· web viewsources basic lesson. flaming chalice with animals and plants extension. wanda’s...

Sprit Play Stories

Used at BuxMont UU Fellowship

2014 – 2015

All adapted and edited by Dawn Star Sarahs-Borchelt, CRE

Flaming Chalice Basic LessonFLAMING CHALICE BASIC LESSON

Opening Circle

Light the chalice using the hand-motions:

We light this chalice to celebrateUnitarian UniversalismThis is the church of open mindsThis is the church of loving heartsThis is the church of helping hands

Do introductions and joys & concerns with a talking object of some kind.

Pass around the collection jug, reminding participants that any money collected will go to the organization chosen by the children to receive donations this program year.

Say something like this:

This classroom is a special place. While we are here, we treat each other with respect and care. That’s because each of us is important, and when we are together we can learn and grow.

You can show respect and care right now by getting yourself ready to listen to the story for today. That means sitting as quietly as you can, with your legs folded. If you would like a pipe-cleaner to use to busy your hands to help your ears listen, you may take one.

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Flaming Chalice Basic LessonFLAMING CHALICE BASIC LESSON written by Nita Penfold with additional wondering questions by Beverly Leute Bruce

This is our main liturgical lesson and should be presented first each year. There are two or three extensions that are then presented during the year.

Materials

Flaming Chalice, gold circle that fits in chalice, candle, matches or battery candle;

bright yellow felt circle at least 36” in diameter, folded;

set of multicultural and multi-abled people in basket;

7 equilateral triangles (3 1/4” a side) in red, orange, yellow, green, light blue, dark blue, and purple cut from colored cardstock

Presentation

Words for you to say are in italics; actions are in plain type.

This is the circle of our community.

Point around circle of children. Then take yellow underlay from tray and spread out on floor in front of you, smoothing it down.

This is the circle of our Unitarian Universalist community.

Pick up chalice and hold.

This is our Flaming Chalice.It looks like a cup.

Run finger around circle of chalice. Put chalice in middle of underlay.

It’s a very big cup. I wonder what it could hold.

Pick up gold circle.

Some people feel that it holds the spirit of love and justice and truth or maybe the spirit of mystery which some people call God.

Put gold circle in chalice. Pick up candle.

We put a candle in our chalice because the flame is mysterious and beautiful and reminds us of the spirit.

Put candle in chalice.

It’s a very big cup. I wonder how many people could drink out of a cup this big.

Place basket of people in front of you.

These are the people of our community. This person could be in our community.

Hold up person and then place around chalice about 6 inches from chalice. Continue to add people as you talk. You may want to pass basket around to the children to place one or two people. Place people as close together as possible. Then look at all the people around the chalice. It’s okay if you don’t use them all.

It’s getting pretty crowded around our circle. You know, sometimes, it’s hard to be in community. One person might do something that another one doesn’t like. Sometimes there’s not enough room and you feel squashed.

Take basket with triangles and put in front of you.

So in our Unitarian Universalist community we make promises to each other about how we are going to treat each other, so that we all get along, and do what’s right. We call these our principles. These are our promises.

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Flaming Chalice Basic LessonTake one triangle at a time, starting with red, then orange, then yellow, then green, then light blue, then dark blue, then purple, and place at base of chalice with one point into the chalice and two points to the people. Start to your right in the three o’clock position to you. You may name the colors as you put them down. With older children you may want to name each promise (see Promises lesson) but children will have a later lesson naming them. You may also want to touch the three points of the triangle before you put down.

Red: We promise to Respect All People

Orange: We promise to Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All

Yellow: We promise to Yearn to accept and Learn about ourselves, others, and the Mystery

Green: We promise to Grow by Exploring what is true and right in life

Blue: We promise to Believe in our ideas and Act on them

Indigo: We promise to Insist on a Peaceful, Fair and Free world for all

Violet: We promise to Value our home, Earth, that we share with all living things

When you finish putting down the triangles, count them out loud all round the circle. When you say “connected” point to the two points of one side of the triangle pointing to the people on either side, then to the point that points to the chalice in the center.

There are seven promises we make to each other to help us be in community. They remind us that we are connected to each other and to the spirit of Love and Mystery which some people call God.

Let us enjoy the light.

Light candle.

Ask some of these Wondering Questions (as time and interest allow):

I wonder if you have seen this anywhere else in our church? (point to triangles and chalice)

I wonder what part of it you like best?

I wonder what part is most important?

I wonder how big this community could really be?

I wonder who is in this community?

I wonder if the people in the community have names?

I wonder how it feels to be in this community?

I wonder where you are in this community?

I wonder if you have ever made a promise?

I wonder what happens when you break a promise?

I wonder if a promise is different than a wish?

I wonder if there is one promise that is more important than the others?

I wonder if there is one promise that we could remove and still live together peacefully?

I wonder what would happen if the promises weren’t here?

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Flaming Chalice Basic LessonI wonder what would happen if someone new came to join this community?(Move person around circle…trying to get in)

I wonder if you have ever come close to the Mystery?

I wonder if you have ever felt the Spirit of Love and Mystery?

Putting Away:

After wondering, extinguish the light. Jerome Berryman extinguishes the light in this way:

Now watch how I change the light. The light of the Mystery which is here will now go everywhere.

Put candle snuffer on flame then lift up dramatically, watching the puff of smoke go up into the air and into the room.

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Flaming Chalice Basic LessonChoices

Say something like:

In this classroom you are able to choose what you would like to do with your time here after the story and before class is over.

Today’s choices are:

Retelling the story to yourself

Make posters showing what it means to act on each Promise

Choose a cooperative game to play

Learn the Principles Song

Or other activities you have chosen as the teacher. It is up to you whether to give totally free choice to each child individually (this will work best when you have enough adults to assist any child who needs help with a chosen activity without too much waiting) or whether to help the class as a whole decide on one or two activities to do together. Whichever you decide, be sure to let the children know clearly what choices they have (and do not have).

Activity Directions

Retelling the story independently:

Coach children to take turns, and to treat the materials with respect so that they will be available for other children and teachers to use in the future. For older/reading children, provide a copy of the script (above). For younger/non-reading children, provide a photo of the finished storyboard.

Make posters showing what it means to act on each Promise:

If you have time, prepare one large piece of paper or poster-board for each Promise by writing or printing the Promise on it

(preferably in the rainbow color associated with it.)

Allow children to use markers, crayons, colored pencils, magazine clippings, or other collage materials to depict how to act in ways which Respect All People, Offer Fair and Kind Treatment, etc. Post these pictures on the walls of your classroom.

Choose a cooperative game to play:

We have several books of cooperative games which you can look through (ahead of time or with the children) to choose a game or two which encourages cooperation and creative thinking/moving.

Learn the Principles Song:

While we sing the Principles Song each time we begin in the Circle Time room, some children may not know all of the words or feel confident singing it. See the lyrics (following) and help children work on memorizing the words (to the tune of Do Re Mi)

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Flaming Chalice Basic Lesson

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Flaming Chalice Basic LessonUU Principles Song

This song was created and adapted by many UU religious educators, most recently by Katie Erslev Covey. It is sung to the tune of Do Re Mi.

One: Each person is worthwhile.Two: Be kind in all you do.

Three: We help each other learn.Four: And search for what is true.

Five: All people have a say.Six: Work for a peaceful world.

Seven: The web of life's the way,That will bring us back to me and U.U…

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Promises Basic LessonPROMISES BASIC LESSON

Opening Circle








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Promises Basic LessonPROMISES BASIC LESSON

written by Nita Penfold

Materials:

Underlay (rainbow on one side, deep purple on other side; outline of gold circle and triangles can be marked on fabric, about 20” square) rolled up;

basket with objects: small wrapped gift, heart, felt flame or wooden flame, flower, bell, dove, and earth picture or ball; basket with seven promises (equilateral triangles in rainbow colors, see Flaming Chalice lesson);

large gold circle 7” in diameter.

Notes: practice placing triangles so that they are distributed evenly around the gold circle or mark placement on fabric.

Presentation:


Point around circle of children on rug.


Roll out underlay rainbow side up and smooth down.

This is the Rainbow Path of our Unitarian*Universalist community, the way in which we try to live our lives.

Take out large gold circle and place in middle of underlay.

This is the Spirit of Love and Justice and Truth, the Spirit of Mystery that some people call God. We use the color gold for the Mystery.

You know, sometimes, it’s hard to be in community. One person might do something that another one doesn’t

like. They might think someone is being unfair.

Take basket with triangles and basket of objects and put in front of you.

So in our Unitarian*Universalist community we make promises to each other about how we are going to treat each other, so that we all get along, and do what’s right. These promises are also called our principles.

Take out red triangle. Place on underlay to your right at your 3 o’clock position just outside the gold circle, pointing into it.

Our first promise is red for Respect People. Each person is special just by being his or her self. Each person is like a gift. You are special just by being yourself. You are a gift.

Take out red gift box and place on gold circle across from red triangle.

We don’t know all the wonderful things about each other until we learn about each other, find out all of our gifts. We are all precious so we treat each other as a little part of the Mystery.

Take out orange triangle. Place on underlay to left of red triangle, pointing into gold circle.

Our second promise is orange for Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All People. Since we believe that all people are gifts, we need to be kind and fair to them.

Take out orange heart and place on gold circle across from orange triangle.

This heart reminds us to be kind to all people.

Take out yellow triangle. Place on underlay to left of orange triangle, pointing into gold circle.

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Promises Basic Lesson

Our third promise is yellow for Yearn to Accept and Learn About Ourselves, Others, and the Mystery.

Take out yellow flame and place on gold circle across from yellow triangle.

By thinking about ourselves and other people and learning & celebrating our differences, we are reminded by this flame that we are all connected to the Mystery that some people call God.

