Script: Guiding Perspectives

Introduction & Warm-Up (10 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Good morning/afternoon everyone! Today we're going to explore a really important skill that helps us understand each other better. It's called perspective taking. Look at our first slide, Slide 1: What's Your Angle?. What do you think that means? What does it mean to have a 'perspective'?"

(Teacher says): "Great ideas! A perspective is simply how someone sees and understands the world, a situation, or an idea. It's their unique point of view. To kick us off, let's do our Warm-Up: What's Your Angle?. Please take a moment to complete it." (Allow 5 minutes for warm-up, then discuss briefly.)

Exploring Perspectives (15 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Now that we've thought about how our own angle shapes what we see, let's dive deeper. I'm going to hand out a short reading called Reading: The Empathy Explorer's Guide. This reading will help us understand even more about why perspective taking is so powerful. Please read it carefully, and as you read, think about any questions you have or interesting points you find." (Distribute reading, allow 7 minutes for students to read.)

(Teacher says): "Okay, wonderful! Now that you've read about being an 'Empathy Explorer,' let's have a Discussion: Understanding Different Lenses. Take a look at Slide 2: Seeing Through Different Eyes. Who can tell us in their own words what perspective taking is based on the reading? Why is it important?"

(Teacher says): "Excellent points! It's not always about agreeing, but about understanding. Now let's move to Slide 3: Emotions & Viewpoints. How do our emotions play a role in how we see things? Can two people experience the same event but feel totally different about it? Give me an example!"

Activity & Practice (20 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Fantastic discussion! Now, let's put our perspective-taking skills to the test with an Activity: Scenario Cards. I'm going to divide you into small groups. Each group will receive a few scenario cards. Your task is to discuss how different people in the scenario might feel and why. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers, just different ways of looking at things." (Divide students into groups, distribute cards, and facilitate for 10 minutes.)

(Teacher says): "Great job working in your groups! Now, for a fun way to practice understanding emotions and non-verbal cues, we're going to play Game: Perspective Charades! I'll explain the rules as we go. This game will help us think about how people show their feelings and what that tells us about their perspective." (Explain and play game for 10 minutes.)

Independent Application (10 minutes)

(Teacher says): "You've done an amazing job practicing identifying perspectives. Now it's time for some independent work. I'm handing out the Worksheet: Shifting Viewpoints. On this worksheet, you'll read a few situations and imagine how different people involved might see things. Use what we've discussed and what you learned from the reading." (Distribute worksheets, allow 7 minutes for completion.)

(Teacher says): "Alright, let's quickly go over some of the answers on your Worksheet: Shifting Viewpoints. We can look at the Answer Key: Seeing Through Their Eyes for some ideas, but remember, there can be many valid perspectives!" (Review answers for 3 minutes.)

Wrap-Up & Assessment (5 minutes)

(Teacher says): "Wow, we've covered a lot about perspective-taking today! To wrap up, please take out your Cool-Down: One New View. This is your 'exit ticket' for today. On it, I want you to share one new thing you learned or one new way you'll try to practice perspective-taking." (Allow 3 minutes for cool-down.)

(Teacher says): "Before you leave, I want to introduce our take-home or future class Project Guide: My Empathy Story. This project will allow you to demonstrate your understanding of perspective-taking in a creative way. I'm also giving you the Rubric: Empathy Story Rubric so you know exactly what is expected. We will have a Quiz: Seeing Through Their Eyes at the start of our next class to check your understanding of today's lesson. Make sure to review your notes and the reading!" (Conclude lesson.)

Warm-Up: What's Your Angle?

Instructions: Imagine you and a friend are looking at the same drawing. Below is the drawing. Your friend says, "Wow, that looks like a number 6!" You look at it and think, "No way, it's clearly a number 9!"

Drawing:

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```<br/><br/><br/>1.  **Why do you think you and your friend see different numbers, even though you are looking at the exact same drawing?**
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2.  **What does this tell us about how people can see things differently?**
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The Empathy Explorer's Guide: Seeing Beyond Yourself

Have you ever wondered why your friend got upset about something that didn't bother you? Or why your teacher explained a rule in a way that seemed obvious to them, but confusing to you? This is all about perspective.

