<![CDATA[Heartside Magazine: Heartside Lesson Plan]]>https://porch.theheartsideproject.com/s/the-heartside-lessonhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!whJ6!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3eee8e59-aae1-421c-b80e-839c063fc3ab_1280x1280.pngHeartside Magazine: Heartside Lesson Planhttps://porch.theheartsideproject.com/s/the-heartside-lessonSubstackSat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:59 GMT<![CDATA[Do the Normal Things • Lesson Four]]>https://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-4-do-the-normal-thingshttps://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-4-do-the-normal-thingsWed, 16 Sep 2026 21:06:42 GMTWelcome to Lesson 4 of the Heartside Framework Series: Do the Normal Things. This is the pinky lesson… the littlest finger holds the small (but important) gestures that keep a hurting friend’s world open. If your class has ever wondered what to do for a sad friend, this is the most doable lesson in the series.

Heartside Magazine is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Here’s what’s inside:

Framework Focus: Action Four of the Heartside Five… Do the normal things.

The Big Idea: After a loss, the ordinary world can feel closed. Small, steady invitations, offered with room to say no (and offered again tomorrow) beat grand gestures every time.

Heartside Heroes Will...

  • Name the two common mistakes: treating a friend like glass, and pretending nothing happened.

  • Map a friend’s normal things on an anchor map.

  • Practice an ordinary invitation that leaves room for no.

SEL Standards (CASEL):

  • Social Awareness

  • Relationship Skills

  • Responsible Decision-Making

  • Self-Management.

Every Heartside Lesson Plan runs in a 20-minute core, shrinks to 10 minutes for those in a time crunch, and grows with extenders... with adaptations for Grades 1–12 and versions for whole-class, large-group, small-group, and one-on-one.

Downloadable Resource List

  • Heartside Lesson 4: Do the Normal Things · The complete lesson plan

  • Anchor Map Worksheet · Hands-on activity

  • Invitation Cards · Fill-in cards for today’s and the future

  • Doors We Keep Open Poster · A fill-in door for your Heartside wall

  • Lesson 4 Family Note · Ready to copy and send home

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster · The map for every lesson, on one hand

New to the Heartside Framework?

Start with the Foundation Lesson: Becoming a Heartside Hero

After our launch period, the Heartside Lesson Plans section and downloads will move to the paid tier. But for now, it’s open to all subscribers. Feel free to use this lesson with the young people in your life. (Feel free to refer others to this page as a resource… but please do not share the lessons themselves.)

Everything you need is right here, ready to print:

  • Heartside Lesson 4: Do the Normal Things (PDF)

    Heartside Lesson 4 Do The Normal Things
    273KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Anchor Map Worksheet (PDF)

    Heartside Anchor Map Worksheet
    438KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Invitation Cards (PDF)

    Heartside Invitation Cards
    369KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Doors We Keep Open Poster (PDF)

    Heartside Doors We Keep Open Poster
    191KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Lesson 4 Family Note (PDF)

    Heartside Lesson 4 Family Note
    448KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster (PDF)

Heartside Framework Hand Poster
4.04MB ∙ PDF file
Download
Download

Let me know which ages and adaptations you choose—and how it goes. I am always open to constructive feedback… from pointing out typos and misspellings (I promise that I try to scan for those…) to suggestions for the adaptations and activities. We are on this mission together, and I value your opinion.

Please leave a comment or shoot me a message... I read them all.

Let’s raise a generation that knows how to show up for hurting friends...

Jepper

]]><![CDATA[Sit Beside Them • Lesson Three]]>https://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-3-sit-beside-themhttps://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-3-sit-beside-themMon, 07 Sep 2026 20:59:58 GMTWelcome to Lesson 3 of the Heartside Framework Series: Sit Beside Them. This is the quietest lesson in the series… it asks for less talking from everyone (including the teacher) than anything else we will do all year. It may also be the lesson your Heartside Heroes remember longest.

heartside framework hand

Here’s what’s inside:

Framework Focus: Action Three of the Heartside Five… Sit beside them.

The Big Idea: Presence… not answers. The silence that feels awkward to the helper often feels like company to the hurting. Staying in it is a skill we can practice.

Heartside Heroes Will…

  • Sit beside a partner for sixty silent seconds without filling the quiet.

  • Name ways to be company without words.

  • Let the hurting friend set the pace.

SEL Standards (CASEL):

  • Self-Awareness

  • Self-Management

  • Social Awareness

  • Relationship Skills.

Every Heartside Lesson Plan runs in a 20-minute core, shrinks to 10 minutes for those in a time crunch, and grows with extenders... with adaptations for Grades 1–12 and versions for whole-class, large-group, small-group, and one-on-one.

