Kindergarten

Getting to Know Dr. King and Understanding Empathy

ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Students will be able to understand what empathy is and how Dr. King showed empathy for others in the face of adversity

Essential Questions:

How did Dr. Martin Luther King use empathy to help him fight for justice and equality for African Americans?

What characteristic traits come to mind when thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King?

What is empathy?

Vocabulary:

Empathy

Courage

Protest

Compassion

Equality

Fair

Unfair

Justice

Materials: Construction paper- any color for your heart that you will make for the introduction.

The Letters EMPATHY cut out as large letter to hang on your wall that will be used at the end.

Before you begin the lesson it is important to talk with the students about empathy. This will seaway nicely into the lesson as you read about Dr. Martin Luther King. Having empathy, understanding others, and social justice are some of the things that Dr. Martin Luther King stood for.

Introduction: Prior to the lesson create a large heart out of construction paper- any color will do. Gather the students on the carpet with you, and show them the heart that you are holding. Make reference to the heart being wrinkled- free and beautiful. On the board behind you draw a T-chart. On one side of the chart write the words EMPATHY IS and on the other side of the T-chart write EMPATHY IS NOT. Explain to the students that you are going to play a game that will help them understand all about the word EMPATHY. Let them know that they will say things that could be considered hurtful to friends. Go around the circle and allow the students take turns saying things/ or words that are unkind that could damage or hurt feelings. As the students say these words fold the heart that you are holding. When you have gotten around the entire circle- your heart should look like a tiny piece of paper, unfold it. Ask the students what they now notice about the heart as you have opened it up. They should say wrinkled. Stress to the students that the wrinkles cannot be taken away after we have said hurtful things to one another. Discuss with the students how words or actions can affect and permanently hurt others. Questions to determine the students' understanding of empathy: When the bad thing was said, how did it make you feel for yourself? How did it make you feel for the other person? Did any of you feel like your heart could wrinkle?

*Turn to your t-chart that you have created on the board and allow the students to process with you what empathy is and what empathy is not.

Begin by reading the book “I am Human” A book on Empathy by Susan Verde.

Read the entire book . When you have finished reading give the students a moment to process what they have listened to. Discuss the idea of how empathy is used throughout the book. Allow the students a moment to discuss with this within their group or you may discuss whole group as a class.

Open the book "My Daddy Martin" Before you begin reading it aloud turn to the page in the book that shows Dr. King and his family marching together(toward the middle of the book). Allow the students to analyze this picture. Use the questions below to engage and activate conversations with students.

After students have had the opportunity to analyze the picture, and before you begin to read review what empathy is and ask the students to think about places in the story where empathy is present. * If the students are unable to do this pause after reading each page to talk about what you have just read. Stopping occasionally to share a picture or two to allow for questions.

ACROSTIC Closing: Done together as a class. Cut out the word EMPATHY using die-cut letters. Together have the students give you a sentence or word that represents Dr. King. For example : E: Equality for everyone Dr. King wanted. M: Made people happy... do this activity as a class and hang on your wall or in the hallway as a display.

Empathy IS

I see-I Think-i wonder

Facilitating conversation:

Display this picture under the document camera or in a way that all students can see it.

Students will analyze the illustration and identify what they ..

1.See

2. What they think

3. What they wonder about the picture

*This thinking routine was developed as part of the Visible Thinking project at Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education. Explore more Thinking Routines at pz.harvard.edu/thinking-routines

Teachers: During this part of the lesson you are the facilitator allowing student conversation. By allowing the students to analyze the picture you are opening up a chance for great conversations to go on in the classroom. Allow students to build some knowledge of what they think the story will be about. Even if they are way off topic, use it as a way to continue to engage and gently guide them.

Empathy IS NOT

Your heart should look like this at the end.

You may choose to read this book Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport.

After reading students should write one word that comes to mind when they think of Dr. Martin Luther King. Words can be the character ed. words, words that they may have heard while listening to the story,words that you may have discussed as a class. Across the top of the paper it should say:

“Dr. King Showed ___________________(insert their word here) By ___________________ (student should write how he showed the word- what actions are associated with the word) then on the bottom half of the page draw a picture of Dr. King putting the word in action.

Differentiation: For students that struggle with the idea of writing the word and a sentence simply allow them to draw their word that they have selected that represents Dr. King.