Take out green triangle. Place on underlay to left of yellow triangle, pointing into gold circle.

Our fourth promise is green for Grow by Exploring What is True and Right in Life.

Take out flower and place on gold circle across from green triangle.

It’s sometimes hard to decide what is true and right, so this flower reminds us that we grow as people by exploring answers to our questions. We may find different answers to the same questions, or questions that have no answers, but we keep on asking.

Take out blue triangle. Place on underlay to left of green triangle, pointing into gold circle.

Our fifth promise is blue for Believe in our ideas and Act on them.

Take out bell and place on gold circle across from blue triangle.

Once we figure out what is right and true for us, this bell reminds us that we have to try to do what’s true and right, not just talk about it. The bell is that little voice inside us that lets us know when something we do is right or wrong.

Take out dark blue or indigo triangle. Place on underlay to left of blue triangle, pointing into gold circle.

Our sixth promise is indigo or dark blue for Insist on a Peaceful, Fair, and Free World. We try to do what’s right and we want all people to have freedom and justice in their lives. Justice means being fair to everyone. Peace means living together in harmony.

Take out dove and place on gold circle across from dark blue triangle.

The dove reminds of us peace for all.

Take out violet triangle. Place on underlay to left of dark blue triangle, pointing into gold circle.

The seventh and last promise is violet, a kind of purple color, for Value our home, Earth, that we share with all living beings. We value each living being as a gift just like we do people.

Take out Earth ball or picture and place on gold circle across from violet triangle.

This Earth reminds us again that we are all connected in our lives. We need to be careful of what we do so that all living beings on Earth will have clean water, and clean air, and enough places to live. We need to remember that we are only one being on the Earth and that there are many others that we need to respect.

Count the triangles around the circle, touching each one.

There are seven promises we make to each other to help us be in community. They remind us that we are connected to each other and to the spirit of Love or Mystery which some people call God.

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I wonder which promise you like the best?

I wonder how it feels when we keep a promise?

I wonder what happens when we keep a promise?

I wonder if it is easy or hard to keep a promise?

I wonder what happens when a promise is broken?

I wonder what here is most important?

I wonder how it feels to be on this rainbow path?

Wondering Questions for each promise

Red--I wonder how it feels to be special, to be a gift?

Orange--I wonder how it feels to be kind and fair? I wonder if you’ve ever noticed unfairness?

Yellow--I wonder if you’ve ever learned something about yourself? others? the Mystery?

Green--I wonder how it feels to ask a question? I wonder how it feels to find an answer to a question?I wonder how it feels to have a question answered?

Blue--I wonder if you’ve ever heard that little voice inside that tells you something’s right or wrong?

Indigo--I wonder how it feels to have peace and justice in your life? I wonder how we can be peaceful?

Violet--I wonder how it feels to be a part of Earth? I wonder how we can respect all living beings?

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Promises Basic LessonChoices

Say something like:




Go outside and make a rainbow path with chalk on the front sidewalk (or a back sidewalk if you’re shy)

Trust walk

Learn the Principles Song


Activity Directions



Go outside and make a rainbow path with chalk:

Take sidewalk chalk outside and make a “rainbow path”. This could be very simple – just blocks of rainbow colors (preferably in order) on the pavement; or it could be more complex, with the Promises written out in chalk for worshipers or parents to walk over contemplatively later on after class.

Trust walk:

There are a variety of “Trust” exercises which are commonly used as group building exercises. A Trust Walk is probably the easiest one to do with a mixed age group of children who may not all know each other very well yet.

You can use blindfolds if you’d like, but many children find them uncomfortable. If the children would rather not use them, it will be up to them to keep their eyes closed during the exercise.

You should decide whether to set up an ‘obstacle course’ type of space in your classroom, or whether to take the walkers on a short tour around the building/outside.

There are two ways to do this: either pair the children off with each other in roughly equal-ability pairs OR have everyone line up in a ‘snake’ type of line with the second person’s hands on the first person’s shoulders, third person’s hands on the second person’s shoulders, etc.

The guide (in pairs) or leader (in the snake) has the job of showing the follower(s) how to safely move around the designated area. In pairs, this can be done non-verbally, with the guide leading the follower by the hands, and gently touching feet or arms to suggest direction and speed. In a snake formation, it is better for the guide to speak (i.e., there’s a step up here ... everybody go to the left around the chair)

Make sure that each person has a turn being the guide and the follower (in pairs) or that

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Promises Basic Lessoneveryone who wants to gets a turn to be the leader.

Before each walk begins, invite the guide to say, “I promise to keep you safe to the best of my ability.” Have the follower(s) say, “I promise to trust your guidance.”

Learn the Principles Song:

While we sing the Principles Song each time we begin in the Circle Time room, some children may not know all of the words or feel confident singing it. See the lyrics (following) and help children work on memorizing the words (to the tune of Do Re Mi)

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UU Principles Song


One: Each person is worthwhile.Two: Be kind in all you do.

Three: We help each other learn.Four: And search for what is true.

Five: All people have a say.Six: Work for a peaceful world.

Seven: The web of life's the way,That will bring us back to me and U.U…

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Sources Basic Lesson

SOURCES BASIC LESSON

Opening Circle








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Sources Basic LessonSOURCES BASIC LESSONWritten by Nita Penfold

Materials:

7 Promise triangles in rainbow colors (see Flaming Chalice Basic Lesson)

7 objects to match to colors (see Promises Basic Lesson)

Circle 36” in diameter, yellow felt underlay

Brown or black felt tree (see template or photo)

2 ½ ” circles of cardboard covered on back with silver glittery laminate with following symbols: Flaming Chalice (U.U.), star with spiral (sense of wonder), Figure with heart (men & women), circles within a larger circle of world religion symbols, cross and Star of David on heart (Judeo-Christian), atom (reason and science), and tree (nature and cycles of life).

Large gold circle 9” in diameter to fit under tree with some showing.

Presentation:


Take out underlay and lay on floor.

This is the circle of Unitarian*Universalism.

Take basket with promise triangles and place in front of you in circle.

These are our principles, the promises we make to each other about how we are going to treat each other, so that we all get along, and do what’s right.

Name each one as you lay it down across the top of the circle underlay edge nearest you from your right to left.

Take out red triangle. Place on underlay at top of circle, pointing toward edge.

Our first promise is red for Respect People. Each person is special just by being his or her self. Each person is like a gift. You are special just by being yourself. You are a gift.

Take out red gift box and place on upper edge of circle across from red triangle, pointing toward edge.

We don’t know all the wonderful things about each other until we learn about each other, find out all of our gifts. We are all precious so we treat each other as a little part of the Mystery.

Take out orange triangle. Place on underlay to left of red triangle, pointing toward edge.

Our second promise is orange for Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All People. Since we believe that all people are gifts, we need to be kind and fair to them.

Take out orange heart and place on upper edge of circle across from orange triangle.

This heart reminds us to be kind to all people.

Take out yellow triangle. Place on underlay to left of orange triangle, pointing toward edge.

Our third promise is yellow for Yearn to Accept and Learn About Ourselves, Others, and the Mystery.

Take out yellow flame and place on upper edge of circle across from yellow triangle.

By thinking about ourselves and other people and learning & celebrating our differences, we are reminded by this flame that we are all connected to the Mystery that some people call God.

Take out green triangle. Place on underlay to left of yellow triangle, pointing toward edge.

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Our fourth promise is green for Grow by Exploring What is True and Right in Life.

Take out flower and place on upper edge of circle across from green triangle.

It’s sometimes hard to decide what is true and right, so this flower reminds us that we grow as people by exploring answers to our questions. We may find different answers to the same questions, or questions that have no answers, but we keep on asking.

Take out blue triangle. Place on underlay to left of green triangle, pointing toward edge.

Our fifth promise is blue for Believe in our ideas and Act on them.

Take out bell and place on upper edge of circle across from blue triangle.

Once we figure out what is right and true for us, this bell reminds us that we have to try to do what’s true and right, not just talk about it. The bell is that little voice inside us that lets us know when something we do is right or wrong.

Take out dark blue or indigo triangle. Place on underlay to left of blue triangle, pointing toward edge.

Our sixth promise is indigo or dark blue for Insist on a Peaceful, Fair, and Free world for all. We try to do what’s right and we want all people to have freedom and justice in their lives. Justice means being fair to everyone. Peace means living together in harmony.

Take out dove and place on upper edge of circle across from dark blue triangle.

The dove reminds of us peace for all.

Take out violet triangle. Place on underlay to left of dark blue triangle, toward edge.

The seventh and last promise is violet, a kind of purple color, for Value our home, Earth, that we share with all living beings. We value each living being as a gift just like we do people.

Take out Earth ball or picture and place on upper edge of circle across from violet triangle.

This Earth reminds us again that we are all connected in our lives. We need to be careful of what we do so that all living beings on Earth will have clean water, and clean air, and enough places to live. We need to remember that we are only one being on the Earth and that there are many others that we need to respect.

(Alternatively, you can simply name each triangle as you put down at top of circle:

Red—We promise to Respect All People

Orange-- We promise to Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All

Yellow-- We promise to Yearn to accept and Learn about ourselves, others, and the Mystery

Green-- We promise to Grow by Exploring what is true and right in life

Blue-- We promise to Believe in our ideas and Act on them

Indigo-- We promise to Insist on a Peaceful, Fair and Free world for all

Violet-- We promise to Value our home, Earth, that we share with all living things )

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Sources Basic LessonCount the triangles around the top of the circle, touching each one.

