Warm Up
What Do You See?
Instructions:
1. The teacher will show the class a simple image or object. It could be something ambiguous, like a
Lesson Plan
Walk in My Shoes
Students will be able to identify and describe different perspectives in simple scenarios and understand that others can have different feelings and thoughts.
Understanding different perspectives helps students develop empathy, communicate better, and build stronger friendships. It teaches them to consider how their actions affect others and to resolve disagreements kindly.
Audience
Pre-Primary 1+2 Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Through stories, discussions, and role-playing, students will explore different viewpoints.
Materials
Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Storybook: The Little Yellow Leaf by Caralyn Buehner, Picture cards depicting various emotions and situations, Construction paper, Crayons/markers, Scissors (child-safe), Glue sticks, Optional: Small props for role-playing (hats, scarves, etc.), Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck, Teacher's Script: Walk in My Shoes, Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See, Perspective Puzzle Activity, Feelings Charades Game, My Perspective Journal, Quiz: Seeing Through Different Eyes, Quiz Answer Key, and Cool Down: One Word, Many Views
Prep
Teacher Preparation
20 minutes
- Review Materials: Go through the Walk in My Shoes Lesson Plan, Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck, and Teacher's Script: Walk in My Shoes to familiarize yourself with the content and flow.
- Gather Supplies: Collect all necessary physical materials: whiteboard/chart paper, markers, The Little Yellow Leaf book (or similar story), picture cards, construction paper, crayons, scissors, glue sticks, and any optional role-playing props.
- Print/Prepare Digital Materials: Ensure you have access to or have printed the Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See, Perspective Puzzle Activity components, and the My Perspective Journal pages.
- Set Up Tech: Prepare the computer and projector for the Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck. Ensure any video links are working.
- Optional: Create an example of a
Step 1
Warm-Up: What Do You See?
5 minutes
- Begin with the What Do You See? Warm Up activity. Show students a picture or object from different angles and ask them what they observe.
- Facilitate a brief discussion about how different people might see the same thing differently, setting the stage for perspective-taking.
- Teacher's Note: Use the corresponding slides in the Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck and the Teacher's Script: Walk in My Shoes for guidance.
Step 2
Introduction: Our Feelings and Others' Feelings
10 minutes
- Use Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck slides to introduce the concept of feelings and how we all have them.
- Read a short story like The Little Yellow Leaf by Caralyn Buehner (or a similar book) to illustrate characters with different feelings and experiences.
- Engage students in a discussion using prompts from the Teacher's Script: Walk in My Shoes about how the characters might feel and why, encouraging them to think beyond their own initial reactions.
Step 3
Guided Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See
10 minutes
- Distribute the Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See.
- Read the story aloud as a class, pausing to ask questions about how the main character and other characters might be feeling or thinking.
- Emphasize key moments where characters show different perspectives or understanding, guiding students to notice these differences.
Step 4
Activity: Perspective Puzzle
15 minutes
- Introduce the Perspective Puzzle Activity. Explain that students will be putting together pieces to see a complete picture, just like putting together different perspectives to understand a situation fully.
- Divide students into small groups. Give each group a set of mixed-up puzzle pieces (pre-cut images depicting simple social scenarios, each piece showing a different character's reaction or view).
- Students work together to assemble the puzzle and discuss what they see and how each character might feel. Circulate to facilitate discussion and provide support.
- Teacher's Note: Use the corresponding slides in the Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck and the Teacher's Script: Walk in My Shoes.
Step 5
Game: Feelings Charades
10 minutes
- Play the Feelings Charades Game. Students will act out different emotions or reactions to scenarios, and others will guess.
- This helps reinforce understanding of emotional expressions and how they relate to internal feelings, promoting empathy and observational skills.
- Teacher's Note: Use the corresponding slides in the Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck and the Teacher's Script: Walk in My Shoes.
Step 6
Journal Reflection: My Perspective
5 minutes
- Distribute the My Perspective Journal.
- Have students draw or write (with assistance as needed) about a time they understood someone else's feelings, or a time someone understood theirs.
