Heart Radar Lesson Plan D1
Empathy Champions • 5-Day Unit
Heart Radar: Recognizing Feelings
Grades 3–5
45 Minutes • SEL Focus
Essential Question
How do subtle visual and vocal clues help us understand what someone feels on the inside?
Daily Learning Targets (SWBAT)
Identify at least 3 non-verbal emotional clues across face, body posture, and voice.
Distinguish secondary feelings (e.g., overwhelmed, left out) from surface anger.
Formulate one respectful check-in question using active observation.
Instructional Flow
10 MIN Warm-Up
The Silent Cinema Hook: Teacher performs three silent physical expressions without speaking (shoulders hunched + looking away; clenched fists + rapid breathing; wide eyes + head tilted). Students decode what the body is saying before any words are spoken.
12 MIN Mini-Lesson
The 3 Heart Radar Zones: Direct instruction on the three zones of emotional signals: 1. Face Zone: brow furrow, eye direction, lip tightness. 2. Body Zone: open vs closed posture, fidgeting, foot direction. 3. Voice Tone: volume, pace, sighs, silence. Emphasize that anger often hides hurt or worry.
10 MIN Guided Pair
Radar Read & Check: Partners take turns drawing scenario cards (e.g. dropped lunch tray, waiting for team pick). Partner A demonstrates the cue; Partner B states: "My radar notices [cue], are you feeling [emotion]?"
10 MIN Independent
Emotion Detective Worksheet: Students analyze two case studies, tag evidence clues from all 3 zones, and draft thoughtful check-in inquiries.
3 MIN Reflection
One-Word Radar Wrap-Up: Students share one feeling clue they promise to pay attention to during recess.
Neurodiversity & Sensitivity Note
Remind students that eye contact and body language differ across cultures and neurodivergent individuals. A lack of eye contact does not equal disinterest; always verify with a gentle, non-judgmental verbal check-in.
Differentiation & Support
Support: Provide visual emotion cue word banks and cartoon expression cards.Extend: Ask students to analyze how conflicting cues happen (smiling while nervous).
Day 1 Teacher Success Metric: Every student can name 1 clue per zone before dismissal.
Next: Day 2 Perspective Taking
Emotion Detective Worksheet 1 Heart Radar Lab • Day 1
Name:
Date:
The Emotion Detective Dossier
Use your Heart Radar to detect clues across the Face, Body, and Voice to discover what someone is feeling.
PART A
The 3 Radar Zones: Clue Sorting
Write each clue letter into the correct zone box below.
A. Clenched, tight fists
B. Speaking in quiet whisper
C. Furrowed, wrinkled eyebrows
D. Fast, shaky breathing
E. Looking down at shoes
F. Loud, sharp sigh
Face Clues
Body Clues
Voice Clues
PART B
Case Files: Detective Analysis
Case File #1: The Hallway Locker Active Scene
Lucas drops his books when slamming his locker door. His shoulders are raised high near his ears, his teeth are gritted, and when someone asks "You okay?", he snaps, "I'm fine!" in a harsh, clipped tone.
What clues did your radar detect?
Underneath the anger, what might Lucas feel?
Case File #2: The Recess Bench Active Scene
Amina sits on the bench kicking the wood with her heel. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her stomach, she repeatedly glances toward the soccer game, and she lets out a heavy sigh every minute.
What clues did your radar detect?
What feeling is Amina most likely experiencing?
PART C
Empathetic Check-In Mission
Choose either Lucas or Amina. Write a kind, gentle question to check on them without making assumptions.
Heart Radar Rule: Notice first, ask gently, listen with care.
Day 1 • Empathy Champions
Shoe Swappers Lesson Plan D2
Empathy Champions • 5-Day Unit
Shoe Swappers: Perspective Taking
Grades 3–5
45 Minutes • SEL Focus
Essential Question
How does looking through someone else's lens change how we interpret their actions?
Daily Learning Targets (SWBAT)
Explain the difference between snap judgment and perspective-taking.
Apply the 3 Shoe Questions: What do they see? Feel? Need right now?
Reframe one frustrating peer behavior into an empathetic understanding.
Instructional Flow
8 MIN Hook
The Double-Image Lens: Show the classic duck/rabbit optical illusion. Ask half the room what they see. Point out that both students are looking at the exact same image, yet both are 100% truthful. Emphasize: "Perspective is where you stand and what you carry."
12 MIN Teach & Model
The "3 Shoe Questions": Introduce the mental checklist before reacting: 1. What do they see right now? (Their angle, past experience). 2. What pressure or feeling are they carrying? (Tired, scared, hungry, left out). 3. What would help them feel safe or respected? (Patience, space, an invitation).
