Lesson Plan
Kindness Compass Lesson Plan
Students will explore and practice daily acts of kindness by identifying self- and social-awareness examples, sharing with peers, and committing to a classroom kindness pledge.
Building self- and social-awareness fosters empathy, strengthens peer connections, and creates a positive classroom community where students feel valued and supported.
Audience
3rd Grade Students
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Hands-on activities, guided discussion, and reflective sharing.
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print and cut out Compliment Circle Cards
- Print Kindness Map Creation Sheets
- Print and display Daily Kindness Pledge Posters
- Review Navigating Kindness Slides to familiarize yourself with key concepts
Step 1
Compliment Circle
5 minutes
- Arrange students in a circle.
- Distribute one Compliment Circle Card per student.
- Model offering a specific, sincere compliment.
- Students draw a card and give a genuine compliment to a peer.
- Observe students’ tone and eye contact for social-awareness.
Step 2
Introduce Kindness Compass
10 minutes
- Project Navigating Kindness Slides.
- Define:
- Self-awareness: understanding and caring for your own feelings.
- Social-awareness: empathizing with and supporting others.
- Discuss examples: positive self-talk vs. helping a friend.
- Ask: “When have you shown or received kindness?” and invite 2–3 volunteers to share.
Step 3
Kindness Map Creation
20 minutes
- Hand out Kindness Map Creation Sheets.
- Instruct students to draw three acts of self-kindness and three acts of social-kindness.
- Label each under Self-Awareness or Social-Awareness.
- Pair students to share maps and give one positive feedback comment each.
- Collect maps to assess accurate categorization and depth of examples.
Step 4
Daily Kindness Pledge
10 minutes
- Display Daily Kindness Pledge Posters.
- Read the pledge aloud together as a class.
- Students write their name and decorate a personal pledge copy.
- Hang pledges in a visible classroom area as a daily reminder of our commitment.
Step 5
Assessment
—
- Review completed Kindness Maps for understanding of self- vs. social-awareness.
- Observe student contributions during discussions and the Compliment Circle.
- Check decorated pledges to confirm students’ commitment and grasp of kindness concepts.
Step 6
Accommodations
—
- Provide sentence starters (e.g., “I appreciate you because…”) for students who need support.
- Allow drawing instead of writing for students with fine-motor challenges.
- Pair English learners with supportive peers and offer visual examples on slides.
use Lenny to create lessons.
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Slide Deck
Navigating Kindness: Your Kindness Compass
Today we will explore two important parts of kindness:
• Self-Awareness
• Social-Awareness
Let’s learn how to use our Kindness Compass every day.
Welcome students and introduce today’s lesson. Ask: “What does a compass do?” Explain that just like a compass guides us, our feelings and actions guide our kindness.
Use the school’s projector or interactive board with the blue (#4A90E2) background for consistency.
Learning Goals
By the end of this lesson, you will:
• Define self-awareness
• Define social-awareness
• Share examples of kind actions for yourself and others
• Talk about times you’ve shown or received kindness
Read each learning goal aloud. Encourage students to nod or give a thumbs up when they understand each point.
What Is Self-Awareness?
Self-Awareness means understanding and caring for your own feelings.
Examples:
• Giving yourself a compliment ("I can do this!")
• Taking a deep breath when you’re upset
• Choosing a healthy snack to feel good
Explain that self-awareness means paying attention to your own feelings and needs.
Ask: “How do you feel when someone encourages you?” Invite one or two quick responses.
What Is Social-Awareness?
Social-Awareness means noticing and caring about how others feel.
Examples:
• Helping a classmate who dropped their books
• Listening when a friend is upset
• Inviting someone to play at recess
Emphasize empathy and noticing others’ feelings. Ask: “Who can tell me how they help a friend when they’re sad?”
Comparing Self vs. Social Awareness
Self-Awareness:
• Kindness toward yourself
• Positive self-talk
• Honest reflection on feelings
Social-Awareness:
• Kindness toward others
• Empathy and support
• Sharing and helping
Use this slide to clarify differences. Point to each column as you speak.
Share Your Kindness Stories
When have you shown or received kindness?
• Raise your hand to volunteer
• Speak clearly so we can all hear your story
Invite 2–3 volunteers to share their stories. Praise each story (“Thank you for sharing! That’s a great example of kindness.”)
