Empathy and Understanding

Year 0-1 | Duration: 30 minutes | Class Size: 20

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Understand what empathy means by imagining how others feel.
• Practice empathy and kindness through role-playing people from diverse backgrounds.
• Appreciate differences in our “One Family, Many Faces” community.

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Success Criteria

• I can listen and think about how someone else might feel.
• I can take on different roles and show kindness.
• I can share how people might feel in different situations.
• I work well with my classmates and respect their ideas.

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Learning Area: Religious Education (Aligned to New Zealand Curriculum Refresh)

Curriculum References:

• Key Competencies:
  • Relating to others — demonstrating empathy, understanding diverse perspectives.
  • Participating and contributing — working collaboratively, respecting others.
• Values:
  • Diversity — appreciating different cultures and beliefs.
  • Community and participation — valuing inclusion and social responsibility.
• Curriculum Principles:
  • Recognition of the importance of diverse cultural perspectives.
• Social Sciences Learning Area: Understanding different social values and beliefs.
• Health and Physical Education: Emotional literacy including empathy and respect for others.
• English Curriculum Learning: Oral language and communication — role play and expressing feelings

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Lesson Sequence and Time Allocation

Time	Activity	Details
0-5m	Introduction: Whole Class Discussion	Introduce “empathy” simply: “thinking about how others feel.” Use a story or puppet to model empathy.
5-10m	Story Time and Reflection	Read a short story highlighting different feelings and backgrounds. Ask simple questions: “How do you think this person feels? Why?”
10-25m	Role-Playing Activity: Walking in Their Shoes	In small groups (4-5 children), students act out simple, familiar scenarios representing different cultural backgrounds or situations (e.g., family at a birthday party, new student in class). Model role-playing language and prompts. Turn-taking and observing facial expressions and body language are emphasised.
25-30m	Class Sharing and Reflection	Gather as a class to share what they learnt about feelings and kindness. Use sentence starters like “I felt…”, “My character felt… because…”, “We can be kind by…”

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Resources Needed

• Puppets or soft toys for demonstration.
• Age-appropriate picture storybook showing diverse families or characters.
• Simple costume items or props for role-playing (e.g., hats, scarves).
• Visual emotion cards (happy, sad, excited, scared).
• A calm and safe classroom environment encouraging respectful listening.

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Teaching Notes & Tips

• Use clear, simple language and express emotions clearly through tone, facial expression, and body language to support understanding.
• Scaffold role-play with sentence starters such as “I feel…”, “Can I help?” or “What happened?”
• Model empathy first before expecting students to try.
• Be sensitive to the cultural backgrounds in your classroom.
• Reinforce key vocabulary around feelings and kindness.
• Allow for movement breaks if needed—young learners engage best when active.
• Use positive reinforcement when students show empathy and good listening.

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Assessment (Formative)

• Observe students during role play for their ability to express feelings and understand others’ perspectives.
• Listen for use of empathetic language and turn-taking.
• Teacher notes on students’ verbal and non-verbal responses.
• Reflective questioning during class sharing to assess understanding.

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Inclusivity Considerations

• Ensure the role-playing scenarios are relatable and inclusive of the cultural diversity present in the classroom.
• Use visual supports and non-verbal cues for students who need them.
• Adjust group sizes and support for attention needs.
• Encourage peer support and scaffold positive social interaction.

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Alignment Summary

This lesson is designed for years 0-1, suitable for 20 students, lasting 30 minutes. It supports Religious Education learning through social and emotional development, fostering empathy and respect by role-playing, as per the principles and competencies in the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh. It integrates with Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, and English learning areas — especially oral language and interpersonal skills. The lesson uses culturally responsive pedagogical strategies and targets the early development of empathy, a key value in New Zealand’s diverse society .

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If you wish, I can provide a printable formatted template version or digital resource suggestions to further support this lesson.