Walk in Their Shoes Lesson Plan Walk in Their Shoes
Lesson Facilitation Guide
30 MINUTES
Audience
7th Grade
Focus
Empathy & Bullying
Approach
Interactive Discussion
WHY THIS MATTERS
Empathy is essential for social growth; this lesson will help students build a more inclusive and supportive environment and curb bullying behaviors.
OBJECTIVE
Introduce 7th graders to empathy and discourage bullying by engaging them in activities that foster understanding and respect for others' feelings.
Teacher Preparation
Review the Walk in Their Shoes Lesson Plan for an overview of the lesson flow.
Familiarize yourself with discussion topics related to empathy and bullying.
Prepare any example scenarios or questions to prompt student discussion.
Lesson Flow
1
Introduction
5 MIN
• Begin with a brief introduction to empathy and bullying.
• Ask students to share what empathy means to them.
• Explain the goals of the lesson: understanding others to build a better community.
2
Interactive Activity
15 MIN
• Divide students into small groups of 3-4.
• Provide each group with a scenario (from the Role-Play Activity sheet) that involves a bullying situation.
• Ask groups to discuss and role-play how they would handle the situation using empathetic responses.
• Monitor group interactions and guide discussions as necessary.
3
Reflective Discussion
10 MIN
• Reconvene as a class and invite groups to share their role-play experiences.
• Use the Discussion Guide to explore what strategies worked well.
• Conclude with key takeaways on how to apply these skills in their daily lives.
MATERIALS CHECKLIST
Walk in Their Shoes Slide Deck
Role-Play Activity Scenarios (Printed)
Discussion Guide
Reflection Sheets (for students)
Walk in Their Shoes Slides Walk in Their Shoes
Today we'll learn about empathy and why it's important to treat each other with kindness.
Teacher Note
Introduce the session by welcoming students and explaining that today's lesson is about understanding others' feelings to prevent bullying.
What is Empathy?
Understanding how another person feels...
...and thinking about how you would feel in their situation.
Teacher Note
Ask the students what they think the word means. Encourage them to give examples of when they felt understood or understood someone else.
Empathy in Action
Think of a time when someone showed you empathy.
Think of a time when you showed empathy to someone.
How did it change the situation?
Teacher Note
Share a story where one person showed empathy. Use this as a prompt to discuss how empathy helps avoid bullying.
Activity Time
1
Form groups of 3-4 students.
2
Read your bullying or empathy scenario.
3
Discuss and role-play an empathetic response.
Teacher Note
Explain that each group will receive a scenario involving bullying. They will role-play a possible empathetic response.
Reflect & Share
"What strategies did your group use?"
"Why is empathy important in our daily lives?"
Teacher Note
Conduct a reflective discussion. Ask groups to share their role-play and thoughts on what worked best and why.
Key Takeaways
Empathy helps us understand and support each other.
Empathetic interactions reduce bullying.
Always try to see from another person's perspective.
Teacher Note
Reinforce that showing empathy creates a positive classroom culture. Remind students to practice these skills daily.
Empathy Role Play Activity Empathy Role-Play
Walk in Their Shoes Activity
Name: __________________________
Date: __________________________
Objective
Step into different roles to practice empathy, recognize feelings, and communicate understanding in challenging social situations.
Instructions
Form groups of 3-4. Assign roles (the person affected, a peer, an observer).
Read your assigned scenario and discuss how everyone might be feeling.
Perform a role-play that demonstrates an empathetic response .
Discuss: How did it feel to be in those shoes? What worked well?
Scenarios
Scenario A: The New Kid
"A new student is sitting alone at lunch for the third day in a row. You notice a group of students at the next table whispering and laughing while looking at them. The new student looks down at their tray and seems very uncomfortable."
Scenario B: The Gym Mistake
"During a soccer game in PE, Jordan accidentally scores an own goal. As the class walks back to the locker room, several teammates are loudly complaining about the 'fail' and making jokes about Jordan’s skills. Jordan is walking far behind the group."
Scenario C: The Group Project
"Your group is working on a history project. Taylor hasn't done any of their assigned work yet. Two other group members are getting angry and telling Taylor they are 'lazy' and 'ruining the grade.' Taylor looks like they are about to cry but doesn't say anything."
Personal Reflection
1. Why is it important to understand other people's feelings before reacting?
2. In what ways can showing empathy reduce instances of bullying in our school?
3. Describe one specific way you can use empathy this week.
Remember: Empathy is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Thank you for making our school a kinder place!
Empathy and Bullying Discussion Guide Discussion Guide
Empathy and Bullying Reflection
Session
Walk in Their Shoes
Discussion Guidelines
1
Listen Actively
Focus on the speaker and consider their perspective before reacting.
2
Be Respectful
Use kind words. Remember, there are no "wrong" feelings or answers.
3
Share Thoughtfully
Think about your experiences and share your honest opinions.
1
Reflecting on the Role-Play
How did participating in the role-play make you feel? What challenges did you face when trying to express empathy?
2
Understanding Empathy
What does empathy mean to you after today’s activities? Can you share a time when showing empathy made a big difference?
3
Connecting to Bullying
In what ways can empathy help prevent bullying? How can we support one another better?
4
Applying Empathy Daily
What are specific actions you can take to make our classroom a more supportive environment?
"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Take Action