- Encourage them to think about what it felt like to
Slide Deck
Walk in My Shoes
Understanding Others' Feelings and Thoughts
Welcome students and introduce the day's topic: understanding how others feel and think.
Warm-Up: What Do You See?
Look at this picture/object.
What do you see?
Does anyone see something different?
Why might people see things in their own way?
Introduce the Warm Up activity. Show an object or picture and ask students what they see. Show it from different angles or in different contexts. Guide a brief discussion on how people might see things differently.
Our Feelings, Their Feelings
We all have feelings inside us!
Happy, Sad, Mad, Surprised...
What are some feelings you know?
Show pictures of different emotions.
Introduce the idea that everyone has feelings and thoughts, and they can be different from our own. Show pictures of different facial expressions and ask students to identify them.
Story Time!
Let's read a story about friends and feelings!
Read 'The Little Yellow Leaf' or similar story.
How do the characters feel?
Why do you think they feel that way?
Read aloud the chosen story (e.g., The Little Yellow Leaf). As you read, pause and ask questions about how the characters might be feeling or what they might be thinking.
Listen Closely: The Boy Who Couldn't See
We're going to read a special story together.
It will help us understand how others might experience the world differently.
Transition to the guided reading. Explain that the story will help them practice thinking about what others might be experiencing.
Activity: Perspective Puzzle
Like puzzle pieces, everyone has a part of the story!
Work in groups to put together your puzzle.
What does each person see or feel in the picture?
Introduce the 'Perspective Puzzle' activity. Explain that each piece is a different view, and together they make the whole picture.
Game Time: Feelings Charades
Can you show me how you feel without using words?
Let's act out feelings and guess what they are!
Remember to think about why someone might feel that way.
Explain the 'Feelings Charades' game. Emphasize using body language and facial expressions to show feelings without speaking.
My Perspective Journal
Draw or write about a time you understood how someone else felt.
Or a time someone understood you!
How did it feel?
Introduce the journal activity. Encourage drawing or writing about a time they understood someone else.
Stepping into Others' Shoes
Today, we learned to 'walk in someone else's shoes'.
It means trying to understand how others feel and think.
Why is this important?
Summarize the lesson by reinforcing the main idea: stepping into someone else's shoes to understand them better.
Cool Down: One Word, Many Views
What's one word that comes to mind after today's lesson?
How do you feel about understanding others?
Introduce the Cool Down activity. Ask students to share one word that describes how they feel about understanding others' perspectives.
Script
Teacher's Script: Walk in My Shoes
## Warm-Up: What Do You See? (5 minutes)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Warm-Up: What Do You See?)
"Good morning, everyone! Let's start our day with a little game. I have something here (or I'm going to show you a picture). What do you see?"
(Hold up a simple object or display an ambiguous image. Show it from one angle, then another.)
"Okay, now look closely. Does anyone see something different from what our friend saw? How about from this side?"
(Allow several students to share. Acknowledge all responses.)
"That's interesting! You all saw something a little different, even though we're looking at the same thing. Does that mean one person is right and another is wrong? No! It just means we all see things from our own spot, our own way. And that's exactly what we're going to talk about today: how we can understand what others see, feel, and think, even when it's different from us!"
## Introduction: Our Feelings and Others' Feelings (10 minutes)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Our Feelings, Their Feelings)
"First, let's talk about feelings. Do we all have feelings? Yes! Raise your hand if you've ever felt happy. Raise your hand if you've ever felt a little sad. How about excited?"
(Engage students by having them show different feelings with their faces or hands.)
"Wonderful! We all have so many different feelings inside us, and they can change all the time. But sometimes, what makes me happy might make you feel different. And that's okay! Today, we're going to learn about 'walking in someone else's shoes.' It means trying to imagine what it's like to be another person and understand their feelings and thoughts."
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Story Time!)
"To help us, I have a special story. It's called The Little Yellow Leaf by Caralyn Buehner. Let's listen carefully and think about how the characters might be feeling."
