Loss & Grief links to Health and Physical Education

Understanding life changes result in loss and grief

Change - pages 22-23

Grief reactions - page 24

Teacher Talk

Establish and enforce group rules on confidentiality, respecting others' opinions and feelings, and having a right to pass (ie on talking about sensitive issues).

Reactions to loss and change

Grief reactions - pages 25-26

'Normal' grief reactions (handout) - page 28

Extension activity - page 27

Teacher Talk

Use the first three sessions from Enhancing Resilience 1 to help establish rules and a sense of belonging and trust.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

3.3 Explains how different ways of describing people influences the way people value and treat themselves and others.

4.3 Investigates key ways in which groups and cultures contribute to forming identities.

5.3 Analyses the multiple identities they have in different contexts and with different people and appraises the social constructs of individuals and groups in the community.

3.4 Identifies physical, social and emotional changes associated with their own growth and development, and appreciates differences between people of the same age.

4.4 Analyses the changes associated with growth and development and uses problem-solving skills to manage significant transitions and issues in their own and others' lives.

5.4 Critically appraises the interrelationships of factors that influence growth and development, and ways of promoting healthy growth and development for themselves and others in the community.

Futures

1. Understanding patterns and connections within systems

Recognises patterns and connections within systems.

Understands personal relationships within contexts of social and work-related systems and environments.

Transfers knowledge and understandings to new contexts and situations (including vocational and recreational).

Understands the organic nature of change.

Identity

2. Understanding the social construction of identities

Learners developing an understanding of themselves, of the groups to which they belong, and of other members of their community.

Learners coming to an understanding of the social construction of identities.

Learners developing the capacity to relate effectively to others and to resist the pressure of negative stereotyping.

Learners achieving a sense of their own current and emerging identities.

Reaching out, reaching in

How to help - pages 29-30

Helping yourself, helping a friend (handout) - pages 31-32

Helping a friend - page 30

Teacher Talk

Use the first three sessions from Enhancing Resilience 1 to help establish rules and a sense of belonging and trust.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

4.4 Analyses the changes associated with growth and development and uses problem-solving skills to manage significant transitions and issues in their own and others' lives.

Health of Individuals and Communities

3.6 Analyses a variety of community health issues that affect them and investigates community programs to address them.

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short- and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.

Identity

3. Relating effectively to others regardless of their identities

Communication

1. Understanding the complexity and power of language and data and their pivotal role in communication

3. Making effective use of language, mathematical and information and communication technology tools

Helping friends

Types of support - pages 33-34

Giving advice - page 34

Dear Dr Wright letters (handout) - page 36

Seeking help - page 35

Newspaper article (handout) - page 37

What to say - page 35

Teacher Talk

Listening is often the best thing to do for someone who is experiencing loss and grief.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

4.4 Analyses the changes associated with growth and development and uses problem-solving skills to manage significant transitions and issues in their own and others' lives.

Health of Individuals and Communities

3.6 Analyses a variety of community health issues that affect them and investigates community programs to address them.

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short- and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.

Thinking

1. Using a wide range of thinking modes

Shows the ability to operate on several planes - physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, social - and understands how thinking operates through these forms, often simultaneously.

Present particular points of view with examples of thinking and reasoning behind them.

Communication

1. Understanding the complexity and power of language and data and their pivotal role in communication

Is able to use language effectively to communicate ideas, information, values and emotions, in individual, group and social contexts.

Is aware of the power and function of different discourses and adapts communication to different people and contexts.

Feelings and fears

Different fears - page 38

Similarities & differences in our fears (worksheet) - page 40

Ranking fears - page 39

My fear (worksheet) - page 41

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

3.3 Students conceptualise location of self in relation to others, recognise the range of social and technological influences that construct particular versions of identity, and question unchallenged social constructs.

4.3 Investigates key ways in which groups and cultures contribute to forming identities.

5.3 Analyses the multiple identities they have in different contexts and with different people and appraises the social constructs of individuals and groups in the community.

Health of Individuals and Communities

3.6 Analyses a variety of community health issues that affect them and investigates community programs to address them.

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short- and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.

Identity

1. Understanding self, group and others

Develops self-awareness and understanding with a strong sense of self-worth in social and working contexts.

Grief in a zoo community: funerals and grief rituals

Exploring grief - page 42

Newspaper article (handout) - page 44

Funerals - page 43

Newspaper article (handout) - page 45

Research - page 43

Teacher Talk

Symbols, ceremonies and commemoration can provide a healing role for students and may be important in their gaining perspective about significant events.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

3.3 Explains how different ways of describing people influences the way people value and treat themselves and others.

4.3 Investigates key ways in which groups and cultures contribute to forming identities.

5.3 Analyses the multiple identities they have in different contexts and with different people and appraises the social constructs of individuals and groups in the community.

Health of Individuals and Communities

3.6 Analyses a variety of community health issues that affect them and investigates community programs to address them.

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short- and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.
contexts

1. Understanding self, group and others

Develops self-awareness and understanding with a strong sense of self-worth in social and working.

