Grades K-2
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Art

Compassion in Action!

Engage students in a fun role-playing game around practicing kindness!

Activity Partner
Total time estimate:
30-60 minutes
Activity Objectives
  • Students will work with classmates to act out different scenarios around practicing kindness
  • By performing their scenarios for each other, students will learn new ways to show care and concern for others


This activity supports the development of the following
social-emotional skills: self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making, and self-management.

Act

Split up students into pairs or groups, and ask them to act out scenarios around practicing kindness. Encourage students to be creative and dramatic, and consider using fun formats such as switching actors mid-scene, playing TV or movie characters, changing the genre (e.g., comedy, thriller, drama, historical), etc.

Here are some example scenarios to get started: 

  • Greeting a new student
  • Seeing someone being bullied
  • Helping a family member or loved one who is sad
  • Helping a friend who is worried about a test  
  • Helping a classmate who dropped all of their belongings on the way to class
  • Seeing someone sitting alone during lunchtime 
  • Feeling overwhelmed or frustrated
Share

Facilitate a live virtual exchange with your Empatico partner class, and invite students to perform their skits for each other, share what they learned, and discuss any personal experiences with similar situations. You might even challenge them to perform a skit together over the video call!

Reflect

Guide students through a post-activity reflection by asking the following questions: 

  • What feelings did you notice as you acted out these scenarios?
  • Have you ever experienced any of these scenarios in real life? What did you do?
  • Did you notice differences in how you and your classmates approached the same scenario in different ways?
  • Did this activity inspire you to try something new?
Did you finish this activity? We'd love your input.