TOPIC: Grief/Loss

Group Level: Middle School (6th – 8th grade)

Number of Sessions Planned: 6

Number of Members: 4 to 6

Length of Each Session: 40 minutes

Location of Each Session: Conference/Group Counseling Room

ASCA Domain: Personal/Social

Purpose: To help students process the death of a loved one and provide a safe place for them to discuss issues related to the death. To improve the emotional health of group members at school and home. To give support for students and allow them to encourage each other. The six sessions will cover: 1) Introductions/Establish a Foundation 2) Stages of Grief 3) Current Life Roles 4) Remembering the Loved One 5) Processing the Death 6) Future Plans/Closing

Session 1:

Introductions/Establish a Foundation

Materials Needed:

Manila Folder for each student

  • Assorted Markers/Colored Pencils
  • Pens
  • Paper
  • Tissues/Cups/Beverage (cold water, light juice, etc.)

Opening (10 min):

  • Welcome group and pass out manila folders to each member.
  • Members will write name on folders and prop up for all to see name.
  • Group will take turns introducing name, homeroom teacher, and favorite class.
  • Leader will explain the purpose of the group and give a quick overview of some of the items to be covered in the next 6 weeks.
  • Group will decide on rules to be followed. One member will write rules on paper and leader will type up before next meeting. Some rules to be included are confidentiality, respecting each other, and the right to pass.

Statement of Objectives (2 min):

  • To begin the group and establish agreed upon rules.
  • To become comfortable sharing with each other in the group.
  • To understand the purpose of the group and each person’s reason for being included in the group.

Icebreaker (10 min):

  • Students will decorate their folder using markers with pictures and words that describe them. Including things such as a drawing of their family, favorite activities, hobbies, personality traits, etc.
  • Students will take turns sharing what they put on their folders and how it reflects them.

Activity (10 min):

  • Prior to session, students will be asked to bring in a photo or drawing of their loved one who has died or an object that has a special connection with their loved one.
  • Students will take turns sharing their photo or object and why it is special to them.
  • Students will be given the opportunity to share comments with each other and ask a few questions.

Outside Practice (3 min):

  • Challenge students to share their photo or object with someone outside of the group before the next group session. It can be a friend, teacher, family member, neighbor, or someone else.

Connection/Closing (5 min):

  • Thank students for participating in first group and answer any questions group members may have.
  • Tell time and date of next meeting.
  • Give short description of topic to be covered in next meeting.
  • Emphasize the importance of consistent attendance.

Session 2:

Stages of Grief

Materials Needed:

Student Folders

  • Activity Sheet – “Grief Stages”
  • Typed Rule Sheet
  • Pens
  • Notecards
  • Posterboard
  • Assorted Markers/Colored Pencils
  • Game/Fun Activity Materials
  • Tissues/Cups/Beverage

Opening (5 min):

  • Welcome group and pass out manila folders to each member.
  • Pass out printed group rules sheet, review rules, and have each member sign bottom of their sheet agreeing to follow rules.
  • Review purpose of group and what was covered in the prior week.
  • Share the results of outside practice.

Statement of Objectives (2 min):

  • To become more connected with each other as a group.
  • To understand the various stages of grief.
  • To apply the stages of grief to their own personal situations.

Icebreaker (5 min):

  • Students will participate in “Truth or not” where student will each write down 3 statements about themselves on a notecard. Two of which are true and one that is not.
  • Students will take turns reading out statements and other group members will guess which one of the three is not true.

Instruction (10 min):

  • Display posterboard and write “Stages of Grief” across the top and DABDAH down the left hand side.
  • Briefly discuss the acronym’s development by Kubler-Ross and explain how it shows various reactions to encountering a major change, such as the loss of a loved one.
  • As a group, go through each of the 6 stages (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance, and Hope) and develop a definition and some general examples for each.
  • Remind students that each person grieves differently. Some will not experience each stage, they may be experienced in different orders, the experiences can last for different amounts of time, and different stages can be repeated.

Activity (10 min):

  • Hand out activity sheet, “Grief Stages” and allow students to complete, students finishing quickly can color in their page if desired.
  • Students will take turns sharing one of their experiences at a grief stage.
  • If time permits, allow students to each take another turn sharing a different experience.

Outside Practice (3 min):

  • Challenge students to reflect at the end of each day during the next week about which stages they experienced during that day and be prepared to share one of those recent experiences with the group next week.

Connection/Closing (5 min):

  • Thank students for actively participating in the group and answer any questions group members may have.
  • Tell time and date of next meeting.
  • Give short description of topic to be covered in next meeting.
  • Address any concerns about group problems that might be emerging.
  • Have a quick round of a game/fun activity (i.e. Jenga, Group Connect Four, “Would you rather?”, etc.) before sending students back to class.

