Name: Dylan
Date:
Title of Lesson: Empathy: Definition, Cultivation and Action Plan
Grammar focus: Adjectives
Age & Level: 17-26; International Ss at the IEC – Multilevel: CEFR levels A1- thru B1+
Length of Lesson: 90 minutes
Materials Needed: Device to view videos, printed handouts (see appendix),
Learning
Objectives (3-5)
1. SWBAT: Define and describe empathy. Identify how sympathy and empathy
differ. Identify why empathy is important.
2. SWBAT: Using adjectives correctly in sentences to describe empathy.
3. SWBAT:
4. SWBAT
5. SWBAT
PROCEDURES:
1
Warm Up
Time: 25 min
Activity: Anonymous Getting to Know You
Steps & Teacher Directions:
1. Students take 2-3 index cards as they enter class.
2. After teacher has greeted students and they have
had a minute or two to settle in, teacher
can ask the students to write down
three things that their classmates do not
know about them. Explain that you will
be reading them in class but that no one
will know the author. Let students
know they have 5 minutes to write. Set
timer or note time on classroom clock.
6-7min
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3. Teacher goes around the room to collect the
cards to preserve anonymity. Cards can
be shuffled prior to reading. Then, the
teacher can read the cards aloud to the
students. “The students begin to get an
idea of the range of intense experiences
and perspectives the classroom
community contains,” (Barnwell). 13
min
5. Elicit comments and feedback from the students
on what they heard and how they
perceive their classmates now. What
changed? Did hearing other
experiences help the students to
understand one another better? And in
doing so, feel more accepted
themselves, knowing the group is more
diverse and experienced than was first
thought? Do students feel more
empathetic? (They do not have to know
this vocabulary word to express and
empathetic reaction) 5 min
2
Presentation
Time: 40 min
Activity: Explore Empathy
LO #s targeted
Steps & Teacher Directions:
1. Ask the students to define empathy. Help them along if
necessary.“Empathy is the ability to understand and share the
feelings of another person” as if we are experiencing life in their
shoes. (QuincyMedGroup). Ask them how empathy is different
from sympathy. Sympathy is feeling compassion, sorrow, or
pity for the hardships that another person encounters
(Dictionary) from our perspective looking at what they are
experiencing, from the outside. This step should only take a few
minutes as the students will have time to consider these
concepts again, after watching the video. 5 min.
2. Assure students they will receive a worksheet with notes on the
video after they have watched it and that they should just
concentrate on listening and watching the video to understand
content. Watch Brené Brown video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw 3min
3. Distribute Video Notes Worksheet. 1-2 min
4. Discuss empathy again and see how students perspective has
changed. 5-6 min
5. Distribute Empathy Importance and Cultivation Worksheet.
Discuss worksheet. Ensure understanding by asking questions.
TBD 5-6 min
6. Watch clips of various TV shows clips and have students
identify good ways to act empathically and how doing so could
change the outcome of the scene. Bob Ross (empathetic to trees
and animals! Fun example!) Frasier and Niles (ribbing each
other about neuroses) Friends (PIVOT!) TBD 20 min
3
Practice
Time: 15 min
Activity: Adjectives with Empathy Worksheet (tie this in with
other two lesson plans) This will provide a little quiet time for
students so they don’t begin to feel overwhelmed by all the videos
and discussions.
Steps & Teacher Directions: TBD
1. Fill in the blanks worksheet with adjectives pertaining to
empathy. Writing: Describe your best friend. Describe someone
you don’t yet like and how you will work to get to know them
better using empathy.
LO #s targeted
2
Assessment
Time: 8min
Activity: Anonymous Getting to Know You Revisited
LO #s targeted
1
Steps & Teacher Directions:
1. Choose a few of the notecards from earlier. Let the students
know they should listen closely to the reading and then come up
with a way to show empathy towards the author.
2. Example: Teacher reads one card and gives a simple but
empathic response.
3. Read student cards and elicit responses.
4. Because this is still anonymous, the students whose cards are
read will feel validated!
Wrap Up and
Application
(Connections)
Time: 3 min
Activity: Classroom Appreciation Board
LO #s targeted
1
Steps & Teacher Directions:
1. Explain that the classroom will now have a classroom
appreciation board. This can be done several ways: a section of
whiteboard that doesn’t get erased, sticky notes on the wall,
poster board, etc. Demonstrate how this classroom board will
look and work by adding a note to the board.
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References:
Aguilar, Elena. (2018, February 6). The Power of Empathy. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from,
https://www.edutopia.org/article/power-empathy
Brown, Brené. (2013, December 12). Brené Brown on Empathy. Retrieved February 22, 2020, from,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw
Colrín Colorado. (2018). How to Provide Social-Emotional Support for Immigrant Students. Retrieved
February 22, 2020, from, https://www.colorincolorado.org/immigration/guide/student#empathy
dictionary.com (N.D.). Empathy vs. Sympathy: Which Word To Use And When. Retrieved February 22,
2020, from, https://www.dictionary.com/e/empathy-vs-sympathy/
Krznaric, Roman. (2012, November 12). Six Habits of Highly Empathic People. Retrieved February 22,
2020, from, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/six_habits_of_highly_empathic_people1
Seltzer, Leon, F. (2017, June 28). Feeling Understood—Even More Important Than Feeling Loved?
Retrieved February 22, 2020, from, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-theself/201706/feeling-understood-even-more-important-feeling-loved
Shields, Nicky. (N.D.) The Behavioral Health Blog: The Magic of Empathy. Retrieved February 22,
2020, from, https://quincymedgroup.com/news/the-magic-of-empathy/
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APPENDICES:
Appendix A: Video Notes Worksheet
Brené Brown on Empathy
1.
2.
3.
4.
The ability to take the perspective of the other person.
Staying out of judgment.
Recognizing emotion in other people. (Empath)
Communicating the emotion we see in other people.
Definition of Empathy-Feeling with people.
Sympathy=I see your pain. Empathy=I feel your pain.
How not to be empathetic:
Don’t use at least.
Don’t tell someone the silver lining.
Don’t try to make it better.
How to be empathetic:
I don’t know what to say right now, I’m just so glad you told me.
Make it better by making a connection.
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BE THE BEAR!
Appendix B:
Cultivation and
Empathy: Importance,
Action Worksheet
Why is Empathy
Important?
-Helps us to understand others
-Helps others feels understood (this is a basic human need) This fosters inclusion.
-Feel known
-Feel validated
-Feel a sense of belonging
-Feel a part of something that is bigger than ourselves
-Experience more satisfaction in relationship with others (Seltzer)
Empathy can open your heart, letting in more feelings, but also softening some of the tough experiences.
As we build empathy for others, we understand them more and can connect with them differently, which
boosts our resilience—the ability to bounce back after challenges (Aguilar).
Cultivate Empathy:
1. Curiosity about others (instead of judgement)
2. Challenge prejudices and discover commonalities.
3. Try another person’s life.
4. Listen hard and open up.
5. Inspire mass action and social change.
6. Develop an ambitious imagination.
Empathy in Action
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It’s the ability to step into the shoes of another person, aiming to understand their feelings and
perspectives, and to use that understanding to guide our actions (Krznaric).
We can nurture its growth throughout our lives—and we can use it as a radical force for social
transformation. Research in sociology, psychology, history—and my own studies of empathic
personalities over the past 10 years—reveals how we can make empathy an attitude and a part of our
daily lives, and thus improve the lives of everyone around us (Krznaric).
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