CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Social Awareness – School Cafeteria Worker Feeds the Food Insecure Well After Lunch Hour Ends

Social awareness is an important skill that can help us support others and address challenges in our community. 
Social Awareness
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Caring
  • Good Citizenship
SEL Skills
  • Self-Management
  • Social Awareness
Academic Skills
  • Effective Problem Solving
  • Self-Direction and Engagement

Definitions

Caring
  • Be kind.
  • Be compassionate.
  • Express gratitude.
  • Forgive others.
  • Be considerate of others’ feelings.
Good Citizenship
  • Do your share to make your home, school, and community better.
  • Cooperate.
  • Stay informed. Vote.
  • Be a good neighbor.
  • Make choices that protect the safety and rights of others.
  • Protect the environment.
Self-Management 

Regulate emotions, attitudes, and actions and resist negative emotions and impulses.

Social Awareness

Assess and be sensitive to the feelings and needs of others.

Effective Problem Solving

Make rational, ethical, and effective decisions to find the best solutions to problems.

Self-Direction and Engagement

Fully engaged in the educational process and connected to the school community.

Learn more about our character, SEL, and academic outcomes.
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The Ray Center at Drake University
CBS News

Students will learn about social awareness from the woman in the video, who gives back to her community without expecting anything in return. They will reflect on their own social awareness and how that can help them make change in their community.

Download Google Slides
activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • How do you feel when someone shows kindness to you? 
  • What is the definition of social awareness?
    • Social awareness means noticing how other people feel and understanding what they may need.
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • How does Debra practice social awareness in the video? How did this help her act in a helpful, selfless way?
  • Why does Debra feed others even when she is struggling financially? 
  • How can you care for others even if you are not wealthy?
  • Can you be wealthy in things other than money? Explain.
  • Debra did not expect to be recognized for her actions. A lot of times, we are not recognized for the good we do in the community. Why is it still important to care for others and give back, even if we won’t be recognized? 
materials

Activity Materials

  • Paper  
  • Writing utensils
activity

Activity: Kind Messages

  • Ask each student to write their name on the top of a paper. 
  • Have each student leave their paper at their desk and take a writing utensil with them. 
  • Ask students to walk around the room and write a message of kindness and caring words on the other students’ papers. 
    • Consider giving your students a route to move around the classroom. 
  • Once students have written on everyone’s paper, have them return to their seats to read the caring messages. 
  • Follow-up questions:
    • How did it feel to write kind words about others? 
    • What does it feel like to read messages of care and kindness? 
    • How did you practice social awareness in this activity?
    •  
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • What does it look like to care for people around you? 
  • Why should we treat others with care and kindness, even if we aren’t recognized for it? 

6-12

  • What is challenging about showing others you care? 
  • How can the practice of social awareness help you overcome those challenges and continuing to caring for others? 
  • What drives people to want to care for and serve others?
family connection

Family Connection

Educators: Copy the Family Connection and email it to parents, or click here to download a PDF version to email or print.

Watch
Watch the video as a family: https://youtu.be/ihrb9n2p46A

Discuss
Use these questions to start meaningful conversations about social awareness.

  • Why does Debra choose to feed other people even when struggling financially? 
  • How can we practice social awareness in our community? 

Activity

  • Collect and donate food to a local food pantry. 
  • Serve at a local food pantry as a family. 

More Kindness 101

CHARACTER COUNTS! Lessons and Activities

 

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