LESSON 2:

BUILDING EMPATHY

Throughout this lesson we dive into the topic of Empathy in order to discover the importance of it and how to build Empathy within ourselves to better our relationships with others. Simply put, Empathy is the ability to recognise, understand and share the thoughts and feelings of another. This is why Empathy is a core skill for effective relationships. Examine the learning intentions and then follow the instructions below to complete the lesson.

Equipment:

  • UPP Workbook and Pen

  • Notebook

Learning Intentions:

  • To get students discussing Empathy while also using empathy to understands thoughts and feelings of others

  • Students review and demonstrate their emotions vocabulary

  • Students associate emotions with triggers or causes

  • Students discuss the importance of empathy in developing healthy relationships

ACTIVITY 1 - JUST ONE WORD

TIME: Approx. 10 Minutes

Method:

  1. Students are to get into groups of four or five.

  2. Explain to the students that they need to think of just one word that they associate with “EMPATHY”. It can be any word; they just have to be able to tie it to the topic of EMPATHY.

  3. Students are to have some time to think of their word. Once everyone has thought of their word, students are to share their word with their groups. Students are to also explain to their groups why they chose a particular word and the link the word has to EMPATHY.

  4. Through this discussion students will explose the topic of EMPATHY and what it means to them, while also using empathy to understand the feelings and thoughts others have around the topic.

  5. Once all have shared their word / thoughts with their groups invite some to share with the whole class.

Activity Reflection:

  • After a class discussion around the topic of EMPATHY, ask students how they may have used Empathy throughout the first activity.

  • Ask if anyone had changed their opinion on what Empathy meant after listening to others share their thoughts.

  • Ask students to begin thinking why Empathy may be so important for us and our relationships as we move throughout the next activity.

activity 2 - video and discussion

TIME: 5 - 10 Minutes

Watch the following video before moving on to the next activity. After the video, students are to think of one thing they may have learnt, reflected on or connected with throughout the video. Encourage some students to share their reflections with the class.

ACTIVITY 3 - EMPATHY QUIZ

TIME: 15+ Minutes

Method:

  1. Ask: What is meant by the term ‘empathy’?
    Empathy is the capacity to recognise or imagine the emotions that are being experienced by someone else.

  2. Students are to discuss in pairs before sharing their ideas with the class:

    • Why do people need to be able to empathise with others?

    • What sorts of things can happen when we do not empathise with what others are going through?

    • What is it like for you when no one empathises with you?

    • How do we develop our empathy?

    • What do you think helps develop your empathy?

    • How do you think it comes about that 13-year-olds are more empathetic than six-year-olds?

    • Emphasise that empathy is a core skill for effective relationships. It helps people feel connected, understood and appreciated when others can empathise with them.

  3. Explain that the next part of the activity is based on using empathy skills to work out the emotions that certain experiences might trigger in others. Students are to turn to page 4 in their UPP workbook. First, everyone will make up a set of clues, using the formula provided. Then, students will test their partner or group, giving them two clues, and asking them to guess the emotion. Students are to refer to the Emotions list (found below) to select an emotion to construct their clues around.

  • Surprised

  • Jealous

  • Disappointed

  • Ashamed

  • Friendly

  • Amazed

  • Hopeful

  • Embarrassed

  • Worried

  • Anxious

  • Safe

  • Lonely

  • Afraid

  • Confused

Emotions List:

  • Hurt

  • Loved

  • Angry

  • Happy

  • Scared

  • Excited

  • Sad

  • Brave

  • Shy

  • Proud

  • Nervous

  • Bored

  • Thankful

  • Shame

ACTIVITY 4 - EMPATHY WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION

TIME: 5 - 10 Minutes

  1. Once the activity is complete, ask students if they found if it was difficult to match the emotion with the trigger. Why might this be so?

  2. Point out that not everyone has the same emotional reaction to a certain trigger. This means our empathetic guessing will not always be accurate. Also, some triggers will provoke a number of different emotions in a person at the same time. It can be difficult to predict how someone will feel just by knowing what has happened to them. We need to ask and observe a person to find out what they are feeling.

ACTIVITY 5 - REFLECTION ON LEARNING

TIME: 5 - 10 Minutes

  • Students are to review the learning intentions. Ask if anyone can summarise what ‘empathy’ is for the class.

  • Ask students to comment on why empathy is an important skill for our relationships.

  • Students are to reflect on a time they may have effectively used empathy toward someone else recently. Encourage some students to share with the class.

These resources have been curated from Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships Victoria and built for you by Unleashing Personal Potential.