Grief: Our Shared Journey

maribel gonzalez

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Students will explore the nature of grief, recognize common emotions, and practice healthy coping strategies through discussion, collaborative activities, and personal reflection.

Understanding grief builds emotional literacy and resilience. This lesson helps students identify feelings, empathize with peers, and develop positive ways to process loss.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided discussion, group work, and journaling.

Materials

Grief Reflection Worksheet, - Emotion Wheel Chart, - Group Discussion Prompt Cards, - Chart Paper and Markers, - Personal Journals or Writing Paper, - Pencils or Pens, and - Sticky Notes

Prep

Organize Materials and Review Content

10 minutes

Print enough copies of Grief Reflection Worksheet and Group Discussion Prompt Cards for each student.
Prepare the Emotion Wheel Chart on chart paper or display digitally.
Arrange chart paper and markers for the coping strategies activity.
Ensure journals or writing paper, sticky notes, and pens are accessible.
Review lesson objectives and familiarize yourself with healthy coping examples.

Step 1

Warm-Up

5 minutes

Greet the class and introduce today’s topic: grief as a shared experience.
Invite students to silently recall a time they felt sad or lost something meaningful.
Ask 2–3 volunteers to share brief, age-appropriate examples to create a supportive atmosphere.

Step 2

Introduction to Grief

5 minutes

Define grief: a natural emotional response to any kind of loss.
Emphasize that grief can involve many emotions and looks different for everyone.
Display the Emotion Wheel Chart and highlight emotions often connected to grief.

Step 3

Group Discussion

8 minutes

Divide students into groups of 3–4 and distribute Group Discussion Prompt Cards.
Instruct groups to discuss prompts like “What emotions arise after losing a pet?” or “How can talking help someone who is grieving?”
Circulate to encourage thoughtful sharing and ensure a respectful environment.

Step 4

Coping Strategies Activity

7 minutes

Post two columns on chart paper labeled “Healthy Coping” and “Unhealthy Coping.”
Ask each group to contribute one idea to each column and write it on the chart.
Facilitate a brief class conversation on why healthy strategies (e.g., talking, drawing) aid healing and why unhealthy ones (e.g., isolation) may cause harm.

Step 5

Reflection Journaling

3 minutes

Hand out the Grief Reflection Worksheet.
Invite students to privately write about a personal loss and one healthy coping strategy they can use.
Remind them that sharing is optional and their responses remain confidential.

Step 6

Cool-Down and Closure

2 minutes

Give each student a sticky note to write one word describing how they feel now.
Collect and read a few aloud to normalize diverse emotions.
Summarize key takeaways: grief is normal, sharing helps, and healthy coping supports well-being.
Thank students for their participation and honesty.

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Slide Deck

Grief: Our Shared Journey

7th Grade | 30 Minutes

Objectives:

Explore the nature of grief
Recognize common emotions
Practice healthy coping strategies

Welcome students and introduce the lesson title. Explain that we’ll learn what grief is, why we all experience it, and how to cope in healthy ways.

Warm-Up

• Recall a time you felt sad or lost something meaningful.
• Volunteers share brief, age-appropriate examples.
• Create a supportive, respectful atmosphere.

Lead the Warm-Up. Ask students to silently recall a time they felt sad or experienced any loss. Invite 2–3 volunteers to share a brief example. Emphasize respect and confidentiality.

What Is Grief?

• Grief = a natural emotional response to any loss
• Can include sadness, anger, confusion, loneliness
• Everyone experiences grief differently

Define grief. Stress that it’s a normal emotional response to loss of any kind (pet, friend, routine). Encourage empathy by noting everyone’s experience looks different.

Exploring Emotions

Use the Emotion Wheel Chart to:
• Identify emotions linked to grief
• Notice how feelings can overlap
• Understand it’s normal to experience many emotions

Display or distribute the Emotion Wheel Chart. Highlight common grief-related emotions (e.g., sadness, anxiety, guilt). Encourage students to point out feelings they recognize.