12 MIN Guided Practice
The Shoe Swap Fishbowl: Model a scenario where Student A cuts in line.
Snap Reaction: "They are rude and selfish!" → Shoe Swap: "Maybe they didn't see the line end, or they are panicking about being late."
10 MIN Independent
Perspective Switcher Worksheet: Students analyze two common school scenarios, step into both sides' shoes, and rewrite the outcome with empathetic actions.
3 MIN Debrief
Shoe Stamp Exit: Students whisper to their neighbor one person whose "shoes" they will try to imagine during passing period.
Key Teacher Insight
Empathy does not mean agreeing with hurtful behavior or letting boundaries be broken. It means understanding the human motive so we can respond constructively rather than fueling hostility.
Adaptation Strategies
Support: Use visual thought-bubble templates with sentence stems ("I might feel...").Extend: Have students analyze historical or literary character viewpoints in conflict.
Day 2 Teacher Success Metric: Students replace accusatory words with perspective statements.
Next: Day 3 Uplifting Words
Perspective Switcher Worksheet 2 Perspective Lab • Day 2
Name:
Date:
Perspective Switcher: In Their Shoes
Two people can look at the exact same event and see completely different things. Practice seeing through their eyes.
The 3 Shoe Questions to Ask Before You Judge:
1. What do they see? Their vantage point, what happened right before.
2. What are they carrying? Stress, tiredness, worry, feeling left out.
3. What do they need? Patience, clarity, kindness, a second chance.
Scenario 1: The Science Poster Team Dual Viewpoint
Jordan is rushing to color the title so they finish on time. Sam is sitting silently and hasn't glued anything yet. Jordan thinks: "Sam is lazy!" Sam thinks: "Jordan is bossy and won't let me do anything right."
Step into Jordan's shoes (What is Jordan worried about?):
Step into Sam's shoes (What is Sam feeling right now?):
Scenario 2: The Missed Kick at Recess Dual Viewpoint
In the last minute of soccer, Mateo takes a shot and kicks it wide of the goal instead of passing to Chloe who was open. Chloe glares and rolls her eyes. Mateo hangs his head and walks off alone.
Step into Mateo's shoes (How does Mateo feel?):
Step into Chloe's shoes (Why was Chloe frustrated?):
PART B
The Compassion Rewind
Choose either Scenario 1 or 2. Write what one character could say to the other to bridge their two perspectives with empathy.
Empathy Insight: Before you react with anger, swap your shoes with theirs.
Day 2 • Empathy Champions
Word Uplifters Lesson Plan D3
Empathy Champions • 5-Day Unit
Word Uplifters: The Power of Kind Words
Grades 3–5
45 Minutes • SEL Focus
Essential Question
How do specific, sincere words give people strength, and how can we practice speaking with intentional kindness?
Daily Learning Targets (SWBAT)
Distinguish surface compliments (things/looks) from character compliments (effort/kindness).
Construct a 3-part Sincere Compliment: Notice + Impact + Appreciation.
Master 3 supportive validation stems for friends having a difficult day.
Instructional Flow
8 MIN Hook
The Wrinkled Heart Lesson: Hold up a smooth paper heart. Read careless insults ("You're slow," "Nobody asked you"), folding and crinkling it with each word. Then offer quick apologies ("Just kidding!"), smoothing it out. Ask: "Is the paper restored?" Emphasize that words leave lasting imprints, so we must build with care.
12 MIN Teach & Model
The 3-Part Uplifter Formula: Teach students how to deliver powerful encouragement: 1. I noticed: Point to effort, bravery, or character ("I noticed you kept practicing that math problem even when it was tricky..." ) 2. Impact: Share the positive effect ("...and that inspired me not to give up." ) 3. Appreciation: Express gratitude ("I really admire your perseverance." )
10 MIN Guided Circle
Supportive Stems vs Advice-Giving: Model how to respond when someone is sad. Teach: "I hear you, that must feel frustrating" instead of "You shouldn't be sad about that."
12 MIN Independent
Kindness Vault Worksheet: Students transform empty comments into rich character compliments and draft 3 supportive "vault notes" for peers or school staff.
3 MIN Closing
Kindness Spark: Each student delivers one sincere word of gratitude to a classmate before exiting.
Character vs Surface Compliments
Students often focus on physical possessions ("cool sneakers"). Coach them toward inner qualities: persistence, generosity, patience, humor, honesty, and bravery.
Differentiation Strategies
Support: Provide a sentence-starter ring with fill-in-the-blank cards.Extend: Have students analyze how vocal tone changes a compliment from sincere to sarcastic.
Day 3 Teacher Success Metric: Every student crafts at least one effort-based character compliment.
