As an educator, I strive to create not only a space for academic growth, but also one where students grow into kind, compassionate humans. A cozy corner in our classroom with books that teach empathy and emotion plushies to role play scenarios will help my fourth graders learn about compassion by seeing the world through the eyes of another person. The carpet will become the heart of our learning space — a cozy, inclusive spot for read-alouds, thoughtful discussions, and a space for sharing. It will allow us to gather face to face to listen to stories that teach students to see the world through another person’s eyes.
We’ll start with A Kids Book About Empathy, which opens up important conversations about perspective, emotions, and how our actions affect others.
To support this, the Little SPOT of Emotion Plush Toys will give students a hands-on way to explore and identify emotions like anger, sadness, love, and confidence. These tools will help students build emotional awareness and reduce conflict in our classroom community. Fourth graders need an opportunity to practice how to understand and alleviate stress in someone else's situation.
Beyond understanding, students will learn to act. Using our rug space, we’ll role-play real-life scenarios to turn empathy into action — learning how simple choices, kind words, and helping gestures can positively impact others. These activities will help students practice compassion in a safe, structured way to learn how to alleviate the suffering of others or help those in need.
I will measure success through student reflections, classroom discussions, and a compassion chart where we celebrate kind actions we see. With your support, we’ll build a learning space where empathy grows, emotions are respected, and compassion becomes part of our daily lives.
More than a third of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Huntsman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