(Read the story, pausing at key emotional points.)
"Now that we've read the story, let's think. How did the little yellow leaf feel at the beginning?"
(Wait for responses, guide towards feelings like lonely, scared, hesitant.)
"And how did he feel when he finally joined the other leaves?"
(Guide towards happy, brave, belonged.)
"Did all the leaves feel the same way at the same time? No! Some were ready to go, and some needed a little more time. It reminds us that everyone has their own feelings and their own timing, and it's important to understand that."
## Guided Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See (10 minutes)
(Distribute Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Listen Closely: The Boy Who Couldn't See)
"Now we have another important story to read together, called Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See. This story will help us think even more about how people experience things differently. I'm going to read it aloud, and I want you to listen carefully and imagine you are the boy, or his friends."
(Read Reading: The Boy Who Couldn't See aloud. Pause at appropriate moments to ask questions.)
"When Leo felt sad because he couldn't see the colors, how do you think his friends felt? What did they do to help?"
"How do you think Leo felt when his friends described the rainbow to him?"
"What did Leo's friends learn about Leo's world?"
"This story shows us that even if we can't always experience things exactly like someone else, we can still try to understand their world and help them feel seen and heard. That's a big part of perspective-taking!"
## Activity: Perspective Puzzle (15 minutes)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Activity: Perspective Puzzle)
(Distribute Perspective Puzzle Activity pieces to small groups)
"Okay, now for a fun activity! We're going to do something called a Perspective Puzzle Activity. You'll each get some puzzle pieces in your group. But here's the trick: each piece shows a different part of a situation, and each character in the picture might be feeling something different!"
"Your job is to work together to put the puzzle pieces together. Once your puzzle is complete, talk with your group about what's happening in the picture. How do you think each person in the picture feels? Why do you think they feel that way?"
(Circulate among groups, asking guiding questions like: 'What do you see happening here?', 'How might this person feel?', 'What would you do if you were in this situation?')
"Great job everyone! It's like you're putting together not just a picture, but a whole story with different feelings and ideas!"
## Game: Feelings Charades (10 minutes)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Game Time: Feelings Charades)
"Ready for a game? It's called Feelings Charades Game! I'll give a scenario or a feeling, and one of you will act it out without using any words. Your friends will guess what feeling you're showing!"
(Provide simple scenarios or emotions for students to act out. Examples: 'You lost your favorite toy' (sad/frustrated), 'You just got a new puppy' (excited/happy), 'Someone took your block without asking' (annoyed/mad).)
"Remember, when you're watching, think about what their body and face are telling you. That helps us understand how they feel, even without words! This helps us 'read' others' feelings."
## Journal Reflection: My Perspective (5 minutes)
(Distribute My Perspective Journal)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - My Perspective Journal)
"Now, let's take a quiet moment. I'm giving each of you a My Perspective Journal page. On this page, I want you to draw a picture, or if you can, write a few words, about a time you understood how someone else felt. Maybe you knew why your friend was sad, or you understood why your mom was happy."
"Or, you can draw about a time someone understood your feelings. How did it feel when they knew what you were going through?"
(Circulate and offer assistance as needed. Reassure students that any drawing or attempt at writing is great.)
"This journal helps us remember how important it is to think about other people's hearts and minds."
## Conclusion: Stepping into Others' Shoes (5 minutes)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Stepping into Others' Shoes)
"Wow, you all did an amazing job today learning about perspective-taking, or 'walking in someone else's shoes'!"
"Why do you think it's so important to try and understand how others feel and think?"
(Guide responses towards empathy, making friends, solving problems.)
"Exactly! When we try to understand others, we can be kinder, better friends, and help everyone feel happy and safe. Remember to look and listen, and ask questions to learn about others' perspectives."
## Cool Down: One Word, Many Views (5 minutes)
(Display Walk in My Shoes Slide Deck - Cool Down: One Word, Many Views)
"To finish up, let's do our Cool Down: One Word, Many Views. Think about everything we talked about today – feelings, different views, understanding others. What's ONE word that describes how you feel about understanding others' perspectives now?"
