Seeing My Side, Seeing Your Side

Emilee Meltzer

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Seeing My Side, Seeing Your Side

Students will be able to identify situations where different perspectives exist and practice strategies for understanding viewpoints other than their own, enhancing social understanding and communication skills.

Understanding different perspectives is vital for effective communication, building relationships, and navigating complex social situations. For students on the spectrum, explicitly learning these skills can significantly reduce social misunderstandings and foster empathy.

Audience

11th Grade High School Students on the Spectrum

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and scenario-based activities.

Materials

Perspective Power Slides, - Warm-Up: What Do You See?, - Perspective Match-Up Game, - Perspective Scenario Cards, and - Cool-Down: One Big Takeaway

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Review all generated materials: Perspective Power Slides, Warm-Up: What Do You See?, Perspective Match-Up Game, Perspective Scenario Cards, and Cool-Down: One Big Takeaway.
Print and cut out the Perspective Match-Up Game cards and Perspective Scenario Cards.
Ensure projector/screen is set up for the Perspective Power Slides.
Prepare writing materials for students for the warm-up and cool-down (if not digital).

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up

5 minutes

Greet students and introduce the topic of perspective.
Present the Warm-Up: What Do You See? activity. Show an ambiguous image and ask students to share what they see.
Facilitate a brief discussion on how different people can see the same thing differently, connecting it to the idea of different perspectives in real life.
Transition to the main lesson by explaining that today's goal is to explore how understanding others' perspectives can help us in social situations.

Step 2

Understanding Perspective

5 minutes

Display Perspective Power Slides (Slide 1-3).
Define perspective and discuss why it's important (e.g., avoiding misunderstandings, building empathy, solving problems).
Provide simple examples of differing perspectives (e.g., one person likes cold weather, another likes warm weather).
Discuss how emotions can impact perspective.

Step 3

Game: Perspective Match-Up

8 minutes

Introduce the Perspective Match-Up Game.
Explain the rules and objectives to students.
Distribute game cards to small groups and allow them to play, circulating to guide discussion and offer support.
Encourage groups to discuss their reasoning for each match and consider alternative perspectives.

Step 4

Scenario Activity: Stepping into Their Shoes

5 minutes

Explain the Perspective Scenario Cards activity. Emphasize it's a quick follow-up to the game.
Distribute one or two Perspective Scenario Cards to each group (if not already in groups).
Instruct groups to quickly read their scenario and discuss the following questions, considering the different perspectives involved:
- What might Person A be thinking/feeling?
- What might Person B be thinking/feeling?
- How could understanding both perspectives change how someone reacts or communicates?
Circulate among groups to offer support and guidance, keeping time brief.

Step 5

Group Share and Discussion

4 minutes

Bring the class back together.
Have each group briefly share one key insight from either the game or the scenario activity.
Facilitate a short discussion, emphasizing that it's okay for people to have different perspectives and that understanding doesn't always mean agreeing.
Reinforce that asking questions and actively listening are key strategies.

Step 6

Cool-Down & Wrap-Up

3 minutes

Distribute the Cool-Down: One Big Takeaway sheet or prompt.
Ask students to write down one key thing they learned or one strategy they will try to use regarding perspective-taking.
Briefly summarize the main points of the lesson.
Thank students for their participation.

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Slide Deck

Seeing My Side, Seeing Your Side: Understanding Perspective

Welcome! Today we're going to explore how we all see the world a little differently.

Why does this matter?

Better conversations
Fewer misunderstandings
Stronger friendships
Solving problems together

Let's dive in!

Refer to Warm-Up: What Do You See?

Welcome students and introduce the concept of perspective. Explain that today's lesson will help them understand how different people see things. Use the warm-up to kick things off.

What is Perspective?

Perspective is how someone sees, understands, or interprets a situation, event, or idea.

Think about it like this:

Two people watch the same movie, but one loves it and the other hates it.
You think a project is easy, your friend thinks it's really hard.

It's not about who is right or wrong, but about how different factors shape how we experience things.

Explain what 'perspective' means in simple terms. Use the analogy of looking at the same object from different angles. Emphasize that it's about how someone sees or interprets something. Keep this section concise for the 5-minute allocation.

What Shapes Our Perspective?

Many things can influence how we see a situation:

Our Experiences: What we've been through.
- Example: Someone who has moved a lot might see change differently than someone who has lived in the same town their whole life.
Our Beliefs: What we think is true or important.
- Example: One person believes honesty is always the best policy, even if it hurts, while another believes kindness is more important.
Our Emotions: How we are feeling in the moment.
- Example: If you're stressed, a small problem might seem huge. If you're happy, the same problem might seem minor.
Our Knowledge/Information: What we know about a situation.
- Example: If you only know half of a story, your perspective will be different than someone who knows the whole story.

Discuss factors that influence perspective: personal experiences, beliefs, emotions, and background. Give concrete examples for each. Highlight that emotions play a big role in how we perceive things at a given moment.

Game Time: Perspective Match-Up!

Let's put our perspective-taking skills to the test with a game!

We'll work in small groups to match different situations with various possible perspectives.

Your Goal: Discuss which perspective cards best fit each situation card, and why!

Refer to Perspective Match-Up Game

Introduce the 'Perspective Match-Up Game'. Explain that students will work in groups to match situations with different possible perspectives. Emphasize the importance of discussing why they make certain matches.

Stepping into Their Shoes (Quick Scenarios)

Great job with the game! Now, let's quickly apply what we've discussed to a few more scenarios.

Working in your groups, read the scenario(s) on your cards and briefly discuss:

What are the different viewpoints?
How might understanding these help?

