Introduction

Empathy is a crucial skill for students to develop as they navigate the complexities of social interactions. As educators, we strive to help them understand and relate to the emotions of others. Welcome to Act It Out!, a role playing game designed to teach empathy to middle school students. In this game, students will act out different social situations, focusing on understanding and expressing empathy. By engaging in role play, students will learn to see situations from others’ perspectives and develop a deeper understanding of their emotions.

No-Prep Activity

This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator. Simply divide your students into pairs and assign each pair a scenario to role play. In each scenario, there will be two characters, Person A and Person B. Make sure the students understand the emotions each character is feeling during the scene. After the role play is finished, the rest of the group can rate the actors based on their performance. Discuss how well their actions matched up with the emotions they were supposed to feel. Encourage students to think about how emotions changed from the beginning of the scene to the end.

Discussion Questions

1. What happened in the scene? How did the characters’ emotions change throughout the scenario?
2. How well did the actors portray the emotions of their characters? Were there any moments that stood out as particularly empathetic?
3. Can you think of a time when you showed empathy to someone else? How did it feel to put yourself in their shoes?
4. Why is empathy important in our daily lives and social interactions?
5. How can we practice empathy in our everyday lives to better understand and support those around us?

Related Skills

In addition to empathy, there are other important social-emotional skills that students can benefit from developing. Some of these skills include:

• Active listening: Paying full attention to what others are saying, taking the time to understand their points, and asking questions as needed.
• Effective communication: Expressing thoughts and feelings clearly and respectfully, while also being open to receiving feedback from others.
• Conflict resolution: Identifying the root cause of a disagreement and working together to find a solution that satisfies all parties involved.
• Teamwork: Collaborating with others to achieve a common goal, while respecting each individual’s unique strengths and contributions.

Next Steps

Are you interested in incorporating Act It Out! and other social-emotional learning activities into your curriculum? Sign up for free samples of these materials and more at Everyday Speech. By integrating these resources into your lesson plans, you can help your middle school students develop valuable empathy skills that will serve them well in their social interactions and relationships.