There are seven promises we make to each other to help us be in community. They remind us that we are connected to each other and to the spirit of Love or Mystery which some people call God. (pause)

Unitarian Universalists didn’t just make these promises or principles up one day. They came from many different ideas about how we should live that people have been talking about and studying for a long, long, time.

If this tree is the Unitarian Universalism religion,

Take out tree shape and roll out below triangles. Place round U.U. symbol on main part of tree.

Then the promises would be the leaves and the seeds on the tree. They have grown because we have many roots feeding us.

Point to triangles. Point to roots on the tree.

The roots of our beliefs are called our Sources.

There are six of them that Unitarian*Universalists have chosen.

Place circle with star with spiral on top of furthest right root nearest tree trunk.

Our beliefs come from our sense of wonder. We learn by asking why.

Place circle with figure with heart on the root to the left of the last one.

Our beliefs come from the women and men of long ago and today whose lives remind us to be kind and fair. We learn by hearing their stories.

Place circle with world religion symbols on the root to the left of the last one.

Our beliefs about how to live together come from all the world’s religions. We learn from many cultures.

Place circle with cross, Star of David and heart on the root to the left of the last one.

Our beliefs come from Jewish and Christian teachings that tell us to love all others as we love ourselves. We learn from our past history.

Place circle with atom to the left of the last one.

Our beliefs come from the use of reason and the discoveries of science. We learn by using our minds.

Place circle with tree to the left of the last one.

Our beliefs come from the harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life. We learn by knowing we are a part of nature and the cycles of life.

Point to the promise triangles and then to the sources circles.

Our promises come from our sources and what we have learned from them. But they come from somewhere else too—

Slide large gold circle under whole bottom of tree with sources.

Our sources come from the Spirit of Love and Mystery, which some people call God.


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Sources Basic LessonI wonder if you have ever seen or heard any of this before?

I wonder which part is most important?

I wonder which part you like the best?

I wonder what makes these roots grow?

I wonder how big these roots can become?

I wonder if one root is more important than the others?

I wonder if one Promise is more important than the others?

I wonder if you took one root away, could the tree still grow?

I wonder what the roots need to grow?

I wonder what the branches need to grow?

I wonder if there are any other sources that we as Unitarian*Universalist draw our ideas from?

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Sources Basic LessonChoices

Say something like:




Song & Movement: Standing Like a Tree

Learn the Sources Song

Copying the storyboard (paper craft)


Activity Directions



Song & Movement: Standing Like a Tree:

This song goes well with the tree motif and is a chance to get up and moving.

Here are the lyrics and motions:

Standing like a tree Stand very tall and straight with you hands relaxed by your sides

With my roots dug deep Open, close, and wiggle your fingers like roots pushing through the earth.

My branches wide and open Starting with your fingertips between your breast, sweep your hands out to the side and even a little back to open the chest as wide as possible.

Down come the sun Fingers spread wide, bring the hands from point at the extent of your reach above your head down to your sides.

Down come the rain Same motion, with the fingers wiggling like the patter of raindrops

Down come the fruit Reach up over your head again, grab a round fruit and bring it down to your heart

To the heart that is open to be Hold it there over your heart

Standing like a tree. Same as first line. Let the words and the motions form a nonending circle.

You can find a very rough video of children doing this chant/dance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppieUj8NDog (this will also teach you the basic tune.)

Learn the Sources Song:

We sing the Principles Song to the tune of Do-Re-Mi during each circle time. There are also lyrics for each Source; help the children learn them!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppieUj8NDog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppieUj8NDog

Sources Basic LessonCopying the storyboard (paper craft):

Prepare small paper versions of the symbols used in the storyboard for this session (Principle/Promise triangles and symbols, sources symbols, tree, etc. Help children assemble them in a one-page reminder of the story.

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UU Principles Song


One: The wonder we all share.Two: The voices of the people.Three: Religions of the world.

Four: The synagogues and steeples.Five: We use our minds and reason.Six: Earth-centered love of seasons.

Seven: Our own UU tradition,

That will bring us back to me and U.U. you . . ..

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Flaming Chalice with Animals and Plants ExtensionFLAMING CHALICE WITH ANIMALS AND PLANTS EXTENSION

Opening Circle








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Flaming Chalice with Animals and Plants ExtensionFLAMING CHALICE LESSON WITH ANIMALS AND PLANTS EXTENSION written by Nita Penfold with additional wondering questions by Beverly Leute Bruce

Materials

Tray with: Flaming Chalice, gold circle that fits in chalice, battery candle or regular candle, matches; bright yellow felt circle at least 36” in diameter, folded; set people in basket, 7 Promise triangles

Basket with two each: mammals, plants, fish, amphibians, reptiles, etc at least enough to put between your people in the circle.

Earth flag.

Presentation



Point around circle of children. Then take yellow underlay from tray and spread out on floor in front of you, smoothing it down.

This is the circle of our Unitarian*Universalist community.

You have heard this lesson before. But there is something different today.

Take Earth flag and spread across yellow underlay.

This is the circle of our Earth community. Earth is the planet on which we all live.

Pick up chalice and hold.

This is our Flaming Chalice.It looks like a cup.

Run finger around circle of chalice. Put chalice in middle of underlay.

It’s a very big cup. I wonder what it could hold.

Pick up gold circle.

Some people feel that it holds the spirit of love and justice and truth or maybe the spirit of mystery which some people call God.

Put gold circle in chalice. Pick up candle.

We put a candle in our chalice because the flame is mysterious and beautiful and reminds us of the spirit.

Put candle in chalice.

It’s a very big cup. I wonder how many people could drink out of a cup this big.

Place basket of people in front of you.

These are the people of our community. This person could be in our community.

Hold up person and then place around chalice about 6 inches from chalice.Continue to add people as you talk. Leave a space between them for the next part. Then look at all the people around the chalice.

But our Earth community is so much bigger than just our Unitarian Universalist community.

Take out basket with plants and animals and place in front of you.

Plants and animals are also in our community. This tree could be in our community, this giraffe could be in our community, etc.)

Hold up plant or animal and name, then place around chalice in between the people.

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Flaming Chalice with Animals and Plants ExtensionYou may want to pass basket around to the children to place plants and animals. As you place these, you may have to widen the circle and make space for the other beings.

There are lots of people and plants and animals in our Earth community. We share the Earth and its resources with all of them.

Now it’s getting really crowded around our circle. You know, sometimes, it’s hard to be in our Earth community. One being might do something that another one doesn’t like. Sometimes there’s not enough room and you feel squashed. Other times there’s a lot of room that you feel belongs only to you and you don’t want to share it. Or you might not like a certain animal and not want it near you.

Take basket with triangles and put in front of you.

But in our Earth community we make the same promises to each other that we do in our Unitarian Universalist community about how we are going to treat each other, so that we all get along, and do what’s right. We call these our principles. These are our promises to our whole Earth community.

Take one triangle at a time, starting with red, then orange, then yellow, then green, then light blue, then dark blue, then purple, and place at base of chalice with one point into the chalice and two points to the people. Start to your right in the three o’clock position to you. You may name the colors as you put them down. With older children you may want to name each promise (see Promises lesson) but children will have a later lesson naming them. You may also want to touch the three points of the triangle before you put down.

Red—We promise to Respect All People

Orange-- We promise to Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to All

Yellow-- We promise to Yearn to accept and Learn about ourselves, others, and the Mystery

Green-- We promise to Grow by Exploring what is true and right in life

Blue-- We promise to Believe in our ideas and Act on them

Indigo-- We promise to Insist on a Peaceful, Fair and Free world for all

Violet-- We promise to Value our home, Earth, that we share with all living things

When you finish putting down the triangles, count them out loud all round the circle. When you say “connected” point to the two points of one side of the triangle pointing to the people on either side, then to the point that points to the chalice in the center.

There are seven promises we make to each other to help us be in community. They remind us that we are connected to each other and to the spirit of Love and Mystery which some people call God.

Let us enjoy the light.

Turn on Battery candle or light regular candle.


I wonder if you have seen this anywhere else in our church?

I wonder what part of it you like best?

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Flaming Chalice with Animals and Plants ExtensionI wonder what part is most important?

I wonder how big this Earth community could really be?

I wonder how it feels to be in this Earth community?

I wonder where you are in this community?

I wonder if you have ever taken care of a plant?

I wonder if you have ever taken care of an animal?

I wonder how plants and animals can be part of our community?

I wonder how big our community can really be?


I wonder what happens when you break a promise?

I wonder if there is one promise that is more important than the others?

I wonder if there is one promise that we could remove and still live together peacefully?

I wonder what would happen if the promises weren’t here?

I wonder if you have ever come close to the Mystery?

I wonder if you have ever felt the Spirit of Love and Mystery?

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Flaming Chalice with Animals and Plants ExtensionChoices

Say something like:




Animal Name Game

The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) Dance Party

Census of animals and plants on our campus

Or other activities you have chosen as the teacher. It is up to you whether to give totally free choice to each child individually (this will work best when you have enough adults to assist any child who needs help with a chosen activity without too much waiting) or whether to help the class as a whole decide on one or two activities to do together.

Whichever you decide, be sure to let the children know clearly what choices they have (and do not have).

Activity Directions



Animal Name Game:

Participants sit in a circle. Someone starts by saying their name, and animal that begins

with the same letter as the first letter in their name (i.e. Chris the crocodile). The next person in the circle would say, ‘Chris the crocodile’ and then add their own name and animal. This carries on all the way round the group until the last person has to state everyone’s name and animal and then add their own. If you have more time, or older kids, or both, try having each participant ALSO choose a simple gesture or motion to go with the animal and name: for example, Chris the Crocodile could use both arms to make a snapping jaw motion.

