Unit Plan: Teaching Empathy Grade Level:

Fourth
Rationale and Purpose/Goals:

Rationale: Is it a teacher’s duty to develop empathy in her students? Is empathy in

the parent’s domain of guidance? Are humans born naturally empathetic beings, or must

we train a child to care for his hurting neighbor? While these are all great questions to

ponder, not all parents parent the same way, therefore not all children are growing into

empathetic adults. Teachers are responsible for the lofty task of cultivating empathetic

and open-minded attitudes in the minds of their students in the hopes that these children

are able to form meaningful relationships with their peers which will in turn set them up

for success in the world. Students must learn to have empathy for others in order to make

meaningful connections with others. It is important to consider that students learn best

when surrounded by meaningful, positive relationships within their classroom

atmosphere. In order to promote this positive learning environment and set students up

for a successful future, teachers must begin with the task of enriching students in activities

that develop empathy in the hearts of our youth. Even though we try our best to mentor

students into being empathetic; we live in a very harsh society where that is not always

the easiest task to accomplish.

 Purpose/Goals: Our goal for this unit is to instill an understanding of one’s self as

well as others through empathy. By the end of this unit our students will be able to

understand their personal feelings, for example how different emotions make them feel.

They will be able to contrast their personal feelings with their peer’s feelings and

understand how people’s feelings and experiences may be different due to experiences.

Finally, our students will be able to step into another person’s shoes and understand how

it would feel to go through what another person goes through by connecting everything

they have learned about empathy. Our final goal is for students to recognize that

although they have walked in many different student’s shoes who may be far different

than them, they all experience the same emotions no matter what walk of life they come

from. The students will be connecting to these different experiences, which will help them

to understand their peer’s backgrounds and beliefs and have more empathy for them in

the classroom. The students will be able to notice this as our activities have purposefully

come full circle.

 Content Standards

Speaking and Listening Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in

groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts,
building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.B

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1.C

Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information,

and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks
of others.

Reading Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.7

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts,

graphs, diagrams, timelines, animations, or interactive elements on Web
pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of
the text in which it appears.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.7
Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral
presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific
descriptions and directions in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the
text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3

Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on

specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.4.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

Language Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.6

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-

specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions,
emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are
basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when
discussing animal preservation).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text;

summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3

Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on

specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,
punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and

usage when writing or speaking.

Writing Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using

effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.8

Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information

from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and
provide a list of sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.5

With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen
writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing. (Editing for conventions
should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including
grade 4 here.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and

organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific
expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize
the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on
specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2.A

Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and

sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.E

Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Math Standards:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.OA.A.2

Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison,

e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number
to represent the problem, distinguishing multiplicative comparison from
additive comparison.1
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.3

Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real world and
mathematical problems. For example, find the width of a rectangular room
given the area of the flooring and the length, by viewing the area formula as a
multiplication equation with an unknown factor.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.G.A.1
Draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and
perpendicular and parallel lines. Identify these in two-dimensional figures.

Science Standards:
4-ESS3-2. Generate and compare multiple solutions to reduce the impacts of
natural Earth processes on humans.
PS4.A Understand waves, which are regular patterns of motion, can be made in
water by disturbing the surface.

Social Studies Standards:

Civics 1.1.1 Understands they key ideal of rights set forth.

Civics 1.4.1 Understands that civic participation involves being informed about
public issues and voting in elections.

Physical Education Standards:

EALR 1: The student acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain an
active life: Movement, physical fitness, and nutrition.
H6.W8.4 Create a personal health goal and track progress toward achieving it.
H7.Sa1.4 Describe practices and behaviors that promote safety and reduce or
prevent injuries.
H1.Sa.1.4 Identify ways to prevent injuries in recreational activities.
H1.Sa3.4a Explain how potentially violent situations can be avoided.

Health Standards:
H1.So3.4c: Explain how stress management techniques positively impact health.

Fine Arts Standards:

Performance Standard: MU:Re7.2.4 Demonstrate and explain how responses to
music are informed by the structure, the use of the elements of music, and
context such as social and cultural.
Responding Standard MU:Re8 Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
 Learning Targets/Objectives

Writing:
SWBAT write about a mistake they previously made, how they turned their
mistake into a learning opportunity, and what they learned.
SWBAT organize emotions and examples into a venn diagram, comparing
themselves to their partner.
SWBAT develop and write a script text that conveys ideas and information from
their chosen book clearly and accurately.
SWBAT choose a story that best fits their interests that they would feel confident
converting the story behind it into a script format.
SWBAT identify a clear topic or idea that corresponds with their dream or goal in life.
SWBAT clearly describe how they plan to achieve their goals or dreams with a
multiple step plan of action.
SWBAT write a conclusion that does a sufficient job at wrapping up their
narrative writing piece.
SWBAT write a short story from the perspective of a person in a photo from the
gallery walk using descriptive details that pertain to the setting and characteristics
of the person in the photo
SWBAT Students will be able to write ways they can spread kindness at home and
at school

Reading:
SWBAT make inferences when reading a text based on details in the text.
SWBAT make personal, world, and text-to-text connections to the text.
SWBAT summarize a text by using key details and themes.
SWBAT use specific details to further understand a character or event in the text.
SWBAT describe/ act out the main concepts of the readers theater by accurately
conveying the detail of the text they are using.
SWBAT read aloud with accurate fluency.

