Stepping Into Others' Stories Plan Stepping Into Others' Stories
Lesson Plan • 4th Grade • 50 Minutes
Empathy
Lesson Objective
Students will be able to identify and describe different perspectives in various social scenarios and explain how understanding different viewpoints can foster empathy.
Why It Matters
Fostering empathy is vital for students to navigate social situations with compassion, build positive relationships, and contribute to an inclusive community.
Preparation
Review all generated materials: Empathy Journey Visuals , Role-Play Scenario Cards , Our Shared Perspectives Circle , and My 'Other Shoes' Reflections .
Print and cut out the Role-Play Scenario Cards .
Prepare a comfortable space for the 'Our Shared Perspectives Circle' discussion.
Have writing supplies ready for the journal activity.
Materials
Empathy Journey Visuals
Scenario Cards
Perspectives Circle Guide
Reflection Journals
Instructional Procedure
1
What Are "Other Shoes"?
10 MIN
Begin with a brief discussion about the lesson title: "What's It Like to Walk in Their Shoes?"
Ask students what they think this phrase means literally vs. figuratively. (5 mins)
Introduce the concept of perspective-taking using the first few slides of the Empathy Journey Visuals . (5 mins)
2
Exploring Scenarios Through Role-Play
20 MIN
Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group).
Distribute one Role-Play Scenario Card to each group.
Groups brainstorm how different characters might feel or think for 5 minutes.
Groups role-play their scenario, demonstrating different perspectives. (10 mins)
Groups briefly share key takeaways with the class. (5 mins)
3
Our Shared Perspectives Circle
10 MIN
Bring students together in a circle for a class discussion using the prompts from the Our Shared Perspectives Circle guide.
Facilitate discussion on insights gained from role-playing and the importance of empathy in daily life.
4
Reflecting on "Other Shoes"
10 MIN
Distribute the My 'Other Shoes' Reflections journal prompt.
Students complete the journal entry independently (7 mins).
Allow a few students to share their reflections if they feel comfortable (3 mins).
Empathy Journey Visuals Presentation What's It Like to
Walk in Their Shoes?
An Adventure in Perspective-Taking
4th Grade
Empathy Journey
Slide 1
Seeing Through Different Eyes
✨
It's imagining what it's like to be someone else.
💭
It's trying to understand their feelings, thoughts, and experiences.
"It helps us be kind and understand others better."
It's All About Your Viewpoint!
Imagine two friends looking at a number on the floor...
👦
"I see a 6!"
6
👧
"I see a 9!"
They both are right!
What Shapes Our View?
Experiences
What has happened to us.
Feelings
How we feel in the moment.
Knowledge
What we know about a situation.
Background
Where we come from.
Ready to Step In?
Today, we're going to use role-play to practice
GET READY TO WALK!
Role Play Scenario Cards Activity Role-Play Scenario Cards
Cut out these cards and distribute one to each group. Brainstorm how each character feels, thinks, and why they act the way they do. Then, role-play for the class!
1
The Broken Toy
Characters
Alex & Ben
Situation
Alex accidentally breaks Ben's favorite toy during playtime. Ben is very upset and starts to cry.
Consider This:
• How does Alex feel? (Guilty? Scared?)
• What is Ben thinking?
• How can Alex make things better?
2
The New Kid
Characters
Chloe & David (New Student)
Situation
David sits alone during lunch on his first day. Chloe wants to say hello but feels very shy.
Consider This:
• How does David feel sitting alone?
• What is Chloe hoping will happen?
• What could Chloe do to feel brave?
3
The Group Project
Characters
Emily & Frank
Situation
Emily thinks Frank isn't doing his fair share. Frank is very quiet and seems withdrawn.
Consider This:
• Why might Frank be quiet? (Tired? Confused?)
• How does Emily feel about the workload?
• How can they talk to each other?
4
The Loud Game
Characters
Grace, Liam & Librarian
Situation
Grace and Liam are playing a loud game in the library. The librarian asks them to be quiet.
Consider This:
• How does the librarian feel about the noise?
• Why is the librarian asking them to stop?
• How do Grace and Liam feel about stopping?
Shared Perspectives Circle Discussion Guide Our Shared Perspectives Circle
"Gather in a circle to share our stories and see the world through each other's eyes."
1. What was it like to try and imagine being someone else in your role-play scenario? Was it easy or difficult? Why?
2. When you were role-playing, did anyone have a surprising thought or feeling about a character they were playing? What was it?
3. How can understanding someone else's perspective help you in your friendships or with your family? Give an example.
4. Have you ever misunderstood someone because you didn't think about their perspective? What happened?
5. Why do you think it's important to try and "walk in someone else's shoes" in real life?
Facilitation Tip
Encourage students to listen with their whole bodies. If a student is shy to share, try using "pass" or "think time." The goal is to create a safe space for empathy.
My Other Shoes Reflections Journal My 'Other Shoes' Reflections
Explorer Name
Date
Personal Journal Entry
Thinking Prompt
Describe a time when you tried to understand someone else's feelings or thoughts. What happened, and how did it change your understanding of the situation? (If you can't think of a time, describe when someone tried to understand YOUR feelings and how that felt.)
What did you learn?
In one or two sentences, what is your biggest "takeaway" from today's lesson?
Walk with Kindness
