Inside: This heat, brief story and SEL lesson plan features a ready-made empathy exercise for elementary lecturers supporting social emotional studying competencies. It’s designed to assist college students discover huge emotions, construct emotional literacy, and strengthen classroom connections.
There’s a well-liked inspirational story on my weblog with a easy however very highly effective life lesson. It’s about love, presence, and the sort of quiet second that stays with you lengthy after it’s over. Although it’s fictional, the message feels actual and makes you cease, replicate, and see the world a little bit in a different way.
Studying it once more jogged my memory how highly effective storytelling might be within the classroom. When youngsters hear a few character’s challenges, it helps them join emotions with phrases, apply empathy, and see the world by means of another person’s eyes.
Extra…
Not eager to miss a possibility for a significant SEL lesson for elementary youngsters, I’m sharing a heat and easy story I made up so that you can use in your classroom.
Mia’s Invisible Backpack is a relatable piece that prompts a full of life dialogue about huge emotions and empathy. I’ve supplied a ready-to-use SEL lesson plan with questions and actions for educating empathy to construct emotional literacy in your classroom.
DISCLAIMER: This put up consists of affiliate hyperlinks. A small share of every sale from these hyperlinks helps me present suggestions and freebies for folks and lecturers.
Key Takeaways from This SEL Lesson
- Empathy might be taught by means of storytelling.
Mia’s Invisible Backpack helps college students perceive emotional burdens and the significance of noticing and caring for others. - Reflection deepens emotional literacy.
Guided questions give youngsters the language to speak about huge emotions and join the story to their very own experiences. - Fingers-on actions make SEL memorable.
The backpack craft provides a artistic manner for college students to specific feelings and acknowledge the help round them. - This SEL lesson plan helps key competencies.
It builds empathy, self-awareness, and relationship expertise — foundational components of social emotional studying. - Further SEL assets can be found.
Lecturers can prolong the lesson with an empathy unit and printable actions linked all through the put up.
Story: Mia’s Invisible Backpack
Mia wore an enormous smile as she walked into her classroom every morning. She fortunately waved at her associates, helped unstack the chairs, and at all times mentioned “good morning” to her trainer, Mr. Lee.
However nobody noticed the invisible backpack Mia carried. There have been issues inside she didn’t speak about, like how her canine had run away final week, how her mother had been crying lots currently, and the way she missed her grandma, who used to bake cookies along with her each Sunday. The backpack felt heavy. Her shoulders slumped generally, her tummy felt tight, and a few days it made her drained earlier than the primary bell even rang.
One morning, Mr. Lee observed Mia staring out the window throughout circle time. He walked over and whispered, “You appear a little bit distant as we speak. Wish to speak about it?” Mia nodded slowly.
They sat collectively within the studying nook throughout lunch when nobody was round. Mia didn’t say a lot at first, however Mr. Lee was affected person and simply stayed beside her quietly. The cushions have been tender and cosy, and he or she favored her trainer. She felt secure and courageous sufficient to let her guard down.
Lastly, she whispered, “I’ve numerous issues that make me really feel nervous and unhappy.” Mr. Lee smiled gently. “All of us have an invisible backpack that carries stuff that bothers us. Generally it may possibly get heavy, however you don’t have to hold yours alone.”
Mia didn’t really feel like all the things was fastened. However she felt lighter. Like somebody had helped her unzip the backpack and take out just a few issues. The subsequent day, she introduced Mr. Lee a drawing. It was a backpack with a coronary heart on it. Inside, she’d written: “Thanks for seeing mine.”
Why Tales Work for Instructing Empathy
Lecturers typically ask, “How will you educate empathy?” The reality is, you don’t at all times need to spell it out. Generally, one of the best ways to show it’s by sharing a narrative that kids can join with.
Mia’s Invisible Backpack is a delicate instance of empathy within the classroom. When youngsters hear about Mia and the burden she’s carrying, they start to know that everybody has worries and emotions we are able to’t at all times see. It’s a easy, highly effective manner of educating empathy to college students by exhibiting, not telling, what it seems like to note, pay attention, and care.
And it’s not nearly emotions. It’s about influence. Analysis reveals that social-emotional studying actions like this can enhance the classroom local weather, cut back habits points, and even help tutorial progress. SEL classes for elementary youngsters construct friendship expertise, resilience, and kindness, instruments they’ll carry far past the college yr.
Pin this picture to save lots of these concepts for later
Serving to Youngsters Unpack Their Emotions
The dialogue questions under assist college students discover the emotional message of Mia’s Invisible Backpack. As soon as they’ve had time to replicate and share, the backpack craft turns into a method to categorical these ideas in a private, artistic format. It offers youngsters an opportunity to “unpack” their very own invisible backpacks and acknowledge the help they’ve round them.
The mixture of storytelling, dialog, and hands-on creativity helps construct emotional literacy in a manner that’s each significant and memorable.
Reflection Prompts
After studying Mia’s Invisible Backpack, ask your class to pause and share. These reflection questions encourage college students to consider the story and join it to their very own lives:
Prompts like these give youngsters the language to speak about huge emotions, whereas additionally training listening to 1 one other.
Design Your Backpack SEL Exercise
Searching for actions for educating empathy which can be straightforward to arrange? This one connects completely with the story and encourages college students to specific their emotions and present empathy for others.