Group Discussion

• In groups of 3–4 with Prompt Cards
• Discuss questions like:
– What emotions arise after losing a pet?
– How can talking help someone who is grieving?
• Share key takeaways with the class

Explain group procedure. Divide into groups of 3–4, hand out Prompt Cards, and encourage respectful listening. Walk around, prompt deeper thinking, and keep time.

Coping Strategies Activity

On chart paper, list examples under:
• Healthy Coping (e.g., talking, drawing, exercise)
• Unhealthy Coping (e.g., isolation, ignoring feelings)
Discuss why healthy strategies help.

Set up two columns on chart paper: Healthy Coping and Unhealthy Coping. Ask each group to contribute one idea to each column. Guide discussion on why healthy methods support healing.

Reflection Journaling

• Write about a personal loss
• Name one healthy coping strategy you can use
• Responses remain private unless you choose to share

Distribute the Grief Reflection Worksheet. Remind students they can write privately and sharing is optional. Circulate to offer quiet support if needed.

Cool-Down & Closure

• On a sticky note, write one word describing how you feel now
• Read a few aloud (anonymously)
• Key takeaways:
– Grief is normal
– Sharing emotions helps
– Healthy coping supports healing

Close the lesson by normalizing all feelings. Invite students to write one word on a sticky note, collect and read a few. Reinforce key takeaways and thank them for their honesty.

Worksheet

Grief Reflection Worksheet

Instructions: This is your private space. Reflect honestly and take your time.

1. Remembering a Loss

Briefly describe a loss you have experienced (a pet, a friendship, a change, etc.):

2. Identifying Emotions

List up to three emotions you felt during or after this experience:
Using the Emotion Wheel Chart, circle the emotions that best match your feelings.

3. Healthy Coping Strategy

Choose one healthy coping strategy (for example: talking to someone, drawing, writing, exercise) that you think would help you:
Describe a plan for how you will use this strategy in the future:

4. Support Network

List two or three people (friends, family, teachers) you trust to talk to when you feel sad or overwhelmed:

5. Reflection

How do you expect practicing this coping strategy will help you cope with grief?

Discussion

Group Discussion Prompt Cards

Use these prompt cards in small groups (3–4 students per group). Each student picks a card, reads the prompt aloud, and the group discusses:

Sharing a Sad Moment
Describe a time you felt sad after losing something or someone. What emotions did you notice first?
Emotions of Grief
What emotions might someone experience after losing a pet, a friendship, or a familiar routine? Why do you think these emotions come up?
Talking It Out
How can talking to a friend, family member, or teacher help someone who is grieving? What might you say to show you care?
Creative Expression
What are some creative ways to express grief (drawing, writing, music, etc.)? How could these activities help someone feel better?
Healthy vs. Unhealthy Coping
List one healthy coping strategy and one unhealthy strategy. Why is one helpful and the other harmful?
Support Systems
Who can you trust to talk to when you feel overwhelmed by grief? How would you approach them for help?
Showing Empathy
If you noticed a classmate looking sad or withdrawn, what could you do or say to show empathy and support?
Remembering Positive Moments
Why is it important to remember positive memories of what we’ve lost? How can this practice help with healing?
Self-Care Practices
What self-care activities (exercise, meditation, hobbies) can support you during tough times? Which one would you try?
Looking Ahead
How can practicing healthy coping strategies now help you deal with future challenges or losses?

Reading

Emotion Wheel Chart

Instructions: Use this chart to help you identify and name feelings you might experience during grief. Circle or highlight the words that best describe how you feel.

Core Emotion	Related Feelings
Joy	happy, content, excited, peaceful, hopeful
Sadness	lonely, disappointed, hurt, grieving, empty
Anger	annoyed, frustrated, irritated, furious, resentful
Fear	scared, worried, anxious, nervous, overwhelmed
Surprise	shocked, astonished, amazed, curious, stunned
Disgust	repulsed, revolted, offended, grossed out, frustrated

How to use:

Look at each core emotion and its related feelings.
Circle the words that match what you’re experiencing.
If you don’t see a feeling that fits, write your own feeling word next to the nearest emotion category.

Extension (optional):
Next to each circled word, draw a small symbol or color dot to show how strongly you feel it. For example, a big, dark dot for strong feelings and a small, light dot for milder feelings.