(Go around the room, or have students write their word on a sticky note and place it on a chart paper. Examples: kind, caring, curious, happy, thoughtful.)
"Thank you all for sharing your wonderful ideas today. Keep practicing 'walking in someone else's shoes' every day!"
Reading
The Boy Who Couldn't See
Leo loved playing with his friends. They would run in the park, splash in puddles, and tell silly jokes. But sometimes, Leo felt a little left out. Leo couldn't see colors the way his friends could. His world was full of shadows and shapes, but no bright reds, sunny yellows, or sky blues.
One sunny afternoon, all of Leo's friends gasped. "Look!" cried Mia. "A giant rainbow! It has all the colors!"
Leo looked up, but he only saw a faint arch in the sky. He frowned. "I don't see the colors," he said, his voice a little sad.
His friend Sam noticed Leo's frown. "Oh, Leo," he said softly. "You can't see the colors, can you?"
Leo shook his head. "It looks just like a misty arch to me."
Mia, who loved drawing, had an idea. "Wait!" she said. "I can tell you! Imagine a big red apple, right at the top!"
"And next to the red," added Tom, "is an orange like a juicy orange slice!"
Lily chimed in, "Then a bright yellow, like the sun peeking through the clouds!"
"Green, like the grass we run on!" said Ben.
"Blue, like the deepest ocean!" whispered Ella.
And finally, Sam said, "Purple, like my favorite grape lollipop!"
As his friends described each color, Leo closed his eyes. He imagined the big red apple, the juicy orange, the sunny yellow. He pictured the grass, the deep ocean, and the grape lollipop. A smile spread across his face.
"I can see it now!" Leo exclaimed, even though his eyes were still closed. "It's beautiful!"
His friends smiled, too. They realized that even though Leo couldn't see the rainbow with his eyes, they could help him see it with his imagination and their words. They learned that understanding someone else's world meant looking, listening, and trying to see things from their perspective, even if it was different from their own.
Activity
Perspective Puzzle Activity
Objective: To understand that different characters in a scenario can have different feelings and viewpoints, and how these views combine to form a complete understanding.
Materials:
- Pre-printed and cut-out puzzle pieces for each group. Each puzzle should depict a simple social scenario (e.g., two children wanting to play with the same toy, one child accidentally knocking over another's blocks, a group celebrating a birthday while one child looks shy).
- Each scenario should have 3-4 pieces. One piece shows the overall scene, and the others show close-ups of individual characters' faces/reactions, clearly illustrating their different emotions or perspectives.
- Example Scenarios/Puzzle Piece Ideas:
1. The Shared Toy: One piece shows two children reaching for the same ball. Another piece shows one child looking excited, the third piece shows the other child looking frustrated or sad.
2. Oops! Blocks Fell: One piece shows a tower of blocks knocked over. Another piece shows the child who knocked them over looking surprised/apologetic. A third piece shows the child whose blocks were knocked over looking sad/angry.
3. Birthday Party: One piece shows a birthday cake and balloons. Another piece shows a child happily blowing out candles. A third piece shows another child looking shy or overwhelmed in the corner.
Instructions for Students (Teacher will explain):
1. Work with your group to put all the puzzle pieces together to make one big picture.
2. Once your puzzle is complete, look closely at each part of the picture.
3. Talk with your group:
* What is happening in your picture?
* How do you think each person or character in the picture feels?
* Why do you think they feel that way?
* What could happen next in the story?
* What would you do if you were in this picture?
Game
Feelings Charades Game
Objective: To recognize and express different emotions through non-verbal communication and to understand that people convey feelings in various ways.
Materials:
- Small slips of paper with different emotions written or drawn on them (e.g., Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Surprised, Confused, Excited, Shy).
- A hat or bag to draw from.
Instructions:
1. The teacher will explain the game: "We're going to play Feelings Charades! I will describe a situation, and one person will act out how they might feel without talking. Everyone else will try to guess the feeling!"
