Sandhurst SOURCE of LIFE Unit Outlines

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines

Level: 2 Title: GRIEF AND LOSS Strand: CHRISTIAN LIFE: The flourishing of human persons, the common good of societies, shared responsibility in relation to creation

Enduring Questions: What does it mean to be Christian? How do I choose to share God’s love with all?

Suggested Duration: 2-3 weeks

Unit Focus In this unit students will be given the opportunity to explore the nature of change and loss in relation to changes in creation, the seasons and in the life cycle of people and animals.

They will explore feelings related to the experience of loss and death, and gain insights into the variety of ways that families, cultural groups and the Church celebrate the life of the departed.

Students will gain some understanding of the Christian concept of eternal life.

Level Outcome By the end of Level Two students should be able to:

Explore ways that Christians in their lives express love for God and others. Unit Outcomes By the end of this unit students should be able to:

1. Explain changes that take place in life cycles and seasons. 2. Identify some rituals used to say goodbye to loved ones. 3. Name and express some feelings associated with loss and some ways we can support others who grieve.

CATECHISM STRAND DOCTRINAL CONCEPTS REFERENCE 1. God is loving creator and continues to give us life 239, 337, 338, 946 – 48, 1020, 1023, God 1007 2. God loves each of us 219, 733 3. God is always with us 301, 205 2. Sacraments are special celebrations in Sacraments the life of the Church 1124 1. I am precious, unique and loved by God 27 Christian Life 2. God invites me to love and care for myself and others 27, 2822 4. Prayer is a way of thanking God for life Christian Prayer and creation 2637, 2638

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 1 Key  There are many losses that cause people to grieve eg sickness, migration, disability, relocation, Understandings separation, death of pets, theft, broken toys, being adopted. for Students  We remember that God loves each of us and gives us life.  When someone we love dies we remember and celebrate their life.  Some understanding of rituals associated with loss is important.  Sometimes we feel sad when things change.  Birth, life and death is the cycle of life  God is present and active in all cycles of life  Christians believe in eternal life and we talk about Heaven  We are sad when someone we love dies.  We can feel sad when people we love move away and leave us.  Feelings are important in our lives.  It is helpful to express our feelings of loss. These feelings are part of grief. To grieve is part of loving and saying goodbye.  There are ways each of us can support those who grieve.  Death does not hurt; a dead person does not feel; the correct word to use is dead/death; when sad people cry it is healthy and good; death is not catchy; death is final; when we grieve it is good to discuss our feelings and concerns with adults who love us; when we grieve we will not always feel sad; when we grieve it is good to hold a ritual so we can say goodbye and share our grief.

Curriculum Links - VELS Victorian Essential Learning Standards The unit Grief and Loss can be used to assess a range of VELS. The table below gives examples of how Level 2 standards could be assessed.

Strand Domain Dimension Key elements of Standards Students… -“identify the feelings and needs of other people. Students identify and Interpersonal Building Social accept that there are consequences Development Relationships for their actions. They take appropriate steps to resolve simple conflicts.” Physical, Personal -“work in teams in assigned roles, and Social stay on task and complete structured Learning activities within set timeframes. They Working in share resources fairly. With teacher Teams support, they describe their contribution to the activities of the team.”

-“students manipulate text, images and numeric data to create simple information products for specific ICT for audiences. They make simple Inter Information and Visualising changes to improve the appearance disciplinary Communications Thinking/ ICT of their information products. With Learning Technology for Creating some assistance, students use ICT to locate and retrieve relevant information from a variety of sources.”

Curriculum Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Framework Context Grief and Loss Circle of Life

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 2 Student Context Students at this level may have limited understanding of time, growth, change and cycles of life. Our lives and the world around us are constantly changing. In the change process, loss is common to all. Pets die and leave children grieving. Some children experience the death of loved grandparents and they are growing in awareness that people are sad when their loved ones die. For some the understanding of the finality of death is not understood. For many students family experience of separation and divorce is a painful reality. Students at this level are beginning to be able to understand and describe their feelings in a more reflective and insightful way. They are also growing in the awareness of the grief of others and how they can be supportive. Students at this level are able to share their experiences openly and willingly. Students may need to be helped to appreciate that all feelings are healthy and OK. How we handle them is important. Grief is not a bad thing and it won’t cause children or adults to go mad or to die as long as there is enough love, understanding and support available. The Grief of Our Children - Dianne McKissock (1998)

Theological  It is through the rhythm of the cycles of life that the believer comes to experience and understand Background for God as ever present, loving, sustaining, forgiving and caring. Teachers  Through the cycles of life we see God’s creative action made visible.  In creation we see the constant pattern of birth/beginnings, life, death and rebirth.  Death is not the end of human existence but the beginning of new life. (Guidelines for religious education of students in the Archdiocese of Melbourne 1995)  Our hope as Christians is that as Jesus was raised from the dead, so we too will be raised from the dead and enjoy eternal life with God.  It is in the face of death that the riddle of human existence becomes most acute.  Although the mystery of death utterly beggars the imagination, the church has been taught by divine revelation, and herself firmly teaches, that man has been created by God for a blissful purpose beyond the reach of earthly misery.