Language:
SWBAT determine the main ideas and themes of the book of their choosing and
create a script that will be able to accurately represent the book as well as choose
the parts of the book that will create a cohesive overall project.
SWBAT design their own readers theater by creating a spin off of the original
book of their choosing, while still conveying the main points of the text.
SWBAT accurately use punctuation, capitalization, and spelling when creating their
plan of action
SWBAT use conventions correctly to describe their plan of action with grammar
that correlates to the ideas.
SWBAT engage in a classroom discussion by sharing thoughts about how the
photos around the gallery walk made them feel and are different from them.

Speaking and Listening:

SWBAT identify how to speak to others using kind words.
SWBAT explain how it feels to be spoken to with kind words and hurtful words.
SWBAT engage in collaborative partner discussions about scenarios delivered by
the educator.
SWBAT share the similarities and differences between themselves and their
partner aloud to the class.
SWBAT explain how reading the newspaper or watching the news can inform
students about public issues.
SWBAT collaborate with the teacher in order to brainstorm and discuss
SWBAT listen to different questions being asked and respond to these with
actions.

Math:
SWBAT multiply and divide to solve single step and two step word problems.
SWBAT use drawings and equations with symbols to represent the multiplication
and division problems.
SWBAT measure rectangles in real life situations in order to find the area and
perimeter.
SWBAT draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles, perpendicular, and parallel
lines and recognize them in two dimensional figures.
SWBAT accurately complete a math worksheet that best fits their learning
capabilities.

Science:
SWBAT understand how natural disasters can affect human population
SWBAT understand the the basic motion of waves and ripples in order to
understand how kindness can have the same effect as water ripples spreading
SWBAT research natural disasters and investigate how it can affect a whole society
of people.

Social Studies:
SWBAT understand what rights are and why they are important.
SWBAT explain what rights are broken in the book Henry’s Freedom Box.
SWBAT share their learnings with the class and educate each other on the rights
stated in the Washington State Constitution.
SWBAT explain what rights are broken in the book Henry’s Freedom Box.
SWBAT explain how reading the newspaper or watching the news can inform
students about public issues.
SWBAT understand the basics of the voting process and why voting is important
SWBAT research a current public issue they have empathy for and determine
whether a right is being broken or not.
SWBAT research the rights stated in the Washington State Constitution.

Physical Education:
SWBAT use their knowledge and skills to achieve a active lifestyle.
SWBAT create their own personalized health goals and track their progress each
week.
SWBAT determine how to promote safety in their everyday life in order to help
prevent injuries.
SWBAT identify different ways to prevent injuries in different recreational
situations.
SWBAT explain how different situations that may involve violent actions can be
avoided as well as how to be avoided.

Health:
SWBAT explain how to manage while using techniques can positively impact
health.
Music/Fine Arts:
SWBAT summarize the cultural aspects of a piece of music.
SWBAT respond to a piece of music and state the feelings it brings and how those
feelings were brought on.
SWBAT create a self portrait that they are proud of that represent how the book
Wonder affect their learning.
 Accommodations/Remediations Throughout the Unit

Throughout the empathy unit our students are accommodated for in a variety of

ways as we constantly keep in mind in every decision that is made that all students

learn differently.

Alternate Responses

For ELLS and special education students we will always accept alternate responses.

This might be in the form of verbal responses in retellings rather than written

responses in explanations. Accommodating ELLS and special education students

in this way allows our students to be reached at their level and ultimately help

them to perform to the best of their abilities throughout the unit. Highly capable

students will be challenged with developing in depth reflections about how they

are cultivating empathy through their writing and reading process. They will be

asked to relate their ideas to real world scenarios in order to promote long-term

thinking strategies.

Visuals
We also will apply our knowledge of the principles of UDL into our lessons,

specifically concerning using many visuals for our students who need

accommodations. Visuals are crucial as many students learn visually and need

visuals during every lesson throughout the day.

Incorporating Culture

Students’ culture will be incorporated into various lessons, whether it’s geography,

reading, and science. Incorporating students’ culture allows for students to take

ownership of their learning. Students will feel a sense of home and wonder as they

engage in various lessons throughout the unit.

Extended Time/ Shortened Assignment

Because of the added challenge that the assignments may bring to ELL and

Special Ed students, we will provide and allow extra time for these students.

However, in time sensitive situations, simplified responses will be allowed. In

simplified responses students will be able to focus more on content and quality
rather than quantity of a response. Pictures are also a great way for ELL and

Special Ed students to get their thoughts across when written language is

providing an issue for students.