Downloadable Resource List

  • Heartside Lesson 3 · Sit Beside Them—The complete lesson plan

  • “Quiet Company Menu” Poster—Options for quiet sitting, for the wall

  • Side-by-Side Sheet—Hands-on activity

  • Family Note—Ready to copy and send home

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster—The map for every lesson, on one hand

New to the Heartside Framework?

Start with the Foundation Lesson: Becoming a Heartside Hero

After our launch period, the Heartside Lesson Plans section and downloads will move to the paid tier. But for now, it’s open to all subscribers. Feel free to use this lesson with the young people in your life. (Feel free to refer others to this page as a resource… but please do not share the lessons themselves.)

Everything you need is right here, ready to print:

  • Heartside Lesson 3 · Sit Beside Them (PDF):

    Heartside Lesson 3 Sit Beside Them
    270KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • “Quiet Company Menu” Poster (PDF):

    Heartside Quiet Company Menu
    300KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Side-by-Side Sheet (PDF):

    Heartside Side By Side Sheet
    188KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Family Note (PDF):

    Heartside Lesson 3 Family Note
    408KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster (PDF):

    Heartside Framework Hand Poster
    4.04MB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

Let me know which ages and adaptations you choose—and how it goes. I am always open to constructive feedback… from pointing out typos and misspellings (I promise that I try to scan for those…) to suggestions for the adaptations and activities. We are on this mission together, and I value your opinion.

Please leave a comment or shoot me a message... I read them all.

Let’s raise a generation that knows how to show up for hurting friends...

Jepper

]]><![CDATA[Put the Ball Down • Lesson Two]]>https://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-2-put-the-ball-downhttps://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-2-put-the-ball-downMon, 31 Aug 2026 12:24:00 GMTWelcome to Put the Ball Down, Lesson 2 of the Heartside Framework Series—the second of the action-specific lessons promised in the Foundation Lesson. This is the lesson for every kind heart that reaches for a joke, a distraction, or a “cheer up” the moment a friend goes sad… which is to say, every kind heart in your room, including the one teaching.

heartside framework hand

Here’s what’s inside:

Framework Focus: Action Two of the Heartside Five: Put the ball down. (Your middle finger, the tallest one… because the urge to fix is the tallest feeling in your hand.)

The Big Idea: A friend’s sadness cannot be fixed… so don’t try. Not with jokes. Not with advice. Not with distraction. Heartside Heroes notice the fix-it urge, set it down, and simply stay.

Heartside Heroes Will...

· Tell why they shouldn’t try to fix the sad.

· Name their own fix-it move and notice the urge when it rises.

· Practice the trade: Set the ball down, say a kind true thing, and stay.

Every Heartside Lesson Plan runs in a 20-minute core, shrinks to 10 minutes for those in a time crunch, and grows with extenders... with adaptations for Grades 1–12 and versions for whole-class, large-group, small-group, and one-on-one.

Downloadable Resource List

  • Heartside Lesson 2 · Put the Ball Down (PDF)—The complete lesson plan

  • “The Ball Isn’t Bad” Anchor Chart—The trade at a glance, for the wall

  • Beach Ball Sheet—Hands-on activity

  • Lesson 2 Family Note—Ready to copy and send home

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster—The map for every lesson, on one hand

New to the Heartside Framework?

Start with the Foundation Lesson: Becoming a Heartside Hero

After our launch period, the Heartside Lesson Plans section and downloads will move to the paid tier. But for now, it’s open to all subscribers. Feel free to use this lesson with the young people in your life. (Feel free to refer others to this page as a resource… but please do not share the lessons themselves.)

Everything you need is right here, ready to print:

  • Heartside Lesson 2 · Put the Ball Down (PDF):

    Heartside Lesson 2 Put The Ball Down
    271KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • “The Ball Isn’t Bad” Anchor Chart:

    The Ball Isn't Bad Anchor Chart
    475KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Beach Ball Sheet:

    Heartside Beach Ball Sheet
    376KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Lesson 2 Family Note:

    Lesson 2 Family Note
    455KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

Heartside Framework Hand Poster:

Heartside Framework Hand Poster
4.04MB ∙ PDF file
Download
Download

Let me know which ages and adaptations you choose—and how it goes. I am always open to constructive feedback… from pointing out typos and misspellings (I promise that I try to scan for those…) to suggestions for the adaptations and activities. We are on this mission together, and I value your opinion.

Please leave a comment or shoot me a message... I read them all.

Let’s raise a generation that knows how to show up for hurting friends...

Jepper

]]><![CDATA[Say the True Thing • Lesson One]]>https://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-1-say-the-true-thinghttps://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/framework-lesson-1-say-the-true-thingSun, 23 Aug 2026 17:54:03 GMTWelcome to Lesson 1 of the Heartside Framework Series: Say the True Thing. This is the first of the action-specific lessons promised in the Foundation. The Heartside Five begin where we begin counting: the pointer finger… and the words that cause most of us to freeze.

heartside framework hand

Here’s what’s inside:

Framework Focus: Action 1 of the Heartside Five: Say the true thing. The Foundation gave your Heartside Heroes the map... this is the first close-up.

