Kindness Matters

Overview

This 45-minute lesson for Year 2 students in New Zealand focuses on the theme of treating others how you want to be treated—a core value of respect and empathy within the Health learning area of the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh. The lesson integrates social and emotional learning to develop key competencies such as relating to others and managing self.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Understand the concept of treating others how they want to be treated (Golden Rule) through respectful behaviour and empathy.
• Identify ways to show kindness and respect to peers and adults in different situations.
• Demonstrate positive interpersonal skills such as sharing, listening, and cooperating.

Curriculum References

• Health and Physical Education (HPE) Learning Area, Level 1-2:
  • Personal and Interpersonal skills: "Demonstrate respect for themselves and others."
  • Safety management: "Understand how to participate in health-promoting behaviours that contribute to well-being."
• Key Competencies (NZ Curriculum Refresh):
  • Relating to others: Build and maintain positive relationships through empathy and respect.
  • Managing self: Recognise feelings and manage behaviour appropriately.
• Values: Respect, empathy, integrity.

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details	Teaching Notes
0-5 minutes	Welcome & Set Context	Greet students warmly. Introduce the theme: “How do we want to be treated by others?”	Use simple language. Engage with a brief interactive question: "How do you like to be treated?"
5-15 minutes	Story Time: ‘Kindness Counts’	Read a short picture book or story about kindness and respect (teacher-selected or crafted).	Pause for discussion after key scenes: “What would you do if...?” Use expressive voice and props.
15-25 minutes	Role Play Activity:	Students act out simple scenarios demonstrating respectful and disrespectful behaviours.	Scenarios include sharing toys, helping a friend, saying please/thank you. Rotate roles.
25-35 minutes	Group Discussion and Brainstorm	Ask students to share ways they like to be treated and how they show respect to others.	Use a whiteboard or chart paper to list ideas. Encourage use of full sentences through sentence stems.
35-40 minutes	Kindness Card Creation	Each student makes a “Be Kind” card with drawings and one sentence about how to treat others.	Provide templates and sentence starters: "I will be kind by..." Visual supports for all learners.
40-45 minutes	Reflection and Closing Circle	Gather in a circle; each student shares one thing they learned or will do differently.	Reinforce positive language. Use a talking piece to ensure everyone listens respectfully.

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Resources Needed

• Age-appropriate picture book on kindness (e.g., a book emphasising empathy or sharing).
• Props for role play (hats, toys, simple costume pieces).
• Art supplies (paper, crayons, markers) for kindness cards.
• Whiteboard or chart paper and markers for brainstorming.
• Sentence stems displayed visually for language support.

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Assessment / Evidence of Learning

• Observation: Teacher notes student participation in role play, contributing to discussion, and ability to articulate respectful actions.
• Product: Completed kindness card with drawing and sentence showing understanding.
• Self-reflection: Students verbally share one takeaway from the lesson in the closing circle, demonstrating personal connection.

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Teaching Strategies and Considerations

• Use explicit teaching and modelling of respectful language and behaviour.
• Scaffold language using sentence stems like “I feel happy when…” and “I can be kind by…” to develop verbal reasoning as aligned with the literacy support for Year 2 students in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh.
• Acknowledge cultural backgrounds and promote inclusion by encouraging examples from the students’ diverse experiences.
• Encourage use of non-verbal communication such as facial expressions and body language during role plays, supporting comprehension of interpersonal cues.
• Provide positive feedback and reinforce the value of empathy and respect as essential life skills.

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This lesson plan embeds the values of respect and empathy from the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, developing the competencies of relating to others and managing self through meaningful, age-appropriate activities. It uses interactive storytelling, role play, and creative expression to engage students and build understanding of treating others the way they want to be treated—empowering children to contribute positively to their classroom and wider community.

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If you need, I can also help create the story script or kindness card templates aligned with this plan!

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References

• New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, Health and Physical Education Level 1-2, Values and Key Competencies
• Te Mātaiaho English Curriculum Support, Oral Language and Interpersonal Communication for Years 1-2
• Guidance on teaching respectful communication and self-regulation strategies for young learners