Gaudium et Spes 1965 (GS)  For God has called man and still calls him so that with his entire being he might be joined to him in an endless sharing of a divine life beyond all corruption. Christ won this victory when He rose to life, since by his death he freed man from death. 1 Cor, 1556-57 GS  Through Christ and in Christ the riddles of sorrow and death grow meaningful. GS  Life is changed not taken away. The Funeral Liturgy.  At the Second Coming of Christ, all things will be renewed and the Kingdom or reign of God will appear in its fullness. The community of all members of the church both those now living and the saints in Heaven is one of the distinguishing beliefs of the Catholic Church. This belief is generally referred to as ‘the communion of saints.” GS

Scripture Teacher Reference NRSV

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 18 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Romans 6:8-9 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

John: 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’

Student Reference CEV

John 14:1-4 Jesus Is the Way to the Father

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 3 Jesus said to his disciples, "Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together. You know the way to where I am going."

Matthew 5:4 God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort!

1 Corinthians 2:9 But it is just as the Scriptures say, "What God has planned for people who love him is more than eyes have seen or ears have heard. It has never even entered our minds!"

Matthew 13:31-32 Godly Play The Mustard Seed

Suggested Assessment Tasks Assessment tasks for this unit may include:

Outcome 1 Explain changes that take place in life cycles and seasons.

 Order the life cycle of a frog or butterfly, or the seasons, and name some of the changes that take place.

Outcome 2 Identify some rituals used to say goodbye to loved ones.

 After reading the story or watching the video “The tenth good thing about Barney” children draw some of the aspects of loss.

Outcome 3 Name and express some feelings associated with loss and some ways we can support others who grieve.

 Children complete the statement “We can help people when they are sad by………”

Major Assessment Task & Rubric Level: 2

UNIT: GRIEF AND LOSS

TASK: To make a prayer card to be incorporated in class liturgy. The card should contain: a message of thanks for the gift of life a representation of a life cycle a reference to the feelings associated with loss

Well above Above expected Expected Level Below Expected Level expected level level Is able to express feelings Is able to express associated with feelings loss/grief and Includes a associated with Pictures includes a Knowledge and incorporate representation of a life loss/grief. representation of growth and Understanding. them into a cycle and a message Includes a change simple prayer. referring to feelings representation of Includes a associated with grief . a life cycle and a detailed simple prayer. representation of a life cycle

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 4 Suggested Teaching & Learning Experiences Focusing Activity Read a story such as Toby (M. Wild) about sad times. Explore with the children issues they raise.

 Use the Very Hungry Caterpillar to explore the lifecycle of a butterfly. Use the “See How They Grow” series of books to explore other life cycles: frogs, ducks etc.

 Read The Growing Story by Helen Oxenbury. Discuss that all living things have stages of development. Collect pictures of babies, toddlers, children etc.

 Make a poster about a life cycle of a creature and label it.

 Ask the children to interview their parents to talk about their parents and other ancestors. Ash them to bring photos of themselves with grandparents etc, to display in a family photo gallery.

 With the help of the children’s families have each child make a poster with photos to show his/her development to date.

 Have a Think/Pair/Share (Teaching Strategies Resource Book p 49) of the different responsibilities they have had and expect to have at each stage of their lives.

 Plant some fast growing seeds and chart their development.

 Godly Play The Mustard Seed. Allow time and resources for response.

 After reading “Wilfred Gordon Mc Donald Partridge” make a ‘Memory Book’ about things they did or can remember that happened to them when they were younger.

 Recall the story of the Mustard Seed and how things change over time and how we take a long time to grow. Montir the growth in the seeds that have planted. Talk about how things start small but grow according to God’s plan. Relate this to ourselves but also to God’s plan for all of us as His ‘kingdom’.

 Use a feelings poster and share experiences of when these feelings have been felt. Extend the children’s feelings vocabulary. Use the Trace Morony books (When I’m Feeling Happy etc) to explore feelings further.

 Use Feeling Cards (from St. Luke’s) to explore various feelings that we experience.

 Make a ‘Feelings Book’ in which the children can name and illustrate as many feelings as they can think of. Have a class activity that divides the feelings into two divisions eg those we like to have and those we don’t like to have. While acknowledging that it is normal to have negative feelings, explore ways we can lessen the intensity of those feelings we do not like.

