Healing Hearts Lesson Plan Healing Hearts
Individual Support Lesson Plan
30 Minutes
Audience
4th Grade (Tier 3)
Approach
One-on-One Guided
Subject
Grief & Resilience
Why this Matters
Individualized grief support helps students process loss safely, build emotional resilience, and develop practical coping tools for healthier adjustment and well-being.
Objective
Guide a 4th-grade student to identify and articulate grief emotions, practice healthy coping strategies, and create a personalized grief-support plan in a 30-minute individual session.
Prep
Review Emotions Chart & Coping Cards
Print My Grief Journal Worksheet
Arrange a private, comfortable space
Set timer for activity segments
Materials
Emotions Chart Poster
My Grief Journal Worksheet
Coping Strategies Cards
Paper, pencils, and a timer
Instructional Steps
1 5 Min
Build Rapport & Set Purpose
Welcome the student warmly. Explain this is a safe space. Review the outline and emphasize confidentiality. Gauage their current mood.
2 7 Min
Identify & Label Emotions
Use the Emotions Chart Poster. Have the student point to faces matching their grief feelings. Discuss sensations and normalize responses.
3 8 Min
Express Through Journaling
Student uses My Grief Journal Worksheet to draw or write a memory or feeling. Encourage free expression without right/wrong answers.
4 7 Min
Explore Coping Strategies
Review Coping Strategies Cards. Student picks 3 to try. Brief practice of one strategy (e.g., deep breathing).
5 3 Min
Create a Grief-Support Plan
List the 3 strategies under "My Plan" on the worksheet. Close with positive affirmation and remind student of your availability.
Healing Hearts Slides Healing Hearts
Dealing with Grief
30-Minute Individual Session • 4th Grade
Today’s Goals
Identify and name feelings of grief
Express emotions through writing or drawing
Explore healthy coping strategies
Create a personalized grief-support plan
Session Outline
1
5 Min
Build Rapport
2
7 Min
Identify Emotions
3
8 Min
Expressive Journaling
4
7 Min
Coping Strategies
5
3 Min
Support Plan
Identify & Label Emotions
Look at the Emotions Chart Poster .
Point to faces that match your feelings when you’re sad or grieving.
Talk about what each feeling is like for you.
Use your Emotions Chart during this step
Express Through Journaling
8 Minutes
Use the My Grief Journal Worksheet
Draw or write a memory or feeling
Use words or pictures—whatever feels right
Explore Coping Strategies
1 Review the Coping Strategies Cards
2 Discuss how each card could help
3 Pick three strategies to try
Let's practice!
Pick one to try together right now, like deep breathing.
Your Support Plan
On your worksheet:
01
List the three strategies you chose under “My Plan.”
02
Write: “When I feel sad, I will...”
03
Keep your worksheet handy for when you need it.
You’re Not Alone
All feelings are okay
You have tools to help you
I am here for you anytime
My Grief Journal Worksheet My Grief Journal
Healing Hearts Workspace
Name:
Date:
1. Memory or Feeling
Draw or write a memory, thought, or feeling that comes to mind when you think about your loss. You may use words, pictures, or both.
2. Identify Your Emotions
Use the Emotions Chart Poster to find faces that match how you feel right now. Write three emotion words:
3. Describe Your Feelings
Choose one emotion from above and describe what it feels like in your body and mind.
4. Choose Coping Strategies
Look at the Coping Strategies Cards and pick three you’d like to try.
5. My Grief-Support Plan
When I feel sad or upset, I will:
Keep this worksheet in a safe place. You can return to it whenever you need support or a reminder of how you can take care of yourself.
Coping Strategies Cards Coping Strategies Cards
Use these cards to explore healthy ways to feel better when you’re sad. Pick three strategies you’d like to try and practice them today.
1. Deep Breathing
In for 4 seconds, hold for 2, then out for 4. Repeat 3 times to help calm your body and mind.
2. Drawing or Coloring
Grab some colors. Draw how you feel or create a picture that makes you feel happy or peaceful.
3. Listening to Music
Put on a favorite song. Notice how the music makes you feel. You can sing or hum along too!
4. Physical Movement
Stand up and stretch, do 10 jumping jacks, or take a quick walk. Notice how moving helps you relax.
5. Positive Self-Talk
Say: "I am strong," "I can get through this," or "It’s okay to feel sad." Be your own best friend.
6. Counting or Fidget Tool
Count slowly from 10 to 1, or squeeze a stress ball as you take slow, deep breaths.
7. Talking to Someone
Tell a trusted adult or friend how you're feeling. Asking for a hug can also help you feel safe.
8. Journaling
Write a few sentences about your day, or jot down a happy memory of the person or thing you miss.
Instruction for Teachers: Print these cards on heavy paper or cardstock and cut along the lines for the student to hold and explore.
