Curriculum
We invite you to explore these compassion lessons to help prepare your students for the Seeds of Compassion event coming to Seattle, Washington on April 11-15, 2008.
The lessons represent a beginning point for conversations about what compassion means and why it is an important element of a healthy society. They will also serve as an introduction to His Holiness the Dalai Lama who will be featured at Children’s Day, April 14.
Wonderful examples of compassion in action are already in place in many classrooms. Through these lessons we hope to encourage an intentional and focused exploration of compassion so that the events in April are more meaningful and the impact more sustainable. Thank you for joining us in this venture by using the lessons in ways that are most appropriate for your students.
Special thanks to the following individuals for the development and review of these lessons:
• Barbara Blake
• Wendie Bramwell
• Brooke Doyle
• Elizabeth Duffell
• Sheryl Harmer
• Jan Mayes
• Tom Nolet
• Pat Valle
• Connie Moffit, editing
• Michelle Domash, proofreading
Note: These lessons have been adapted from materials developed by educators in Vancouver, British Columbia, in preparation for visits by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2004 and 2006.
For her leadership and generosity, our deep gratitude to:
Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl
Dept. of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education University of British Columbia
Grades K-2
These introductory lessons on compassion are designed to increase the awareness and knowledge of children in grades kindergarten through second grades. The lessons are intended to help students understand their experience of Children’s Day, April 14, 2008. They can also serve as a foundation for a deeper focus on compassionate action within the classroom and the school. Finally, the developers hope that they will serve as an incentive for teachers and school administrators to further social and emotional skill development through implementation of a more extensive, evidence-based program.
EALRS addressed in Grades K-2 Compassion Lessons
By completing the activities in this guide, your students will meet the following Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs):
• Build vocabulary through reading (Reading 1.1)
• Comprehend important ideas and details (Reading 2.1).
• Expand comprehension by analyzing, interpreting, and synthesizing information and ideas (Reading 2.2).
• Read to learn new information (Reading 3.1).
• Write for different purposes and in a variety of forms (Writing 2.2, 2.3).
• Use listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information (Communication 1.1).
• Understand, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate information from a variety of sources (Communication 1.2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to interact/work effectively with others (Communication 2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to present ideas and one’s self in a variety of situations (Communication 3).
• Examine key ideals of democracy such as individual human dignity, liberty, justice, equality, and the rule of law (Social Studies: Civics 1.2).
• Apply a creative process in the arts (Arts 2.1).
View the Grades K-2 Curriculum (pdf)
Review the Grade Level Expectations for each of the EALRs covered in this curriculum (external site)
Compiled by Elizabeth Duffell
Grades 3-5
These introductory lessons on compassion are designed to increase the awareness and knowledge of children in grades third through fifth grades. The lessons are intended to help students understand their experience of Children’s Day, April 14, 2008. They can also serve as a foundation for a deeper focus on compassionate action within the classroom and the school. Finally, the developers hope that they will serve as an incentive for teachers and school administrators to further social and emotional skill development through implementation of a more extensive, evidence-based program.
EALRs addressed in Grades 3-5 Compassion Lessons
By completing the activities in this guide, your students will meet the following Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs):
• Build vocabulary through reading (Reading 1.1).
• Comprehend important ideas and details (Reading 2.1).
• Read to learn new information (Reading 3.1).
• Use listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information (Communication 1.1).
• Understand, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate information from a variety of sources (Communication 1.2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to interact/work effectively with others (Communication 2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to present ideas and one’s self in a variety of situations (Communication 3).
• Examine key ideals of democracy such as individual human dignity, liberty, justice, equality, and the rule of law (Social Studies: Civics 1.2).
• Apply a creative process in the arts (Arts 2.1).
View the Grade 3-5 Curriculum (pdf)
Review the Grade Level Expectations for each of the EALRs covered in this curriculum (external site)
Compiled by Elizabeth Duffell
Grades 6-8
These introductory lessons on compassion are designed to increase the awareness and knowledge of youth in grades sixth through eighth grades. They are intended to help students understand their experience of Children’s Day, April 14, 2008. They can also serve as a foundation for a deeper focus on compassionate action within the classroom and the school. Finally, the developers hope that they will serve as an incentive for teachers and school administrators to further social and emotional skill development through implementation of a more extensive, evidence-based program.
