Let's Talk About...Loss & Death Age 7-11 Lesson Plan

The lesson plan titled "Let's Talk About...Loss & Death" is crafted for children aged 7-11 and aims to sensitively address the topics of loss and death, which are often challenging to discuss. The lesson commences with a 2-4 minute starter activity where individual learners observe an image depicting the cycle of life and engage in a discussion about what comes next. This activity sets the tone for the lesson and introduces the concept of life's natural progression.

Following the starter, the class collectively spends 5-8 minutes exploring why the subject of loss and death is important to discuss, delving into key terms related to the topic and their meanings. The lesson continues with an 8-10 minute segment on experiencing grief, where the whole class discusses the various emotions and behaviors that may arise when someone is grieving. A video is shown to illustrate different coping mechanisms, which leads into a 6-8 minute pair activity where learners examine various coping strategies and how they can be beneficial. The subsequent 8-10 minute activity encourages learners to consider what advice they might offer to peers who are dealing with grief. The lesson concludes with a brief 3-5 minute reflection on why death can be a frightening topic, despite being a universal experience. Additionally, the lesson plan includes extension activities, such as a book list to further explore the subject of loss and death, as well as resources for both learners and teachers seeking more information. Throughout the lesson, keywords like 'grief', 'coping', and 'loss' are emphasized, and the learning objectives focus on understanding different types of loss and how to support those who are grieving.