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Helping Our Sad Hearts

Lesson Plan

Helping Our Sad Hearts Lesson Plan

Students will understand grief as a natural response to loss, expand their sadness-related vocabulary, practice healthy coping strategies, and learn to empathically support peers experiencing sadness.

Introducing grief awareness helps first graders recognize and articulate sadness, fosters emotional intelligence, and builds a supportive classroom community where students feel safe expressing big emotions together.

Audience

1st Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Story, discussion, and expressive art activity

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Introduction to Grief

5 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle.
  • Ask: "Have you ever felt really sad? What made you feel sad?"
  • Introduce the term grief as missing someone or something important.
  • Show Sadness Vocabulary Cards and discuss words like lonely, upset, and heavy.
  • For students who need support, offer sentence starter: "I feel ___ when ___."

Step 2

Story Time and Discussion

8 minutes

  • Read Story: Max and the Missing Teddy.
  • Pause after key moments to ask: "How do you think Max feels? Have you felt this way?"
  • Encourage students to point to vocabulary cards matching Max’s feelings.

Step 3

Coping Strategies Brainstorm

7 minutes

  • Display Coping Strategies Chart.
  • Invite students to suggest safe ways to express sadness (e.g., drawing, talking, hugging).
  • Write student ideas on the chart.
  • Offer prompts: "When I feel sad, I can ___."

Step 4

Art Activity: Expressing Sadness

8 minutes

  • Distribute Heart Template Worksheet.
  • Ask students to draw or write one healthy way they can cope with sadness inside the heart.
  • Provide crayons/markers for decoration.
  • Support students needing assistance with writing or drawing.

Step 5

Sharing and Support Pledge

2 minutes

  • Invite volunteers to share their heart drawings.
  • Ask students to turn to a neighbor and say, "I’m here for you."
  • Close by asking class to nod if they will support classmates who feel sad.
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Slide Deck

Helping Our Sad Hearts

Learning about feelings and supporting friends

Welcome students! Today, we’re going to learn about big feelings—especially sadness—and how to help ourselves and our friends when our hearts feel heavy.

What Is Grief?

Grief is the feeling of sadness when we miss someone or something we love.

Begin by asking: “Has anyone ever felt really sad? What made you feel sad?” Introduce the word grief: when you miss someone or something you love, it’s called grief.

Words for Sadness

  • Lonely
  • Upset
  • Heavy
  • Blue
  • Tearful

Show each word. Ask students to point or raise a hand if they’ve ever felt that way. Encourage them to share a quick example.

Story Time: Max and the Missing Teddy

“Max wakes up and his teddy is gone. He feels heavy in his chest and his eyes start to water.”

Ask: How do you think Max feels?

Read this excerpt from our story. Pause after reading to ask: “How do you think Max feels? Have you ever felt this way?”

Coping Strategies

  • Drawing a picture
  • Talking to a friend or adult
  • Hugging a stuffed animal
  • Taking deep breaths
  • Listening to music

Display the Coping Strategies Chart. Invite students to share safe, helpful ways to express sadness. Write their ideas on the board or chart.

Art Activity: Express Your Heart

Draw or write one healthy way you can cope with sadness inside this heart template.

Hand out the Heart Template Worksheet. Explain: “Inside your heart, draw or write one healthy way you can cope with sadness.” Circulate to support writing or drawing.

Sharing & Support Pledge

Turn to a friend and say, “I’m here for you.”

Let’s all nod if we will support each other when we feel sad.

Invite a few volunteers to share their heart drawings. Then ask students to turn to a neighbor and say, “I’m here for you.” Finish by having the class nod if they promise to support each other.

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Reading

Story: Max and the Missing Teddy

One sunny morning, Max hopped out of bed and reached for his favorite teddy bear. But Teddy wasn’t there! Max’s chest felt heavy and his heart felt tight. He looked on his pillow, under his blanket, and around the room. Still no Teddy.

Max stood up and whispered, “I miss you, Teddy.” His eyes felt wet and tears pricked the corners. He felt lonely and upset. Max remembered how his mom always helps him when he feels sad. He tiptoed to the kitchen and said softly, “Mom, Teddy is gone.”

Mom wrapped Max in a big, warm hug. “I’m here for you,” she said. Max took a deep breath. He and Mom searched the living room, the laundry room, and even the backyard. Finally, Max peeked inside the laundry basket—and there was Teddy, smiling back at him, even if he was a little damp.

Max grinned and hugged Teddy tight. His heart felt light again. He knew that it was okay to feel sad, and that asking for help could bring comfort and hope.

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Worksheet

Heart Template Worksheet

Inside the heart below, draw or write one healthy way you can cope with sadness.

  _____
 /     \
/       \
\       /
 \_____/










My healthy coping strategy is: ____________________________





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Activity

Sadness Vocabulary Cards

Use these cards to help students learn words for sadness. Each card shows a word, a simple definition, and space for an image or drawing.

Lonely

Definition: When you feel alone or like no one is with you.

[Draw or paste an image of a child looking by themselves]



Upset

Definition: When something makes you feel unhappy or bothered.

[Draw or paste an image of a child frowning or crossing arms]



Heavy

Definition: When your chest feels full like a big weight is sitting on it.

[Draw or paste an image of a child holding their chest]



Blue

Definition: Another way to say feeling sad and down.

[Draw or paste an image of a child with blue-tinted face or teardrop]



Tearful

Definition: When tears come to your eyes because you feel sad.

[Draw or paste an image of a child wiping a tear]



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Activity

Coping Strategies Chart

When we feel sad or upset, there are healthy ways we can help our hearts feel better. Let’s brainstorm together and write our ideas below!

More ideas:






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Helping Our Sad Hearts • Lenny Learning