CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

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

Selflessness is all about how we give to others without expecting anything in return. 

Selflessness
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.
Share This Activity
The Ray Center at Drake University
CBS News

Students will learn about selflessness from the woman in the video, who gives back to her community without expecting anything in return. They will reflect on their own selflessness.

Download Google Slides
activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • How do you feel when someone shows kindness to you? 
  • What is the definition of selflessness?
    • Selfless people care more about what other people need and want than about what they want themselves.
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • 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 were you practicing selflessness 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 you overcome those challenges to continue caring for others? 
  • What drives people to want to care for and serve others? 
  • Why should we treat others with care and kindness, even if we aren’t recognized for it? 
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 selflessness.

  • Why does Debra choose to feed other people even when struggling financially? 
  • How can we practice selflessness 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

 

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.