Students watch videos on prosocial (kind, helpful) action, complete self-reflection activities, and plan and record their prosocial acts over ten consecutive days. They finish with a reflection on the impact of their actions. This lesson comes from Greater Good in Education which offers free research-based and informed strategies and practices for the social, emotional, and ethical development of students.
Helping students see the value and benefits of kindness, it could be a warm-up or taster lesson to a larger scale Digital Social Impact project
It directly introduces students to the concept of social impact
Lectures, Students and Local Communities
Videos are involved in suggestive delivery, it could also be turned into a fully online lesson with a focus on pro-social online activities
1
Ask students:
Do you think it’s possible to make a difference in other people’s lives? Why or why not?
How do you think an act of kindness might affect the person receiving the kindness?
Is it hard to be kind or to do kind acts for others? Why or why not?
Next, ask students what they think “prosocial behavior” means.
After taking several responses, tell them that it’s the term that scientists use for “voluntary actions aimed at advancing the welfare of other people.” In other words, it’s when a person offers some form of help or kindness to someone else because they care about their well-being.
Ask students:
2
Show students Video #1: Prosocial Project Introduction
After watching the video, ask them if anything surprised them about the benefits of prosocial behavior for the person who acts prosocially. Why or why not?
Before showing students Video #2: NCAA Softball Player Carried by Opponents After Injury, ask them to notice if they have any kind of physical or emotional reaction to what they see. Then show the video.
3
Note: These can be done in class or as homework to allow students ample time for reflection.
4
Note: The Part 2 activities are designed to inspire students to want to behave prosocially and to be thinking about meaningful content, e.g., their core values, their most important relationships, which would then direct their plans for helping others. Therefore, it would be ideal to complete Part 3 as soon as possible after Part 2.
5
Note: This can be done as homework.
After students track their behaviors for ten days, give each of them a Final Reflection Handout. Ask them to complete it in class or as homework. They will need to refer to their answers on the Identity Warm-up Handout, Value Identification Handout, and Best Possible Self Handout in order to complete this reflection.