What is Perspective?

Think of perspective as your own unique window to the world. Everyone has one! Your window is shaped by everything that makes you, you: your experiences, your feelings, your family, your culture, and even your mood that day. Because everyone's window is a little different, we all see things in our own way.

For example, imagine two friends, Leo and Mia, are walking home from school. They see a dog barking loudly at a squirrel. Leo loves dogs and thinks, "Aww, that dog is so playful and excited!" Mia, however, had a scary experience with a barking dog when she was little, so she thinks, "Oh no, that dog sounds aggressive and scary!"

Same dog, same barking, completely different feelings and thoughts! That's perspective in action.

Why is Perspective Taking Important?

Perspective taking is the amazing skill of trying to understand someone else's window – to imagine how they might be seeing or feeling about a situation. It doesn't mean you have to agree with them, but it means you try to understand their point of view.

Here's why being an "Empathy Explorer" (someone who practices perspective taking) is super helpful:

• You'll be a better friend: When you understand why your friend is upset, even if you don't feel the same way, you can offer better support.
• You'll solve problems easier: Many disagreements happen because people don't understand each other's side. If you can see both perspectives, you can find a solution that works for everyone.
• You'll learn new things: Everyone has something to teach you. By listening to and understanding others' perspectives, you broaden your own view of the world.
• You'll build empathy: Empathy is feeling with someone. When you take someone's perspective, you start to understand their feelings, which helps you connect with them on a deeper level.

How to Be an Empathy Explorer:

1. Listen carefully: Really hear what someone is saying, not just waiting for your turn to speak.
2. Watch body language: People communicate with their faces, hands, and how they stand. What do these non-verbal clues tell you?
3. Ask questions: If you're unsure, politely ask, "How do you feel about that?" or "What makes you say that?"
4. Imagine yourself in their shoes: Think, "If I had their experiences, how might I react?"
5. Look for clues: What clues can you find about why someone might be acting or feeling a certain way? (Maybe they look tired, or they just dropped their ice cream!)

Being an Empathy Explorer takes practice, but it's a superpower that will help you in every part of your life!

Discussion: Understanding Different Lenses

Instructions: After reading "The Empathy Explorer's Guide," let's discuss what we've learned about perspective-taking and why it's such an important skill.

Discussion Questions:

1. In your own words, how would you define "perspective"? How is it different from "perspective-taking"?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Can you think of a time when you or someone you know had a different perspective than someone else about the same event? What happened?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. Based on the reading, what are some of the benefits of being an "Empathy Explorer"? Why is it important to try and see things from another person's point of view?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. What are some practical steps you can take to practice perspective-taking in your daily life? (Think about the

Activity: Scenario Cards

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

Instructions:

1. Work in small groups (2-3 students).
2. Each group will receive a set of scenario cards.
3. For each card, read the scenario carefully.
4. Discuss within your group:
   • Who are the different people involved in this situation?
   • How might each person be feeling?
   • What might each person be thinking or believing?
   • Why might their perspectives be different?
   • How could understanding these different perspectives help resolve the situation or improve communication?
5. Be prepared to share your group's discussion for one or more scenarios with the class.

Scenario Cards (Cut along the dotted lines)

Scenario 1:

Your friend, Alex, is usually very chatty at lunch, but today they are quiet and staring at their food. You ask if everything is okay, and Alex just shrugs and says, "I'm fine."

• Perspective 1: Alex
  
  
  
  
• Perspective 2: You
  
  
  
  

Scenario 2:

During kickball at recess, Maya accidentally trips over Liam's foot and falls. Liam immediately says, "Watch where you're going!" but he didn't mean to trip her.

• Perspective 1: Maya
  
  
  
  
• Perspective 2: Liam
  
  
  
  

Scenario 3:

Your teacher gives everyone a challenging homework assignment. You feel overwhelmed because you don't understand it, but another classmate groans loudly, saying, "This is so boring! It's too easy."

