CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Benevolence – Act of Kindness Helps Elderly Man Honor His Late Wife

When we are motivated by empathy, our acts of kindness show benevolence and support, without expecting anything in return.

Benevolence
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Caring
  • Good Citizenship
SEL Skills
  • Responsible Decision-Making
  • Social Awareness
Academic Skills
  • Diligent Learner 
  • Effective Problem Solving

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.
Responsible Decision-Making

Make decisions based on rationality, ethics, and effectiveness.

Social Awareness

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

Diligent Learner

Have a growth mindset and is willing to learn from mistakes.

Effective Problem Solving

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

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

Students will observe the power of looking out for others and consider the small acts of kindness that can add up to have a big impact.

Download Google Slides
activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • What does it mean to go out of your way to be kind?
  • What does benevolence mean?
    • Benevolence is the quality of being helpful and kind. 
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • Bud regularly brought flowers to his wife’s bench. How do you think this helped him cope with his grief?
  • How was benevolence shown in the video?
  • How can performing an act of kindness change someone’s life?
  • What is a simple act of kindness you could do today?
  • What is your takeaway from the video?
materials

Activity Materials

activity

Activity: What We Love

  • Give each student a Daisy coloring sheet appropriate for their age.
  • Ask students to write the names of people, places, or things they love on each petal. They could also write an act of kindness they could do to brighten someone’s day.
  • Follow-up questions
    • How did the activity make you feel?
    • If you did an act of kindness for each person you wrote down, or completed something to improve a place or thing that you love, what impact would that have?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • What is an act of kindness you can do to brighten someone’s day?
  • What does it feel like when someone is kind to you?

6-12

  • How can you show benevolence every day?
  • How can benevolence impact someone dealing with grief, loss, or pain?
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/gYL1FU_XPXY

Discuss
Use these questions to have a meaningful conversation about benevolence.

  • Why did a small act of kindness help Bud in his grief?
  • What is an act of benevolence you have experienced that helped you in a challenging time?
  • How can we spread kindness to others?

More Kindness 101

CHARACTER COUNTS! Lessons and Activities

 

2702 Forest Avenue

Des Moines, IA 50311

515-271-1910

RayCenter@Drake.edu

Character Counts
DONATE TO OUR MISSION
Facebook Twitter Instagram Tiktok Youtube
Contact Us

(C) 2024 The Ray Center at Drake University is proud to be the home of CHARACTER COUNTS! CHARACTER COUNTS!, the Six Pillars of Character, and Pursuing Victory with Honor are trademarks of the Josephson Institute. CHARACTER COUNTS! was founded by Michael Josephson through the Joseph and Edna Josephson Institute of Ethics.