What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes?

Nadine Cenord

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes?

Students will be able to describe how someone else might be feeling in a given situation and explain why, fostering empathy and emotional intelligence.

Understanding different perspectives helps students develop empathy, improve social skills, and resolve conflicts more effectively in their daily lives and interactions.

Audience

2nd Grade Students

Time

20 minutes

Approach

Through engaging activities and discussions, students will practice perspective-taking.

Materials

What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes? Slide Deck, "Walking in My Shoes" Scenario Prompts Discussion, and SEL Journals Journal

Prep

Review Materials

10 minutes

Review the What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes? Slide Deck, "Walking in My Shoes" Scenario Prompts Discussion, and SEL Journals Journal. Ensure you understand the scenarios and discussion points. Prepare to project the slide deck.

Step 1

"If I Were..." Imagination Exercise

5 minutes

Hook: "If I Were..." Imagination Exercise (5 minutes)

Begin by displaying the first slide of the What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes? Slide Deck.
Ask students: "Imagine you are a tiny mouse, what would it feel like to be in our classroom right now?" or "Imagine you are a giant tree in the schoolyard, what would you see and feel?"
Encourage a few students to share their imaginative responses.
Introduce the concept of perspective-taking: "Today, we're going to learn about putting ourselves in someone else's 'shoes' to understand how they might be feeling and why."

Step 2

Interactive Read-Aloud and Discussion

5 minutes

Interactive Read-Aloud and Discussion (5 minutes)

Move to the next slides in the What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes? Slide Deck that introduce perspective-taking.
Explain that perspective is seeing things from another person's point of view.
Use the "Walking in My Shoes" Scenario Prompts Discussion to guide a brief class discussion. Read one or two simple scenarios and ask questions like: "How do you think [character] feels? Why might they feel that way?"

Step 3

Role-Play: "Switching Shoes" Scenarios

5 minutes

Role-Play: "Switching Shoes" Scenarios (5 minutes)

Introduce the idea of "switching shoes" to try on someone else's feelings.
Display the next slide from the What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes? Slide Deck with a scenario.
Choose 2-3 simple scenarios from the "Walking in My Shoes" Scenario Prompts Discussion.
For each scenario, ask students to briefly role-play or describe how they would feel and act if they were in that person's situation. Encourage them to explain why they would feel that way.

Step 4

Journaling: "A Mile in Their Shoes"

5 minutes

Journaling: "A Mile in Their Shoes" (5 minutes)

Distribute the SEL Journals Journal to each student.
Direct students to the last slide of the What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes? Slide Deck.
Have students choose one scenario from the "Walking in My Shoes" Scenario Prompts Discussion or create their own, and write about how they think the person feels and why in their journal.
Encourage them to draw a picture to go along with their writing if time permits.
Wrap up by reiterating the importance of trying to understand how others feel.

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Slide Deck

Welcome! Let's Imagine...

Imagine you are a tiny mouse in our classroom. How do you feel?

Imagine you are a giant tree outside. What do you see and feel?

Welcome students and introduce the imaginative exercise. Encourage creative thinking and diverse responses.

Walking in Their Shoes

What does it mean to 'walk in someone else's shoes'?

It means trying to understand how they see and feel about things!

Introduce the concept of perspective-taking simply. Explain it's about seeing things from another's point of view.

Scenario Time!

A new student joins our class.

They sit alone at lunch. How might they be feeling?
Why might they feel that way?

Present the first scenario for discussion. Guide students to think about feelings and reasons.

Another Scenario!

Your friend accidentally knocks over your block tower.

How might your friend be feeling?
How might you be feeling?
Why might everyone feel this way?

Present a second scenario for discussion. Encourage deeper thinking about reasons behind feelings.

Switching Shoes: Let's Role-Play!

Now, let's pretend! How would you feel and act if you were in their 'shoes'?

Remember to explain why!

Introduce the role-play activity. Emphasize acting out or describing feelings and actions from another's perspective.

A Mile in Their Shoes: Journal Time!

Choose a scenario or create your own.

Write in your journal: How do you think the person feels? Why?

(You can also draw a picture!)

Introduce the journaling activity. Explain the task and remind students to provide reasons for feelings.

Discussion

"Walking in My Shoes" Scenario Prompts

These scenarios are designed to help students practice perspective-taking. Encourage them to think about how different characters might be feeling and why.

Discussion Guidelines:

Listen respectfully to your classmates.
Try to imagine yourself in the situation.
Explain your thinking and feelings.

Scenario 1: The New Kid

A new student just moved to your town and started school today. At lunchtime, they are sitting alone at a table, looking down at their food.

How do you think the new student might be feeling?
Why might they be feeling that way?
What could you do to help them feel better?

Scenario 2: Broken Masterpiece

Your friend was building a really tall tower with blocks during free play. You accidentally bumped into the table and the tower crashed down.

How do you think your friend might be feeling?
Why might they be feeling that way?
How would you feel if you were the one who accidentally knocked it over?

Scenario 3: Lost Toy

Sarah brought her favorite stuffed animal to school for show-and-tell. After recess, she can't find it anywhere and starts to cry.

How do you think Sarah is feeling?
Why do you think she is so upset?
If you lost your favorite toy, how would you feel?

Scenario 4: Sharing the Swing

Two friends, Leo and Mia, both want to go on the swing at the same time. There's only one swing available.

How might Leo be feeling?
How might Mia be feeling?
What could they do to solve this problem?

Journal

My SEL Journal: A Mile in Their Shoes

Name: ________________________
Date: _________________________

Walking in Their Shoes

Think about one of the scenarios we discussed today, or imagine a time when someone might have felt a certain way. Pick one situation and write about it.

What happened in the situation?

How do you think the person in that situation was feeling?

Why do you think they felt that way?

What would you do or say if you were there to help or understand?

Draw a picture of the situation or how the person might be feeling!