EALRs addressed in Grades 6-8 Compassion Lessons
By completing the activities in this guide, your students will meet the following Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs):
• Build vocabulary through reading (Reading 1.1).
• Comprehend important ideas and details (Reading 2.1)
• Expand comprehension by analyzing, interpreting, and synthesizing information and ideas (Reading 2.2).
• Think critically and analyze authors' use of language, style, purpose, and perspective (Reading 2.3).
• Read to learn new information (Reading 3.1).
• Write for different purposes and in a variety of forms (Writing 2.2, 2.3).
• Use listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information (Communication 1.1).
• Understand, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate information from a variety of sources (Communication 1.2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to interact/work effectively with others (Communication 2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to present ideas and one’s self in a variety of situations (Communication 3).
• Examine key ideals of United States democracy such as individual human dignity, liberty, justice, equality, and the rule of law (Social Studies: Civics 1.2).
• Understand events, trends, individuals, and movements shaping United States, world, and Washington State history (Social Studies: History 1.2).
• Examine the influence of culture on United States, world, and Washington State history (Social Studies: History 1.3).
• Compare and contrast ideas in different places, time periods, and cultures, and examine the interrelationships between ideas, change and conflict (Social Studies: History 2.1).
• Understand how ideas and technological developments influence people, culture and environment (Social Studies: History 2.2).
• Understand and apply critical thinking and problem solving skills to make informed and reasoned decisions (Social Studies Skills 3.1).
View the Grades 6-8 Curriculum (pdf)
Review the Grade Level Expectations for each of the EALRs covered in this curriculum (external site)
Compiled by Elizabeth Duffell
Grades 9-12 and up
These introductory lessons on compassion are designed to increase the awareness and knowledge of youth in grades ninth through twelfth grades. They are intended to help students understand their experience of Children’s Day, April 14, 2008. They can also serve as a foundation for a deeper focus on compassionate action within the classroom and the school. Finally, the developers hope that they will serve as an incentive for teachers and school administrators to further social and emotional skill development through implementation of a more extensive, evidence-based program.
EALRs addressed in Grades 9-12 Compassion Lessons
By completing the activities in this guide, your students will meet the following Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs):
• Build vocabulary through reading (Reading 1.1).
• Comprehend important ideas and details (Reading 2.1)
• Expand comprehension by analyzing, interpreting, and synthesizing information and ideas (Reading 2.2).
• Think critically and analyze authors' use of language, style, purpose, and perspective (Reading 2.3).
• Read to learn new information (Reading 3.1).
• Write for different purposes and in a variety of forms (Writing 2.2, 2.3).
• Use listening and observation skills and strategies to focus attention and interpret information (Communication 1.1).
• Understand, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate information from a variety of sources (Communication 1.2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to interact/work effectively with others (Communication 2).
• Use communication skills and strategies to present ideas and one’s self in a variety of situations (Communication 3).
• Examine key ideals of United States democracy such as individual human dignity, liberty, justice, equality, and the rule of law (Social Studies: Civics 1.2).
• Understand events, trends, individuals, and movements shaping United States, world, and Washington State history (Social Studies: History 1.2).
• Examine the influence of culture on United States, world, and Washington State history (Social Studies: History 1.3).
• Compare and contrast ideas in different places, time periods, and cultures, and examine the interrelationships between ideas, change and conflict (Social Studies: History 2.1).
• Understand how ideas and technological developments influence people, culture and environment (Social Studies: History 2.2).
• Understand and apply critical thinking and problem solving skills to make informed and reasoned decisions (Social Studies Skills 3.1).
View the Grades 9-12 Curriculum (pdf)
Review the Grade Level Expectations for each of the EALRs covered in this curriculum (external site)
Compiled by Elizabeth Duffell