The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?) Dance Party:

See the extremely popular song/video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE

It’s rather surreal, which is interesting for older kids but may go over younger kids’ heads – but it’s a fun song to dance to either way. You can add animal masks/costumes to the mix if you’d like! Everybody dance!

Census of animals and plants on our campus:

Take small groups of 3 – 4 participants at a time to different areas of the campus with a clipboard and/or smartphone or camera. Allow 5 minutes for children to inventory as many different kinds of plants or animals or both as possible. The list may be written, or they may take photographs of the different plants/animals to share with the class when they return.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE

Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the DeadSAMHAIN, A WICCAN CELEBRATION OF THE DEAD

Opening Circle








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Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the DeadTHE PAGAN CEREMONY TO HONOR OUR ANCESTORSDone at the turn of the fall season to winter, November 1stWritten by Joy Silver

Materials

Small container of salt Large cauldron to contain the story

objects Black felt underlay 2’x 3’ Stars Photos of ancestors and relatives and

pets who have died Black veil overlay 2’ x 3’ Golden circle 36” diameter Image of a web, such as a spider web Three wooden druids Small black meshed circle Harvested veggies and fruits Sample of a withering plant Small, ceramic or natural jack-‘o-

lantern with a tea light Matches Chime Clay sand tray with as many tea lights

as there are participants

You can learn the song “Listen, Listen, Listen” from this video (or many others): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rICqbYD9mA

Prepare a sheet of paper with the following words to be read by a child (or an adult, if you do not have a strong enough reader in the group):

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet againWho do I wish to meet? Who do I miss with a great ache in my being?

Contact the families of children who will attend to invite them to send in photographs of the children’s ancestors or pets or friends who have died.

Presentation


Ring the chime.

The Circle is open but unbroken may the peace of our loved ones who are now in spirit be with us in our Hearts merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.

Casting the Circle

Have the children form a sitting circle with their pictures of relatives and pets who have died.

Our worship service today is about the celebration that our Wiccan ancestors and friends have at the end of the growing season. The Wiccans are people who believe in the healing power of nature.

Wiccans celebrate the power of nature at many times of the year. Whenever they meet, they cast a circle and sit or stand inside the circle. When they are in circle, they believe they are protected from sadness, fear, and pain.

We are going to cast such a circle. I will make it with this salt. We will all sit inside the circle while we have our worship service.

Pour some salt from the container into your hand and pour it in a line around the outside of the children’s circle

One of these times is when the summer harvest is in and the plants begin to wither and die back into the earth. At that time, it is believed that the spirits of our ancestors and relatives and pets who have died are very near us and may want to let us

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rICqbYD9mA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rICqbYD9mA

Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the Deadknow that they are at peace. The time of year of this ceremony is called Samhain (Sow –wain) and it is usually on November 1st following the night of Hallowe’en.

Hallowe’en means the night before the spirits can speak to us.

Take out the big black felt underlay and carefully lay it out in the circle

I wonder what this black paper represents.

Allow responses.

Take out stars and lay them on the black felt.

It must be the night sky because there are these stars.

Have everyone lay their pictures on the black underlay of loved ones who are no longer living.

Take out the big black veil and carefully lay it over of the pictures.

All year round, Wiccans believe, the spirits of their loved ones are on the other side of a veil. The spirits are nearby, but separated from the living world. At Samhain they believe that the veil is very thin, so thin that if you concentrate hard you can even lift it and be very close to the spirits – even talk to them and tell them what is in your heart.

Take out the golden cloth and lay it in the center on top of the veil.

This is the golden cloth that represents the mystery of life. The mystery that some people call God, some people call the Holy Spirit, and some people call the spirit of life that creates and takes away all things.

Take out the web and lay in the center of the golden circle.

This is representative of the web of life. We are all connected to everything there is and ever was, for all come from the same star dust. We are all connected to our ancestors and our loved ones who have died, for we carry the memories; we have many of their characteristics – hair color, facial features, etc.

Take out the fall leaves, the withering plant, the harvest fruits and veggies, and the druid figures with the little veil. Lay them as follows:

Fall leaves on one arc of the golden cloth

Withering plant amongst the fall leaves Harvest foods on another arc of the

golden circle Druid figures concentrically placed

around the small veil Jack-‘o-lantern with lit tea light in the

center of the web

Point to and touch each display as you explain:

These are the leaves that lose their green color with the receding light of the sun. They show their many inside colors now – golden, red, brown, and orange.

This is the once robust plant that grows whose stems grow thin and flowers are no longer abundant.

These are the fruits of the harvest that have grown from seed and now must return to seed.

These are the Wiccans who dress as their ancestors did in simple capes the color of their beloved earth.

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Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the DeadThey are standing around the thin veil that separates them so softly from their loved ones who have died.

This is the jack-‘o’-lantern that was carved from a pumpkin to bring light to the dark night as the Samhain ceremony is begun.

Let us sit quietly now as I sing you this Wiccan song:

Sing song three times, each time softer.

Listen, listen, listen to my heart’s song.Listen, listen, listen to my heart’s song,I will never forget you, I will never forsake you.I will never forget you, I will never forsake you. (x3)

Listening at the Veil

Everyone dies. Those who came before us no longer are living, and one day it will be our turn to die. It is a mystery what gives us our life, and what takes our life away.

It is good to remember our dead ancestors. They are with us still - in our memories, in the stuff of our bodies. We even move and think like some of our ancestors.

Today we celebrate Samhain - the time when the mystical membrane which separates the living realm from that of the dead grows thin and we can talk to our ancestors.

As we enter into the silence of meditation, listen at the veil. Remember your dead. Hear what they would tell you of their lives.

Ring the chime several times for one minute

Sing together:

Listen, listen, listen to my hearts songListen, listen, listen to my hearts songI will never forget you, I will never forsake you.I will never forget you, I will never forsake you.

Lift the ceremonial objects carefully off the veil and place them to the side in a pile inside the cast circle.

One of the children speaks:

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet againWho do I wish to meet? Who do I miss with a great ache in my being?

Lift the veil and fold it in four and lay it carefully on the other objects.

Place the tray of tea lights in sand in the center of the black underlay.

Names remembered and names forgotten, names honored and names unspoken, rise up flame in the memory of our hearts.

Now we light white candles to remember those who came before us, those who used to walk with us. We quiet our hearts and still our minds that they might speak.

Say the name of the person or persons who you are remembering, if you wish, and you may also want to say something about that person, who they were to you, or what you learned from them.

Allow each child to light at least one candle. If any participant would rather not share,

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Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the Deadencourage him or her to light a candle anyway, without sharing.

Closing Words

The remembered and forgotten, names honored and names unspoken, you are acknowledged here among the living.

We have honored you and heard about you.

What we do now with this knowledge is up to us, for it is the role of the living to choose to act.

When the veil closes again, go in peace.

Place the veil over the photographs of the ancestors and replace the earthly objects as they were.

The Circle is open but unbroken may the peace of our loved ones who are now in spirit be with us in our hearts. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.

Our circle is now open. You have come the circle in good faith. May you part in joy that we have talked together about these important things.


I wonder if you have ever seen or heard any of this before?

I wonder which part of this ceremony is the most important?


I wonder where you might be in this ceremony?

I wonder if there is someone here who has not had someone or a pet die in their life yet?

I wonder how you felt when we spoke about our dead loved ones?

I wonder if any of you know a person who is Wiccan?

I wonder if any of us have been to a Wiccan ceremony before?

I wonder what it was like to only have fire to light up the night?

I wonder what you think happens when we die?

I wonder if Samhain is the only time of the year that we can be in touch with the spirits of our loved ones?

I wonder if all people believe that our spirit lives on after we die?

I wonder why we have to die?

I wonder what one of our Unitarian sources this ceremony honors?

I wonder what was your favorite part of this ceremony?

I wonder where the Spirit of Love and Mystery is in this ceremony?

I wonder which of our Unitarian Universalist Promises this ceremony reminds you of?

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Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the DeadChoices

Say something like:




“Nature Says …” Game

Pumpkin candles

Or other activities you have chosen as the teacher. Note: this story is longer than many, so carefully consider how much time you will have for activities when selecting them. It is up to you whether to give totally free choice to each child individually (this will work best when you have enough adults to assist any child who needs help with a chosen activity without too much waiting) or whether to help the class as a whole decide on one or two activities to do together.


Activity Directions



“Nature Says …” Game

Acorns, pine cones, rocks, seeds, leaves, twigs, or any other natural item.

Have the children gather acorns, pine cones, rocks, seeds, leaves, twigs, or any other natural items outdoors. Assign an action to each type of item, such as Rock = Jump, Twig = Hop, etc. Start by showing one object, and the children calling out the associated action, then acting it out. As they catch on, start laying out the items in "sentences" on the ground. Watch the silliness and laughter grow.

You may want to mention to the children that until very recently – and still in many places around the world – children made up games with only natural materials. There were no tablets, TVs, plastic toys, bikes, etc. Remind them that nature is not only beautiful, but fun, too.

Adapted from http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/samhainchildren.htm.

Pumpkin Candles

You will need mini-pumpkins or turnips, a sharp knife, spoons (serrated or melon-ballers work well), soy wax, candle wicks, and access to a microwave.

Help each child cut the top off of his or her mini-pumpkin. Some children may be capable with a sharp knife; most will not and this task should be done for them by an adult. If you are using turnips instead (which would be more traditional to Wiccan culture as these symbols originated in Europe, where pumpkins were not known until about 600 years ago), cut the bottoms of the turnips off flat as well.

Each child can work independently to scoop the seeds (or flesh in the case of turnips) out of the rind.

Meanwhile, melt the soy wax. The dry chips will melt to about half their original volume, and you may need about 1 cup of melted wax for each mini-pumpkin or turnip. Simply put

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http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/samhainchildren.htm

http://wicca.com/celtic/akasha/samhainchildren.htm

Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the Deadthe wax into a microwave proof bowl and nuke it.