Feelings Check-In 3 Minutes
Feelings Check-In
Name:
Date:
1. How do you feel right now?
Write three words that describe your feelings:
1
2
3
2. Point to a face on the Emotions Chart.
Which face did you choose and why?
3. What might help you feel better today?
(For example: deep breathing, drawing, talking to someone, etc.)
When you’re ready, we’ll begin our session on Healing Hearts.
Reflection & Takeaway Cool-Down Reflection & Takeaway
Time: 3 Minutes
1
What is one new thing you discovered about your feelings today?
2
Which coping strategy will you try the next time you feel sad?
3
Draw or write a positive reminder you can look at when you feel sad:
"You’re not alone and you have tools to help you feel better!"
Keep your Grief Journal in a safe place.
Emotions Chart Poster Reading Emotions Chart
Point to the face that best matches how you feel right now.
🙂
Happy
😢
Sad
😠
Angry
😨
Scared
😲
Surprised
😕
Confused
😌
Calm
🤩
Excited
Tip: There are no wrong feelings. All emotions are okay!
Healing Hearts Script Facilitation Guide Teacher Facilitation Script
Session: Healing Hearts (30 Minutes)
Part 1: Feelings Check-In
3 Min
“I’m glad we have this time together. Today we’ll talk about grief—what it feels like and how to cope. To start, let’s see how you’re feeling right now. Here’s our Feelings Check-In sheet. Take a moment to write three words that describe how you feel.”
Hand the Feelings Check-In sheet and pause for about 2 minutes.
“Thank you for sharing your words. Now, look at the Emotions Chart Poster and point to the face that best matches one of those feelings. Why did you choose that face?”
Listen and validate: “That makes sense. Feeling [name emotion] can feel heavy.”
Setting the Stage (Slides 1-3)
SLIDE 1:
“This session is called ‘Healing Hearts.’ Over the next 30 minutes, we’ll learn about grief, express our feelings, and make a plan to help when we feel sad.”
SLIDE 2:
“Our goals today are to: Identify and name grief-related feelings, express emotions through writing or drawing, explore healthy coping strategies, and create a personalized grief-support plan. Do these goals make sense to you?”
SLIDE 3:
“Here’s our plan for the day: Identifying Feelings, Expressive Journaling, Coping Strategies, and finally making our Support Plan. Let’s begin.”
Part 2: Identify & Label (Slide 4)
7 Min
“Look at the Emotions Chart Poster. Can you point to two or three faces that match how you feel when you think about your loss?”
Student points. Ask: What does this feeling feel like in your body? When have you noticed it before?
“All of these feelings are completely normal when we miss someone or something.”
Part 3: Express Through Journaling (Slide 5)
8 Min
“Now let’s use the My Grief Journal Worksheet. On question 1, draw or write a memory, thought, or feeling connected to your loss. There’s no right or wrong answer—use words or pictures.”
Give student about 5 minutes. Offer gentle prompts if they pause: “What is one special memory you have?”
“Would you like to share what you drew or wrote? What does this memory mean to you?”
Part 4: Coping Strategies (Slide 6)
7 Min
“Next, let’s look at our Coping Strategies Cards. We’ll review each idea and talk about how it might help when you feel sad.”
Deep Breathing: Practice together. Breathe in for 4, hold for 2, out for 4.
Drawing/Music/Movement: Ask how these might help or which song they like.
Talking/Journaling: Ask who they feel safe talking to.
Grief Support Plan Rubric Assessment Grief Support Plan Rubric
Evaluates the completeness, clarity, and thoughtfulness of the student's personalized support plan.
4 Exemplary
3 Proficient
2 Developing
1 Beginning
Criterion 4 – Exemplary 3 – Proficient 2 – Developing 1 – Beginning 1. Identification of Emotions Names 3+ emotions accurately; provides rich, specific body/mind descriptions. Names 3 emotions accurately with clear, basic descriptions. Names 2 emotions or lists 3 with only general descriptors (e.g., “sad”). Names 1 or 0 emotions; labels do not match feelings; descriptions missing. 2. Coping Strategy Selection Selects 3 strategies clearly matching feelings; explains specifically how each helps. Selects 3 appropriate strategies and gives a basic reason for each choice. Selects 2 strategies or 3 with weak reasons; connection to feelings is vague. Selects fewer than 2 strategies; choices are inappropriate or missing rationale. 3. Plan Specificity & Clarity Plan is detailed, actionable, and shows foresight (e.g., “When I feel X, I will do Y for Z minutes”). Plan statement is clear and actionable but may lack detail (e.g., “I will draw”). Plan statement is vague or missing key steps (e.g., “I will try things”). Plan statement is missing, incomplete, or not actionable. 4. Reflection & Awareness Draws strong links between emotions, strategies, and personal needs; shows deep insight. Shows a clear link between feelings and strategies; demonstrates basic self-awareness. Reflection is surface-level; shows limited insight or partial connection to plan. Reflection is missing or does not relate to feelings and plan.
Counselor Notes & Next Steps 
