We hope that the lessons are helpful to you and your children.
Elementary Lesson – Dogs Can Help Us Build Our Empathy Muscle
Watch video.
hat part of this story in the video did you like most?
Have you ever had something that made you feel calm when you were scared or nervous? What was it? Did you hold it or look at it?
What if your school had a pet like Gizmo to comfort kids? Write a letter asking your principal if she would consider having a therapy dog on campus.
What part of this story made you feel good? Through that feeling you may have been growing more empathy.
How do you define empathy?
Have you ever had something that made you feel calm when you were scared or nervous? What was it? Did you hold it or look at it? Write a reflective letter to yourself about when that time was, who was there, how your comfort “thing” or even your pet made you feel more calm.
What if your school had a pet like Gizmo to comfort students? Where on your campus would Gizmo be a popular and accepted?
To understand others, sometimes it helps to “walk in their shoes”. This SEL lesson gives a brief glimpse into the experience of others. Take a moment to listen and reflect.
Oftentimes we learn of or hear about social injustice but we do not feel equipped to make a difference. The first step in becoming an advocate is to understand that we are all different and accept that difference is good!
Honest and courageous conversations are just the beginning of our work for social justice. When we develop safe spaces to have these conversations in schools, we work together to dismantle oppression. Let's get talking!
There have been many conversations going on about equity and equality in education. You might hear these words on TV or on social media, but what do these words mean? What is the difference? Our new SEL lesson offers an answer.