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Healing Hearts: Coping With Loss

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tyler.hackett1

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Healing Hearts: Coping With Loss

Students will be able to identify and express different emotions associated with loss and learn healthy coping mechanisms to manage these feelings.

Losing a loved one is a profoundly challenging experience, and helping students develop emotional literacy and coping skills is vital for their mental well-being and ability to navigate grief in a healthy way. This lesson provides a foundational understanding and safe space for expression.

Audience

5th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Discussion, guided reflection, and collaborative activity.

Materials

Whiteboard or Projector, Markers or Pens, Slide Deck: Understanding Our Feelings, Teacher Script: Healing Hearts, Warm-Up: How Are We Feeling Today?, Game: Emotion & Action Match-Up, and Cool Down: One Word Reflection

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Review the Healing Hearts: Coping With Loss Lesson Plan and all generated materials.
    - Ensure whiteboard or projector is ready for the Slide Deck: Understanding Our Feelings.
    - Print or prepare for digital distribution the Game: Emotion & Action Match-Up materials (emotion and coping strategy cards/list).
    - Prepare markers or pens for students.

Step 1

Warm-Up: How Are We Feeling Today?

5 minutes

  1. Begin by displaying the Warm-Up: How Are We Feeling Today? on the board.
    2. Invite students to silently reflect on how they are feeling today. Emphasize that all feelings are okay.
    3. Ask a few volunteers to share one word that describes their current feeling, without elaborating. The teacher should model this first.
    4. Transition by stating that today we will talk about how to understand and manage our feelings, especially when dealing with tough times like losing someone important.

Step 2

Understanding Our Feelings About Loss

10 minutes

  1. Present the Slide Deck: Understanding Our Feelings, guiding students through the slides using the Teacher Script: Healing Hearts.
    2. Focus on acknowledging that loss can bring many different, sometimes confusing, emotions.
    3. Facilitate a brief, guided discussion based on the slides, encouraging students to share (if they feel comfortable) how different situations might make people feel, without requiring personal disclosures about loss. Emphasize empathy and listening.

Step 3

Game: Emotion & Action Match-Up

10 minutes

  1. Introduce the Game: Emotion & Action Match-Up.
    2. Explain that the class will work together to match different emotions with healthy coping strategies.
    3. Follow the game instructions, presenting emotion cards and prompting students to identify and discuss appropriate coping strategies. Encourage participation and reinforce that different strategies work for different people.
    4. Facilitate a brief discussion after a few rounds, highlighting the variety of ways to manage feelings.

Step 4

Cool Down: One Word Reflection

5 minutes

  1. Conclude the session with the Cool Down: One Word Reflection.
    2. Ask students to reflect on one new thing they learned or one feeling they are taking away from the session.
    3. Have each student write down one word or draw a small symbol on a sticky note (or piece of paper) and place it on a designated area as they leave, or share it verbally if time permits and students are comfortable. Reiterate that their feelings are valid and support is available.
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Slide Deck

Welcome to Healing Hearts

Today, we're going to talk about something really important: our feelings and how to take care of them, especially when we've experienced something difficult like a loss. We all have feelings, and they're all okay to have. This is a safe space to explore them together.

Ready to begin?

Welcome students. Set a calm and understanding tone. Briefly explain the purpose of the session – to talk about our feelings, especially when things are tough.

What Are Feelings?

Feelings are like messages from our bodies and minds. They tell us what's happening inside.

When someone we love is gone, we can feel many different things.

  • Sadness
  • Confusion
  • Anger
  • Loneliness
  • Even feeling nothing at all sometimes

All these feelings are normal and part of being human.

Introduce the idea that many feelings can come with loss. It's not just sadness. Ask students what other feelings they might imagine someone having. Use open-ended questions to encourage reflection without demanding personal disclosure.

Feelings Can Be Like Waves

Sometimes feelings can feel like big, strong waves, crashing over us.

Other times, they might be small ripples, gentle and quiet.

