CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Mercy - A Mother's Final Wish and the Nurse Who Said Yes

Mercy is giving compassion and relief to someone who is suffering.

Mercy
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Respect
  • Caring
  • Good Citizenship
SEL Skills
  • Relationship Skills
  • Self-Awareness
  • Social Awareness
Academic Skills
  • Critical and Creative Thinking

Definitions

Respect
  • Follow the Golden Rule.
  • Be accepting of differences.
  • Be courteous to others.
  • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements.
  • Be considerate of others’ feelings.
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.
Relationship Skills

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

Self-Awareness

Identify and understand emotions, values, attitudes, motivations, mindsets, and personal attributes .

Social Awareness

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

Critical and Creative Thinking

Acquire, remember, understand, and apply knowledge.

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

Students will explore the concepts of compassion and mercy, why those skills are important in our relationships, and how practicing them can strengthen our connections with others.

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activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • Have you ever noticed a friend, family member, or classmate who was having a hard time? What did you do?
  • How can you tell when someone might need help or comfort?
  • What is the difference between being nice to someone and showing them compassion?
  • Who do you know who is a good example of compassion? What do they do?
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

This video may contain sensitive content that may not be suitable for all ages. Please review the video before sharing it with students.

discussion

Discussion Prompts

Think about the video.

  • Why do you think the nurse said “yes” to the mom’s wish?
  • Why would that decision be challenging for the nurse? What may have stopped her from choosing to adopt the son?
  • Is compassion something you are born with, or can you learn it? Why?
  • What stops people from showing compassion to one another?
materials

Activity Materials

  • Ball of yarn
activity

Activity: Compassion Web

  • Have students form a large circle, either sitting or standing.
  • Explain that mercy is the ultimate form of compassion. We don’t always have the opportunity to do something big, like adopting someone’s child, but we each experience small acts of compassion regularly. Share a personal example of compassion, either a time when you showed compassion to someone else or when someone showed it to you.
  • Hold onto the end of the yarn and pass the ball to a student. When students receive the ball, they should share a real-life example of compassion, hold onto their end of the yarn, and toss the ball to any another student.
  • Continue sharing examples and tossing the yarn until every student has contributed and the group has created a “compassion web.”
  • Close the activity with the reminder that the class is like the web. Each act of compassion strengthens their connections to one another.

  • Reflection Questions
    • What happens to our web when some people choose not to show compassion? How would that affect our class?
    • How do acts of compassion create “invisible strings” of connection to one another?
    • Do we have a responsibility to strengthen our web with acts of compassion?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • Who do you know that shows compassion? What do they do for other people that makes them a compassionate person?
  • Think of a time someone made a mistake. What could you do to show mercy and compassion instead of getting angry?

6-12

  • What’s the difference between saying “I’m sorry” and showing compassion?
  • Do you think mercy or compassion is always an action, or could it also be a feeling? Explain.
  • Describe a time when someone showed you mercy or compassion. How did this experience impact you?
  • Why do you think it can be hard to show compassion or mercy, even when you know it’s the right thing to do?
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 meaningful conversations about mercy.

  • What’s one small way we can show compassion in our family?
  • Why is it important for our family to show compassion to one another?
  • Why should we show compassion to our friends, neighbors, and community members?

Activity

  • As a family, choose a friend or relative who may need some extra compassion.
  • Brainstorm ways you can show compassion together. Ideas include writing a letter of support, cooking a meal, or helping with chores.
  • Decide on an act of compassion and carry it out as a family to support the person in need.

More Kindness 101 Activities

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