2. Divide the class into two or more teams, or play as one large group.
3. Round 1: Acting out Emotions:
* A student draws an emotion card from the hat.
* The student acts out the emotion using only their face and body. No talking!
* The rest of the class (or their team) guesses the emotion.
* After the correct guess, discuss briefly: "What clues did you see? How did their face or body show that feeling?"
4. Round 2: Acting out Scenarios (more challenging):
* The teacher describes a simple scenario (e.g., "You lost your favorite toy," "Your friend shared their snack," "Someone bumped into you by accident").
* A student (or volunteer) acts out how they might feel in that scenario.
* The class guesses the feeling. Discuss not only what the feeling is, but why someone might feel that way in that situation.
Teacher Tips:
- Start with simple, easily recognizable emotions.
- Encourage exaggeration and clear body language.
- Remind students that there's no right or wrong way to feel, just different ways people react.
- Emphasize paying attention to others' non-verbal cues (facial expressions, body posture) as a way to understand their perspective.
Journal
My Perspective Journal
Name: __________________________ Date: _______________
Today we talked about 'walking in someone else's shoes' and trying to understand how others feel and think.
Draw a picture OR write about one of these things:
1. A time you understood how a friend or family member was feeling.
* What did they feel?
* What made you understand?
2. A time when someone understood your feelings.
* What did you feel?
* How did it feel when they understood you?
Cool Down
Cool Down: One Word, Many Views
Name: __________________________
Think about everything we learned today about understanding how other people feel and think.
What is ONE WORD that describes how you feel about understanding others' perspectives now?
My word is:
Quiz
Quiz: Seeing Through Different Eyes
Answer Key
Quiz: Seeing Through Different Eyes Answer Key
Question 1: What does it mean to 'walk in someone else's shoes'?
Correct Answer: To try and understand how they feel and think.
Reasoning: This idiom directly relates to the concept of perspective-taking, which is the core of the lesson.
Question 2: If your friend looks sad, what should you do?
Correct Answer: Ask them what's wrong or try to help.
Reasoning: This encourages empathetic and proactive behavior in response to another's emotions.
Question 3: Why is it important to understand that people can feel differently than you about the same thing?
Correct Answer: It helps us be kind, make friends, and solve problems.
Reasoning: This answer highlights the positive social and emotional benefits of perspective-taking.
Question 4: Your friend is crying because their ice cream fell. You don't feel sad about ice cream. What is the kindest thing to do?
Correct Answer: Offer them a hug or ask if they need help.
Reasoning: This scenario tests the application of empathy in a real-world context, even when one doesn't share the same emotional reaction to the event.
Question 5: Draw a happy face and a sad face. How can you tell the difference?
Correct Answer: Happy face: upturned mouth, bright eyes. Sad face: downturned mouth, possibly tears, drooping eyes.
Reasoning: This question assesses the students' understanding of basic emotional cues and their ability to express them visually.
Project Guide
Project: My Empathy Comic Strip
Objective: To create a visual story that demonstrates understanding another person's feelings or perspective.
Materials:
- Comic strip template (paper with 3-4 blank boxes)
- Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
- Optional: stickers or cut-out pictures
Instructions:
1. Choose a Scenario: Think of a time when someone felt happy, sad, or surprised, and you understood why. Or, think of a time you felt a strong emotion and someone understood you. It could be from a story, from class, or from your own life!
2. Plan Your Story: How will your story begin? What happens in the middle? How does it end with understanding?
3. Draw Your Comic Strip: In each box of your comic strip, draw a part of your story.
* Box 1: Show what happened first. Who are the people involved?
* Box 2: Show how someone is feeling (happy, sad, mad, surprised). Use their face and body to show the feeling!
* Box 3: Show how another person tries to understand or help. What do they do or say?
* Box 4 (Optional): Show how understanding makes things better for everyone.
