Hook:

Do a read-aloud of the following paragraph:

After his return to India from South Africa in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi decided that if he was going to campaign for Indian independence from British rule, he would need to experience what life was really like for the poorest people in the country. So he threw away his fancy barrister’s suit and collar, wrapped himself in a dhoti or loincloth, and established the Sabarmati Ashram, where he lived from 1917 to 1930. Ashram life was about stepping into the shoes of peasant farmers. He and his followers grew their own food, spun their own cloth, and cleaned out the latrines – a job usually relegated to the Untouchable (Dalit) caste.

What value did Gandhiji want to develop by performing the actions he did the story?

Teacher Tip: Take in a few answers and bring the focus to the value of empathy.

DFC Video Activity:

Play the video DFC2011Taiwan: I want to touch your face (http://bit.ly/2feZfnt)

Activity: Share your ideas!

1. What are some connections you can make between Gandhiji and Jack’s friends?
2. Would Gandhiji be successful in getting India its independence and Jack’s friends being able to make Jack ‘see’ his loved ones, without being able to empathize?
3. Why does empathy mean to you?
4. What is one thing that you would have done differently than the students in the video?

Activity (Get to know someone else):

Use these questions to discuss with the group what children can do to help others feel better:
1. How can you know how someone else feels? Possible answers: Listen to what they say, ask them how they feel, look closely at their face and body, watch what they do.
2. How can we recognize when another child is feeling bad or left out? Possible answers: Making a sad face, not laughing when others laugh, crying, not looking at anyone, playing alone.
3. How can we cheer up children who feel bad and help them feel better? Possible answers: Pay attention to them, pat them on the back, ask them if they’d like to play with you.

OR

Ask students to create a list of questions that they would like to ask any new person to know him/her better.

Now since that is established, ask students to find a partner (anybody on the school campus… for example support staff, elder or younger buddies, drivers and conductors etc.) and interview him/her. Find out about how they are doing today, how they are feeling right now, can you sense anything you may be able to help with, if yes, what may that be? etc.

One or two pairs may share (if comfortable) may share their new sense of empathy for each other, with everyone in the class.

Teacher Tip: You may move around and help guide them with the right questions to understand the other person better.

Closing the Loop and Assessment:

Emphasize the idea that: Treat people the way you want to be treated.  Putting our self in somebody else’s shoes and trying to think from their perspective helps us develop interpersonal skills like compassion.

At the close of the session, ask the students to think, pair, share about 1-2 actions they would do differently after this lesson.

Ask the students to complete the following self-reflection using the following rating scale:

1 = Not Yet, 2 = Need Support, 3 = Making efforts, 4 = Almost a habit, 5 = I CAN

1. I am able to notice my feelings and mood ____
2. I am able to notice others’ feelings and mood _____
3. I selectively look out for people’s feelings and mood _____

Suggested activity: Identify someone in your school or community who you would like to help. What are the 2-3 most important actions that you will carry out to help that person?