Sleeping Dragons

SEL Domain(s): Empathy

Relational Risk: Medium

Grades: 2-6

*Lesson may need to be modified to meet the specific needs of students

Description:

Students practice empathy by guiding a blindfolded peer through a “cave” of obstacles using only one direction each, learning to see from another’s perspective.

Materials

• Blindfold

• Backpacks, sweatshirts, chairs, or other bulky items to represent "Sleeping Dragons"

• Lesson script

Steps:

1. Set the Scene:

• Tell students they are in a cave filled with sleeping dragons, and one student—the “adventurer”—must retrieve the Heartstone treasure while blindfolded.

  2. Assign Roles:

  • One student is blindfolded.

  • All other students become “Empathy Magicians” who can see the cave and must help the adventurer avoid the dragons.

• Obstacle Course:

  • Set up the “dragons” (backpacks, sweatshirts, etc.) in the center of the space.

  • Each Empathy Magician is allowed to give one directional command to help the blindfolded student navigate the course.

• Empathic Guidance:

  • Emphasize that each direction must be given from the blindfolded student’s perspective.

  • If the adventurer touches any object, they “wake a dragon,” and the turn ends.

• Repeat:

  • Reset the course and allow another student to try.

• Debrief & Discussion:

  • Reflect on how students practiced empathy.

  • Use guiding questions such as:

    • How did it feel to give directions from someone else’s perspective?

    • What was hard or surprising?

    • How does this relate to showing empathy in real life?