This month, our 4th and 5th graders learned about perspective taking, the skill of understanding what someone else might be thinking or feeling. This is an important part of building empathy, solving conflicts, and strengthening friendships.

We began with a hands-on activity: students looked through a rolled-up paper tube at one spot in the classroom. Each student saw something different, which helped them recognize that everyone’s viewpoint is true, but not complete. This simple demonstration showed how easy it is to miss what others see when we’re focused only on our own perspective.

Students also explored optical illusions to see how two people can look at the same picture but notice different things. This helped reinforce the idea that perspective taking means being open to other viewpoints, even when they differ from our own.

Understanding Perspectives Through Stories

Students then listened to some short stories and identified the different perspectives of the people involved.

For each story, students discussed:

• What each person might be thinking or feeling

• Whether anyone actually did something wrong

• How misunderstandings happen when we only see our own viewpoint

• How conflicts can be solved by trying to understand others

By the end of the lesson, students understood that:

• Everyone has their own viewpoint shaped by their experiences

• Different perspectives can all be valid at the same time

• Conflicts often happen because people misunderstand each other

• Listening, asking questions, and being open-minded helps us be better friends

• Perspective taking shows respect and empathy

Try this at home:
Ask your child, “Can you tell me about a time when you and someone else saw the same situation differently?”