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Kindness & Compassion

Sixth graders build social awareness by practicing kindness and compassion — noticing how others feel and choosing to help. They sort kind actions from unkind ones, then plan small acts of kindness for their class.

Grade 6Kindness & Compassion40 minutes1 class periodCASELExplicit teaching4 StandardsCASEL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain compassion.
  • ✓Tell kind from unkind.
  • ✓Notice when someone needs support.
  • ✓Plan an act of kindness.
Essential Question

How do small acts of kindness change how people feel?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort It · Interactive

Kind & Caring, or Unkind?

Project this and sort each action into Kind & caring or Unkind.

💚 Sort each action — kind and caring, or unkind?Try it
💚 Kind & caring
💔 Unkind
Tap an action, then tap a box.
The Lesson · SEL Flow (Check-In · Learn · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

40 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Check-In — A Small Kindness

4 min

When has a small kindness made your day better?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Share a kind moment.
  • Invite a few.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Kindness

10 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Kind or Unkind?
  • Sort each action.
  • Note how actions affect others.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

12 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a kind thing to do today.
  • Role-play including someone.
  • Practice a caring response.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name.
  • Role-play.
  • Practice.
4

Apply — Apply

10 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Plan one act of kindness.
  • Do it this week.
  • Notice how it felt.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Plan.
  • Do.
  • Notice.
5

Reflect — Reflect

4 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say what compassion is.
  • Give one kind action.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Give one.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CASEL Framework for Social and Emotional Learning across its five core competencies.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Show empathy, kindness, and compassion for others.

CASEL
Social Awareness

Recognize when others need support.

CASEL
Relationship Skills

Build positive relationships through kind actions.

CASEL
Responsible Decision-Making

Consider the impact of actions on others.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Kind/unkind picture cards.
  • Frame: “a kind thing is ___.”
  • Pair share first.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Sort kind vs unkind only.
  • Use 4 actions.
  • Use pictures.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Start a class kindness board.
  • Notice kindness in others.
  • Plan a kindness week.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 💚Action cards
  • 💻Kind or Unkind?
  • 📌Kindness board
  • 📓Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

kindnesscaring words and actionscompassioncaring about how others feelempathyunderstanding another’s feelingsincludemake sure no one is left outsupporthelp when someone needs itupstandersomeone who stands up for othersrespecttreating people with careimpactthe effect of an action
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is compassion?
Caring about how others feel and wanting to help.
QUESTION 2
Give one kind action.
Include someone, listen to a friend, or help without being asked.
QUESTION 3
How do kind actions affect others?
They make people feel seen, supported, and valued.

Reflect: kindness & compassion.

Have students plan one act of kindness for this week. A printable kindness worksheet is in the SEL library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Social Awareness: Kindness & CompassionFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Social Awareness: Kindness & CompassionQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Social Awareness: Kindness & CompassionPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: compassion, empathy, impact, include, kindness, respect, support, upstander
  1. someone who stands up for others
  2. help when someone needs it
  3. understanding another’s feelings
  4. caring words and actions
  5. treating people with care
  6. make sure no one is left out
  7. the effect of an action
  8. caring about how others feel

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is compassion?
  2. Give one kind action.
  3. How do kind actions affect others?
Answer key — Part A: 1) upstander · 2) support · 3) empathy · 4) kindness · 5) respect · 6) include · 7) impact · 8) compassion
Part B: 1) Caring about how others feel and wanting to help. 2) Include someone, listen to a friend, or help without being asked. 3) They make people feel seen, supported, and valued.