Lesson
1
:

Learning Compassion from Literature

Grade

Grade 3

UNIT

6

Compassion

Last Updated:

June 5, 2025

In Unit 6, Lesson 1, “Learning Compassion from Literature,” students will learn examples of compassion from a classic work of children’s literature. Students will also write sentences demonstrating their comprehension of the word compassion. Finally, students will practice reading and conversation skills by sharing sentences with classmates.

SUGGESTED TIME:

20 minutes

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

  • Listen to a read aloud to reinforce understanding of English sentence structure, syntax, and grammar
  • Practice reading aloud to a partner to support reading comprehension 
  • Spell, define, and give an example of compassion
  • Compose sentences that demonstrate comprehension of the word compassion 
  • Demonstrate understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar in writing and speaking 
  • Practice reading and conversation skills by sharing sentences with classmates

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

VOCABULARY:

  • Compassion: I see when others are hurt or need help, and I try to help them.
  • Empathy: I understand the emotions, needs, and feelings of others.

ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1

Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2

Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3

Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.10

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.C

Decode multisyllable words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.3.D

Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.3.4.A

Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.C

Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D

Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.3

Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.6

Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET

Moral Character A4

Offer examples of caring and compassionate behaviors (at home, in school, in the community)

Moral Character B4

Provide an example of a friend or role model who demonstrates caring and compassion

Self-Awareness A1

Understand and explain why different situations may set in motion or give rise to different emotions (e.g., learning something new or difficult, meeting someone new)

Social-Awareness A4

Explain a time when you put yourself in “someone else’s shoes” in order to understand their perspective and point of view

Social-Awareness A5

Explain what empathy means (e.g., the ability to sympathetically understand and personally identify with the emotional states, needs and feelings of others)

Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills A3

Understand and recognize the characteristics of healthy relationships (e.g., honesty, compromising, sharing, encouragement)

LESSON PROCEDURE

Today, we will learn about compassion. 

  1. Write compassion on the board. 
  2. Ask students what compassion means.
  3. Give them the definition: We see when others are hurt or need help, and we try to help them. 
  4. Write empathy on the board. 
  5. Ask students what empathy means.
  6. Give students the definition: We understand the emotions, needs, and feelings of others.
  7. Read the book Charlotte's Web: Wilbur's Prize adapted by Jennifer Frantz or 
  8. Play the video: Read aloud of Charlotte’s Web: Wilbur’s Prize by Love School- Learning and Playing (~5 min) 
  9. Ask students to answer the questions on their worksheets.
  10. Ask students to read their answers to a partner.
  11. Activity: Tell the students that in the story, Charlotte the spider made a web with the words “Some Pig” to describe Wilbur. Let’s make a spider web for a partner and put a nice word on the web that describes our partner.
  12. Have students make a spider web out of string or paper. 
  13. Have students choose a nice word to describe their partner and tape it to their partner’s web.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES - SUGGESTIONS

  • Play the film Charlotte’s Web (Rated G, running time 1 hour, 37 minutes)
  • Talk with your students about times you have seen examples of people demonstrating compassion. You could give examples of family, friends, historical figures, or current public figures.
  • Talk with your students about times when you have demonstrated compassion, despite hardships.

GRADE 3 UNIT 6 WORKSHEET 1: LEARNING COMPASSION FROM LITERATURE

Compassion: I see when others are hurt or need help, and I try to help them. 

Empathy: I understand the emotions, needs, and feelings of others.

ACTIVITY: 

  1. Use your empathy to explain how Wilbur felt at the beginning of the story. 

  1. How did Charlotte show compassion to Wilbur?

  1. How did Wilbur show compassion to Charlotte?

  1. What do you see as the central message of the story Charlotte’s Web: Wilbur’s Prize

Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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