Refer to Perspective Scenario Cards

Transition from the game to a brief scenario activity. Explain that they will quickly analyze one or two more situations, applying what they've learned. Keep this activity focused for the shorter 5-minute time slot.

Reflecting on Perspective

Great work today, everyone!

Understanding different perspectives is a powerful skill that can help you:

Communicate more effectively
Build stronger relationships
Solve conflicts constructively

It takes practice, but every time you try to see things from another's point of view, you're building this skill.

Refer to Cool-Down: One Big Takeaway

Conclude the session by reinforcing the importance of perspective-taking. Emphasize that it's a skill that improves with practice. Guide students to think about one key takeaway.

Warm Up

Warm-Up: What Do You See?

Take a look at the image below. What do you see?

(Imagine an ambiguous image here, e.g., the 'young woman/old woman' illusion, or a 'duck/rabbit' illusion, or simply an abstract image that can be interpreted in multiple ways. Since I cannot generate images, the teacher will need to provide one or describe this verbally.)

Write down what you see. Don't worry, there's no single right answer!

Discussion Questions:

Did anyone see something different from you?
How is it possible for different people to see different things in the same image?
How might this be true in real-life situations, not just with pictures?

Game

Perspective Match-Up Game: Whose View Is It Anyway?

Objective: To practice identifying and understanding different perspectives in various social situations.

Materials:

Printed and cut 'Situation Cards' (below)
Printed and cut 'Perspective Cards' (below)

Instructions (8 minutes):

Divide students into small groups (2-3 students per group).
Distribute one set of 'Situation Cards' and 'Perspective Cards' to each group.
Instruct groups to lay out the Situation Cards. Then, for each Situation Card, read the perspective cards and try to match the perspective card that best describes what a person in that situation might be thinking or feeling. (There might be more than one correct match, or no perfect match – the discussion is key!)
After matching, groups should discuss:
- Why did you choose that perspective card for that situation?
- Are there other perspectives that aren't on the cards?
- How does understanding these different perspectives help in real life?
Circulate among groups to offer support and facilitate discussion.

Situation Cards (Cut these out!)

Situation 1: You see a classmate crying quietly at their desk during a break.

Situation 2: Your friend cancels plans at the last minute for the third time this month.

Situation 3: A teacher assigns a group project, and one group member isn't contributing much.

Perspective Cards (Cut these out!)

Perspective A: "I'm feeling overwhelmed and sad about something happening at home, and I just need a moment alone."

Perspective B: "I'm frustrated because I just failed a test that I studied really hard for, and I feel embarrassed."

Perspective C: "I'm upset because someone said something unkind to me, and I don't know how to respond."

Perspective D: "I'm feeling really stressed and overloaded with schoolwork and other commitments, and I just can't handle another social outing right now."

Perspective E: "I had a sudden emergency come up that I couldn't control, and I feel bad for cancelling again."

Perspective F: "I'm struggling with anxiety about social situations lately, and it's hard for me to follow through, even with friends."

Perspective G: "I'm not sure what to do or how to get started on this project, and I'm afraid to ask for help."

Perspective H: "I'm dealing with a lot outside of school right now, and I'm finding it hard to focus or have energy for schoolwork."

Perspective I: "I don't understand the assignment well enough to contribute effectively, and I feel embarrassed to admit it."

Activity

Perspective Scenario Cards

Cut these cards out and distribute them to small groups. Each group should discuss the scenario, considering the perspectives of all individuals involved.

Scenario Card 1: The Group Project

Situation: Sarah and David are working on a history project together. Sarah likes to start projects early and work consistently, getting things done ahead of time. David prefers to work last minute, often staying up late the night before a deadline to finish.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is Sarah's perspective on how to work on the project? What might she be feeling or thinking?
2. What is David's perspective? What might he be feeling or thinking?
3. How might their different approaches cause tension or misunderstanding?
4. If you were Sarah, how might understanding David's perspective help you communicate with him?
5. If you were David, how might understanding Sarah's perspective help you communicate with her?

Scenario Card 2: The Silent Friend

Situation: Alex always sits alone during lunch and rarely joins group conversations. Maya and Omar see this and wonder why Alex doesn't interact more. Maya thinks Alex is shy and nervous, while Omar thinks Alex might be unfriendly or just doesn't want to talk to them.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is Maya's perspective about Alex? What might she be feeling or thinking?
2. What is Omar's perspective about Alex? What might he be feeling or thinking?
3. What might Alex's perspective be? Why might they be sitting alone?
4. How could Maya and Omar get a better understanding of Alex's perspective?
5. How does having different ideas about why Alex is sitting alone affect how Maya and Omar might approach Alex?

Scenario Card 3: The Unexpected Grade

Situation: Jamie studied for hours for a math test and felt confident, but received a C. Jamie is frustrated and feels the teacher graded unfairly. Meanwhile, the teacher graded the test according to a rubric and noticed Jamie made several fundamental errors throughout the calculations.
Discussion Questions:
1. What is Jamie's perspective on the test grade? What might Jamie be feeling or thinking?
2. What is the teacher's perspective on the test grade? What might the teacher be feeling or thinking?
3. What information might Jamie be missing that the teacher has?
4. What information might the teacher be missing that Jamie has?
5. How could Jamie approach the teacher to understand the grade better, considering both perspectives?

Cool Down

Cool-Down: One Big Takeaway

Take a moment to think about today's lesson on perspective. What is one important thing you learned or one strategy you will try to use in the future to understand someone else's point of view?

Share your takeaway with a partner or be prepared to share with the class.