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Weathering Loss Together

Lesson Plan

Weathering Loss Together

Students will identify and express feelings related to grief, share personal experiences, and develop at least three healthy coping strategies to support themselves and peers.

Teaching healthy grief coping helps students understand and manage complex emotions, fosters peer empathy, and builds resilience. This safe space supports emotional well-being and reduces isolation after loss.

Audience

5th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Discussion, creative activity, and reflection

Materials

Poster paper, Markers, Grief Emotion Cards, Grief Reflection Worksheet, and Group Guidelines Chart

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print enough copies of Grief Reflection Worksheet for all students
  • Create and shuffle a deck of Grief Emotion Cards depicting common grief-related feelings (sadness, confusion, anger, relief, etc.)
  • Display or print the Group Guidelines Chart and post it at eye level
  • Arrange seating in a circle to foster open discussion
  • Review all materials and anticipate any student accommodations (e.g., drawing instead of writing)

Step 1

Introduction and Establishing Safety

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain the goal: to explore grief and healthy coping strategies in a respectful space
  • Review the Group Guidelines Chart: confidentiality, active listening, respect, and no judgment
  • Model a brief example: share one word to describe how you feel when sad
  • Invite students to share ground rules or add to the chart

Step 2

Emotion Sharing Activity

8 minutes

  • Distribute the Grief Emotion Cards face down; each student picks one at random
  • Ask students to name the emotion on their card and, if comfortable, share a time they experienced it related to loss
  • Offer drawing or writing on a blank card for students who prefer non-verbal expression (differentiation)
  • Emphasize peer support: after each share, others can offer a supportive phrase ("I hear you," "That sounds tough")

Step 3

Coping Strategies Collage

10 minutes

  • Provide poster paper and markers to each student
  • Instruct students to illustrate or list at least three coping strategies they find helpful when dealing with grief (e.g., talking to a friend, journaling, deep breathing)
  • Encourage creativity: words, images, or symbols all work (offer sentence starters like "I can cope by...")
  • Circulate to support students who may need prompts or one-on-one encouragement

Step 4

Group Reflection and Closure

7 minutes

  • Invite volunteers to share one coping strategy from their collage and how it helps them
  • Summarize key takeaways: naming feelings, supporting peers, and using healthy strategies
  • Encourage students to keep their collages as reminders and to practice at home
  • Close with a brief deep-breathing exercise: inhale for four, exhale for four
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Slide Deck

Weathering Loss Together

• A 30-minute group session for 5th graders
• Explore feelings around grief
• Learn and share healthy coping strategies

Welcome students to the session. Introduce yourself and briefly explain that today’s goal is to explore grief and learn healthy ways to cope together. Remind them of confidentiality and that this is a safe space.

Session Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

  1. Identify and express feelings related to grief
  2. Share personal experiences (if comfortable)
  3. Develop at least three healthy coping strategies to support themselves and peers

Read aloud the objectives. Emphasize that there’s no right or wrong feeling. Encourage honesty and remind students they can pass or draw if they prefer.

Group Guidelines

  1. Confidentiality: What’s shared here stays here
  2. Active Listening: Pay full attention to the speaker
  3. Respect: Be kind and use supportive language
  4. No Judgment: All feelings are valid
  5. Participation at Comfort Level: You may pass or draw

Go over each guideline and invite students to add any others they think are important. Post the chart prominently.

Emotion Sharing Activity

  1. Pick one Grief Emotion Card
  2. Name the emotion on your card
  3. (Optional) Share a time you felt this way
  4. Peers respond with a supportive phrase (e.g., “I hear you,” “That sounds tough”)

Provide each student with a Grief Emotion Card face down. Model sharing your own example. Prompt supportive responses after each share.

Coping Strategies Collage

• Illustrate or list at least three healthy ways to cope with grief
• Use words, images, or symbols
• Examples: talking to a friend, journaling, deep breathing
• Sentence starter: “I can cope by…”

Distribute poster paper and markers. Circulate to prompt students who need help generating ideas. Offer sentence starters if needed.

Group Reflection & Closure

  1. Volunteers share one coping strategy and how it helps
  2. Review key points:
    – Naming feelings
    – Supporting peers
    – Practicing healthy strategies
  3. Deep-Breathing Exercise:
    • Inhale for 4 counts
    • Exhale for 4 counts

Invite volunteers to share one strategy from their collage. Summarize the main takeaways and lead the deep-breathing exercise. Thank students for their participation.

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Activity

Grief Emotion Cards

These cards are used during the Emotion Sharing Activity. Each card lists a common emotion related to grief. A few blank cards are included for students to draw or write their own experiences.

Instructions for Teacher:

  • Shuffle the deck of cards and distribute them face down.
  • Students pick one card, read the emotion aloud, and (if they wish) share a time they felt that way related to loss.
  • Blank cards allow non-verbal expression through drawing or writing.

Cards (Emotions):

  • Sadness

  • Confusion

  • Anger

  • Relief

  • Guilt

  • Loneliness

  • Fear

  • Acceptance

  • Hope

  • Anxiety

  • Numbness

  • Love

  • (Blank Card – Draw or Write Your Own)

  • (Blank Card – Draw or Write Your Own)

  • (Blank Card – Draw or Write Your Own)

  • (Blank Card – Draw or Write Your Own)
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Worksheet

Grief Reflection Worksheet

Name: ____________________________ Date: ________________

Part 1: Exploring an Emotion

  1. Emotion I explored from the Grief Emotion Cards:
    ___________________________________________________________


  2. Describe a time you felt this way related to a loss. What happened? How did you feel? What helped you then?






Part 2: Coping Strategies

  1. List three healthy coping strategies you discovered today:
    a. ________________________________



    b. ________________________________



    c. ________________________________


  2. Which one of these strategies do you think will help you the most? Explain why:











Part 3: Supporting Others

Write a caring message you could share with a friend who is grieving. Use kind, supportive words:











Part 4: Drawing for Healing

Use the space below to draw a symbol, image, or picture that represents hope or healing for you. (Feel free to use words, colors, or shapes.)
































Part 5: Deep-Breathing Reflection

We practiced inhaling for 4 counts and exhaling for 4 counts. How did this exercise make you feel? (Check any that apply and add your own.)

[ ] Calmer
[ ] More focused
[ ] Relaxed
[ ] Still upset
[ ] Other: _________________________


When you feel overwhelmed by grief in the future, what is one thing you can do right away to help yourself cope?






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Activity

Group Guidelines Chart

  1. Confidentiality: What’s shared here stays here.
  2. Active Listening: Give your full attention when someone is speaking.
  3. Respect: Use kind words and honor everyone’s feelings.
  4. No Judgment: All emotions are valid—no teasing or criticism.
  5. Participation at Comfort Level: You may share, pass, or draw.

Student-Added Guidelines

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