Death / New Life Here I Am Death / New Life

Recognise W.A.L.T. To recognise that loss and sadness are part of living.

Gran’s house We were on our way to Gran’s house. None of us spoke very much. Gran had died two weeks ago and we were going to her house for the last time to clear it out.

Rachel thought of the journeys to Gran’s house for holidays. She liked its old furniture and secret cupboards. Simon thought of Gran’s cooking. No one could make apple pie like her. She’d always bake something special for them too and save an extra piece for him.

Mum thought of going back to the house for the last time, the house where she’d grown up. How strange it would be not to see her Mum sitting in her chair by the side of the fire. Her Mum had coped with years of loneliness without her Dad and never complained. She’d always been t h e r e.

Dad, as he drove along, was thinking of the gentle old lady that he’d come to love over the years. And I thought of Gran teaching me to knit and to make pastry. I thought of Gran working in her garden and Gran and I walking to the shops, and I started to cry. I missed my Gran so much.

During the day, we each found something to take home from Gran’s house to treasure. I chose Gran’s basket where she kept her sewing threads and silks. Mum was delighted I had chosen that. She felt sure Gran would have wanted it that way.

When we’d finished sorting out, the boot was filled with boxes. When we left Gran’s house for the last time, we knew that someone else would come to live here and that we would never journey to Gran’s house again.

Gran’s House - Key questions What do you know about Gran from the story?

What did the family feel they had lost because of Gran's death?

How were they going to cope in the future?

How would Gran still be there for them?

Reflect W.A.L.T. To reflect on loss and sadness in our own lives.

Sometimes …. people we love ... move away .. go into hospital- or die.

This causes a sense or a feeling within us - of loss and sadness in our lives. Here are some pictures of people I have lost in my life. They show me as a young boy, about your age, with my sister, my Nan and also my dad.

Me with my Nan and sister This a picture of me with my Nan ( Dolly ) and my sister Debbie. I was about 8 or 9 years old in this picture. Unfortunately, my Nan died not long after my 14th birthday. The last time I saw her was actually on my birthday, in the hospital she was in. She gave me a lovely birthday card and laughed as she hugged me and said “Happy Birthday son!” My sister Debbie, is now married to Mike. They live on the Isle of Wight near Portsmouth, so I don’t get to see her that often.

This is another picture from the same day, only this time my dad is standing behind me. My dad died on a memorable day Palm Sunday - April 8TH 2001. He was 63 years old and had been sick for quite some time. I still miss him very much and think about him every day.

So we have established that sometimes people we love very much, move away, go into hospital or die. This is quite a difficult time for all of us. Even when we are grown up as adults, it can be very hard to cope with. But there are always people, friends and family who can help us cope at these sad moments. To help us focus on these times – take a few minutes to think about these few Questions.

Now that I have shared some of my family history, has anyone you love had to move away, or go into hospital?

Has anyone you love died? They can be a family member, friends or even animals or pets!

How did you feel? What did you do?

Do you sometimes think or talk about them?

How did your life change?

In what ways are they still ‘there’ for you?

Now, on our Wipe boards, we are going to collect some words that say how we felt about the loss of someone we love and hold dear to us. For example: sad, lonely, worried, lost, frightened or sick

We are also thinking about the reasons why we loved them and why they are still alive within us today. For example: they may have spent time with us, maybe they were kind or funny. We are going to include these words in our class display.

Class Memory Basket As we are discussing the people or pets we may have lost in our lives, try and select someone who was especially close to you and write their name on one of the memory cards you have been given. At the end of the lesson we will collect these and put them in our Memory Basket.

Let us consider some of our possible feelings and emotions we may go through when we lose something precious to us…..

Some feelings and emotions …..

Some feelings and emotions ….. sad

Some feelings and emotions ….. lonely

Some feelings and emotions ….. Upset

Some feelings and emotions ….. tearful

Some feelings and emotions ….. worried

Some feelings and emotions ….. emotional

Some feelings and emotions ….. sad lonely Upset worried tearful emotional

But ……….

Sometimes ………….

We just feel ………………………….. Sometimes …………. We just feel …………………………..

We just feel ………………………….. Sometimes …………. We just feel ………………………….. Empty Inside - Like a shell ………… !

Death is nothing at all. Henry Scott Holland - Canon of St Death is nothing at all. Henry Scott Holland - Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral - 1847-1918 Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to each other, That we still are. Call me by my old familiar name. Speak to me in the easy way, which you always used.

Death is nothing at all. Henry Scott Holland - Canon of St Death is nothing at all. Henry Scott Holland - Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral - 1847-1918 Put no difference in your tone, Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed, At the little jokes we enjoyed together.  Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever, The household word - that it always was, Let it be spoken without effect, Without the trace of shadow on it.

Death is nothing at all. Henry Scott Holland - Canon of St Death is nothing at all. Henry Scott Holland - Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral - 1847-1918 Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind - Because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you, for an interval. Somewhere very near - Just around the corner.  All is well…………. 

Death is nothing at all. Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to each other, that we still are. Call me by my old familiar name. Speak to me in the easy way, which you always used. Put no difference in your tone, Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed, at the little jokes we enjoyed together.  Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, Let it be spoken without effect, Without the trace of shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you, for an interval. Somewhere very near, just around the corner.  All is well.  Canon Henry Scott Holland of St. Paul's Cathedral - 1847-1918

Recognise W.A.L.T. To recognise that loss and sadness are part of living.

Final Prayer – Eternal Rest Give on to them Oh Lord And let perpetual light Shine upon them May they rest in peace. Amen

St. Francis of Assisi – Mission Statement Song At St. Francis school, we love and grow in Christ We live and learn in partnership We build and share together

Death / New Life Here I Am Death / New Life