LESSON PLAN - COPING WITH THE LOSS OF A PET

The parent/teacher and child will:

1. Read the story of the month 'NOAH AND BUBBLES'. PreK-2 read aloud with a parent. 3-5 silent read independently)

2. Have your child describe to you how the story made them feel, then you share how it made you feel.

3. Have your child identify the main idea of the story (tell in their own words what the story was about.)

4. Discuss the importance of Oliver’s character in the story. Ask your child: What made Oliver such a good friend?

5. Ask your child to tell you about how Noah felt when his pet fish died and how it relates to an experience when they felt the same way.

6. Discuss the 5 vocabulary words above with you child.

7. Have your child re-tell the definitions of the 5 vocab words in their own words.

8. Have your child write a support letter (real or pretend) to a friend who recently lost a pet to demonstrate their compassion and empathy.

VOCABOLARY

1. Grief- the response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed.

2. Beloved- greatly loved; dear to the heart. A person or pet who is greatly loved.

3. Closure - a bringing to an end; conclusion.

4. Death- the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism.

5. Memorial- preserving the memory of a person or thing; commemorative.

Follow-up/Enrichment Activitity:

Have your child draw a picture of a beloved pet (it can be deceased or still alive) while listening to a favorite song that reminds them of the pet.

CASEL COMPETENCIES

Self-Awareness:

Identifying one’s emotions

Social Awareness:

Taking others’ perspectives

Demonstrating empathy and compassion Showing concern for the feelings of others

Relationship Skills:

Communicating effectively

Seeking or offering support and help when needed

ELA COMPETENCIES

Reading:

The student reads grade-appropriate texts independently.

Fluency:

The student is expected to use appropriate fluency (rate, accuracy, and prosody) when reading grade-level text.

Comprehension:

(E) make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society with adult assistance;

(G) evaluate details to determine what is most important with adult assistance;

(H) synthesize information to create new understanding with adult assistance;

Response Skills:

(A) describe personal connections to a variety of sources;

(D) retell texts in ways that maintain meaning;

(F) respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate.

Composition:

(A) dictate or compose literary texts, including personal narratives and poetry;