Cleo and the Stink Bugs

"That's empathy-when someone cares about how you feel. And the more we practice it, the better friends we become."

In this story, Cleo the caterpillar joins her friends in a game of Follow the Leader. While some friends cheer her on, a group of stink bugs tease Cleo leaving Cleo feeling embarrassed and left out. With help from her friends, Cleo learns that kindness and support can make a big difference. She discovers that her feelings matter and that empathy means caring about how others feel. Cleo learns to be kind to herself and others, showing that empathy helps us grow strong together-just like real friends do.

In this lesson, students explore empathy by identifying feelings in themselves and others. This builds foundational social awareness skills by helping children recognize emotional cues, relate to different perspectives, and respond with kindness and understanding.