Lesson 3 - Empathy

Students will explore the concept of empathy by engaging in a whole group role play. Out of role, they will brainstorm answers to key questions related to the role play. They will debate and share their opinions. They will express their opinions verbally in role and through a visual arts depiction . 

How does role playing help us to solve problems when someone asks for help?

How do I better understand someone to empathize with their situation? 

B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times, and places
B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings, and gestures relevant to the role being played  

B1.3 plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others, both in and out of role

B2.1 express feelings and ideas about a drama experience or performance in a variety of ways, making personal connections to the characters and themes in the story

B2.2 demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Step into role and problem solve
• Develop a character and participate in dramatic role play to make a decision
• Consider the feelings of another character and express their understanding through role play and art
• Articulate what it means to empathize with a character or person

Readiness

Students need to have a positive classroom climate with pre-established classroom routines, and should be familiar with demonstrating attentive listening, cooperation, collaboration, problem solving, and questioning skills. They should have an understanding of community and know that they belong to the school community.

Terminology

Empathy

Whole Group Role Play

Teacher in Role

Materials

Any board sponsored material that depicts their unique approach to Character Education. (e.g. Character Matters)

Newspapers 

Visual arts materials (paper, paints, crayons, construction paper)

Chart paper and markers

BLM #1 Little Red Hen

BLM #3 Role Play Rubric

Whole Class > Island Game 

Distribute sheets of newspaper throughout the open playing space. Explain the rules of the game to the students. Have each student start by standing on the newspaper "island."  Tell students, they are to hop from island to island avoiding the shark infested waters. They can only stay on one island for a few seconds but mainly they must continue to move.  Each time there is an empty island, take one island away.  Eventually there will be many students on only one or two pieces of paper. Encourage the students to help each other and fit as many students as possible on an island.

Remind students of previous discussions about respect. Remind them to be respectful of body contact when standing close together and emphasize the importance of cooperation.

Play the game until there are only two islands left or students are not able to all fit on the remaining paper. Stop the game as the stage is set for the role play.  

Whole Class > Discussion

Gather students together to discuss the game.

Key Questions for Discussion

What did you like about the game? What didn't you like? 

How did you help others? How did someone help you?

How does it feel to take care of our friends?

What might happen if we weren't respectful of each other when playing this game?

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Uses teacher observation and side coaching during this activity.  

Assessment as Learning (AaL)

Use the class discussion and reflection activities in the Consolidation portion of the lesson to gauge student understanding of the concept of empathy. Help students in making connections between the role play and real life situations in which people are confronted with difficult situations.

Assessment of Learning

Use the Role Play Rubric (BLM #3)  to assess students' ability to focus and sustain a role. 

Differentiation (DI)

Encourage inclusiveness, ensuring that children are conscious of all class members' need to belong and be accepted. 

Quick Tip

In the whole group role-play as the Little Red Hen challenge the students to give reasons for their opinions and consider a variety of possibilities i.e. sharing of the bread with conditions for next time etc.

Teacher can display students' art work and give students an opportunity to discuss their interpretations and response.

Teacher may wish to extend this lesson into a larger conversation about empathy.

Strategies for Teaching Empathy

How to Build Empathy and Strengthen your School Community

Teaching Tolerance: Developing Empathy

Whole Class > Teacher Read Aloud and Discussion

Read the story of The Little Red Hen (BLM#1) up to the moment where she decides whether or not to share the bread with her friends. Invite the students to discuss the pattern in the story. Ask the students: What problems did Hen have? Why didn't her friends seem to want to help her? Why did they change their minds at the end of the story?

Small Group > Choral Reading

Arrange the students into three groups (i.e., dog, cat and goose). Display the words "Not I" on a chart. Reread the story to the children. This time, however, groups join in to recite the line "Not I!" each time their character says this. Instruct the students to change the line of dialogue and the way they say it in unison. (Example: loudly, softly, in an angry voice, in a happy voice etc.) 

Whole Class > Discussion

Draw the students attention to the end of the story when Hen asks, "Who will eat this lovely piece of bread?" and each of the animals respond by saying "I will!" Students can discuss why they think the animals changed their mind and agreed to help the Little Red Hen. Ask the students: Should Hen let her friends eat the bread? Why or why not?

Whole Class > Teacher in Role 

In role as The Little Red Hen, instruct the students to play the role of other animals on the farm. Ask them for advice about what to do about sharing bread. Ask the students: Why do you think they didn't want to help me? What would you do if you were me? Should I be kind to them if they weren't kind to me? Should I share the bread with them or keep it for my chicks? Students can work in role to share their opinions and to offer advice to Little Red Hen. 

Whole Class > Survey

Survey the students to determine whether they think Hen should a) share the bread or b) not share the bread. Record answers on a chart. Encourage the students to give reasons for their choices. Teachers may wish to make further connections to developing empathy (see Quick Tips for suggestions).

Independent > Illustrating the story

Students create a drawing that would show the end of the story. Teacher Prompts: Will Hen share her bread with everyone? What will the animals do if Hen does not share the bread? Alternatively, some students may wish to create a drawing that shows the animals now being kind to Little Red Hen. What could they do to show their understanding of how she might feel?