And just like waves, feelings can come and go. One moment you might feel sad, and the next, a little bit okay. That's totally normal.

Explain that feelings can be big or small, and they can change. Emphasize that it's okay for feelings to come and go, and that there's no "right" way to feel.

Managing Our Waves: Coping Skills

When big feelings come, it's important to have ways to manage them. These are called coping skills or coping tools.

Think of them as tools in your emotional toolbox that help you feel a bit more calm or in control.

What are some things that help you when you feel a strong emotion?

Introduce the concept of coping mechanisms. Ask students, "When you feel a big emotion, what helps you feel a little better?" Brainstorm a few ideas before moving to the next slide.

Your Emotional Toolbox

Here are some ideas for your toolbox:

  • Talking to a trusted adult (parent, teacher, counselor)
  • Drawing or writing in a journal
  • Listening to music
  • Playing outside or exercising
  • Spending time with friends or family
  • Taking deep breaths
  • Cuddling a pet

What other tools can you think of?

Show examples of healthy coping mechanisms. Reinforce that different things work for different people. Encourage students to think about what works for them.

Remember, You Are Not Alone

It's brave to feel, and it's brave to ask for help.

  • Your feelings are valid.
  • It's okay to feel many different things.
  • You have coping tools to help you.
  • There are always people who care about you and want to help.

Let's continue to support each other.

Summarize the key takeaway: feelings are normal, and we have tools to manage them. Reassure students that they are not alone and that support is available.

lenny

Script

Healing Hearts: Coping With Loss - Teacher Script

Warm-Up: How Are We Feeling Today? (5 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon everyone. Let's start our time together today by checking in with ourselves. I want everyone to take a moment to think about how you are feeling right now, in this very moment. You don't have to share it out loud yet, just think about it."

"Now, I'm going to share one word that describes how I'm feeling: calm. Does anyone else feel comfortable sharing just one word about how they're feeling today? Remember, there are no right or wrong feelings. All feelings are okay."

Allow 2-3 volunteers to share a single word. Do not press students who are reluctant to share.

"Thank you for sharing. Today, we're going to talk more about our feelings, especially the big ones, and how we can learn to understand and manage them, especially when we've gone through something difficult, like losing someone important to us."

Understanding Our Feelings About Loss (10 minutes)

Display Slide Deck: Understanding Our Feelings - Slide 1: Welcome to Healing Hearts

"Welcome everyone to our 'Healing Hearts' session. Today, we're going to have an important conversation about our feelings. We all have feelings, and it's important to remember that all feelings are okay to have, especially when we're dealing with something tough. This classroom is a safe space for us to explore these emotions together."

Advance to Slide 2: What Are Feelings?

"So, what are feelings? Feelings are like messages that our bodies and minds send us. They tell us what's happening inside. When someone we care about is no longer with us, it's very common to feel many, many different things. Who can tell me some feelings you might have when you miss someone?"
Listen for responses like sadness, anger, confusion, loneliness, emptiness. Affirm all contributions and add any not mentioned.
"Yes, you might feel sadness, confusion, anger, or even a bit lonely. Sometimes, you might even feel nothing at all, and that's okay too. All these feelings are completely normal and are a part of being human."

Advance to Slide 3: Feelings Can Be Like Waves

"I like to think of feelings like waves in the ocean. Sometimes they can feel really big and strong, crashing over us and making us feel overwhelmed. Other times, they might be small ripples, gentle and quiet. And just like waves, feelings can come and go. One moment you might feel really sad, and the next, you might feel a little bit okay, or even happy about something else. It's totally normal for your feelings to change, and for big feelings to pass."

Advance to Slide 4: Managing Our Waves: Coping Skills

"When those big feelings come, it's really important to have ways to manage them. These are what we call coping skills or coping tools. Think of them like tools in a special emotional toolbox that you carry with you. These tools can help you feel a bit more calm, or a little more in control when those big waves of emotion hit. Does anyone have an idea of something they do that helps them when they feel a strong emotion?"
Allow a few students to share. Guide them towards healthy coping strategies if their suggestions are not. For example, if a student says 'play video games,' acknowledge it but also ask, 'Does that make the feeling go away, or just distract you for a bit? What helps you really process it?'

