Welcome 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.
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)
Anchor Map Worksheet (PDF)
Invitation Cards (PDF)
Doors We Keep Open Poster (PDF)
Lesson 4 Family Note (PDF)
Heartside Framework Hand Poster (PDF)
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