Help each child stand a wick in the bottom of his or her hollowed out gourd. An adult should probably pour the hot wax into each one. Adjust the tops of the wicks to stand straight up and set pumpkins aside to cool.

Of course, if this sounds too complex or like it will take too long, painting mini-pumpkins or turnips is a good alternative!

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Samhain, a Wiccan Celebration of the Dead

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Frederick (Red Promise)FREDERICK (RED PROMISE)

Opening Circle








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Frederick (Red Promise)FREDERICKBased on the story by Leo LionniAdapted by Nicole Sykes

Materials

rectangular underlay green felt strip (grass) for bottom of

underlay grey felt mountain/hill (for stone wall) white felt strips (snow) white felt ‘talk’ bubbles with colored

pieces felt sun 4 felt mice (3 identical, and one with

eyes half-closed [Frederick]) pieces of wheat/hay, dried corn,

stones

Presentation


Smooth out the underlay, and then pull out the green fabric strip and place it along the bottom of the underlay.

I wonder what this could be. It’s so green and lush.

Place the grey felt on the green felt in the right corner. Touch the green as you begin to speak.

All along the meadow where the cows grazed and the horses ran, there was an old stone wall.

Begin placing the rocks on the grey felt.

And in that wall, not far from the barn, lived a chatty family of field mice.

Place the four mice on the stones.

But the farmers had moved away, the barn was abandoned, and winter was not far off. So the little mice began gathering corn and nuts and wheat.

They worked all day and all night. All – except for Frederick.

Point at Frederick. Add sun to sky. Have mice picking up a kernel of corn and taking it to the stone wall. Frederick just sits.

One day, as they were gathering corn, the mice wondered,

‘Frederick, why don’t you work?’

‘I do work,’ said Frederick.

‘I gather sun rays for the cold dark winter days.’

Have mice picking up nuts and taking it back to the stone wall. Frederick still just sits.

‘And now, Frederick?’

‘I gather colors,’ answered Frederick simply. ‘For winter is grey.’

Have mice picking up pieces of wheat and taking it back to the stone wall. Frederick remains in his place.

One time, Frederick seemed half asleep!

‘Are you dreaming, Frederick?’ they asked reproachfully.

Frederick replied, ‘Oh no. I am gathering words. For winter days are long and many, and we’ll run out of things to say.’

Add white strips on top of the green meadow. Take sun out of the sky.

The winter days came, and when the first snow fell the four little field mice took to their hideout in the stones.

Move mice to stones.

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Frederick (Red Promise)In the beginning, there was lots to eat, and the mice told stories of foolish foxes and silly cats. They were a happy family.

Begin removing the food until there is nothing left.

But little by little they had nibbled up all of the corn, the nuts, and the wheat. It was cold in the wall and no one felt like chatting.

Pause.

Then they remembered what Frederick had said about sun rays and colors and words.

‘What about your supplies, Frederick?’ they asked.

Have Frederick climb up onto the highest stone, like a podium.

“Close your eyes,’ said Frederick. ‘Now I send you the rays of the sun. Do you feel how their golden glow warms your back?’

And as Frederick spoke of the sun, the mice felt a little warmer. Was is Frederick’s voice? Was it magic?

‘And how about the colors Frederick?’ the mice asked anxiously.

‘Close your eyes again,’ said Frederick.

And he told them of the blue periwinkles, and the red poppies, and the yellow wheat, and the green leaves of the berry bush, and they saw the colors as clearly as if they had been painted in their minds.

Place colored thought bubbles above each mouse.

‘And the words, Frederick?’

Frederick cleared his throat, and waited a moment, and then, as if from a stage, he said:

Place poem in thought bubble near Frederick to help you recite unless you have it memorized!

‘Who scatters the snowflakes?

Who melts the ice?

Who spoils the weather?

Who makes it nice?

Who grows the four leaf clovers in June?

Who dims the daylight?

Who lights the moon?

Four little field mice in the sky.

Four little field mice like you and I.

One is the Spring mouse, who turns on the showers.

Then comes the Summer who paints in the flowers.

The Fall mouse is next with walnuts and wheat.

And Winter is last….with little cold feet.

Aren’t we lucky the seasons are four?

Think of a year with one less….or one more!’

When Frederick was finished, they all applauded.

‘But Frederick,’ they said, ‘You are a poet!’

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Frederick (Red Promise)

Frederick blushed, took a bow, and said shyly, ‘I know it.’



I wonder which part of this story is the most important?


I wonder where you might be in this story?

I wonder…how the other mice were feeling while they were working and Frederick sat there watching.

I wonder…what would have happened if all the mice were like Frederick?

I wonder…what would have happened if Frederick was just like the other mice?

I wonder…if you were a mouse in the stone wall, what would you be collecting to prepare for the winter?

I wonder if this story reminds you of any of our other Unitarian Universalist Promises?

I wonder where the Spirit of Love and Mystery might be in this story?

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Frederick (Red Promise)Choices

Say something like:




Storytelling

Treasure Hunt

Paper Collages



Activity Directions



Storytelling

There are several commercially available storytelling games, designed to provide prompts for children who start telling a story, which is then added to by another child, etc.

If one of these is available to you, by all means, use it. Some use words, others pictures, which may work better with younger children.

If you don’t have such a game set available, use one of the following options:

Invite each child to tell the story of a really happy memory, going around the circle.

Take a piece of paper and write the first line of a story at the top. Fold the paper over so that the next person cannot see what you wrote. S/he has to add another sentence. Proceed around the group (or even just pass it back and forth between two people) until the whole paper is folded. Unfold and read the nonsense story that results.

For non-readers, do a similar thing verbally by inviting one child to start telling a story and then cutting him or her off in mid-sentence (for example, Once up on a time there was a frog who |||). The next person in the group then finishes the sentence, is also cut off, and so forth.

Treasure Hunt

Two options: set up a treasure hunt with clues leading to a) a stash of small candles, flashlights, or paper cut-out suns to represent Frederick’s stored ‘sunshine’; b) a stash of enough brightly colored flat glass marbles for each child to have several to keep; and c) a stash of beautiful lines from poems printed on strips of paper, or alternatively, enough magnetic ‘fridge poetry’ words for each child to have several.

Or, go outside and search for an object of beauty for each child to take home.

Paper Collages

This activity may make more sense if the children are already familiar with the picture book version of this story, or if you can show it to them at least briefly. It is suggested as a

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Frederick (Red Promise)way to create a beautiful image, and because the illustrations in the original book are paper collages.

Have available large sheets of black construction paper for each child, scraps of many colors of paper, and glue sticks.

Encourage each child to make a beautiful collage out of the available scraps on the black background, either abstract or representative (showing something s/he has seen or imagined.)

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Frederick (Red Promise)

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That’s Not Fair (Orange Promise)THAT’S NOT FAIR (ORANGE PROMISE)

Opening Circle








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That’s Not Fair (Orange Promise)THAT’S NOT FAIROrange Promise: Offer Fair and Kind Treatment to AllAdapted by Cynthia Fennelly

Materials

Orange Underlay Becky, brother, mother, father house, Chart, Cake on plate & pieces

of cake with plates to put them on, Mail

Presentation


Lay the orange underlay out on the floor and smooth it out.

Place Becky figure in the center of the underlay.

"Nothing to do," said Becky."Nothing to do to do to do. Nothing to play with. No one to play with. Nowhere to go. And that’s not fair."

Bring out Becky’s brother, Bert, and place him beside Becky.

"You have to play with me, Bert," Becky said to her older brother Bert. "I don’t have anything else to do.

"I’m too busy," Bert. "As busy as a bee. B-U-S-Y busy."

"That’s not fair!" Becky said. "I can’t even spell."

Move Becky and Bert to the bottom of the underlay and bring out Becky’s house. Place house in the center of the underlay.

"Hey Mom. Hey Mom! Hey Mom Mom Mom?" Becky called. "I don’t have anything to do."

Place Becky’s Mom in the house .

"Come down and help dust the dining room or peel potatoes," Becky’s mother said.

"That’s not fair," Becky whispered. "Cleaning and cooking is sissy girl’s work."

"Better not let Mom or Dad hear you say a D_U_M_B dumb thing like that," Bert said.

"That’s not fair." Becky said. "you were listening."

"But you didn’t hear me," said Bert. "I was as quiet as a M-O-U-S-E mouse."

Bring out Becky’s Dad and place him beside Becky’s Mom.

"Want to take me somewhere anywhere, Dad?" asked Becky.

"I’m busy now, Becky." Becky’s father said. "How about cleaning your room?"

"That’s not fair." Becky said. "Everybody is busy but me. Everybody has things to do except me. I don’t have anything to do. And now I have to clean my room. It’s not fair," Becky said.

"You always say things aren’t fair," Bert said.

"Not fair. Not fair.”

“You say “that’s not fair?” when you can’t do what you want to do. You say “that’s not fair?” when you are sad and when you are mad. M-A-D. Mad as a wet hen."

Bring out chart and place it over house.

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That’s Not Fair (Orange Promise)"Well elephants have four knees and other animals only have two knees. ONLY elephants have four legs that bend forward in the middle the way our two legs bend. Do you see S-E-E see that? Other four-legged animals can only bend their front legs that way - they have only two knees. T-W-O two. Do two-kneed animals complain? Do they say “That’s not fair?” N-O no. They don’t say that because fair doesn’t have anything to do with it. That’s just the way things are! And fair doesn’t have anything to do with people being busy or rooms being cleaned," said Bert. "Not at all. No way. What’s not fair

Bring out chocolate cake.

