lenny

What's It Like in Their Shoes?

user image

Lesson Plan

What's It Like in Their Shoes?

Students will be able to explain what perspective-taking means and describe a situation from a classmate's point of view.

This lesson is important because understanding different perspectives helps us build stronger friendships and a more respectful community, both inside and outside of school.

Audience

5th Grade Students

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Through engaging scenarios and collaborative partner sharing.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Slide Deck: Seeing Through Others' Eyes, Scenario Cards, and Discussion Guide: Understanding Different Views

Prep

Preparation Steps

10 minutes

Step 1

Recap of Empathy

5 minutes

  1. Begin by asking students: "Who remembers what we talked about last time regarding empathy?" (Allow for a few student responses, reinforcing the idea of understanding and sharing the feelings of others).
    2. Introduce perspective-taking as a step beyond empathy, focusing on understanding why someone might feel a certain way by considering their situation.
    3. Transition to the slide deck: "Today, we're going to take empathy a step further and learn about 'perspective-taking.' Let's dive in!"
    4. Present the first few slides of the Slide Deck: Seeing Through Others' Eyes to introduce the concept.

Step 2

"A Mile in Their Shoes" Scenario

8 minutes

  1. Explain to students that they will be given a scenario and they need to imagine themselves in that situation from a particular person's perspective.
    2. Distribute one Scenario Card to each pair of students. Each card will describe a simple situation and highlight one person's perspective to consider.
    3. Instruct students to read their scenario card quietly within their pairs.
    4. Give them about 3-4 minutes to discuss with their partner: "What is this person experiencing? How might they feel? Why might they feel that way?"

Step 3

Partner Sharing

5 minutes

  1. Bring the class back together. Ask a few pairs to share their scenario and the perspective they discussed.
    2. Encourage other students to actively listen and add their thoughts, fostering a rich discussion around diverse viewpoints.
    3. Use prompts like: "Did anyone else think of something different? What made you consider that?"

Step 4

Reflection on Perspective

2 minutes

  1. Conclude the lesson by facilitating a quick reflection using the Discussion Guide: Understanding Different Views.
    2. Ask: "Why do you think it's important to try and see things from someone else's perspective? How can this help us in our daily lives?"
    3. Reinforce that understanding different perspectives helps us be kinder, more patient, and better problem-solvers. Present the last slide of the Slide Deck: Seeing Through Others' Eyes to summarize.
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

What's It Like in Their Shoes?

Understanding Perspective-Taking (And Why It Matters!) 👀🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️🚶

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask them to think about why it's important to understand others.

Ever Wonder Why?

Have you ever wondered why someone acts or feels a certain way?

Sometimes, it's because they're seeing things from a totally different angle!

Pose this question to get students thinking about empathy and different viewpoints. Connect back to previous discussions on empathy if applicable.

What is Perspective-Taking?

It's like putting yourself in someone else's shoes to understand their thoughts, feelings, and experiences from their point of view.

It's about trying to understand why they might feel or act the way they do.

Introduce the key concept. Emphasize that it's about trying to understand their situation, not just their feelings.

Why is it Important?

🔑 Builds Stronger Friendships: When you understand others, you can be a better friend.
🤝 Helps Solve Problems: Seeing all sides helps find fair solutions.
🌟 Creates a Kinder Community: Understanding leads to empathy and respect.

Reinforce the importance of this skill. Explain how it builds stronger relationships.

Keep Practicing!

The more you try to understand others' perspectives, the easier it becomes.

Be curious, listen actively, and remember everyone has a unique story!

This slide will serve as a concluding thought after the activity and discussion. Remind students that practice makes perfect.

lenny

Activity

Scenario Cards: What's It Like in Their Shoes?

Instructions: Read your scenario with your partner. Discuss: What is this person experiencing? How might they feel? Why might they feel that way? Be ready to share your thoughts with the class!

Card 1: The Quiet Lunch

Scenario: Your friend, Maya, usually talks a lot during lunch, but today she's sitting quietly, barely touching her food, and looking down at her tray.

Whose perspective to consider? Maya's













Card 2: The Frustrated Artist

Scenario: Your classmate, Sam, is usually very calm, but today during art class, he suddenly crumples up his drawing and lets out a frustrated sigh, even though it looked pretty good to you.

Whose perspective to consider? Sam's













Card 3: The New Game

Scenario: A new student, Leo, just joined your class. During recess, he stands alone near the edge of the playground watching everyone play a game that you know he's never played before.

Whose perspective to consider? Leo's













Card 4: The Missed Goal

Scenario: During gym class, your team's star player, Chloe, misses an easy shot, causing your team to lose the game. She usually makes those shots, and now she looks really sad.

Whose perspective to consider? Chloe's













lenny
lenny

Discussion

Understanding Different Views: Discussion Guide

Instructions for Teacher: Use these prompts to facilitate a class-wide discussion after the partner sharing activity. Encourage students to listen respectfully to each other's ideas.

Opening Questions

  1. What does it mean to
lenny
lenny
What's It Like in Their Shoes? • Lenny Learning