Backpack Craft Directions:
-
1
Prep: Give every pupil two clean backpack outlines (or allow them to draw their very own). Ask them to chop each out.
-
2
Contained in the Backpack: Have them draw or write issues they often carry with them on one piece. It may very well be emotions, worries, and even completely happy ideas.
-
3
Exterior the Backpack: Ask them to brighten the second piece with supportive phrases, variety actions, or footage of people that assist lighten their load.
-
4
Assemble It: Line up the items with the embellished facet going through out and tape them collectively on the backside. Use just a few paper clips to shut the highest.
-
5
Non-compulsory Sharing: In the event that they really feel comfy, invite college students to share their backpack with a companion or small group. Remind them that it’s okay to maintain some issues personal.
-
6
Class Reflection: End with a whole-class dialog with questions like:
“Did you and your companion / group uncover worries or weights which can be comparable in your backpacks?”
“How will you assist others when their backpack feels heavy?”
This SEL lesson plan can be utilized throughout morning conferences, SEL blocks, and even artwork class. It’s easy however highly effective, and it offers youngsters a concrete manner to consider empathy.
Prepared-to-Go Kits: Tailor-made for Your Grade Degree
When you want actions that educate empathy in a enjoyable, hands-on manner, however desire a fast, done-for-you package (no trying to find provides or scripting discussions), I’ve bought your again!
I’ve bundled Mia’s story and backpack craft into two ready-made TPT kits, every dialed in for the best age group. The youthful set will get a playful, picture-packed model to spark these first “aha” moments about emotions, whereas the older youngsters get instruments for real-talk reflections and serving to palms.
Each pack within the full story, easy-print templates, cut-and-paste image playing cards (additionally use them for matching with younger ones) and age-appropriate extension actions. Peek at how they differ under, then seize what feels proper in your kiddos. You possibly can even a bundle that features this pack with different empathy actions and a enjoyable wordsearch for older youngsters.
|
Fundamental emotional literacy; |
Superior self-awareness; perspective-taking and peer help methods. |
|
|
Easy inside/exterior sheets; |
Multi-layer (4 sheets): Heavy emotions (again), Who Helps/How I Assist (inside), Lighter methods (entrance). |
|
|
Straightforward comprehension questions; |
Deeper prompts on masks/smiles hiding feelings; class brainstorm for relatable worries. |
|
|
Story and backpack craft (inside heavy emotions/exterior lighter) with sharing circle. |
Story and backpack craft (multi-sheet meeting); guided brainstorming, and sophistication/group reflections. |
|
|
Matching sport (heavy vs. gentle emotions), bodily backpack demo, completely happy poster construct, fill-in-the-blank worksheet. |
Empathy role-play situations, “masks” craft (present vs. really feel), journaling for private insights, empathy pledge bulletin board. |
|
|
Tremendous low-prep; 30-45 min; heavy on tactile play. |
Reasonable meeting; 45-60 min; encourages longer shares. |
Irrespective of the grade, these kits flip the story right into a full SEL session that sticks. Scroll all the way down to seize yours!
Make Mia’s Story Even Extra Highly effective with a Prepared-to-Use SEL Package for 1st & 2nd Graders
Flip Mia’s Story right into a Full SEL Lesson for third & 4th Grade with No Prep Required
Examples of Empathy within the Classroom
Once you information college students by means of this story and exercise, you’ll discover little moments of empathy start to floor:
These might really feel like small steps, however they add up. Acknowledging these examples of empathy within the classroom as they happen may help cement the idea. Ask college students to note when somebody’s modeling endurance, listening, and kindness (together with you). These reminders assist make the habits regular and anticipated.
Extending the Lesson
When you’d prefer to increase this concept, listed below are just a few methods to maintain constructing on it:
Instructing empathy isn’t a one-time lesson. It’s one thing that must be woven into on a regular basis moments and tales like Mia’s Invisible Backpack offers us a robust place to begin. They remind college students that everybody carries emotions we are able to’t at all times see, and that kindness and listening could make somebody’s load a little bit lighter.
Do that story and exercise along with your college students, and see the way it opens up conversations about feelings, making associates, and supporting others. It’s a easy SEL lesson for elementary grades, however it may possibly spark an enormous shift in how kids see and look after each other.
Enjoyable & Straightforward Empathy Classes That Stick & Assist College students Really feel Seen, Heard & Valued!
Extra SEL Actions to Discover
When you’re trying to construct on this lesson, check out my empathy unit and different SEL assets that pair superbly with Mia’s Invisible Backpack. You’ll discover printable actions, reflection sheets, and classroom instruments designed to help social emotional studying competencies in enjoyable, significant methods.
For a lighter exercise, strive an empathy phrase search.
You might also like…
AUTHOR: Lisa Currie – Ripple Kindness Mission
For over a decade, I’ve centered on selling kindness and Social and Emotional Studying (SEL) in elementary lecture rooms. By means of hands-on expertise supporting college students, I’ve seen how empathy and respect are very important for creating harmonious, inclusive environments. I am obsessed with serving to college students perceive the influence of their feelings and actions on their relationships. I imagine kindness is prime to fostering self-confidence and happiness whereas constructing inclusive, secure classroom communities that discourage bullying and exclusion.