 Read “Beginnings and Endings with Lifetimes in between”

 Watch the video “Charles Caterpillar” and discuss the changes from caterpillar to butterfly. Children complete Sequencing activity (Teaching Strategies Resource Book p32)

 Discuss the changes in the seasons. Draw a symbol for each season.

 Read “If Nathan Were Here” or “The Very Best of Friends” discuss the feelings that the characters were feeling. Refer to Matthew 5:4 and reflect on whether the characters in the story did find comfort and how they may have felt God’s presence.

 Discuss with the children if they know of anyone who has died. Discuss how people reacted, was there a funeral, what happened at the funeral, what did people do afterwards?

 Discuss how it is important to share memories about a person after they have died.

 Introduce children to the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Show children the oil that is used. Invite the Parish Priest or member of the Parish Bereavement Group to talk about their ministry to the sick and the bereaved.

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 5  When appropriate the children can make cards for a grieving person.

 Consider making or contributing to a memorial garden in your school/parish

 Using the scripture passage 1Corinthians 2:9 children participate in a guided meditation.

 Devise a prayer service using Matthew 5:4 as the main response

Resources

Recommended Resources

Berryman, JW. (2007) Complete Guide to Godly Play, Volume 1 How to Lead Godly Play Lessons, Volume 5 Practical Helps from Godly Play Trainers, Living the Good News, Denver Colorado Ryan, M. (2003). Expressions Book 2. Tuggerah, NSW: Social Science Press.

Community Resources

Parish Priest Funeral Ministry Team Parish Bereavement Group

Teacher Resources

The Dougy Center. (1999). 35 ways to help a grieving child. Clayton, Vic: The Dougy Center. The Dougy Center. (1999). When death impacts your school: a guide for school administrators. Clayton, Vic: The Dougy Center. Herbert M. (1997). Separation and divorce: helping children cope. Camberwell, Vic: Australian Council of Educational Research. McKissock M. and McKissock D. (1999). Coping with grief. Sydney: ABC Books. McKissock D. (1998). The grief of our children. Sydney: ABC Books. Parker, J. (1995). Understanding grief and loss. Watson, ACT: Australian Early Childhood Association. Pearson, M. and Nolan, P. (1995). Emotional release for children. Camberwell, Vic: Australian Council of Educational Research. Ryan, M. (2003). Expression: a religion series for Catholic primary schools: Book 5. Tuggerah, NSW: Social Science Press. Wezeman Voss P, Fournier J.D, & Wezeman K.R. (2002). Guiding children through life’s losses: prayers, rituals & activities. Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications. Wintour, R. (2000). Just imagine: creative ways of presenting scripture. Brisbane: Mountjoy Enterprises.

Student Resources

Coppendale C., (2003) Life and Death, Chrysalis, London Morony, T., (2005) When I’m Feeling Sad Five Mile Press Victoria Morony, T., (2005) When I’m Feeling Happy, Five Mile Press Victoria Morony, T., (2005) When I’m Feeling Angry, Five Mile Press Victoria Morony, T., (2005) When I’m Feeling Scared, Five Mile Press, Victoria (1991) See How They Grow, Ducks, Frogs, Butterflies, Pigs, Puppies, Kittens (etc) Dorling Kindersley, Ashton Scholastic Literature

Bahr M & Jerome K. A. (2000). If Nathan were here. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Blacklock, D & Woolman, S., (1995) The Lighthouse, Era Publications South Australia Brown, L. (1996). When dinosaurs die. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company. Carle, E. (1969). The very hungry caterpillar. London: Hamish Hamilton. Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 6 Curtis Stilz, C. (1998) Kirsty’s Kite Albatross Australia Dumbleton, M & Denton, T. (2001). Passing on. Milsons Point, NSW: Random House Australia. Fox L., (1995) Every Monday in the Mailbox, Eerdmans Michigan Fox, M. (1989). Sophie. South Australia: Drakeford/Watts. Fox, M. (1994) Tough Boris Puffin, Melbourne Fox, M. (1987). Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. Norwood, SA: Scholastic Australia. Hunt, N., (1993) The Dove Tree, Red Fox, NSW Liersch, A., (2001) Nell and Fluffy, North South Books London Lucas, H., (1996) A New Star, Random House, NSW Mellonie, B. & Ingpen, R. (1989). Beginnings and endings with lifetimes in between. Ringwood, Vic: Penguin Books. Morgan, S, (1996) Dan’s Grandpa Fremantle Arts Centre Press Fremantle Russo, M., (1996) Grandpa Abe, Greenwillow NY Osman, T. & Carey, J. (1990). Where has Daddy gone? London: Mammoth. Oxenbury, H., (2007) The Growing Story Great Britain Harper Collins Children’s Press, Perkins, G. & Morris, L. (1996). Remembering Mum. London: A & C Black. Thomas, P. (2001). I miss you. Hove, East Sussex: Hodder Wayland Weninger, B., (1997) Good-bye Daddy, North South, NY Wild, M. (1989). The very best of friends. Sydney: Margaret Hamilton. Wild, M.,. (1993) Toby, Omnibus, Sth Aust Wild, M., (!992) Sam’s Sunday Dad, Hamilton, NSW Wilson, T., (2000) The Grandad Tree, Walker Books, London, Music