4. Add Speech Bubbles (Optional): If you can, add little speech bubbles with words that the characters are saying or thinking. For example:
Rubric
Rubric: Empathy Comic Strip
| Criteria | 4 - Excellent | 3 - Good | 2 - Developing | 1 - Needs Support |
| :--------------------- | :------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------ | :------------------------------------------------ |
| Understanding of Emotion | Clearly shows a character's emotion and the reason for it. | Shows a character's emotion with some clarity. | Attempts to show emotion, but it's unclear. | Emotion is not clearly shown or is missing. |
| Perspective-Taking | Clearly shows one character understanding another's feelings/thoughts. | Shows an attempt at understanding another's feelings/thoughts. | Partial understanding of another's feelings/thoughts. | No clear attempt to show understanding of another's feelings/thoughts. |
| Storytelling & Sequence | Story has a clear beginning, middle, and end, showing how understanding develops. | Story has a beginning, middle, and end, but flow could be clearer. | Story is somewhat sequential, but parts are missing or confusing. | Story is difficult to follow or is incomplete. |
| Effort & Creativity | Comic strip is detailed, colorful, and shows great effort and imagination. | Comic strip is mostly detailed and shows good effort. | Comic strip has some details but could show more effort. | Comic strip shows minimal detail or effort. |
| Communication (Optional for younger students) | Speech bubbles (if used) clearly communicate characters' thoughts/words. | Speech bubbles (if used) are present but could be clearer. | Speech bubbles (if used) are difficult to understand. | No speech bubbles or they detract from the story. |
Test
Test: How Well Do You Understand?
Worksheet
Worksheet: What Would You Do?
Name: __________________________ Date: _______________
We learned today that everyone has different feelings and thoughts. Read these stories and draw or write what you would do to show you understand.
Story 1: Your friend built a tall tower of blocks, but it accidentally falls down. Your friend looks very sad.
What do you think your friend is feeling?
What could you do or say to show you understand?
Story 2: You have a new toy that makes funny sounds. Your friend wants to play with it, but they look a little shy to ask.
What do you think your friend is feeling?
What could you do or say to show you understand?
Story 3: Your classmate is trying to draw a picture, but they are getting frustrated because it's not looking how they want. They crumple their paper.
What do you think your classmate is feeling?
What could you do or say to show you understand?
Discussion
Discussion: Talk It Out: Different Views
Objective: To facilitate a class discussion that encourages students to verbalize their understanding of different perspectives and to practice active listening.
Instructions for Teacher:
1. Review Core Concept: Remind students about "walking in someone else's shoes" – trying to understand their feelings and thoughts.
2. Set Discussion Rules: Before starting, establish simple rules for discussion (e.g., raise hand, one person speaks at a time, listen carefully to friends, it's okay to have different ideas).
3. Use Open-Ended Prompts: Present one scenario at a time. Encourage students to share their thoughts and listen to others.
Discussion Prompts:
### Prompt 1: The New Kid
* "Imagine there is a new student in our class. They sit by themselves during snack time and look a little quiet.
* How might the new student be feeling? Why do you think that?
* What could we do to help the new student feel welcome and happy?"
### Prompt 2: Sharing Toys
* "You and your friend both want to play with the same red car. You want to drive it fast, but your friend wants to make it go to sleep.
* How do you each feel about the red car?
* What could you do so that both of you can be happy playing with the car?"
### Prompt 3: A Loud Noise
* "Suddenly, there is a very loud noise outside our classroom! Some of you might think it's exciting, but others might feel a little scared.
* Why might some friends feel excited? Why might other friends feel scared?
* What can we do to make sure everyone feels safe and understood when there's a loud surprise?"
### Prompt 4: Favorite Food
* "I love to eat apples for a snack, but my friend loves to eat bananas! Is one of us right and the other wrong?
* How can we show we understand that everyone likes different things, even if we don't like the same thing?"
Concluding the Discussion:
* "Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas! It's so helpful when we all talk and listen to each other. Remember, everyone sees things a little differently, and that's what makes our class so special. Keep trying to understand your friends' feelings and thoughts!"