“If there’s a chocolate cake and we’re both allowed to have a piece and I cut the pieces and give you a very little piece …”

Place small piece beside Becky.

“… and give me a big B-I-G big piece …”

Place big piece beside Bert.

“ … that’s not fair! Think about that, Rebecca. T-H-I-N-K think about that."

"Don’t call me Rebecca," Becky said.

Becky went next door. "Can Ben come out and play? Becky asked Ben’s Dad.

"Sorry Becky," Ben’s father answered, "Ben’s visiting his grandmother."

"That’s not fa -- ... that’s not ... OH! I see. A grandmother isn’t like chocolate cake, is she?"

"Certainly not," said Ben’s father.

Becky went home. Just as she was about to go upstairs, the mail came through the mailslot.

Bring out mail and lay it down as it’s mentioned.

"A letter for Mom and one for your Dad and Bert’s wildlife magazine. Nope, no mail for me." said Becky to herself.

"Is no mail for me an elephant’s knees or chocolate cake?" Becky wondered.

"Here’s your magazine, Bert," said Becky. "Is it fair I didn’t get any mail and everyone else did?"

"Sure," said Bert. "It’s as fair as elephant’s knees."

"Come on, Bert," said Becky’s father. "I’m going down town and I’m taking you ..."

"I’ll be as fast as a fox," said Bert.

"That’s not fair," said Becky.

"A trip downtown isn’t elephant’s knees. It is chocolate cake. I haven’t been downtown for weeks and weeks and weeks and you went two days ago. No fair."

I’m older than you. O-L-D-E-R older," said Bert. "And wise as an owl."

"That’s not fair either," said Becky.

"Let’s go, Bert. Now," said Bert and Becky’s father. "I’ve got just enough time to get you to the barber for your back-to-school haircut."

"Rats!" said Bert. "That’s not fair."

"It is fair!" said Becky.

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That’s Not Fair (Orange Promise)Bring Becky out of the house and place her in center of underlay in front of house.

"As fair as fair as an elephant’s knees. Fair. Perfectly fair."






I wonder what how it feels to have an older brother or sister?

I wonder if they always treat you fairly?

I wonder how it feels when you are treated unfairly?

I wonder how it feels to treat someone else unfairly?

I wonder if you treat people fairly?

I wonder if having to clean your room is elephant’s knees or chocolate cake?

I wonder if this lesson reminds you of any of our other Unitarian Universalist Promises?


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That’s Not Fair (Orange Promise)Choices

Say something like:




Elephants or Chocolate Cake? Discernment

Fair Is, Fair Isn’t posters

Relay Race: Fair vs. Equal



Activity Directions



Elephants or Chocolate Cake? Discernment

Before you tell the That’s Not Fair story, have each child brainstorm and write down (or

write down for them) two or three times they have felt that something was really not fair. For example, “It wasn’t fair when my mom made me xyz yesterday.”

After telling the story, make a T-chart on butcher paper with one side labeled “Chocolate Cake” and the other side labeled “Elephants”. Like this:

Chocolate Cake | Elephants||||||

Read aloud each child’s brainstormed scenarios, and as a group decide whether each scenario belongs on the Chocolate Cake side or the Elephant side.

Fair Is, Fair Isn’t Posters

Give each child a printout (see the end of this session for a ‘word’ version and a ‘picture’ version) and markers, crayons, or colored pencils. Allow each child to decorate his or her page to take home.

Relay Race: Fair vs. Equal

There are lots of ways to do a relay race, but basically you need a start line, a finish line, and one object for each team to hand off at the start line to each member of the team. Set these things up.

Gather the kids around and have them line up by height. Then divide the group exactly in half. If there are an uneven number of kids, add an adult to the half with the taller kids in it. You will end up with a team that is shorter and younger, and a team that is taller and older, but they will be equal in terms of number of people.Run a relay race: each team lines up at the start line. The first runner takes the object to

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That’s Not Fair (Orange Promise)the finish line, turns around, comes back to the start line, hands off the object, and then the second person on the team runs. Whichever team gets everyone on the team run through first, wins.

Now, ask in what ways that race felt fair to the kids, and in what ways it felt unfair.

Ask if the kids have an idea of how to make it more fair and/or more equal (in this case, fair and equal ARE synonyms!)

They will probably come up with some good ideas. One way is to line up again by height and then take pairs of people from each end of the line to make up the teams: person 1 and 8 on team A; person 2 and 7 on team B, etc.

Run the relay race again and explore how it feels different

!

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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)THE ROOSTER WHO LEARNED TO CROW (YELLOW PROMISE)

Opening Circle








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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)THE ROOSTER WHO LEARNED TO CROWYellow Promise Story: Yearn to accept and learn about ourselves, others, and the MysteryBy Janeen K. GrohsmeyerAdapted by Cyn Fennelly

Materials

Yellow underlay Felt barn Chicken coop Manure pile Fence Pond and grass Animals : cows, pig, dog, donkey,

chicken, rooster, cat, duck, baby chick

Presentation


Spread out the underlay on the carpet, smoothing it gently Place chicken coop, fence, barn, pond and manure pile on underlay as you say:

There once was a farm in a valley that was practically perfect in every way, except that it had no rooster to crow at the crack of dawn, and so everyone was always late getting out of bed. The dog never woke up in time to fetch the newspaper for the farmer.

Bring out dog.

The farmer never woke up in time to milk the cows before the sun rose.

Bring out the cows.

The cows never woke up in time to eat the grass when it was still wet with the morning dew, which is when it is most tasty.

Bring out the grass.

Everyone was always late on that farm, and so everyone was always a bit cranky in the morning, and sometimes that crankiness lasted all day.

Until one day …

Bring out the chicken.

A chicken arrived at the farm. Everyone was excited because she had a little chick with her.

Bring out little chick - little yellow fluff ball.

"Uh, pardon me, Mrs. Chicken," snuffled the pig,

Bring out the pig.

who was always exceedingly polite. "But would your chick there happen to be, that is, might it be a he?""Why yes," answered Mrs. Chicken, This is my son."

Bring fluff ball forward and bring out all the other animals except the rooster.

"A rooster chicken!" brayed the donkey, and all the other animals squealed, or mowed, or quacked, or oinked too.

Invite children to make the noises.

"We won’t be late anymore! We have a rooster on the farm!"

But they didn’t. Not yet. They had to wait for the chick to grow up. And grow he did, until - finally - young Mr. Rooster Chicken began to grow long swooping feathers on his tail.

Replace fluff ball with rooster.

"A tail. A tail!" mooed a cow. "Soon you’ll be old enough to crow!"

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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)

"You look very handsome today, young Mr. Rooster," snorted the pig, who was always exceedingly polite. "A very fine looking fowl, if I may say so."

"Thank you," said young Mr. Rooster, with a bob of his head and a quiver of his cockscomb, but then he walked away, his long tail feathers drooping and his cockscomb down too.

"What’s wrong?" asked his friend, the sleek young dog who looked forward to fetching the paper.

"Oh, nothing."

"Something must be wrong." said his friend the duck who swam in the pond.

Bring forward the duck and the pig.

The pig came over to listen too.

"Well," said the young rooster, scratching in the dirt with his strong toes, "everybody’s waiting for me to grow up and crow. I’m doing the growing-up part all right, but ... "

"But what?" asked the dog.

"But I don’t know how to crow! I’ve never even heard a rooster. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do!"

"We shall help you," announced the pig, who was always exceedingly helpful as well as polite.

"We will?" asked the dog, with every single hair on his back raised. "How?"

"Yes, how?" quacked the duck.

"We shall teach him," said the pig. "You have heard a rooster crow before, have you not, Mrs. Duck?"

"Yes, I have!" said the duck. "I can show you!" She flew to the top of the chicken coop nearby. Then she folded her wings back, tilted her beak up, and crowed, "Quack-a -whack-a -whack- a-whack."

The dog lifted up his muzzle and howled.

"Hmmm," said the pig. "Thank you Mrs. Duck, though that’s not perhaps quite ... "

"I hope not!" said the rooster, looking very much alarmed.

"I shall demonstrate," said the pig. "First one must climb, though you will no doubt fly, to a high." The pig climbed to the top of the manure pile.

Move pig to the top of the pile.

"Then, tilt your head back - Mrs. Duck did this part quite well - clear your throat and ... crow. The pig tilted back his head and cleared his throat. "Oink a-snuffle, oink a-snort!"

Bring pig back down.

The dog closed his eyes and shook his head. "Humph!" said the duck, not at all impressed.

"Yes, well ... " The pig climbed down from the manure pile. "That is not quite, uh, that is ... it does sound a bit ... you understand ... with a real rooster... "

"Oh, dear," said the rooster, looking even more alarmed.

"Maybe another chicken," suggested the duck, and they went to fetch Mrs. Hen. But all she could manage was "Cluck a-cluck a-cluck a-cluck. The dog gave them "Woof a-woof a-woof

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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)a-woof!" The donkey offered "HEE haw a-haw a-haw a-haw!"

The rooster sadly shook his head. "I’ll never learn to crow. I won’t be any good at waking anyone up. Nobody will like me anymore."

"Sure we will," said the dog. "I like you right now, and you’ve never crowed a day in your life!" All the other animals agreed, with moos and brays and stomping of feet.

Invite the children to make animal noises again.

"I wonder, said the pig, "have you yourself ever tried to crow?"

"Me?" said the rooster. "But ... "

"You’re more a rooster than any one of us," said the duck.

"And we’ll like you no matter what you sound like," said the pig.

"Even if you don’t make any sound at all!" said the dog.

And so the rooster decided to try. He flew up on top of the fence.

Move rooster to fence.

He folded his wings back. He tilted his head back. And he tried to make the same noises all his friends had tried to make before. Softly at first, "Cock a-doodle-doo." and then again, a little louder, "Cock a-doodle-doo!" and then very loud indeed, "Cock a-doodle-doo!!!!"After that, no one had any doubt that young Mr. Rooster knew how to crow, not even young Mr. Rooster himself!

There is a farm in a valley that is practically perfect in every way. It even

has a fine young rooster who crows at the break of dawn, and so everyone always gets out of bed exactly on time. The dog always wakes up in time to fetch the newspaper for the farmer. The farmer always wakes up in time to milk the cows before the sun rises. The cows always wake up in time to eat the grass while it is still wet with morning dew, which is when it is most tasty. Everyone is always wide awake on the farm, and never cranky, because they have a rooster whose friends helped him learn how to crow, just like this:

Invite children to join in.

"Cock a-doodle-doo!"






I wonder how a rooster knows how to be a rooster?

I wonder how a pig knows how to be a pig?

I wonder how you know how to be yourself?

I wonder if you have learned anything new this year?

I wonder if learning new things is hard for everyone?

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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)I wonder if you have ever been afraid to try something new?

I wonder if Mrs. Chicken was proud of her son, young Mr. Rooster?

I wonder if this story reminds you of any of our other Unitarian Universalist Promises?

I wonder where the Spirit of Love and Mystery is in this story?

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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)Choices

Say something like:




Sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm

What I Like About You Game

Acting Out the Story Together



Activity Directions



Sing Old MacDonald Had a Farm:

You probably know this song, but just in case you need reminding, here are the words:

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O,

And on that farm he had a [animal name], E-I-E-I-O,

With a [animal noise twice] here and a [animal noise twice] there

Here a [animal noise], there a [animal noise], everywhere a [animal noise twice]

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

For example, a verse using a cow as an animal and “moo” as the cow's sound:


And on that farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O.

With a moo moo here and a moo moo there

Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo


If you need to hear the tune, it’s easy to find through any on-line search engine. And just in case you want to get creative with which animals Old MacDonald is farming, check out this list of animal sounds:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animal_sounds

What I Like About You Game:

Give each child a piece of paper and a magic marker. Have children help each other tape the pieces of paper onto each other’s backs.

Invite everyone to move around the room and write something they like about each person on his or her back. It is important to set this up so that it is clear that they must write on EVERYONE’S back, not just the backs of people they know well and like.

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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)If some children are not fluent readers/writers, you can pair up older and younger children to work together, or have an adult help non-reading/writing children by writing for them.

Once everyone is done, help everyone read what was written on their backs.

Acting Out the Story Together:

Assign roles to each child and use the script for the story to narrate as the children act out the plot. This doesn’t have to ‘look’ good or be perfect – it’s just for fun!

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The Rooster Who Learned To Crow (Yellow Promise)

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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)CIRCLE OF HOPE (GREEN PROMISE)

Opening Circle








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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)CIRCLE OF HOPEBy Karen Lynn Williams Illustrated by Linda Saport (Eerdmans Books, 2005)Adapted for Spirit Play by Nita Penfold

Materials

Green felt background Felt or 3-D figures for baby Lucía,

brother Facile, Mama, Tonton, Papa (mark on back or on feet with names to keep straight)

Brown felt mountain piece Large tree felt piece or photo of mango

tree Small square of tan for house Small rectangle of tan felt for garden Mango pit for seed Rusty tin can (photo or plastic) Felt or other sun Circle of brown felt cut in spiral to

mimic dirt Blue felt stream Tiny bucket Figure or photo of goat Green felt cactus Dark felt clouds with rain coming out Small step of dark felt Piece of grey tulle Small black stick Small tree Seven small white stones White felt wall 5 other small circles of wall with trees

behind for end

Note: Haitian Creole Language GuideAh,non—oh, noBon—goodÉspéré—hopeKandélab—type of cactus that branches outTikado—small giftTimoun—child, childrenTonton—uncle or grandfather

PresentationWords for you to say are in italics; actions are in plain type.

Take out underlay and spread on the floor.

This is a story from the little country of Haiti. Sometimes the sun shines very brightly there.

Place sun in upper right corner of underlay nearest to you. Take out mountain piece and lay in center top of underlay near you.

Hmm, I wonder what this could be in our story. It’s brown. It might be a hill or a mountain.

Take out large tree figure with mangos and place on your left side of mountain piece near you.

I wonder what this could be. Yes, it looks like a tree. There must be a tree in our story today.

Take out the long blue felt strip for the stream and place at the bottom of the underlay to your left nearest the children.

I wonder if this could be water.

Look at underlay. Place Facile in or on the tree. Place the tan felt square for the house part way up to your right side of the mountain. Then place Mama and Lucía the baby on top of it. Place the rectangular brown felt piece below it and add white felt stones across it. Place cactus to right edge of house and bucket and tin can to left front of house.

I think we are ready to begin our story.

Put your hand on Facile’s head for a moment and point to baby Lucía.

Facile sat high up in his mango tree and watched everyone as they brought a gift for new baby Lucía. It was the only tree on the whole dusty mountaintop. Papa had planted it for him when he was born. “A strong tree

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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)protects its timoun (child),” Papa said. Now Papa worked far away in the city.

Facile had no gift for his baby sister. No tikado (small gift) at all. He ate a juicy sweet mango, licked his sticky fingers, and thought, “Papa is not here to plant a tree for baby Lucía.” He studied the large white pit of the mango and knew what his gift would be.

Carefully he held the mango pit and climbed down from his tree.

Move Facile down from the tree. Move him to right side of mountain above house and mime digging with the rusted tin can piece. Show the mango seed around the circle, then place under the spiral of brown felt.

With a rusted tin he dug a hole in the dry earth. He placed the seed in the hole and gently covered it with dirt until only the tip was showing.

Facile walked in the hot sun down the treeless mountainside to the stream in the valley. When he returned, his arms shook with the weight as he removed the bucket from his head and poured cool water over the seed.

Take bucket from basket and move bucket and Facile down the mountain to the stream and back up to the seed again. Have him go in a zigzag pattern to indicate a long journey down the mountain.

After many days, the seed began to sprout. But when Facile came up the mountain with water, he found only an empty hole and the neighbor’s goat blinking stupidly. “Look what you have done.” Facile shook his fist.

Place goat at seed, then move it back to basket. Take seed and keep in your hand to place in a minute.

Once again he had not even a small gift for his new sister.

“How can I plant a tree that will grow strong?” Facile asked his cousin Solvab.

“You must make a fence of cactus,” his cousin told him. And so Facile planted another seed, and this time he protected it with stalks from the kandélab cactus.

Mime Facile planting the seed again, then put branches of cactus over it. Place clouds with rain over the top of the mountain.

Dark gray clouds piled up behind the mountains. An early rain came crashing down on the dusty mountaintop. Facile danced in the puddles. Lucía laughed. But when he went to check on his sister’s tree, Facile could not believe his eyes. “Gone,” he cried. There was only a piece of cactus fence and beyond that the lifeless seed.

Move cactus pieces away from seed. Put seed in your hand again for later. Then move cactus and dark clouds back to basket and Facile to his mother.

Facile asked Mama, “How can I plant a tree that will grow strong?”

But Mama was worried about Lucía, who was very hot. Lucía was not eating, and she did not laugh at Facile’s games. “I must take Lucía to the doctor in the city. You will stay with Tonton.” Then before she carried his sister down the mountain, Mama said, “You must make a step to plant Lucía’s tree.”

Move Mama and Lucía down from the house in a zigzag path then along the bottom of the underlay to your right then back into the basket. Take step felt piece and place on

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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)side of mountain under spiral of dirt. Again mime Facile digging with his tin can and planting the seed under the spiral of felt dirt.

Facile dug a flat step in the mountainside so the rain could not steal his seed. Again, Lucía’s tree began to sprout. Facile waited, but Mama and Lucía did not return.

Place grey tulle over the seed and the house.

Then one day the men in the village made scrub fires to clear the land for planting. At night the sparkling flames crisscrossed the mountains. The smoke stung Facile’s eyes.

The next day Facile saw ashes as he walked through the yard, and when he got to he step he cried, “Ah, non!”

Place small black stick where the seed had been. Keep seed in your hand. Then move stick and grey tulle to the basket.

Lucía’s tiny tree had turned into a black twisted stick. Lucía had been away for many weeks, and Facile still had no small gift for his sister.

Move Facile and Tonton to right of house and mime moving stones to one side on rectangular garden piece.

Facile helped Tonton to clear the many white stones from their garden. He watched the path for Mama and Lucía, but they did not come. “I cannot plant a tree that will grow strong for Lucía,” Facile told Tonton.

“Éspéré,” Tonton said. “You must have hope to plant a tree.”

Facile sighed and shook his head. “Too many stones.” Stones did not make a gift, and stones did not protect a child. He tossed another stone from

the garden onto the pile, and then he had an idea.

One after another he piled the stones up. Up and around he built the wall. When he was done the circle of stones was nearly as high as his waist.

Move Facile to spiral of dirt. Make a wall with the felt stones and place the seed behind it carefully. Then place the felt wall piece over it. Leave Tonton near the house.

Facile began to have hope. He climbed inside the wall and scraped a hole in the hard earth. One more time he planted a seed for Lucía.

He carried water and watched and waited, and finally Lucía’s tree began to grow inside the circle. It changed from a tiny sprout to a large brown twig with leaves.

Move Facile down the mountain with bucket for water several times, pausing at the stones. Then put the small tree behind the stone wall so that it shows above it.

One day after many months, Facile saw Mama come slowly up the mountain. Lucía came too. And Papa. Facile ran to meet them.