Brown, M. (2001). There’s a time. God delights in you. [Compact disc]. Thornleigh, NSW: Emmaus Mangan, M. (2000). We Rejoice! In SingYour Joy. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (2000). We Are All Saints. In SingYour Joy. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (1998). Care For Life. In Sing Jubilee. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (2000). Till the End of Time. In SingYour Joy. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (1993). Song For Chang. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (2000). Look At The Cross. In SingYour Joy. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (2000). O Queen of All. In SingYour Joy. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (2000). The Day of the Lord. In SingYour Joy. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Mangan, M. (2000). We Believe. In SingYour Joy. [Compact disc]. Albany Creek, Qld: Litmus. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

Audio-visual /Video/DVD Resources

ABC Education Schools Video Program Sales. (2003). Friendship – Losing Friends. (For the Juniors) [Video recording] AIMS Media. (1985). The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. [Video recording]. Educational Media Australia. (1986). The tenth good thing about Barney.[Video recording] Franciscan Communications. (1985). Grandma’s Bread. [Video recording] Video Education Australasia.(1996). Inside your Feelings – Children dealing with Loss and Grief. [Video recording] (Teacher Resource) Veritas Australia. (1990).Charles Caterpillar. (Holydays and Holidays) [Video recording] Veritas Australia. (1990).Edna Eagle.(Holydays and Holidays) [Video recording]

World Wide Web / Internet

Bible – CEV translation http://www.biblegateway.com/

Bible – NRSV translation http://www.biblegateway.com

KIDSAID a companion site of Griefnet, is described as a safe place for kids to share and to help each other deal with grief about any of their losses. Very "kid friendly" in its design and content, eg places for children’s stories, artwork, questions. http://kidsaid.com

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 7 National Association for Loss and Grief (Australia) Inc, or NALAG (Australia). This website aims to maintain, present and promote a national perspective and action on issues relating to loss and grief. http://www.griefaustralia.org

Reach Out: Factsheet Suggestions for managing grief. Things that may be helpful while grieving. Managing grief can be really hard. This factsheet has some suggestions that may help you to get through this time http://reachout.com.au/index.asp?mci=3&mwi=2&rtii=18.html

Religious Education Data base http://vision.cangoul.catholic.edu.au

THE MUSTARD SEED KWL (Bk 1)Chapter 14 (Mt 13:31-32) YOU WILL NEED: . Felt underlay . Class Bible . Very small seed – mustard seed . 2D materials: 5 birds, 5 nests stored in a box; tree. See RE Online for 2D masters

Children are seated in a semi-circle ready to listen to the story. When the children are settled, go to the shelf and carry the materials as you would the Bible. Place these beside you.

Place class Bible in front of you with your hand on it. This story comes from our special book, the Bible. In the Bible we read that Jesus told stories to the crowds of people who followed him. Jesus told stories, parables, to help the people understand what the kingdom of heaven is like. One of Jesus’ stories was about a mustard seed – the smallest seed of all. Place Bible beside you. Smooth out the underlay in the middle of the circle. Take seed from box and plant it on far edge of the underlay. One day a man took a mustard seed and planted it.

Use your hands to show the mustard seed growing slowly The mustard seed grew slowly.

Use your hands to show the rain and sun, then the seed continuing to grow The rain came, the sun shone, the seed grew bigger…and bigger…and bigger.

Place picture of tree over the seed. After many years the seed had grown into the biggest shrub of all. It was large, like a tree.

Place some birds flying towards the tree, the remaining birds on nests in the tree as you say: The birds of the air came and built their nests in the tree. The mustard seed had become what it was meant to be. Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 8 This is what God’s Kingdom is like. It starts very small and grows!

Pause quietly for a moment, and then begin to wonder together. Engage with ‘I wonder’, KWL(Bk 1) p108.

I wonder…why the seed grows slowly…how long it takes for the seed to grow…how the Kingdom of God could be like this mustard seed…how the kingdom of God grows in us…what makes it grow and grow…who belongs to God’s Kingdom…what I will be like when I have become what God wants me to be.

Carefully pack story materials into storage box and put on shelf. Ensure that children are watching so they know how to pack the materials away and where to find them.

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 9 1.2A - The Mustard Seed - 2D master {colour}

tree - enlarge to A3 size

You will need 6 nests and 6 birds

Sandhurst SOURCE OF LIFE Unit Outlines Level 2 – Grief and Loss Page 10