Session 3:

Current Life Roles

Materials Needed:

Student Folders

  • Game/Fun Activity Materials
  • “DABDAH” Poster from Session 2
  • Tissues/Cups/Beverage

Opening (8 min):

  • Welcome group and pass out manila folders to each member.
  • Review purpose of group, rules, and what was covered in the prior week.
  • Share the results of outside practice, allow group members to share their recent experiences of the last week related to the loss.

Statement of Objectives (2 min):

  • To examine what life changes have occurred due to the loss.
  • To explore how the loss has impacted others around them.
  • To support fellow group members.

Instruction (5 min):

  • Explain how the death of a loved one can create instability in the roles of a family or a group, for example the death of a father may place pressure on the oldest son to assume his roles.
  • Comment how these new roles may create stress for everyone involved and confusion about each person’s responsibilities.

Activity (15 min):

  • Allow group members to openly discuss how life has changed since the loss of their loved one.

What new responsibilities do you have since the loss of your loved one?

How does it feel to have these responsibilities?

Has your role changed in your family or group of friends? If so, how?

What roles are creating the most stress in your life right now?

Who else has been impacted by the death? What roles/responsibilities do it seem they have taken on?

How do you feel about the way they are carrying out those roles and responsibilities?

Outside Practice (5 min):

  • Challenge students to find a time during the upcoming week to have a short conversation with another person affected by the death about how their roles and responsibilities have changed.
  • Have 2 volunteers (one can be the leader) role-play out how starting up this conversation might go.

Connection/Closing (5 min):

  • Thank students for actively participating in the group and answer any questions group members may have.
  • Tell time and date of next meeting.
  • Give short description of topic to be covered in next meeting.
  • Have a quick round of a game/fun activity before sending students back to class.

Session 4:

Remembering the Loved One

Materials Needed:

Student Folders

  • Assorted Markers/Colored Pencils
  • Construction Paper
  • Art Supplies (scissors, glue, yarn, beads, etc.)
  • Game/Fun Activity Materials
  • “DABDAH” Poster from Session 2
  • Tissues/Cups/Beverage

Opening (8 min):

  • Welcome group and pass out manila folders to each member.
  • Review purpose of group, rules, and what was covered in the prior week.
  • Share the results of outside practice, allow group members to share how it felt to talk with another person impacted by the death and what they learned.

Statement of Objectives (2 min):

  • To create a visual, artistic display to remember their loved ones.
  • To share with each other more about why the loved one was special.
  • To support fellow group members.

Activity (25 min):

  • Give each student a piece of construction paper and explain this sheet will be for creating a way to remember their loved one. Have each student write the name or draw a picture of their loved one in the middle. Next have students add to the page with drawings of things they remember about them, things they may have told them, descriptions of what they were like, etc.
  • Students can also use art supplies to create their own artistic design.
  • When students are finished, have them share their project with the group.

Connection/Closing (5 min):

  • Thank students for actively participating in the group and answer any questions group members may have.
  • Tell time and date of next meeting, remind them there is only 2 meetings left.
  • Give short description of topic to be covered in next meeting.
  • Have a quick round of a game/fun activity before sending students back to class.

Session 5:

Processing the Death

Materials Needed:

Student Folders

  • Activity Sheet – “Time Line”
  • Pens
  • Assorted Markers/Colored Pencils
  • Game/Fun Activity Materials
  • “DABDAH” Poster from Session 2
  • Tissues/Cups/Beverage

Opening (8 min):

  • Welcome group and pass out manila folders to each member.
  • Review purpose of group, rules, and what was covered in the prior week.
  • Allow group members to share their recent experiences of the last week related to the loss (DABDAH Stage).

Statement of Objectives (2 min):

  • To process the death of their loved one and the events leading up to the death and what took place after the death.
  • To discuss how the death occurred and the events before and after the death of their loved one.
  • To support fellow group members.

Activity (20 min):

  • Hand out activity sheet, “Time Sheet” and allow students to complete. Students finishing quickly can color in their page if desired.
  • Students will take turns sharing their completed worksheet.
  • Students will be given the opportunity to share comments with each other and ask a few questions.

Outside Practice (1 min):

  • Challenge students to identify a person they could ask if they had questions about how someone died or the event surrounding their death.

Connection/Closing (9 min):

  • Thank students for actively participating in the group and answer any questions group members may have.
  • Tell time and date of next meeting, remind students there is only 1 meeting left.
  • Acknowledge the students may be feeling anxiety and sadness over the group coming to an end soon.
  • Give short description of topic to be covered in next meeting.
  • Have a round of a game/fun activity (i.e. Jenga, Group Connect Four, “Would you rather?”, etc.) before sending students back to class.

