help Naomi feel supported?

Card 7: Group Project Credit

Your team just presented a history project. During the debrief, only one student is praised, even though everyone contributed.

What could you do to make sure all team members receive recognition?

Card 8: Language Barrier

A classmate, Miguel, speaks limited English. In conversations, peers rarely ask him questions or invite him to join.

How can you show kindness and help Miguel feel included in class discussions?

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Worksheet

Kindness Reflection Worksheet

Complete this worksheet to reflect on your experiences and plan future acts of kindness.

  1. Describe a specific time when you showed kindness to someone else. What happened, and how did your actions help?






  2. What feelings did you notice in yourself and in the other person when you acted kindly?



  3. Identify one new strategy you learned today for including someone who might feel left out. How will you use it?






  4. Action Plan: Write down one concrete act of kindness or inclusion you will do this week. Include when, where, and how you will carry it out.











Optional: Share your action plan with a partner and discuss how you’ll hold each other accountable.

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Kindness Counts • Lenny Learning