Kindness - Intermediate High
Lesson Information
Positive Psychology Learning Outcomes
Students will...
- recognize acts of kindness.
- discuss ways to be more kind.
- discuss how kindness affects others.
- evaluate how kindness feels for self and others.
Language Learning Outcomes
Students will...
- connect content to background knowledge.
- listen for specific information.
- actively participate in conversations through proper responses.
- recognize high frequency general and academic vocabulary.
Materials Needed
- Video: Headspace | Meditation | Why Focus on the Happiness of Others? - YouTube
- Pre-bingo videos: WATCH: Positive stories of random acts of corona-kindness in a time of uncertainty - YouTube
- A delivery rolls into a snowball effect of acts of kindness in Weber County - YouTube
- Caught on camera: Grocery store shoppers get a surprise - YouTube
- World War II veteran known as 'Candy Bomber' continues special delivery - YouTube
- Virtual bingo: Virtual Kindness Bingo (mfbc.us) (requires device)
- OR printable bingo: Kindness_Bingo.pdf
- Meditation video: option 1--Netflix “Headspace” option 2--Loving Kindness Meditation to Develop Mindfulness and Compassion - YouTube
Overview
Explain that today’s lesson is about kindness.
Activate Background Knowledge
Introduce kindness by having the students share experiences about times people have been kind to them and how it made them feel, then have them discuss how they felt after being kind to someone else.
Activity 1: Listening/Speaking
The following video is about focusing on the happiness of others. Have students watch and discuss the questions below afterwards: Headspace | Meditation | Why Focus on the Happiness of Others? - YouTube
- What was the message of the video?
- Have you found this to be true for you?
- How do you find happiness?
- How does seeking the happiness of others make you feel happy yourself?
- Why do you think focusing on others’ happiness makes us happy?
- What are some specific things we can do to focus on others’ happiness?
Activity 2: Listening
If you have access to Netflix:
- Headspace S1:E5 Loving Kindness
- Start at 15:49 (Note: Netflix will display how much of the video is left, so you’d need to plan for about 16 minutes if you use this one; this video is great because it has animations that are paired with the audio to make it more clear and fun.)
- Back up option on Youtube (around 13 min)
- After meditating, have students discuss with a partner how they felt and what their experience was while meditating. Discuss as a class as well.
Activity 3: Vocabulary Bingo
Explain that the following videos show examples of people being kind.
- While watching the videos, students should look for specific vocabulary found on the following bingo cards. You may want to go over the words before you play the game.
-
The students can play on a device by accessing the following link. They simply need to click the word they hear, and a red X will appear on it.
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Virtual link: Virtual Kindness Bingo (mfbc.us)
- If you prefer having the students use physical copies of bingo cards, you may print these out. There are 30 cards available to print.
- Printable cards: Kindness_Bingo.pdf
Activity 4: Speaking
Use the following situations as role play scenarios for students to do in groups of 3-4. Give the students 5-10 minutes to prepare (based on time). Their role plays should be about 2 minutes, and all the group members should participate.
- You see a mother at the store with her child, and the child won’t stop crying. You can tell the mother is stressed.
- You see an old lady walking down the sidewalk alone with a walker.
- You see a group of children making fun of another child who looks very sad.
- Your sibling is being mean to you for no reason.
- One of your classmates makes a mistake, and everyone laughs at him/her.
Homework
Do something kind to someone today. Note: students should be prepared to share about this tomorrow in class.
Follow-Up
Tuesday:
Students should share the kind acts they did for another person.
Wednesday:
Self-compassion: discuss why it’s important to be kind to ourselves.
Thursday:
Show the following quotes below and have a short discussion about what they mean.
- “When words are both true and kind, they can change the world” —Buddha
- “Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
CC BY-NC: This work is released under a CC BY-NC license, which means that you are free to do with it as you please as long as you (1) properly attribute it and (2) do not use it for commercial gain.
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