lenny

Finding Hope After Loss

Lesson Plan

Finding Hope After Loss

Guide a 7th grade student through identifying and expressing feelings of grief, exploring healthy coping strategies, and developing a personalized action plan to navigate loss.

Adolescents often struggle to understand and express grief; this lesson provides support to normalize their emotions, build resilience, and equip them with practical tools to manage loss constructively.

Audience

7th Grade Middle School Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Structured reflection, discussion, and personalized planning

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials and Environment

5 minutes

Step 1

Build Rapport and Set Goals

5 minutes

  • Welcome the student and create a safe, empathetic atmosphere
  • Explain session purpose: understanding grief and finding hope
  • Ask the student to share their current feelings about their loss, prompting with Feelings Reflection Journal

Step 2

Explore the Nature of Grief

8 minutes

Step 3

Identify and Practice Coping Strategies

8 minutes

  • Introduce the Coping Strategies Worksheet and review categories (creative, physical, social)
  • Collaborate to select 2–3 strategies that feel manageable and meaningful for the student
  • Role-play or visualize using one chosen strategy in a difficult moment

Step 4

Develop a Personalized Action Plan

7 minutes

  • Guide the student to complete the Personal Action Plan Template
  • Ensure the plan includes specific strategies, supports, and self-care steps
  • Confirm the student understands how to use the plan when feeling overwhelmed

Step 5

Close and Commit to Next Steps

2 minutes

  • Summarize key takeaways and encourage ongoing use of materials
  • Ask the student to choose one action to practice before the next check-in
  • Offer praise for insight and effort; schedule a follow-up session if needed
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

Finding Hope After Loss

A 30-minute individual support session to explore and cope with grief, and to develop a personalized plan for hope.

Welcome the student and introduce the session. Emphasize safety, empathy, and confidentiality.

Session Objectives

  • Identify and express feelings of grief
  • Explore healthy coping strategies
  • Develop a personalized action plan to navigate loss

Review each objective with the student to set clear, shared goals.

Today's Roadmap

  • Build rapport and set goals (5 min)
  • Explore the nature of grief (8 min)
  • Identify and practice coping strategies (8 min)
  • Develop your action plan (7 min)
  • Close and next steps (2 min)

Walk through the agenda so the student knows what to expect.

How Are You Feeling?

Use the Feelings Reflection Journal to write and then share your current thoughts and emotions about your loss.

Invite the student to open their journal and share without judgment.

What Is Grief?

  • Grief is a natural response to loss.
  • Common stages include shock, denial, anger, sadness, acceptance.
  • Everyone’s experience is unique.
    See the Grief Understanding Handout for more.

Refer to the handout to guide discussion of key grief stages.

Measuring Emotion Intensity

Refer to the Mood Thermometer Visual and rate how intense your emotions feel right now, from 1 (low) to 10 (high).

Help the student place their current feeling on the mood thermometer.

Healthy Ways to Cope

  • Creative: drawing, writing, music
  • Physical: exercise, deep breathing, yoga
  • Social: talking to friends, family, support groups
    Find more ideas in the Coping Strategies Worksheet.

Discuss examples in each category and guide the student to select a few.

Try It Out

Choose one coping strategy and role-play or visualize using it in a difficult moment. Notice how you feel before and after.

Facilitate a short role-play or guided visualization of the chosen strategy.

Your Personalized Action Plan

Complete your plan with the Personal Action Plan Template. Be sure to include:

  • Chosen coping strategies
  • Support persons and resources
  • Daily self-care steps

Ensure the student includes concrete details: who, what, when, where.

Next Steps & Closing

  • Pick one action to practice before our next meeting.
  • Continue using your journal and worksheets.
  • We’ll schedule a follow-up to review how you’re doing.

Summarize progress, encourage practice, and set a follow-up.

lenny

Worksheet

Grief Understanding Handout

What Is Grief?

Grief is a natural response to loss. It can include a mix of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations as we adjust to a change or absence in our lives.

"Grief is ..."






The Five Common Stages of Grief

While everyone’s experience is unique (and you may move between stages in a different order), these are often described as:

  1. Shock & Denial
    – Feeling numb, having a hard time believing the loss happened.

  2. Anger
    – Feeling frustrated, resentful, or blaming others (or yourself).

  3. Bargaining
    – Thinking about “what if” or “if only” statements to reverse or lessen the loss.

  4. Depression
    – Experiencing deep sadness, withdrawal, changes in sleep or appetite.

  5. Acceptance
    – Finding a way forward, coming to terms with the reality of the loss.

(Note: You might revisit a stage more than once, and you may experience additional feelings not listed above.)