• Perspective 1: You
  
  
  
  
• Perspective 2: Classmate
  
  
  
  
• Perspective 3: Teacher
  
  
  
  

Scenario 4:

Your younger sibling wants to play a game you think is for babies. They start crying when you say you don't want to play.

• Perspective 1: You
  
  
  
  
• Perspective 2: Your younger sibling
  
  
  
  

Scenario 5:

Your class is planning a field trip. Some students want to go to the science museum, while others want to go to the art gallery. Everyone feels strongly about their choice.

• Perspective 1: Science Museum supporters
  
  
  
  
• Perspective 2: Art Gallery supporters
  
  
  
  
• Perspective 3: The Teacher (trying to decide)
  
  
  
  

Game: Perspective Charades

Objective: To practice recognizing and portraying different emotions and reactions, understanding how they convey a person's perspective without words.

Instructions:

1. Divide into teams: The class will be divided into two or more teams.
2. Act it out: One student from a team will pick a scenario card (prepared by the teacher or written on small slips of paper) that describes a situation and an emotion/reaction.
3. No talking! The student will act out only the emotion/reaction from the scenario, without speaking. Their team members will try to guess the emotion/reaction and the reason for it (i.e., the perspective).
4. Guessing: The team has 1-2 minutes to guess the emotion/reaction and the underlying reason/perspective.
5. Points: If the team guesses correctly, they get a point. If they guess the emotion and can explain the likely perspective, they get bonus points (teacher's discretion).
6. Rotate: Students rotate through acting roles.

Charades Scenario Ideas (Teacher can cut these into slips):

• Scenario: You just found out you won a prize!

  • Act out: Extreme excitement/joy

• Scenario: You accidentally spilled juice all over your homework.

  • Act out: Frustration/disappointment

• Scenario: You heard someone say something unkind about your friend.

  • Act out: Sadness/anger on behalf of someone else

• Scenario: You are very tired after staying up late.

  • Act out: Sleepiness/grumpiness

• Scenario: You realize you forgot your lunch at home.

  • Act out: Hunger/annoyance

• Scenario: You see someone struggling to carry a heavy box.

  • Act out: Concern/desire to help

• Scenario: You are trying to listen to an interesting story but someone keeps interrupting.

  • Act out: Impatience/annoyance

• Scenario: You are listening to your favorite song.

  • Act out: Pure happiness/calm enjoyment

• Scenario: You just found out your favorite show was cancelled.

  • Act out: Disbelief/sadness

• Scenario: You are trying to study but your younger sibling is making a lot of noise.

  • Act out: Annoyance/distraction

• Scenario: You are told you have to give a presentation to the class tomorrow.

  • Act out: Nervousness/anxiety

• Scenario: You accidentally stepped in a puddle and now your socks are wet.

  • Act out: Disgust/irritation

Worksheet: Shifting Viewpoints

Instructions: Read each scenario below. Then, try to imagine how different people in the scenario might feel or what they might be thinking. Fill in the blanks with their possible perspectives.

Scenario 1:

During library time, you see a new student accidentally knock over a stack of books, making a loud crash. The librarian gives them a stern look.

1. Your perspective (as a classmate witnessing it): How might you feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. The New Student's perspective: How might they feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. The Librarian's perspective: How might they feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 2:

Your class is voting on which movie to watch for a reward day. You really want to watch the new superhero movie, but your friend, who loves documentaries, looks disappointed when it's chosen.

1. Your perspective (when your movie is chosen): How might you feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Your Friend's perspective (when your movie is chosen): How might they feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. The Teacher's perspective (who organized the vote): How might they feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Scenario 3:

Your younger sibling draws a picture for you, and it looks a bit messy with lots of colors scribbled together. They proudly hand it to you, beaming.

1. Your perspective (seeing the messy drawing): How might you initially feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. Your Sibling's perspective (after drawing and presenting it): How might they feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. A parent's perspective (watching the interaction): How might they feel or think?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Answer Key: Seeing Through Their Eyes

This answer key provides possible responses and reasoning. Encourage students to think critically, as some open-ended questions may have various valid answers.

