Empathy and Frankenstein

Overview

This 40-minute lesson introduces Year 6 students to the concept of empathy and its central role in understanding characters in literature, specifically through the graphic novel Frankenstein. It is the first lesson in a 24-lesson unit exploring empathy, encouraging critical thinking and emotional insight aligned with the National Curriculum for England.

National Curriculum Links

• Reading: comprehension

  • Year 6 Programme of Study:
    Pupils should be taught to:
    • Develop positive attitudes to reading, and an understanding of what they read, by discussing and evaluating how authors use language, including figurative language, considering the impact on the reader (National Curriculum: English - Reading - Comprehension).
    • Draw inferences such as inferring characters’ feelings, thoughts and motives from their actions, and justify inferences with evidence (Reading - Comprehension).

• Spoken Language

  • Year 6 Programme of Study:
    Pupils should be taught to:
    • Participate in discussions, presentations, performances, role play, improvisations and debates (Spoken Language).
    • Consider and evaluate different viewpoints, agreeing or disagreeing and justifying their views (Spoken Language).

• Writing: Composition

  • Year 6 Programme of Study:
    Pupils should be taught to:
    • Plan their writing by identifying the audience for and purpose of the writing, selecting the appropriate form and using other similar writing as models for their own (Writing - Composition).

Learning Objectives

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

1. Define empathy and explain why it is important when reading and understanding characters in literature.
2. Discuss their initial reactions and feelings towards the characters in Frankenstein.
3. Use inference skills to begin thinking about characters’ perspectives.
4. Engage respectfully in group discussions, sharing and justifying their viewpoints.

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Resources

• Copies of the Frankenstein graphic novel (extracts for first lesson)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Empathy word bank (printed sheet)
• Character emotion cards (emoticons with feelings)
• Large paper/posters for group work
• Sticky notes

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Activate prior knowledge: Start with a quick warm-up question on the board: “What does it mean to ‘put yourself in someone else’s shoes’?”
• Invite students to share their ideas briefly. Write key words or phrases on the whiteboard (e.g., understand, feelings, imagine).
• Introduce the word empathy with a simple definition: “Empathy means understanding how someone else feels by imagining yourself in their situation.”
• Link empathy to reading by explaining that understanding characters’ feelings helps us enjoy stories and learn from them.

2. Exploring Empathy Through Action (10 minutes)

• Use character emotion cards showing different feelings (e.g., loneliness, anger, confusion).
• Divide class into pairs or triads; each group picks a card and discusses:
  • “Can you think of a time when you felt this way?”
  • “How did it feel?”
• Bring class back to share some examples, highlighting that everyone experiences feelings differently, and empathy helps us connect.

3. Introducing Frankenstein (10 minutes)

• Present the graphic novel cover and explain briefly who Mary Shelley was and why Frankenstein is a story about creation, loneliness, and identity.
• Read an extract (3-4 pages) aloud as a class or in pairs, focusing on introductory scenes involving the "Creature" and Victor Frankenstein.
• Ask students for initial reactions:
  • How might the Creature feel?
  • What makes you think that?
  • What questions do you have about the characters?

4. Inference and Discussion (10 minutes)

• Explain that making inferences means ‘reading between the lines’ to understand more about characters.
• Use a graphic organiser/poster split into two columns: What do we see? and What do we think/feel?
• Together, fill in observations from the extract (e.g., Creature’s expressions, actions) and infer emotions or motives.
• In groups, students discuss and write on sticky notes their thoughts about the characters’ feelings and motivations.
• Groups place sticky notes on the poster for shared learning.

5. Reflection and Plenary (5 minutes)

• Recap: What is empathy? Why is it important for reading stories like Frankenstein?
• Ask students to write down one new thing they have learned about empathy today on a sticky note and place it on an “Empathy Wall.”
• Explain that next lesson, they will explore empathy deeper by looking at other characters’ perspectives in the story.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters (e.g., “I think the Creature feels… because…”; “Empathy means…”). Use pairs for discussions where appropriate.
• Challenge: Encourage more advanced pupils to consider contrasting feelings between creator and creation, or to predict what might happen based on character feelings.

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Assessment

Formative assessment through:

• Observing contributions during pair and group discussions (use a simple checklist).
• Evaluating sticky note contributions for evidence of understanding empathy and character inference.
• Listening to verbal responses and noting ability to justify opinions about feelings/motives.

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Extension ideas for teachers

• Use drama role play: have students act out a scene from the extract to explore empathy physically.
• Create empathy diaries from the Creature’s viewpoint to develop creative writing linked to empathy.

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Teacher’s notes

This engaging first lesson builds a solid foundation for the unit by linking emotional literacy with literary analysis. Emphasise that empathy is a skill they already use daily and that through literature they can practise it to understand complex characters and situations, preparing them for deeper exploration in future lessons.