Session 6:

Future Plans/Closing

Materials Needed:

Student Folders

  • Activity Sheet – “Goals for Me”
  • Group Member Evaluation Forms
  • Pens
  • Assorted Markers/Colored Pencils
  • Game/Fun Activity Materials
  • “DABDAH” Poster from Session 2
  • Tissues/Snacks/Drinks

Opening (8 min):

  • Welcome group to final meeting and pass out manila folders to each member.
  • Share any results of outside practice.
  • Provide snacks and drinks for the group members.
  • Allow students to share how they feel that this is their last week to meet together.

Statement of Objectives (2 min):

  • To conclude the group and reflect on the past 6 weeks.
  • To establish goals for themselves that they feel would be supported by their loved ones.
  • To support fellow group members

Activity (20 min):

  • Hand out activity sheet, “Goals for Me” and allow students to complete, students finishing quickly can color in their page if desired.
  • Students will take turns sharing one of their goal bubbles.
  • If time permits, allow students to each take another turn sharing a different goal bubble.

Outside Practice (2 min):

  • Challenge students to share the content of their folders with someone outside of the group. It can be a friend, teacher, family member, neighbor, or someone else.

Connection/Closing (8 min):

  • Thank students for actively participating in the group process and pass out evaluation forms for members to fill out.
  • Answer any final questions group members may have.
  • Tell time and date of a follow-up meeting (if applicable).
  • Have a round of a game/fun activity (i.e. Jenga, Group Connect Four, “Would you rather?”, etc.) before sending students back to class.
  • Have students take their folders and all their worksheets with them.

Directions: Each flower represents a different stage of grief. Write on each your experience of that stage so far. If you haven’t experienced a stage, write when you think it will happen or why you think it was skipped.


Directions: In each box write with as much detail as you can about the death of your loved one. In the arrows write the time that passed between each event (2 days, 1 week, etc.) The middle box is for when the loved one died, boxes above for events prior to the death, lower boxes for events after.


Directions: In each goal bubble write goals that your loved one would have for you if they were still with you. Come up with as many as you can.


Group Evaluation

Topic: Grief/Loss

Directions: Place an X in appropriate Strongly Strongly

Box or fill in short answer. Agree Agree Disagree Disagree

This group was helpful for me.
I learned new information in this group.
I felt connected with others in this group.
I would recommend being in a group to my friends.

The best thing about this group was ______.

The thing I liked the least about the group was ______.

Any comments/suggestions? ______

______.

Group Evaluation

Topic: Grief/Loss

Directions: Place an X in appropriate Strongly Strongly

Box or fill in short answer. Agree Agree Disagree Disagree

This group was helpful for me.
I learned new information in this group.
I felt connected with others in this group.
I would recommend being in a group to my friends.

The best thing about this group was ______.

The thing I liked the least about the group was ______.

Any comments/suggestions? ______

______.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Throughout the course of the school year, our counseling department runs a variety of small groups to help students be successful at school and in their lives. ____(student’s name)____ has been suggested by ____(referee’s name)____ that they might benefit from participating in a Grief/Loss Group. This group meets once a week for approximately 40 minutes over a 6 week period. The small group format typically has 4-6 student members and is led by a credentialed school counselor. This group will be led by _____(counselor’s name)_____.

This group will help students process the death of their loved one and provide a safe place for them to discuss issues related to the death. It is designed to improve the emotional health of group members at school and home. Additionally it will give support for students and allow them to encourage each other. The six sessions will cover topics about the different stages of grief, how life roles may change because of the loss, taking time to remember the loved one, and making future goals for their lives.

I understand this topic is difficult for many people to address and want to answer any questions you may have about the group and material being covered. I can be reached by phone at _____(counselor’s number)____ or by e-mail at ____(counselor’s e-mail).

Your child’s participation in this group is voluntary and at any time you or the student can decide to stop attending the group. The attached permission slip is required before the student can participate in the group which begins on ____(date)_____. Thank you and again if you have any questions or concerns please contact me.

(Counselor’s name)

(Counselor’s School)

(please return bottom portion by ___(date)____.)

My child, ______, has permission to be a member of the grief/loss group which begins on ______(date)______.

______Parent/Guardian Name (please print)

______Parent/Guardian Signature

______Date

Group Leader Evaluation

Topic: Grief/Loss

If using this group lesson plan, please provide feedback for me to improve this group and others. Please e-mail this completed form to .