Lesson Plan
Playing with Empathy
Students will be able to identify emotions in others and practice empathetic responses in a collaborative setting.
Understanding and responding to the emotions of others is a crucial life skill. This lesson helps students develop social awareness and build stronger interpersonal relationships, making them more compassionate individuals.
Audience
3rd Grade Class
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Interactive game-based learning and discussion.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Understanding Others' Feelings Slide Deck, Markers or pens, Empathy Bingo! Game (printed copies), and How Do You Think I Feel? Warm Up (printed copies)
Prep
Prepare Materials
15 minutes
- Review the Playing with Empathy Lesson Plan and all generated materials to ensure familiarity.
- Print out enough copies of the Empathy Bingo! Game for each student.
- Print out enough copies of the How Do You Think I Feel? Warm Up for each student.
- Ensure projector/whiteboard is ready for the Understanding Others' Feelings Slide Deck.
Step 1
Warm-Up: How Do You Think I Feel?
10 minutes
- Distribute the How Do You Think I Feel? Warm Up to each student.
2. Instruct students to look at the images and write down the emotion they think each person is feeling and why.
3. After 5 minutes, ask students to share their responses with a partner.
4. Bring the class back together and discuss a few examples as a whole group, highlighting that different people might interpret emotions differently.
Step 2
Introduction to Empathy (Slide Deck & Discussion)
10 minutes
- Present the Understanding Others' Feelings Slide Deck to introduce the concept of empathy.
2. Facilitate a brief discussion using the questions on the slides, encouraging students to share their own experiences with understanding others' feelings.
Step 3
Activity: Empathy Bingo!
20 minutes
- Explain the rules of Empathy Bingo! Game. Students will circulate the room, find classmates who fit the descriptions on their bingo card (e.g., 'Someone who felt happy when...', 'Someone who helped a friend who was sad...'), and have them initial the square.
2. Emphasize that students should ask questions to understand the other person's feelings and practice active listening.
3. The first student(s) to get Bingo (five in a row) wins a small, pre-determined prize (optional).
Step 4
Wrap-Up: Sharing & Reflection
5 minutes
- Gather students back as a whole group.
2. Ask students to share one new thing they learned about empathy or a new emotion they identified during the game.
3. Discuss how they can use empathy in their daily lives with friends and family.
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Slide Deck
What Are Feelings?
We all have feelings, and they change all the time!
- What are some feelings you know?
- Why is it important to understand our own feelings?
Welcome students and introduce the topic of feelings. Ask them to share a time they felt a strong emotion and what it was.
Empathy: Stepping into Their Shoes
Empathy means understanding how someone else is feeling.
- It's like seeing the world from their point of view.
- Why do you think empathy is important when we talk to our friends or family?
Explain that empathy is like putting yourself in someone else's shoes. Ask students for examples of when they saw someone feeling something and how they knew.
Clues for Feelings
How can we tell how someone is feeling?
- Faces: Happy, sad, angry, surprised, confused.
- Body Language: Shoulders slumped, arms crossed, big smile, jumping up and down.
- Words: What they say (or don't say!).
What clues do you look for?
Discuss different facial expressions and body language that show emotions. Have students practice making different emotion faces.
Responding with Empathy
Once you understand how someone feels, what can you do?
- Listen: Really hear what they are saying.
- Ask: "Are you okay?" or "Is there anything I can do?"
- Show You Care: A kind word, a supportive gesture.
How would you help a friend who lost their favorite toy?
Provide scenarios for students to discuss how they would respond empathetically. Emphasize that an empathetic response shows you understand and care.
Being an Empathy Hero!
Being empathetic helps us:
- Make new friends.
- Understand our friends and family better.
- Solve problems peacefully.
Now, let's play a game to practice being Empathy Heroes!
Summarize the importance of empathy and how it helps us be better friends and classmates. Transition to the game.
Game
Empathy Bingo!
Instructions: Walk around the classroom and talk to your classmates. When you find someone who matches a description on your bingo card, ask them about it and have them initial the square. Try to get five squares in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally)!
Remember to listen carefully to your friends and understand how they felt or what they did!
Bingo Card
| Find someone who... Helped a friend who was feeling sad. | Find someone who... Felt excited when they learned something new. | Find someone who... Comforted someone who was hurt. | Find someone who... Understood why a character in a book was angry. | Find someone who... Felt proud after finishing a difficult task. |
| Find someone who... Saw someone feeling lonely and invited them to play. | Find someone who... Knew a friend was scared and helped them feel brave. | Find someone who... Felt disappointed about something and talked about it. | Find someone who... Helped a family member who was frustrated. | Find someone who... Felt happy when they shared something with others. |
| Find someone who... Understood why someone was shy. | Find someone who... Felt surprised by a fun event. | FREE SPACE (Showed empathy today!) | Find someone who... Knew what a pet was feeling. | Find someone who... Made someone laugh when they were feeling down. |
| Find someone who... Felt confused about a lesson and asked for help. | Find someone who... Understood why someone might be nervous. | Find someone who... Felt grateful for something someone did for them. | Find someone who... Saw someone lose a game and knew they felt upset. | Find someone who... Listened to a friend talk about a problem. |
| Find someone who... Felt worried about a test or presentation. | Find someone who... Helped a younger child who was struggling. | Find someone who... Understood why someone might be excited about a birthday. | Find someone who... Felt peaceful when spending time in nature. | Find someone who... Said something kind to someone having a bad day. |
Warm Up
How Do You Think I Feel? Warm-Up
Instructions: Look at each picture below. In the space provided, write down the emotion you think the person is feeling. Then, write why you think they are feeling that way (what clues do you see?).
Picture 1
(Imagine a picture of a child with a wide smile, eyes crinkling, maybe holding a balloon)
Emotion:
Why I think that:
Picture 2
(Imagine a picture of a child with slumped shoulders, a frown, looking at a broken toy)
Emotion:
Why I think that:
Picture 3
(Imagine a picture of a child with wide eyes, mouth slightly open, maybe dropping something)
Emotion:
Why I think that:
Picture 4
(Imagine a picture of a child with eyebrows furrowed, arms crossed, a slight pout)
Emotion:
Why I think that: