Grade Level: Kindergarten

In this lesson plan, kindergartners use BrainPOP Jr. resources to explore the concept of empathy. They discover what it means to think about and understand how other people are feeling. Then they apply their understanding by drawing an on- or offline picture that shows how they make people happy.

 

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Students will:

  1. Build background knowledge: Watch the BrainPOP Jr. Empathy movie.
  2. Express understanding: Draw an on- or offline picture expressing their understanding of empathy.
  3. Assess: Take the Empathy Quiz to show what they learned.

Materials:

  • Internet access for BrainPOP Jr.
  • Construction paper and markers (offline option)

Preparation:

Lesson Procedure:

  1. Tap students’ prior knowledge. Prompt them to tell about a time a friend or someone in their family felt sad: Why did the person feel sad? How did you make the person feel better? Or, ask about a time they felt very sad: Why were you sad? How did a friend or family member make you feel better?
  2. Watch the BrainPOP Jr. movie Empathy. Click the pause button each time a question appears in Annie’s Notebook and answer it. Then play to see how Annie answers it.

    TIP: the pause button turns red to remind you to pause.  

    Offline Option: Print out the transcript and Annie’s Notebook for a grown-up to read aloud at home. Suggest that the child play Moby and “Beep” in response to Annie. 
  3. Instruct students to open their Draw About It assignment. Or, if you are not using the Assignment Builder, show how to open Draw About It.  
  4. Read aloud the prompt: Spread joy to people around you! Draw something that will put a smile on someone’s face. 

    Direct students to click the Start arrow. When they finish their drawings, remind them to click the Submit To Teacher button and/or print out their picture.

    Offline Option: Students draw their pictures on paper with markers or crayons.
  5. Have students open their Quiz assignment. Or, if you are not using the Assignment Builder, show how to open the Easy Quiz.  
  6. Hover over the questions and answers to hear them read aloud. If you assigned the quiz, you will see students’ results in your Dashboard. If not assigned, remind students to click the Submit to Teacher button.

    Offline Option: Print out the Easy Quiz for students by clicking the print icon.   Read aloud each question and answer options, repeating as needed.