CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Listening - Al Nixon Listens to Others on Florida Bench

Listening to others goes beyond just recognizing the words they are saying. By being an active listener and discerning how others are feeling, we can support someone and show we care.

Listening
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Caring 
  • Citizenship
SEL Skills
  • Relationship Skills
  • Social Awareness
Academic Skills
  • Curiosity and Passion
  • Self-Direction and Engagement

Definitions

Caring
  • Be kind.
  • Be compassionate.
  • Express gratitude.
  • Forgive others.
  • Be considerate of others’ feelings.
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.
Relationship Skills

Create positive relationships and meaningful connections with family members, classmates, and teachers.

Social Awareness

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

Curiosity and Passion

Enthusiastic to understand more about themselves, others, and the world around them.

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 the power of listening from Al, a Florida man who takes time out of his day to listen to community members. 

Download Google Slides
activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • What does it mean to be a good listener?
    • A good listener listens attentively and carefully.
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

Click here for the shortened video (best for secondary students).

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • How is listening “showing respect with your ears,” as Emmett says?
  • How does being a good listener show kindness towards others?
  • How can being a good listener help you make friends?
  • In the video, Al says, “Listening is the number one skill all mankind needs to know how to do really well.” How do you think the world would be different if this were true?
activity

Activity: Last Letter, First Word

  • Pair students and ask them to have a conversation with their partner.
  • As they listen to their partner, they should pay close attention to the substance of what their partner is sharing.
  • When it is their turn to talk, their first word must start with the last letter of the last word their partner said.
    • For example, if partner 1 said, “What did you have for dinner last night?” partner 2’s response must start with the letter T.
  • Encourage students to keep the conversation going as long as they can.
  • Then, put students in small groups and ask them to share what they learned about their partner.
  • Consider providing a topic for your class to discuss with their partners. For example:
    • Weekend plans
    • Favorite movie
    • Favorite part of school
    • What they learned from the video
  • Follow-up questions:
    • What was challenging about this activity?
    • When it was time to share what you learned about your partner, was it easy or difficult? Why?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • Why is listening an important part of friendship?
  • How does it feel to be listened to? Why? Think about examples from the video.

6-12

  • Why is being a good listener so powerful? Think about examples from the video.
  • When is being a good listener challenging? How do you work through that?
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

Discuss
Use these questions to start a meaningful discussion about listening.

  • Why is listening important to our family?
  • When is it important to listen?
  • How can we commit to listening to each other more?

More Kindness 101

CHARACTER COUNTS! Lessons and Activities

 

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