Worksheet: Shifting Viewpoints - Answer Key

Scenario 1: New student knocks over books

1. Your perspective (as a classmate witnessing it):

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Surprise, curiosity, a little embarrassed for them, maybe a little worried they'll get in trouble. "Oh no, that looks like a lot of books!" or "I feel bad for the new kid, that's a tough way to start."

2. The New Student's perspective:

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Very embarrassed, nervous, anxious, maybe a little scared of getting in trouble, wanting to disappear. "I just wanted to get a book, now everyone is looking at me!" or "I hope I didn't break anything."

3. The Librarian's perspective:

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Annoyance at the noise/mess, concern for the books, wanting to maintain order in the library. "Another mess to clean up" or "I need to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Scenario 2: Movie Vote

1. Your perspective (when your movie is chosen):

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Excited, happy, relieved. "Yes! We get to watch the superhero movie!" or "This is going to be so much fun."

2. Your Friend's perspective (when your movie is chosen):

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Disappointed, sad, maybe a little frustrated. "Oh man, I really wanted to watch the documentary" or "I guess I'm not going to enjoy this as much."

3. The Teacher's perspective (who organized the vote):

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Neutral, wanting to please as many students as possible, focused on fairness. "I'm glad the class could decide, even if not everyone got their top choice" or "I hope everyone can still enjoy the movie."

Scenario 3: Sibling's drawing

1. Your perspective (seeing the messy drawing):

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Maybe a little confused by the drawing, trying to figure out what it is. "What exactly is this?" or "That's... colorful."

2. Your Sibling's perspective (after drawing and presenting it):

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Proud, excited, happy to share their creation, expecting praise. "Look what I made for you!" or "I worked so hard on this!"

3. A parent's perspective (watching the interaction):

   • Possible Feelings/Thoughts: Happy to see the sibling interaction, encouraging, wanting to foster creativity and kindness. "How sweet that they made a drawing for their sibling" or "I hope [older sibling] is kind about it."

Quiz: Seeing Through Their Eyes - Answer Key

1. What does 'perspective' mean?

   • Correct Answer: B. Your unique way of seeing or understanding something.
   • Reasoning: Perspective refers to an individual's viewpoint, shaped by their experiences, beliefs, and feelings.

2. Why is 'perspective-taking' an important skill?

   • Correct Answer: C. It helps you understand others, solve problems, and build empathy.
   • Reasoning: Perspective-taking leads to better communication, conflict resolution, and stronger relationships by fostering empathy.

3. Give one example of how two people might have different perspectives on the same event. Explain why their perspectives might differ.

   • Possible Answer: Two people are at a sporting event. One person's team wins, and they feel overjoyed and excited. The other person's team loses, and they feel sad and disappointed. Their perspectives differ because their personal investment and emotional connection to the teams are opposite.
   • Grading Guidance: Look for clear examples of differing views on a shared event and a plausible explanation for the difference (e.g., personal history, emotions, role in the event).

4. Which of these is NOT a good way to practice perspective-taking?

   • Correct Answer: B. Ignoring someone's feelings if you don't agree.
   • Reasoning: Ignoring feelings is the opposite of perspective-taking, which requires acknowledging and trying to understand others' emotions.

5. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = not at all, 5 = very much), how much do you think understanding different perspectives can help prevent arguments?

   • Possible Answer: 5
   • Reasoning: Understanding why someone feels or thinks a certain way can de-escalate potential arguments by fostering empathy and leading to compromise.

Test: Perspective Assessment - Answer Key

1. Which statement best describes what it means to 'take someone's perspective'?

   • Correct Answer: B. To understand their point of view, thoughts, and feelings.
   • Reasoning: Perspective-taking is about trying to comprehend another person's internal experience and outlook, not necessarily adopting it or changing your own.

2. Imagine a new student joins your class and seems very quiet and keeps to themselves during lunch. Describe two different perspectives someone might have about this new student, and explain what might be influencing each perspective.