The Big Idea: Honest, simple words help a hurting friend; cheer-up words quietly ask the sad person to feel better for our comfort.

Heartside Heroes Will...

  • Explain why true words help more than cheer-up words.

  • Say the One True Sentence from memory.

  • Spot common fix-it phrases and know what to say instead.

Every Heartside Lesson Plan runs in a 20-minute core, shrinks to 10 minutes for those in a time crunch, and grows with extenders... with adaptations for Grades 1–12 and versions for whole-class, large-group, small-group, and one-on-one.

Downloadable Resource List

  • The complete Heartside Lesson Plan (PDF)—The complete lesson plan

  • True Words Scenario Cards—Hands-on activity

  • “True Words We Can Say” Anchor Chart—The lesson at a glance for the wall

  • Lesson 1 Family Note—Ready to copy and send home

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster—The map for every lesson, on one hand

After our launch period, the Heartside Lesson Plans section and downloads will move to the paid tier. But for now, it’s open to all subscribers. Feel free to use this lesson with the young people in your life. (Feel free to refer others to this page as a resource… but please do not share the lessons themselves.)

Everything you need is right here, ready to print:

  • The complete Heartside Lesson Plan (PDF):

    Heartside Lesson 1 Say The True Thing
    230KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • True Words Scenario Cards:

    True Words Scenario Cards Lesson 1
    336KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • “True Words We Can Say” Anchor Chart Poster

    True Words We Can Say Anchor Chart Poster
    314KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Family Note

    Lesson 1 Family Note Say The True Thing
    312KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster... the same map from the Foundation Lesson, here again so it is always within reach.

    Heartside Framework Hand Poster
    4.04MB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

New to the Heartside Framework?

Start with the Foundation Lesson: Becoming a Heartside Hero

Let me know which ages and adaptations you choose—and how it goes. I am always open to constructive feedback… from pointing out typos and misspellings (I promise that I try to scan for those…) to suggestions for the adaptations and activities. We are on this mission together, and I value your opinion.

Please leave a comment or shoot me a message... I read them all!

Let’s raise a generation that knows how to show up for hurting friends...

Jepper

]]><![CDATA[Becoming a Heartside Hero • Foundation]]>https://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/heartside-framework-foundation-lessonhttps://porch.theheartsideproject.com/p/heartside-framework-foundation-lessonSat, 22 Aug 2026 19:35:11 GMTWelcome to the first Heartside Lesson Plan... the foundation lesson that undergirds future lessons. This is the place to start: the whole Heartside Framework, taught in twenty minutes, in a form a child can carry in one hand.

Here’s what’s inside:

Framework Focus: The entire framework at the map level: the Heartside Promise, the five actions of the Heartside Five, and the Backup Rule. Each action will have its own full lesson in the coming weeks.

The Big Idea: Nobody can fix a friend’s sadness... and nobody needs to. Showing up is the whole job, and it can be learned.

Heartside Heroes Will...

  • Say the Heartside Promise from memory.

  • Name the five actions of the Heartside Five, counting them on their fingers.

  • Explain the Backup Rule and when to call for backup.

Every Heartside Lesson Plan runs in a 20-minute core, shrinks to 10 minutes for those in a time crunch, and grows with extenders... with adaptations for Grades 1–12 and versions for whole-class, large-group, small-group, and one-on-one.

Everything you need is right here, ready to print:

  • The complete Heartside Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Heartside Foundation Lesson Becoming A Heartside Hero
    219KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Heartside Framework Hand Poster (PNG and PDF)

    Heartside Framework Hand Poster
    4.04MB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Trace-Your-Hand Worksheet

    Heartside Trace Your Hand Worksheet
    214KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • My Backup Team Cards

    My Backup Team Cards
    681KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

  • Foundation Lesson Family Follow-Up Note

    Foundation Lesson Family Follow Up Note
    601KB ∙ PDF file
    Download
    Download

After our launch period, the Heartside Lesson Plans section will move to the paid tier. But for now, it’s open to all subscribers. Feel free to use this lesson with the young people in your life. (Feel free to refer others to this page as a resource… but please do not share the lessons themselves.) Let me know which ages and adaptations you choose—and how it goes. I am always open to constructive feedback… from pointing out typos and misspellings (I do try to scan for those… I promise!) to suggestions for the adaptations and activities. We are on this mission together, and I value your opinion.

Please leave a comment or shoot me a message... I read them all!

Let’s raise a generation that knows how to show up for hurting friends...

Jepper

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