Art of Forgiveness
Week 1 – Safe Space & Community Agreements
Theme: Building Brave Spaces
Activities: • Opening circle introductions
• Create classroom Brave Space Agreements
• Discussion: What is forgiveness?
• Art Activity: Draw or write “Peace looks like…”
Skills: • Trust building
• Self-awareness
• Respectful listening
CASEL Focus: Relationship Skills
PBIS: Positive classroom culture
Week 2 – Understanding Emotions
Theme: Naming Feelings
Activities: • Emotional vocabulary exercise
• Create an Emotion Color Wheel Artwork
• Reflective journaling: When I feel hurt…
Skills: • Emotional literacy
• Self-awareness
CASEL Focus: Self-Awareness
VAPA: Visual expression
Week 3 – The Story of Hurt
Theme: Understanding conflict
Activities: • Students write “A time I felt wronged” story or poem
• Group discussion on how conflicts start
• Introduce conflict cycle
Skills: • Emotional expression
• Reflection
CASEL Focus: Self-Awareness + Responsible Decision-Making
Week 4 – Perspective Taking
Theme: Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes
Activities: • Rewrite their conflict story from the other person’s perspective
• Empathy role-play
• Partner dialogue exercise
Skills: • Empathy development
• Perspective shifting
CASEL Focus: Social Awareness
Week 5 – Understanding Anger & Regulation
Theme: Emotional control
Activities: • Learn nervous system regulation tools
breathing
grounding
pause practice
• Art Activity: “My Storm / My Calm” visual piece
Skills: • Emotional regulation
• Self-management
CASEL Focus: Self-Management
Week 6 – Conflict Resolution Tools
Theme: Solving problems peacefully
Teach 4 Conflict Resolution Steps
Pause
Listen
Express feelings respectfully
Find solutions together
Activities: • Conflict role-play
• Practice I-Statements
Example: "I feel ___ when ___ because ___."
CASEL Focus: Relationship Skills
PBIS: Restorative problem solving
Week 7 – Apology & Accountability
Theme: Owning our actions
Activities: • Discussion: What makes a real apology?
• Write Letters of Accountability
• Art piece: Broken & Repaired (Kintsugi concept)
Skills: • Responsibility
• Repairing harm
CASEL Focus: Responsible Decision-Making
Week 8 – The Power of Forgiveness
Theme: Letting go
Activities: • Guided reflection: Who do I need to forgive?
• Write Forgiveness Poem or Letter
• Optional: forgiveness circle
Skills: • Emotional release
• Compassion
CASEL Focus: Self-Management + Social Awareness
Week 9 – Restorative Dialogue
Theme: Healing conversations
Introduce Restorative Circle Questions
• What happened?
• Who was affected?
• What can repair the harm?
Activities: • Practice circles
• Conflict scenario practice
Skills: • Communication
• Accountability
PBIS Alignment: Restorative Practices
Week 10 – Art as Healing
Theme: Transforming pain into creativity
Activities: Students create one:
• Forgiveness painting
• Spoken word poem
• Collage of healing
• Music or rhythm piece
VAPA Focus: Creating and Presenting
Week 11 – Community Healing Project
Theme: Collective peace
Students collaborate on a Peace Artwork
Examples: • Forgiveness mural
• Poetry wall
• Community peace banner
Skills: • Collaboration
• Community awareness
CASEL Focus: Relationship Skills
Week 12 – Peace Showcase & Reflection
Theme: Celebration and closure
Activities: • Student presentations
• Spoken word performances
• Gallery walk of artwork
• Reflection circle
Reflection prompts: • What did I learn about forgiveness?
• How do I resolve conflict differently now?
Skills: • Confidence
• Reflection
• Community building
Student Outcomes
By the end of the program students will:
• Understand emotional triggers
• Practice healthy conflict resolution
• Demonstrate empathy and perspective taking
• Express emotions through art and poetry
• Engage in restorative dialogue
Example Assessment Methods
• Reflection journals
• Creative artwork
• Participation in circles
• Final peace project
• Self-assessment rubric