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Healing Hearts

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Zerica Bills

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Healing Hearts Lesson Plan

Students will identify common emotions associated with grief and practice a guided breathing strategy to manage difficult feelings, then reflect on their personal experiences.

Grief is a natural response to loss. This lesson builds emotional awareness, normalizes students’ feelings, and equips them with a simple coping tool to foster resilience and peer support.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, guided practice, and personal reflection

Materials

Grief Emotions Chart, Breathing Exercise Guide, Healing Hearts Reflection Template, Whiteboard and markers, and Sticky notes or paper

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

  • Print copies of Grief Emotions Chart, Breathing Exercise Guide, and Healing Hearts Reflection Template
  • Set up a whiteboard area titled "Feelings of Grief"
  • Review the breathing steps in the guide to ensure smooth instruction

Step 1

Hook: Emotions Brainstorm

2 minutes

  • Ask: “What words come to mind when you hear ‘grief’?”
  • Record student responses on the whiteboard under Feelings of Grief
  • Encourage 4–5 different emotional descriptors

Step 2

Introduce Grief Emotions

3 minutes

  • Distribute Grief Emotions Chart
  • Briefly explain common grief emotions (sadness, anger, confusion, relief, guilt)
  • Have students circle any emotion they’ve personally experienced

Step 3

Guided Coping Practice

5 minutes

  • Introduce the breathing technique using Breathing Exercise Guide
  • Lead the class: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 2, exhale for 6 (repeat 3 times)
  • Ask students to notice physical sensations as they breathe
  • Emphasize this tool can be used anytime they feel overwhelmed

Step 4

Reflection & Sharing

5 minutes

  • Hand out Healing Hearts Reflection Template
  • Students write:
    • One grief-related emotion they’ve felt recently
    • How it showed up in their body
    • Which breathing step felt most helpful
  • Invite 1–2 volunteers to share their reflections (optional)
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Slide Deck

Healing Hearts: Understanding Grief

A short lesson to recognize grief, share feelings, and learn a breathing tool for support.

Welcome students and introduce the lesson. Explain that today we’ll explore grief, recognize our feelings, and practice a simple coping strategy.

Hook: Emotions Brainstorm

What words come to mind when you hear “grief”?

[Space for student responses]

Ask: “What words come to mind when you hear ‘grief’?” Record 4–5 responses on the whiteboard under “Feelings of Grief.” Encourage every student to contribute at least one descriptor.

Common Grief Emotions

Take a look at the Grief Emotions Chart.

• Sadness • Anger • Confusion
• Relief • Guilt

Circle any emotion you’ve personally experienced.

Distribute the chart. Briefly explain each emotion (sadness, anger, confusion, relief, guilt). Ask students to circle any they’ve felt recently and notice what they think or feel as they do so.

Healing Hearts Breathing Exercise

Follow these steps using the Breathing Exercise Guide:

  1. Inhale slowly for 4 seconds
  2. Hold your breath for 2 seconds
  3. Exhale fully for 6 seconds

Repeat 3 times and notice your sensations.

Lead the breathing exercise step by step, modeling inhale-hold-exhale. Count out loud with the class: inhale for 4 seconds, hold 2, exhale 6. Repeat three times. Ask students to notice how their body feels afterward.

Reflection & Sharing

Using the Healing Hearts Reflection Template, write:

• One grief-related emotion you’ve felt recently
• How it showed up in your body
• Which breathing step felt most helpful

Hand out reflection templates. Give students 3 minutes to complete their responses. Then invite 1–2 volunteers to share if they feel comfortable.

Takeaway & Reminder

• Grief is a normal response to loss
• You’re not alone in your feelings
• Use this breathing exercise anytime you need calm

Summarize key points: grief is natural, emotions vary, and breathing can help when feelings feel overwhelming. Encourage students to use this tool whenever they need it and support one another.

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Worksheet

Grief Emotions Chart

Circle any emotion you’ve personally experienced:

EmotionFelt?
Sadness○
Anger○
Confusion○
Relief○
Guilt○
Other: ____________○


Add any other grief-related emotions you’ve felt below:







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Worksheet

Breathing Exercise Guide

How to Breathe with Healing Hearts

  1. Get comfortable. Sit upright in your chair with both feet flat on the floor. Rest your hands gently on your lap.


  1. Inhale slowly for 4 seconds. Breathe in through your nose, feeling your belly expand like a balloon. Count in your head: 1…2…3…4.


  1. Hold your breath for 2 seconds. Keep the air in, counting 1…2. Notice the stillness.


  1. Exhale fully for 6 seconds. Breathe out through your mouth, letting your belly deflate. Count: 1…2…3…4…5…6.


  1. Repeat 3 times. Continue steps 2–4, paying attention to how your body feels each round.


Notice & Reflect

After you finish:

  • How do your shoulders feel?


  • What do you notice in your chest or belly?


  • Which step was easiest?


  • Which felt most challenging?


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Worksheet

Healing Hearts Reflection Template

Use this template to reflect on your feelings, bodily sensations, and the breathing exercise. Write your responses in the space below each prompt.

  1. One grief-related emotion I’ve felt recently and what caused it:






  1. How I noticed this emotion in my body (for example, tight shoulders, racing heart, stomach ache):






  1. The breathing step I found most helpful and why (inhale, hold, or exhale):






  1. How I might use this breathing strategy in the future when I feel grief or other strong emotions:






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Cool Down

Healing Hearts Cool Down

Take a moment to reflect and share your key takeaways. Write your responses below each prompt.

  1. One emotion I’m feeling right now after today’s lesson:



  1. One thing I learned about grief or emotions today:



  1. One way I’ll use the breathing exercise in the future when I feel overwhelmed:



  1. (Optional) A question or thought I still have:


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