Advance to Slide 5: Your Emotional Toolbox

"That's great thinking! Here are some other ideas that can be in your emotional toolbox: talking to a trusted adult – like a parent, a teacher, or a counselor; drawing or writing in a journal about your feelings; listening to your favorite music; playing outside or doing some exercise; spending time with friends or family who make you feel good; taking some slow, deep breaths; or even cuddling a pet if you have one. What other tools can you think of that could go into our toolbox?"
Encourage more ideas from students. Write a few on the board if time permits.

Game: Emotion & Action Match-Up (10 minutes)

"Alright, now let's play a game called 'Emotion & Action Match-Up'! I've prepared some cards with different emotions and some cards with coping strategies. Our goal is to work together to match an emotion with a healthy action or tool we can use to help ourselves. This helps us practice what to do when big feelings come."

"I'll show an Emotion Card, like 'SAD'. Then, I want you to think about what coping strategy you might use. We can discuss as a class, or in small groups if that works better. What 'Action' card would you choose for 'SAD' and why?"

Present a few emotion cards. Guide students through matching them with coping strategy cards and discussing their reasoning. Ensure to affirm all healthy strategies and encourage a variety of responses. For example, if a student says 'Angry', discuss strategies like 'Take deep breaths' or 'Talk to a trusted adult.'

"Great job, everyone! It's clear there are many different healthy ways to handle our feelings, and what works best might be different for each of us."

Cool Down: One Word Reflection (5 minutes)

Display Cool Down: One Word Reflection

"We're almost at the end of our session today. Before we go, I want everyone to take one last moment to reflect. Think about one new thing you learned today, or one feeling you're taking away from our discussion. I'd like you to either write down one word that represents that reflection on a sticky note or a small piece of paper, or if you feel comfortable, share it out loud with the class. This isn't a test; it's just a way to check in with ourselves one more time."
If using sticky notes, have a designated spot for students to place them. If sharing verbally, go around the room quickly, allowing students to pass if they wish.

"Thank you all for being so thoughtful and brave today. Remember, your feelings are always valid, it's okay to feel many different things, and you have coping tools to help you. And most importantly, there are always people who care about you and want to help, including me. If you ever need to talk more, please know my door is always open."

lenny
lenny

Warm Up

Warm-Up: How Are We Feeling Today?

Instructions: Take a moment to silently reflect on how you are feeling right now. Choose one word that describes your current feeling. You may be asked to share your word with the class.




My Word: ________________________

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lenny

Game

Game: Emotion & Action Match-Up

Objective: To connect different feelings with healthy ways to cope.

Materials:

  • Emotion Cards: (Teacher prepares or writes on board) e.g., SAD, ANGRY, CONFUSED, LONELY, FRUSTRATED, WORRIED
  • Coping Strategy Cards: (Teacher prepares or writes on board) e.g., Talk to a trusted adult, Draw a picture, Listen to music, Take 5 deep breaths, Go for a walk/play outside, Write in a journal, Cuddle a pet, Ask for help

Instructions:

  1. The teacher will show an Emotion Card (or write an emotion on the board).
  2. As a class, or in small groups (if time allows), brainstorm or choose a Coping Strategy Card that helps manage that emotion.
  3. Discuss why that coping strategy might be helpful for that particular emotion.
  4. Repeat with different emotion cards.

Example:

  • Emotion Card: SAD
  • Coping Strategy Ideas: Talk to a trusted adult, Listen to music, Draw a picture
  • Discussion Point:
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lenny

Cool Down

Cool Down: One Word Reflection

Instructions: Think about our session today. What is one word that describes:

  • Something new you learned?
  • How you are feeling now?
  • One important idea you will remember?

Write your word below, or be ready to share it with the class.




My Reflection Word: ________________________

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lenny