Helping Others

Overview

This 20-minute lesson for year 3 students explores the story of the Good Samaritan from a Religious Education perspective, linking to the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh. Students will develop empathy, understand kindness across difference, and practise key competencies such as relating to others and participating.

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Curriculum Alignment

Learning Area: Social Sciences (New Zealand Curriculum Refresh)

• Understanding how people participate in society and relate positively to others
• Exploring values such as empathy and kindness

English Learning Area (Te Mātaiaho English Years 0–6)

• Comprehending and creating texts through storytelling
• Connecting through storytelling to understand perspectives and ideas

Key Competencies

• Relating to others: interacting positively and respecting others
• Participating and contributing: participating actively and contributing to classroom and community life

Values

• Empathy
• Respect
• Kindness

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Learning Objectives

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

• Retell the story of the Good Samaritan in their own words
• Identify acts of kindness and discuss why helping others is important
• Recognise that kindness can come from unexpected people, crossing differences

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Resources

• A simple illustrated story or animated telling of the Good Samaritan
• Cut-outs or images of characters (Samaritan, injured man, priest, Levite)
• Paper and colouring materials
• Whiteboard/flipchart and markers

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Lesson Plan

Time	Activity	Description	Curriculum Links
3 mins	Introduction & Hook

• Begin by asking students: "Who do you think is a good helper?"
• Discuss different ways people help each other in everyday life.
• Introduce the story of the Good Samaritan as an example of helping others even when they are different from us. |
• Oral language skills - sharing ideas
• Relating to others key competency
• Values: kindness, empathy | | 8 mins | Storytelling |
• Read or show the story of the Good Samaritan using illustrated book or animation.
• Use expressive voices and gestures to engage students.
• Pause to ask predictive questions: "What do you think will happen next?"
• Show cut-outs of characters and place them in sequence on the board. |
• Comprehending texts (English)
• Connecting through storytelling
• Developing empathy (Social Sciences) | | 5 mins | Discussion & Reflection |
• Ask guided questions such as:
  • "Why did the Samaritan help the man?"
  • "What might the man have felt?"
  • "How is the Samaritan’s help different from others?"
  • "How can we be like the Good Samaritan in our class and community?"
• Facilitate students sharing their thoughts respectfully. |
• Exploring values and key competencies
• Oral communication skills
• Social Sciences focus on relationships | | 4 mins | Creative Activity: Helping Hands |
• Students draw or colour their own 'helping hand' showing a way they can help others.
• Teacher encourages writing one word or sentence describing their act of kindness (with support as needed). |
• Engaging creativity and personal expression
• Reinforcing values of kindness and empathy
• Writing skills (English) | | End | Wrap-up & Sharing |
• Invite a few students to share their helping hands and ideas.
• Summarise key message: helping others is important and kindness comes from the heart, no matter who we are. |
• Sharing ideas and reflecting
• Building community in classroom |

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Assessment

• Observe student participation in discussion and storytelling activities.
• Listen to students’ ideas to assess understanding of kindness and empathy.
• Review 'helping hand' drawings and accompanying words for engagement with the concept.

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Teacher Notes

• Use culturally responsive teaching, respecting students' diverse backgrounds.
• Scaffold language as needed, especially for EAL or students requiring support.
• Use role-play or drama in future lessons to deepen understanding of the story’s values.
• Connect to local stories or examples of kindness from Aotearoa New Zealand to weave local context.

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This lesson plan is designed to be flexible, engaging, and aligned with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum principles of well-being and positive relationships, promoting the values of kindness and empathy through storytelling and discussion .