Reflection Prompts

  1. Which stage(s) have you noticed in yourself so far? Why do those stages feel most familiar?










  2. When did you first become aware of these emotions? Describe the moment or event.










  3. Is there a stage you haven’t experienced yet? What do you think that might mean for you right now?










  4. How could understanding these stages help you make sense of your feelings and plan healthy ways to cope?










  5. Any other thoughts or questions about grief? Use this space to write freely.












lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Coping Strategies Worksheet

Part 1: Explore Coping Categories

Below are different ways people cope with strong emotions. Read each category and examples, then reflect on how they might fit for you.

Creative (arts, writing, music): drawing, journaling, playing an instrument, songwriting

Physical (movement, body awareness): walking, stretching, deep breathing, yoga, dancing

Social (connection, support): talking with a friend, calling a family member, joining a support group, peer mentoring

Mindful & Relaxation (calm the mind): guided meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, listening to calming sounds, sensory exercises

  1. Which category feels most helpful or appealing to you right now? Why?











  2. Which category feels most challenging or unfamiliar? What might help you try it?












Part 2: Choose Your Strategies

Select 2–3 specific strategies (from any category above) that you feel you could realistically try. For each strategy, plan the details below.

Strategy 1

  • Name of strategy: _______________________________


  • Category (creative/physical/social/mindful): ____________________


  • When and where will you do this? _____________________________


  • Who or what will support you? _______________________________


  • How might this help you when you feel grief or stress? _________



Strategy 2

  • Name of strategy: _______________________________


  • Category (creative/physical/social/mindful): ____________________


  • When and where will you do this? _____________________________


  • Who or what will support you? _______________________________


  • How might this help you when you feel grief or stress? _________



(Optional) Strategy 3

  • Name of strategy: _______________________________


  • Category (creative/physical/social/mindful): ____________________


  • When and where will you do this? _____________________________


  • Who or what will support you? _______________________________


  • How might this help you when you feel grief or stress? _________



Part 3: Practice Plan

Choose one of your strategies to try first. Write your plan for the next time you notice strong emotions:

When (day/time): _______________________________________________



Where (location): _____________________________________________



Who will you tell (if anyone)? _________________________________



How will you know it helped? __________________________________






Part 4: Reflect After Trying It

After you try your strategy, revisit this section:

  1. How did you feel BEFORE using the strategy?



  2. How did you feel AFTER using the strategy?



  3. What worked well, and what could you adjust next time?










  4. Any other thoughts or observations?







lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Personal Action Plan Template

Part 1: My Chosen Coping Strategies

List the 2–3 strategies you selected and why they feel right for you.

  1. Strategy: _______________________________
    Why this strategy: ________________________



  2. Strategy: _______________________________
    Why this strategy: ________________________



  3. (Optional) Strategy: ______________________
    Why this strategy: ________________________





Part 2: Support & Resources

Identify people and resources you can use when you need extra help.

People I can turn to (name & how to contact):






Other resources (websites, books, groups):






Part 3: Daily Self-Care Steps

Choose three small, consistent actions to support your well-being each day.


2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________




Part 4: Action Plan for Tough Moments

Detail what you will do when you notice overwhelming feelings of grief or stress.

What I will do first (strategy & steps):







When & where I will do this:





Who I will ask for help (if needed):





Part 5: Tracking & Reflection

Set up a simple way to notice your progress and adjust as needed.

How I will know this is helping me:






Check-in schedule (day/time to review plan):





Notes or adjustments I might try:






lenny
lenny

Journal

Feelings Reflection Journal

Use this space to notice and explore your emotions. Write freely and honestly.

Date: ______________________



  1. How am I feeling today about my loss?






  2. What specific emotions (sadness, anger, confusion, etc.) have I noticed?






  3. What thoughts keep coming to mind when I think about this loss?






  4. What small thing helped me feel better today, even if just for a moment?






  5. What is one thing I can do tomorrow to care for myself and my feelings?






  6. Any other thoughts or memories I’d like to record here:










lenny
lenny