Protocol Overview and Instructions:

​One of the the most important steps to developing a useful and innovative solution to any question is to understand and empathize with the individual that the solution is intended for.   

Empathy Map Protocol Directions


Empathy Map Template
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Educator Thoughts:

Empathy Maps have been one of my favorite activities to use in my 4th grade classroom. We make a big deal about how empathy means putting yourself into someone else’s shoes. I let one of my students with small feet actually stand in my shoes. They get a kick out it it, and we talk about how it symbolizes walking in another person’s shoes and experiencing life through their perspective. 

“We usually focus on what the person might be feeling, seeing, hearing, feeling, and thinking. My students each made their own Empathy Map, but students could also complete it as a team project.”

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Student Quotes:
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“I liked thinking about what the person was feeling on the inside and may have been afraid to say out loud.”

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​Meet the Educator:

Amy is an educator at West Ottawa Public Schools. She teaches 4th grade at Lakewood Elementary.

​    "Integrating curriculum through PBL experiences has sparked a passion for authentic, real world problem solving in my students. My 4th graders are more actively engaged and enthusiastic about the learning process since I began using the Creative Sequence and Design Thinking protocols. They are gaining empathy for those around them and building employability skills along the way. It is thrilling to witness their excitement!"​