FEEL & HEAL

RELEASE THE EMOTIONAL TRIGGER

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 4

Extensive  Prep
TIME Two 55 Minute Classes 
EXTENSION &
DIFFERENTIATION
Paraprofessionals
MATERIAL Electric Candles
LIST  Doodling Paper 
Colored Pencils/Pens 
Tissue
Lined Paper 
Instrumental Music

Powerlessness
KEY Hopefulness 
TERMS

Empathy 
FACET

MEASURABLE OBJECTIVE

BACKGROUND Overview Summary 

The developmental stage of
adolesence is filled with
emotions. Students are
struggling between
dependence and
independance. Students
want to feel capable and
self-assured, yet remain
controled by the power of
their emotions. In this
activity, students embrace
the heavy emotions behind
n active shooter situation.
As a student, one can feel
powerless to sit in a
classroom that might be
gunned down one day, this
activity embraces those
emotions.
Literature, movies, music, art
- they all use pathos to evoke
attention of the audience.
Curriculum has the ability to
take a pathos lens as well.
Students are not emotionless
beings ready to absorb
information. Instead, students
are guided by their emotions.
Students have happy days and
sad days -they are human.
With a curriculum that deals
with the heartfelt tragedy of
an active shooter, it is
necessary to provide students
a safe environment to express
the emotions they are feeling.  and share words that evoke
In this activity, students reflect
on active shootings and the
reality of this tragedy
happening to them. Then
students, embody the
possibility of (or reality of)
their best friend dying in a
school shooting. Students
write a letter to their best
friends parents. Little
direction is giving on what to
write because this activity is
guided by personal emotions.
Lastly, students evaluate
whether their letter convey
powerlessness or hopefulness
these feelings with the class. 
FEEL & HEAL
RELEASE THE EMOTIONAL TRIGGER

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 4

It Could Be You
Getting Started:
- Inform and seek participation from school officials,
paraprofessionals, parents, and fellow staff about this activity to
gain support. 
- Prepare the classroom with dim-off lights 
- Place electric candles on the desk of 17 students to represent
the 17 students that died in the Parkland Florida shooting. 
- Turn on soft music to play and remove the edge of silence. 
- Prepare paper and writing utensils for students
- Note: The key to this activity is not to mention whether
SEASON'S the
GREETINGS |1
candles represent students who have been killed or ones that
lived. 

Directions:
- Ask students to enter the class silently, take a seat in their desk,
and do not touch anything. 
- Inform students: "Today we are going to participate in a reflection
to place ourselves in the schools of your fellow classmates nationwide
who have been affected by school shootings." 
- Inform students this reflection is a silent activity. At any time,
they may pick up a piece of paper and writing 3 SPECIALTY
utensils to COFFEE DRINKS TO KEEP
YOU WARM | 2
capture their thoughts and feelings. 
- "To begin this silent reflection, I leave you with one line: It could be
you."
-Write the line on the board and give probing thoughts by
writing phrases like " Describe your emotions in this moment.
What about today, should be added to your history? 
- Set a timer for yourself to not let the activity run longer than
10 minutes. 
- When enough time has passed 10-15 minutes, turn the
classroom lights on.

OPTIONALS
Walk around and check in
with each students
individually to secure
assurance of stability in
emotions
Provide more than just
blank paper for students to
use to express their feelings
Provide tissues if students
begin to cry
Invite parents to partipate  the students in more
This activity involves
silence and may not be
taken seriously by every
student. As the teacher you
must determine how long
to engage in this reflective
style. If silence is difficult
for students, you may want
to take a guided mediation
approach where you lead
questions/statements than,
"It could be you." 

OPTIONAL MEDIATION
What if it was you? How would you feel? What if it wasn't you?
How would you feel? What would your friends say? What would
your family do? What do you still want to accomplish?  
FEEL & HEAL
RELEASE THE EMOTIONAL TRIGGER

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 4

Hidden Story 
Getting Started:
- Prepare the classroom with tissue 
- Inform and invite paraprofessionals to assist with activity 
- Establish a place outside of the classroom for those who need
to take some time to themselves 
- Inform parents of the activity and encourage their
participation and reflection with students at home
 
Directions:
- Acknowledge the heaviness of the room SEASON'S and encourage GREETINGS | 1
students use their self-awareness to mange their emotions and
acts and utilize the resources available when necessary. 
- Inform students that the task is to develop a sense of empathy
within their hearts and minds.
- Tell students: Viewing a candle can make you wonder whether that
candle represents a loss of life or a life left shinning, I now ask that you
embrace the feelings you are having and use them to complete this next
activity. 
- Tell students: Imagine the tragic event of your best friend dying in a
school shooting, and you lived. Write a letter to your friend's parents. 
- Typed or written letters are welcome. Have 3 SPECIALTY
lined paper COFFEE DRINKS TO KEEP
YOU WARM | 2
available for students who need it.
- Guide students through the formatting of a letter. I
recommend using information from Purdue OWL 
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/992/01/
- Give students 30-40 minutes to write. May be helpful to play
instrumental music in the background. 

OPTIONALS
Walk around and check in
with each students
individually to secure
assurance of stability in
emotions
Allow students to convey
themselves in art and
writing  Death and active shootings
Give students varied
options as who they are
able to write to
Provide opportunity for
students to mail or give
their letters to the recipient.
I recommend attaching a
letter explaining the activity
to the recipient to read
first.   
If students chose to type the
letter rather than
handwriting, teachers need
to be mindful that their
letters have the ability to be
published which may be
triggering to other people.
are not an April Fools joke
for social media. This note
is to encourage teachers to
make the mindful decision
as to whether students
should be allowed to use
computers. 
FEEL & HEAL
RELEASE THE EMOTIONAL TRIGGER

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 4

Words Hurt & Heal 

Getting Started:
- Create space so students are able to stand in two separated
groups on the opposite sides of the room
- Create signs that say "Powerlessness" and "Hopefulness" 
 
Directions:
- Students reread their letters and decide whether their letters
conveys a feeling of powerlessness or hopelessness
- After rereading, direct students to move to the two sides of the
room based on the feelings from their letters 
SEASON'S GREETINGS | 1
- Students are asked to discuss as a group the 3 feelings of
powerlessness or hopefulness based on the side of the room
they are on. 
- Guide students in discussion:
           - What words did you write in your letter that convey       
               powerlessness or hopefulness?
           -  What feelings make your feel powerless or hopeful? 
- Allow both sides of the room to share the feelings that
accompany their emotion 

3 SPECIALTY COFFEE DRINKS TO KEEP

YOU WARM | 2

Words Students May Generate

POWERLESSNESS HOPEFULNESS
Sadness  Hope
Pessimistic Optimistic  END
Lifeless
Depressed
Positive
Joy
ACTIVITY
Despair   Determined  4
FEEL & HEAL
RELEASE THE EMOTIONAL TRIGGER

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 4

Formal Assessment
Feel the Words 
Directions:
- Give students a colored paper
- Write name on one side with 3 feelings of hopefulness
- On the reverse side, write 3 feelings of powerlessness

inspired
i ned
eterm pur
Diego
d pos
ti mi stic efu
op l

positiv
e Lizbeth
em
pow
ere
d

Follow Up:
- Post a picture of your name and 3 feelings of hopefulness to your social
media account.
- Create a class-wide hashtag to use like #armedtohope or #resilience

Checklist Rubric
_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)


_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)



_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)



_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)



_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)



_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)



_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)



_____ Student follows directions completely (2 pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)
_____ Student identifies 3 feelings of powerlessness (2pts)