Perspective Puzzles: Building Empathy Piece by Piece

Lisa Gendreau

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Perspective Puzzles Lesson Plan

Students will develop empathy and a broader social understanding by collaboratively piecing together scenarios that demand adopting diverse viewpoints.

This lesson encourages students to step outside their own perspective, fostering cooperation and empathy essential for positive social interactions.

Audience

Middle School Students

Time

60 minutes

Approach

Collaborative scenario-based discussions and reflections.

Materials

Perspective Puzzles Lesson Plan, and Perspective Puzzles Slide Deck

Prep

Preparation

15 minutes

Review the Perspective Puzzles Lesson Plan to familiarize yourself with the objectives and materials.
Prepare the Perspective Puzzles Slide Deck for guiding the session.
Organize the classroom into groups to facilitate cooperative learning.
Gather any additional materials or handouts needed for scenario discussions.

Step 1

Introduction and Scenario Setup

10 minutes

Introduce the purpose of the lesson: building empathy through diverse perspectives.
Present the slide deck to outline the activity and share example scenarios.
Explain the collaborative process and set clear expectations for participation.

Step 2

Group Activity: Perspective Puzzle Assembly

25 minutes

Divide students into small groups and assign them different scenarios or story fragments.
Instruct each group to discuss and identify diverse viewpoints within their assigned scenario.
Encourage groups to reconcile these viewpoints by piecing together a coherent narrative reflecting multiple perspectives.
Monitor group discussions and provide guidance as necessary.

Step 3

Group Presentations and Discussion

15 minutes

Have each group present their reassembled narrative and share insights on the perspectives they identified.
Facilitate a class-wide discussion, asking reflection questions such as 'How did adopting a new perspective change your understanding?' and 'What role does empathy play in resolving conflicts?'
Encourage students to reflect on how these discussions relate to real-world situations.

Step 4

Reflection and Wrap-Up

10 minutes

Ask students to write a short reflection on what they learned about empathy and why considering diverse perspectives is important.
Summarize key points and invite any final comments or questions.
Conclude the lesson by emphasizing how these skills can be applied in everyday life.

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Slide Deck

Perspective Puzzles: Building Empathy Piece by Piece

Welcome! Today we will explore different perspectives and build empathy through collaborative puzzles.

Introduce the lesson by welcoming students and outlining the objective: building empathy through diverse perspectives. Emphasize the importance of considering multiple viewpoints.

Introduction & Scenario Setup

Objective: Develop empathy by exploring diverse views.

Activity: Piece together scenarios and build a collective narrative based on multiple perspectives.

Explain the purpose of the activity. Share that students will see various scenarios or fragments and will need to piece together a coherent narrative that includes multiple viewpoints.

Group Activity: Perspective Puzzle Assembly

Step 1: Divide into small groups.
Step 2: Analyze your assigned scenario fragments.
Step 3: Discuss and piece together a narrative that reflects diverse viewpoints.

Detail the group activity instructions. Instruct students to discuss, identify and reconcile different perspectives in their assigned scenario fragments. Monitor and facilitate discussions.

Group Presentations & Discussion

Present your collective narrative and reflect on these questions:

How did a new perspective change your understanding?
What role does empathy play in resolving conflicts?

Guide the session for group presentations. Ask each group to share their story and insights, prompting reflection on how new perspectives shape understanding and empathy.

Reflection & Wrap-Up

Reflect on:

What did you learn about empathy?
Why are diverse perspectives important?

Write a short reflection.

Facilitate a wrap-up session. Ask students to reflect in writing about what was learned. Summarize key points and make connections to real-world applications.

Summary & Final Thoughts

Key Takeaways:

Empathy grows from understanding different perspectives.
Collaboration enhances our social understanding.

Thank you for participating!

Conclude the lesson by summarizing key learnings and encouraging students to apply these skills in everyday life.