Empathy And Kindness Lessons & Activities, SEL Empathy Scenarios

Empathy is one of the most important Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) skills. This print-and-go resource is designed to immerse students in the practice of empathy with 15 engaging activities. Equip your students with the skills to create a more empathetic, kind, and responsive classroom community where empathy is both a learned skill and a daily practice.

The interactive role-playing scenarios in this resource allow students to step into the shoes of others, understand different perspectives, and respond with empathy and understanding. Through attentive listening exercises and reflective writing tasks, students deepen their understanding and application of empathy in real-life contexts.

This Empathy and Kindness unit is the cornerstone for building a culturally responsive classroom where students don't just learn about empathy—they demonstrate it.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE PREVIEW TO SEE ALL THE ENGAGING ACTIVITIES IN THIS RESOURCE!

In this Empathy and Kindness Unit, students will participate in 4 detailed lessons plans to:

• learn about the difference between empathy and kindness, and why we need both.
• role-play scenarios where they demonstrate empathy and kindness
• explore mirror neurons, the scientific root of empathy, and use them to identify emotions
• craft thoughtful and empathetic responses to the hardships faced by others.
• learn about famous empathetic leaders like Mother Teresa, Maya Angelou, and Mahatma Gandhi, real-world role models of empathy and understanding.

IN THIS EMPATHY UNIT, YOU'LL GET:

• Reading Passages
• Hands-On and Role-Playing Activities
• Discussion Questions
• Graphic Organizers
• Quotes and Extension Activities
• Color and Black and White versions of most activities

SUGGESTIONS FOR USE:

• Whole class
• Small groups
• Morning Warm-Ups
• Social Skills or Guidance Lessons
• RTI

This unit is more than just a set of lesson plans — it's a step towards building a more compassionate future, one student at a time.