   • Possible Answer 1 (Classmate 1): Might think the new student is shy or nervous. Influence: The classmate remembers being new and feeling the same way.
   • Possible Answer 2 (Classmate 2): Might think the new student is unfriendly or doesn't want to make friends. Influence: The classmate values outgoing behavior and misinterprets quietness as disinterest.
   • Grading Guidance: Look for two distinct perspectives and a reasonable explanation for why each perspective might exist (e.g., personal experiences, assumptions, lack of information).

3. How does understanding another person's perspective typically help in resolving a conflict?

   • Correct Answer: C. It allows people to find common ground and solutions that consider everyone's feelings.
   • Reasoning: By understanding the other person's motivations and feelings, individuals involved in a conflict can move past their own immediate reactions and work towards a mutually agreeable resolution.

4. Think about a character from a book or movie. Describe a situation where their perspective was different from another character's. How did their differing perspectives affect the story?

   • Possible Answer (Example: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy): In Harry Potter, Harry (and his friends) sees Voldemort as pure evil and someone who must be stopped. Draco Malfoy, raised in a pure-blood family with ties to Voldemort, initially sees Harry as a rival and perhaps even a threat to his family's standing. Their differing perspectives lead to constant conflict, mistrust, and drive many of the plot points, including Draco's difficult choices later in the series.
   • Grading Guidance: Students should clearly identify characters, a specific situation, explain the differing perspectives, and describe a plausible impact on the story's events or character development.

5. How important do you believe actively practicing perspective-taking is for building a positive classroom community?

   • Possible Answer: 5 (Extremely Important)
   • Reasoning: In a classroom, understanding others' perspectives fosters empathy, reduces misunderstandings, encourages cooperation, and helps students support each other, all of which are crucial for a positive and inclusive environment.

Project Guide: My Empathy Story

Objective: To demonstrate your understanding of perspective-taking by creating a short story or comic strip that highlights different viewpoints.

Introduction: We've learned that everyone sees the world through their own unique lens, or perspective. For this project, you will become a storyteller, creating a narrative that shows how different characters might experience and react to the same event in different ways.

Your Task: Create a short story (fiction) or a comic strip (3-6 panels) about an event where at least two characters have clearly different perspectives.

Project Requirements:

1. Characters: Your story/comic must feature at least two main characters. Give them names and a brief description of their personalities or backgrounds that might influence their perspectives.
2. The Event: Choose a single event or situation that both characters experience. This could be anything from a school event, a misunderstanding, a shared discovery, or even something as simple as seeing the same object.
3. Show, Don't Just Tell: Instead of just saying "Character A felt sad and Character B felt happy," show it! Use dialogue, actions, and descriptions of their thoughts or feelings to illustrate their different perspectives.
4. Empathy in Action: Your story/comic should demonstrate how understanding (or failing to understand) these different perspectives affects the outcome of the event or the relationship between the characters.
5. Reflection: Include a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) at the end of your story/comic explaining:
   • What were the different perspectives in your story?
   • How did you try to show these differences?
   • What lesson about perspective-taking do you want your audience to take away?

Format Options (Choose one):

• Short Story: 250-500 words. Typed or neatly handwritten.
• Comic Strip: 3-6 panels. Hand-drawn or digitally created. Each panel should have illustrations and dialogue/thought bubbles.

Tips for Success:

• Brainstorm: Think of simple events from your own life or things you've seen where people had different reactions.
• Character Development: Give your characters clear reasons for their perspectives.
• Drafting: Write a first draft and then revise to make sure the perspectives are clear and the story flows well.
• Visuals (for comics): Use facial expressions and body language to convey emotions and perspectives.

Submission: Your completed project (story or comic) and reflection paragraph are due on [Date].

Refer to the Rubric: Empathy Story Rubric to understand how your project will be graded.

Rubric: Empathy Story Rubric

Project: My Empathy Story

Student Name: ________________________

Total Score: ________ / 20

Cool-Down: One New View

Instructions: Please answer the following questions honestly and thoughtfully.

1. What is one new thing you learned about perspective-taking today?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. How do you plan to practice perspective-taking in your own life this week? Give a specific example.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel in your ability to understand different perspectives now?

   • 1 (Not confident)
   • 2 (A little confident)
   • 3 (Moderately confident)
   • 4 (Confident)
   • 5 (Very confident)