Understands key ways in which groups and cultures contribute to forming identity.

Actively engages with the interplay between the 'self' and collective identities.

Describes aspects of personal and group identity, eg cultural, behavioural, social, emotional and intellectual.

Respects different personal and collective identities.

Reflects and communicates with others to influence and generate new personal, working and group identities.

Loss: a universal experience

Change and loss - page 46

Feelings - page 47

Categories of loss (handout) - page 48

Holmes-Rahe survey of loss (worksheet) - page 49

Teacher Talk

Consider team teaching Loss and Grief with a school counsellor/guidance officer/social worker/mental health professional. They are a significant resource.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

3.3 Explains how different ways of describing people influences the way people value and treat themselves and others.

4.3 Investigates key ways in which groups and cultures contribute to forming identities.

5.3 Analyses the multiple identities they have in different contexts and with different people and appraises the social constructs of individuals and groups in the community.

Health of Individuals and Community

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short- and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.

Futures

1. Understanding patterns and connections within systems

Understands personal relationships within contexts of social and work-related systems and environments.

Transfers knowledge and understandings to new contexts and situations (including vocational and recreational).

Understands the organic nature of change.

Creates new knowledge from insights of the past, understandings of the present and foresights of the future and applies this in building future scenarios.

Identity

2. Understanding the social construction of identities

Learners developing an understanding of themselves, of the groups to which they belong, and of other members of their community.

Learners coming to an understanding of the social construction of identities.

Learners developing the capacity to relate effectively to others and to resist the pressure of negative stereotyping.

Learners achieving a sense of their own current and emerging identities.

Grief is normal

Changes and stress - page 50

'Normal' grief reactions (handout) - page 52

Teacher Talk

If students share their experiences of loss and grief, accept and value their version and understand that loss and grief is experienced in a myriad of ways that may be different from your own.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

3.3 Explains how different ways of describing people influences the way people value and treat themselves and others

4.3 Investigates key ways in which groups and cultures contribute to forming identities.

5.3 Analyses the multiple identities they have in different contexts and with different people and appraises the social constructs of individuals and groups in the community.

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.

Essential Learnings

Identity

2. Understanding the social construction of identities

Appreciates that identities are constructed around personal and social values, ethics, systems, policies, practices and economics, eg age, race, ethnicity, gender, culture, spirituality, sexuality, ability, location, work and status.

Separates information about behaviours from beliefs about self concept and identity.

Futures

3. Building scenarios of preferred futures

Creates new knowledge from insights of the past, understandings of the present and foresights of the future and applies this in building future scenarios.

Thinking

1. Using a wide range of thinking modes

Understands and knows oneself as a thinker and learner (Metacognition).

Understanding loss in response to death

Different deaths - page 53

Determinants of grief - page 54

Determinants of grief (student handout) - page 55

Determinants of grief (teacher information) - page 56

Health and Physical Education

Health of Individuals and Community

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short- and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.

There are no specific outcomes related to this KLA. However, the activities and sessions opposite would be useful in the classroom.

Supporting grieving friends and relatives

Grief reactions - page 57

Masculine and feminine grieving patterns - pages 58-59

Unhelpful strategies (handout) - page 60

Guidelines for being a supportive person (handout) - page 61

Teacher Talk

Students may appear to be overreacting to a loss event linked to a person with whom they may have no apparent relationship. This may, in fact, represent their first encounter with such a loss.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

4.4 Analyses the changes associated with growth and development and uses problem-solving skills to manage significant transitions and issues in their own and others' lives.

5.4 Critically appraises the interrelationships of factors that influence growth and development, and ways of promoting healthy growth and development for themselves and others in the community.

Health of Individuals and Community

4.6 Identifies health issues relevant to adolescence in their community and develops strategies to deal with those issues for self and others.

5.6 Critically analyses the immediate, short- and long-term consequences and the interrelationships of behaviours that affect the health of communities.

Identity

1. Understanding self, group and others

Develops self-awareness and understanding with a strong sense of self-worth in social and working contexts.

Respects different personal and collective identities.

Responding to help seeking

A friend in need - page 65

What can you do to help? - pages 66-67

Getting help - page 67

A friend might need help when … (OHT) - page 68

What can you do to help? - page 69

Questions about suicide (teacher information sheet) - page 70

Resource list - page 71

Teacher Talk

Link the help-seeking activities in Loss and Grief to the Understanding Mental Illnesses booklet for senior secondary students.

Health and Physical Education

Personal and Social Development

5.4 Critically appraises the interrelationships of factors that influence growth and development, and ways of promoting healthy growth and development for themselves and others in the community.

5.5 Critically analyses the way individuals and groups use power to influence the behaviour of others and how an imbalance of power impacts on individual and group identities.

Thinking

1. Using a wide range of thinking modes

Shows the ability to operate on several planes - physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, social - and understands how thinking operates through these forms, often simultaneously.