Up Next: Compliment Circle
We’ll practice giving kind, genuine compliments to each other.
Get ready to pick a Compliment Circle Card and share!
Transition to the next activity: Compliment Circle. Remind students how to give a sincere, specific compliment.
Warm Up
Compliment Circle Warm-Up
Description: Warm-up to build social-awareness by practicing compliments in a fun, structured circle activity.
Time: 5 minutes
Materials:
Prep (5 minutes):
- Arrange chairs or desks in a circle.
- Shuffle and place Compliment Circle Cards face down in the center.
Instructions
1. Introduce Activity (1 minute)
- Explain that today’s warm-up focuses on noticing and sharing kind words.
- Emphasize the importance of genuine, specific compliments.
2. Give Compliments (3 minutes)
- Students take turns drawing a Compliment Circle Card.
- Read the prompt silently and give a heartfelt compliment to a classmate.
- Maintain eye contact and use the recipient’s name.
3. Reflect (1 minute)
- Ask: “How did it feel to give and receive compliments?”
- Invite 2–3 students to share their thoughts.
Accommodations:
- Provide sentence starters on the board (e.g., “I appreciate you because…”) for support.
- Allow nonverbal gestures (e.g., thumbs up) if students are shy.
Activity
Kindness Map Creation Activity
Description: Students will create a visual “kindness map” to identify and categorize acts of self-awareness and social-awareness. This reinforces the difference between being kind to themselves and to others.
Time: 20 minutes
Materials:
- Kindness Map Creation Sheets
- Colored pencils, crayons, or markers
Prep (5 minutes):
- Distribute one Kindness Map Creation Sheet and drawing tools to each student.
- Remind students of the definitions:
- Self-Awareness: being kind to yourself
- Social-Awareness: being kind to others
Instructions
- Explain the Map (2 minutes)
- Point out that the sheet has two sections: one for Self-Awareness acts and one for Social-Awareness acts.
- Demonstrate by drawing one example in each section on the board.
- Draw Your Acts (10 minutes)
- Students draw three self-kindness acts (e.g., taking deep breaths, positive self-talk) on the left side.
- Students draw three social-kindness acts (e.g., helping a friend, sharing materials) on the right side.
- Under each drawing, write a one- or two-word label (e.g., “I encouraged myself,” “I helped Sam”).
- Pair and Share (5 minutes)
- Pair students and have them show their maps to each other.
- Partners give one positive comment: “I like how you…” or “That’s a great example of kindness because…”
- Collect and Reflect (3 minutes)
- Collect the maps to check for accurate categorization.
- Ask the whole class: “Which act of kindness was new to you?” and invite a few volunteers to share.
Reflection Question
What is one new act of kindness you will try this week?
Accommodations
- Supports for Writing: Provide sentence starters such as “One way I show kindness to myself is…” and “One way I show kindness to others is….”
- Fine Motor Support: Allow students to dictate their ideas to a peer or adult if drawing is challenging.
- Language Learners: Offer visual examples and pair with a peer who can gently guide vocabulary and spelling.
Cool Down
Daily Kindness Pledge Cool-Down
Description: Students will create a personal pledge to commit to daily acts of kindness and display it in the classroom as a reminder.
Time: 10 minutes
Materials:
- Daily Kindness Pledge Posters
- Blank pledge sheets
- Markers, crayons, or colored pencils
Prep (5 minutes):
- Print and display Daily Kindness Pledge Posters.
- Make copies of the blank pledge sheet for each student.
- Gather decorating supplies.
Instructions
1. Introduce the Pledge (2 minutes)
- Read the Daily Kindness Pledge aloud together:"I promise to use my Kindness Compass every day by:
- Being kind to myself.
- Being kind to others.
- Making our classroom a caring community."
- Briefly discuss what each line means and why it’s important.
2. Personalize Your Pledge (5 minutes)
- Distribute blank pledge sheets.
- Students print their name on the line: I, ________, pledge to...
- Under each bullet, students write or draw one specific kindness action they will do (e.g., "I will encourage myself when I'm stuck," "I will help a friend at recess").
- Decorate the sheet with colors, drawings, and stickers.
3. Share and Display (3 minutes)
- Invite a few volunteers to share one kindness action from their pledge.
- Hang all pledges on a classroom bulletin board or wall.
Reflection Question
What is one thing you will try tomorrow to show kindness?