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When Sadness Visits

Lesson Plan

When Sadness Visits

Students will identify and express feelings of grief, honor memories by creating a memory tree, and practice at least one healthy coping strategy to manage sadness.

This lesson helps students develop emotional literacy, build empathy, and learn resilience by providing safe ways to process grief, share memories, and discover coping strategies that support their mental well-being.

Audience

3rd Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Hands-on sharing and guided practice of coping skills.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Feelings Check-In

5 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle in the Comfort Corner.
  • Distribute Emotion Expression Cards and have each student pick a card that matches their current feeling.
  • Ask volunteers to share why they chose that emotion.

Step 2

Memory Tree Sharing

10 minutes

  • Introduce the concept of a memory tree: drawing leaves to honor memories of someone or something they miss.
  • Distribute the Memory Tree Printable.
  • Students draw or write a memory on a leaf and attach it to their tree.
  • Invite a few students to share their leaves with the group.

Step 3

Exploring Coping Strategies

10 minutes

  • Present the Grief Coping Strategies Chart and review each strategy (talking, drawing, music, deep breathing).
  • Ask students to choose one strategy they would like to try.
  • Model the chosen strategy (e.g., 3 deep breaths or a short drawing prompt) and guide students in practicing.

Step 4

Calm Down and Reflection

5 minutes

  • Have students select a comfort object from the Comfort Corner.
  • Guide a brief calming practice (light stretching or soft music).
  • Close with a circle share: one thing they learned or felt comforted by today.
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Slide Deck

When Sadness Visits

Welcome to our lesson on dealing with grief and sadness.

Today we’ll:
• Check in on how we feel
• Honor memories with a Memory Tree
• Explore and practice coping strategies
• Calm down and reflect

Welcome students warmly and introduce the purpose of today’s lesson: learning healthy ways to cope when we feel sad or miss someone.

Feelings Check-In

  1. Sit together in our Comfort Corner.
  2. Each student picks an Emotion Expression Card.
  3. Share why you chose that card.

Gather students in a circle. Remind them that all feelings are okay and it’s safe to share here.

What Are Emotion Expression Cards?

• Cards showing faces and feeling words (happy, sad, angry, etc.)
• Help us find the right word for our emotions
• Use them to start talking about how we feel

Show a few example cards on screen. Encourage students to name their feeling and one reason behind it.

What Is a Memory Tree?

A Memory Tree helps us remember people or times we miss by writing or drawing memories on "leaves" and adding them to our tree.

Explain the Memory Tree concept before showing the printable. Emphasize honoring happy memories as well as sad ones.

Memory Tree Activity

  1. Take your Memory Tree Printable and some colored pencils.
  2. Draw or write one happy or special memory on a leaf.
  3. Attach the leaf to your tree.
  4. Volunteers share one memory.

Distribute the Memory Tree Printable. Model drawing a leaf and labeling it.

Exploring Coping Strategies

We all need ways to feel better when we’re sad. Let’s look at some healthy strategies from our chart.

Introduce coping strategies gently. Encourage students to think of times they’ve used any of these before.

Grief Coping Strategies Chart

• Talk with a friend or adult
• Draw or write about feelings
• Listen to or play music
• Take deep breaths

Choose one you’d like to try.

Display the chart clearly. Briefly describe each strategy: talking, drawing, music, deep breathing.

Try a Coping Strategy

  1. Pick one strategy from the chart.
  2. I’ll model it (e.g., 3 deep breaths).
  3. Everyone practices together.

Invite a volunteer to lead a short demonstration of their chosen strategy, then guide the group through it.

Calm Down and Reflection

  1. Choose a Comfort Corner object (stuffed animal, blanket).
  2. Follow a short calming practice (stretch or soft music).
  3. Share one thing that felt comforting today.

Guide students to pick a comfort object (toy, blanket) and lead a calm stretch or play soft music.

Takeaway and Next Steps

• Remember your Memory Tree and coping strategies at home.
• Use your Emotion Cards to share how you feel.
• Talk with family, friends, or teachers when you need support.

Reinforce that these strategies are tools they can use anytime. Encourage talking with trusted adults at home.

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Worksheet

Memory Tree Printable

Use this page to honor your memories of someone or something you miss. You can draw a tree trunk and branches in the blank space below, then add “leaves” with your special memories. You may write words or draw pictures on each leaf.

Draw Your Tree Trunk and Branches Here













My Memory Leaves

  1. Leaf 1:





  2. Leaf 2:





  3. Leaf 3:





  4. Leaf 4:





  5. Leaf 5:





  6. Leaf 6:





Feel free to add more leaves or drawings around your tree! You can cut out extra paper leaves and glue them on if you’d like more space.

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Worksheet

Grief Coping Strategies Chart

Use this chart to find healthy ways to feel better when you’re sad. Choose one strategy to try today.

IconStrategyHow to Use It
🗣️TalkTalk with a friend or trusted adult about how you feel.

✏️Draw or WriteDraw a picture or write down your thoughts and feelings.

🎵MusicListen to or play a song that helps you feel calm or happy.

🌬️Deep BreathsClose your eyes and take slow, deep breaths in and out (count to 4 each time).

Circle the strategy you want to practice:



My Strategy to Practice Today:



How I Felt After Trying It:






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Worksheet

Emotion Expression Cards

Print and cut out these cards to help you choose and share how you feel. Cut along the dotted lines. You can use them during check-ins or anytime you want to show your emotion.

--- cut here ---

😊 Happy 😢 Sad



--- cut here ---

😠 Angry 😨 Scared



--- cut here ---

😌 Calm 😃 Excited



--- cut here ---

😔 Lonely 😲 Surprised



--- cut here ---

Feel free to decorate or draw your own emotion faces on blank cards for any other feelings you have!

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When Sadness Visits • Lenny Learning