Suggestions for Classroom Activities After a Loss
The key is remembering that not all students will want or need the same thing. After sharing the news, it is best to provide students with a few options. These may include:
Create a prayer for the community or family
Write classroom memories to share with the family
Discuss ways to cope with traumatic situations
Discuss the stages of grief with students (age-appropriate)
Practice Christian Meditation
Engage in one of the activities on this page.
Place a collection box in the class for notes to the family
Suggest students write what they wish they could have said to the deceased
Provide materials for children to express their thoughts and feelings in words or images
Compose or perform a song in memory of the deceased
Encourage mutual support
Direct energy to creative pursuits, exercise, or verbal expression
Return to the comfort of familiar routines with the option to opt-out if necessary
Curriculum Connections
Curriculum Connections
We often avoid talking about death because it is uncomfortable and may evoke difficult emotional responses. However, completely avoiding the topic removes opportunities for children to explore the full range of emotions and to develop coping strategies that they will inevitably need at some point in their lives. Introducing these topics outside of a crisis, when we are better able to learn new skills, helps students to develop an understanding of death and develop coping strategies. Teachers addressing these topics need to do so with great sensitivity and careful consideration for any students who may have experienced a loss or who are aware of a loved one who is seriously ill. Luckily, our Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ and Fully Alive programs provide us with some of the tools needed.
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