In Every Step: Practicing Kindness
How can practicing kindness toward others and ourselves make our communities stronger?
How to Use This Lesson
This is a Harmony Student Wellness lesson, a week-long, music-centered social-emotional learning lesson designed to be taught across multiple sessions, culminating in an arts-based project. This lesson can be taught in isolation or as part of the larger Harmony Student Wellness program. For more support on implementation, see the Implementation Guide on the program page.
Essential Question
How can practicing kindness toward others and ourselves make our communities stronger?
Objectives
Mastery Objective
- Students will be able to explain what kindness looks and feels like in action, and identify acts of kindness they can perform.
Day 1 - Students will:
- Listen to “Kindness in Every Step” by GeriG
- Consider why kindness is important
- Understand what kindness means and how they might practice it
Day 2 - Students will:
- Listen to “Be Kind” by Zak Abel
- Identify some small acts of kindness they can do
- Consider how kindness impacts people
Day 3 - Students will:
- Listen to “I’ll Stand By You” by The Pretenders
- Consider how standing up for others is a form of kindness
- Identify strategies to intervene if they witness bullying
Day 4 - Students will:
- Listen to “Give a Little Kindness” by Lloyiso
- Understand the importance of self-kindness
- Identify some ways to practice kindness toward themselves
Arts-Based Activity - Students will:
- Reflect on kindness and how to practice it
- Design an imaginary country guided by kindness and illustrate its values through words, symbols, and scenes that show how kindness shapes decisions and interactions.
Background
In this lesson, students will explore the concept of kindness. They will learn to distinguish kindness from niceness, identify simple acts of kindness they can practice daily, and understand how kindness can be both active and courageous. Students will also reflect on the importance of being kind to themselves. The lesson concludes with students imagining a country where kindness is the core value, and considering the words and actions that would shape life in such a place.
Materials
Required for all lessons:
- Student Journals
- Art Supplies
Arts-Based Activity: