As the Los Angeles wildfires continue without full containment, students are most likely experiencing a range of emotions: fear, uncertainty, confusion, anxiety, sadness, and/or hopelessness. It is important that all feelings are validated and space is made to share questions, thoughts, and feelings about this tragedy.
Morningside Center offers this circle-based activity to acknowledge the complexity of feelings around natural disasters like this one; address questions and concerns; and discuss what’s in the hearts and on the minds of our elementary-age students.
Opening Ceremony: Grounding Visualization Activity
Gather in a circle formation and welcome students to the circle space Explain that they will start this session by engaging in an activity where they will visualize their favorite peaceful place. It can be real or imaginary, a place they’ve been or a place they wish they could go.
Invite them to start by imagining a place where they feel peaceful and safe, a place where they can relax. They can close their eyes or just look down. Ask them to take deep breaths as they picture this place in their minds.
Then, ask them to access their imagination to see and feel this place. Invite them to use all of their five senses. Invite them to notice:
- What they see: the colors, the shapes, the textures of the place.
- What they hear: Is it silent? Are there noises? Maybe the talking of family members? Maybe music, city sounds?
- What they smell: Perhaps cooking smells, the breeze, etc.
- What they feel: Is it the heat, the cold, the wind in their hair?
- What they taste: Maybe they’re enjoying ice cream in this place. Maybe they can taste the salt of the ocean at Coney Island.
If stressful thoughts enter their mind, let students know they should acknowledge them, and then return to their favorite peaceful place.
Thank students for participating.
Circle Round 1: Validate Feelings
Now, pass around the talking piece and invite students to share how they are feeling. Use the Feelings Tool (above) or the Emotional Vocabulary Handout accompanying this session or one you currently have in your own classroom. Invite students to name as many emotions as they are feeling.
Be sure to share your own feelings before acknowledging that all of these feelings are valid and natural.
Circle Round 2: Chart Students’ Wonderings
For the next round, pass around the talking piece and invite students to share what they’re wondering about with respect to the Los Angeles fires. Be sure to share your own questions or concerns.
Chart these questions and select 3-4 that you feel comfortable answering. Questions that may arise include “Can this happen to us?,” “What is a wildfire,?” “Why do they happen?”
When responding to concerns about this happening in your local area, be sure to name the ways first responders, firemen and other organizations offer support and safety.
Be sure to return to this chart on a regular basis and answer those questions you can comfortably answer.
Circle Round 3: Share Thoughts and Feelings
Finally, pass around the talking piece and invite students to respond to the following prompt:
- One thing that’s on my mind (or in my heart) about the wildfires is…
Share first to encourage comfort and vulnerability. Remember that each student has the opportunity to share or pass. What’s important is that all are listening to one another and given the space to share.
Thank students for sharing.
Closing Ceremony: Rainbow Breathing
Invite students to sit or stand in a place in the room where they can stretch their arms out to their sides without bumping into other people or objects.
Now invite students to put their arms out to their sides, as far as they can reach. As they inhale, have them bring their arms slowly above their heads, tracing the arc of a rainbow in the air until their hands touch. As they exhale, ask them to bring their arms back down to their sides. Model for students what the movement looks like as you talk them through it.
Explain that you’ll do five of these rainbow breaths together, breathing in through our noses, pausing at the top of the rainbow, and then breathing out through our mouths as we bring our arms back down to pause again at the bottom.
Depending on your experience and comfort level with mindful breathing techniques, you can
After the completion of five rainbow breaths, check in with students by asking: “How are you feeling right now? In your body? In your heart?”
Thank students for participating in today’s circle.