Move Mama and Lucía and Papa in a line from the right side of the underlay across then up the mountain to the house then to the stone wall and Facile. Move Tonton up to them.

“What’s this?” Papa asked.

“A tikado,” Facile explained. “A gift for Lucía!”

“A gift of hope,” Tonton said.

Papa looked inside the round wall and smiled. “A strong tree will protect our timoun, our little girl.”

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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)

Point to tree, then Lucía, then Facile. Move baby and Facile to tree.

Inside its circle, Lucía’s tree grew tall. It clung to the mountainside when the soil around it was being washed to the sea by the rains. It grew too big for the goats to eat, and it escaped the fires set for clearing the land.

Lucía grew strong, too. She and Facile played in the branches and sat in the shade of her tree. They shared the sweet mangoes. They carried water up the mountain and cleared more rocks from the garden.

And slowly, one year at a time, little circles of hope began to grow on the mountainsides of Haiti, and inside each circle grew a tree.

Place other walls with trees around the mountain.


I wonder which part of this story you liked the best?



I wonder if you have ever had a baby sister or brother or cousin?

I wonder if you gave them a special present when they were born?

I wonder if you got a special present from someone when you were born?

I wonder what it’s like to live on a mountain?

I wonder what it’s like to have to carry your water in a bucket?

I wonder if you have ever planted a seed?

I wonder what you hope will happen?

I wonder which of our Unitarian Universalist Promises this story reminds you of?


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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)Choices

Say something like:




Make Dream Boards

Visit Tree Planted in 2013

Obstacle Course or Treasure Hunt



Activity Directions



Make Dream Boards:

You will need a quarter sheet of poster board, scissors, glue sticks, and a variety of magazines for each child.

Invite children to look through the magazines to choose and cut out pictures which show something representing a hope or dream o goal – something the child wishes would happen. Any number is fine, just keep track of the time so that children have enough time to glue the pictures to their boards.

Help children write “_____’s Dream Board” on their piece of poster board, and glue the pictures they have chosen to it.

Visit Tree Planted in 2013:

In 2013, the RE children, with assistance from several helpful gardening adults, planted a river birch tree behind the sign at the roadside at the front of the Fellowship. Take a walk to the tree, ask if any of the children remember helping to plant it, and discuss how our tree is a sign of hope and resilience as Lucia’s was.

Obstacle Course or Treasure Hunt:

The fourth principle speaks of the free and responsible search for truth, as Facile has to keep searching for a way to protect the see he has planted.

We all must overcome obstacles to find the ‘treasures’ in our lives.

Create either an obstacle course or a treasure hunt, or both, in your classroom. For an obstacle course, strategically position chairs, tables, small rugs, etc. in ways that allow children to jump or climb from one to another to reach a designated destination. For a treasure hunt, create a few clues and hide them in various spots, leading up to a final prize of some sort. These two ideas can be combined by creating obstacles for the children to overcome physically in order to reach the clues.

If you have a child with mobility difficulties in your class, make sure that any obstacle course tasks can be modified to suit his or

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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)her abilities – possibly with help from other children.

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Circle of Hope (Green Promise)

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Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)WANDA’S ROSES (BLUE PROMISE)

Opening Circle








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Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)WANDA’S ROSES by Pat BrissonBlue Promise Story Believe in our Ideas and Act on Them Adapted by Beverly Leute Bruce

Materials

Blue Underlay Wanda, Mrs. Turner, Mr. Claudel, Mrs.

Giammoni, Ms. Jones, Mr. Sanchez Small rose bush plants Small plant (bare) Small plant with pink paper blossoms Junk: tire, can or bottle, chair (?) Crayon, book, felt question mark

Presentation



See, it is BLUE for one of our promises, to believe in our ideas and act on them. In our Unitarian Universalist community, we celebrate each person’s ideas…even if they are different than anyone else’s ideas. And we also want to support people in our community when they want to DO something with their idea…to make a difference by acting on what they believe.

One morning in spring on the way to school, Wanda noticed a bush growing in an empty corner lot.

Place Wanda and bare bush at the left side of the underlay, facing the children to the right.

It was surrrounded by trash and heaps of junk.

Place old tire, broken toy, can or bottle figures.

It must have been growing for a while because it was about two feet tall, and Wanda was surprised that she hadn’t noticed it before.

But there it was- bare and thorny- and Wanda, who loved beautiful things, felt her heart beat faster.

“A rosebush!” she said to herself. “My very own rosebush!”

Now the rosebush didn’t really belong to Wanda, but since nobody seemed to own the lot or the heaps of junk that were piled there, she decided to care for this bush and make it her own.

Move Wanda to other side of the bush.

All during school, she thought about her rosebush. During art, she drew pictures of what it would look like in bloom.

Place a crayon on the underlay, above Wanda’s head.

During Library she borrowed books on arranging flowers.

Place a small book on the underlay, next to the crayon.

During Science, she asked so many questions about how to take care of roses that finally her teacher said that she really must stop asking questions about roses and start thinking about electricity, which was what the lesson was about!

Place a question mark next to the book.

On her way home from school, she rushed to the rosebush. It was still bare and thorny.

Move bush to other side of Wanda.

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Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)Maybe it needs some more sun, thought Wanda. So she put down her schoolbag and began dragging some of the nearby trash out to the curb.

Mrs. Turner, who was on her way to the store, stopped her to help her with a broken chair?

Place Mrs. Turner figure and broken chair.

“Cleaning up the neighborhood, Wanda?” Mrs. Turner asked. “That’s a nice project for you.”

“Oh, I’m not just cleaning,” Wanda told her. “I’m helping my rosebush to get more sun so it will bloom.”

“Your rosebush?” Mrs. Turner asked…..”Where is your rosebush?”

Wanda said “Over there,” pointing proudly to the bare, thorny bush.

Point your finger at bush.

“Oh, Wanda, I’m not so sure that’s a rosebush,” Mrs. Turner said gently.

“Sure it is, said Wanda. “I’ve seen rosebushes in books, and this is what they look like before they bloom. You just wait…in a few weeks this lot will be full of roses.”

“Well, said Mrs. Turner, shaking her head, “good luck with it Wanda.”

As she walked away, Mrs. Turner thought to herself, If that’s a rosebush, then I’m the queen of England.

Remove Mrs. Turner and place her at the left edge of the mat, facing the children to the right.

The next day after school Wanda hurried to her rosebush. It was still bare and thorny. Maybe it needs more

air, thought Wanda. So she put down her schoolbag and began taking more of the trash out to the curb. Once I get all this trash out of here, nothing will block the air from getting to my rosebush, thought Wanda.

Mr. Claudel was on his way home from work, saw Wanda trying to drag an old door, and stopped to help.

“Cleaning up the neighborhood, are you, Wanda?” he asked

Place Mr. Claudel on the mat.

“Not just cleaning, Mr. Claudel, “ Wanda told him. “I’m getting rid of trash so that my rosebush will get more air.”

“A rosebush? Here?” he asked.

And so Wanda showed him the rosebush.

Point to bush.

“I don’t know much about gardening, Wanda,” said Mr. Claudel, frowning, but “I don’t think that’s a rosebush.’

“Sure it is,” said Wanda. “And in a few weeks this lot will be filled with the sweetest-smelling roses you ever saw.”

She thanked him for his help and went off to drag away some more trash.

Mr. Claudel shook his head. “If that;s a rosebush,” he said to himself, “then I’m the king of France.”

Move Mr. Claudel underneath Mrs. Turner.

Every day after school that week and the next, Wanda worked in the empty lot. Mrs. Giammoni, who lived in the apartment next door, gave Wanda

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Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)trash bags for the old shoes, bottles, broken toys, and bits of glass that she was picking up.

Place Mrs. Giammoni on the mat. Place cans around Wanda.

“You’ve done a great job of cleaning up this lot, Wanda,” Mrs. Giammoni told her.

“Oh, I’m not just cleaning,” Wanda said. “I have to get rid of al this trash so my rosebush will get enough sun and fresh air to bloom.”

“But where is your rosebush?” she asked Wanda.

So Wanda showed her.

Point to the bush.

Mrs. Giammoni put her hand on Wanda’s shoulder and spoke softly to her. “Wanda, she said, “this is not a rosebush.”

“Oh, but it is,” said Wanda. “ And in a few weeks this lot will be filled with the most beautiful roses that you ever saw.”

“That would be nice, “ said Mrs. Giammoni, ‘But I don’t want you to be disappointed if this bush doesn’t bloom.”

“Don’t worry…I won’t be disappointed.” Wanda answered.

Mrs. Giammoni sighed. This is not a rosebush and never will be one, she thought to herself.

Move Mrs. Giammoni underneath Mr. Claudel.

The next week, when the rosebush still wasn’t blooming, Wanda talked to her

school librarian “I need some books about getting roses to bloom,” she told Ms. Jones.

Place Ms. Jones on the mat.

“Oh, do you have a rosebush, Wanda?” Ms. Jones asked.

“Yes, but it doesn’t have flowers yet, and I know it has enough sun and fresh air.”

“Does it have enough water?” Ms. Jones asked.

“Water” Wanda said. “Of course! That will make it bloom.”

Move Ms. Jones underneath Mrs. Giammoni.

That afternoon she hurried to the rosebush. It was still bare and thorny. She looked at the dry ground and smiled.

“Don’t worry, little bush, “ she said. “I’ll get you some water, ant then you will be able to grow flowers.”

Wanda went across the street to the butcher shop.

Place Mr. Sanchez on the mat.

“Mr. Sanchez, would you please give me some water for my rosebush?”

“Rosebush?? Is that what I see you taking care of and talking to every day out there? Are you sure that’s a rosebush, Wanda?” Mr. Sanchez asked.

“Oh, yes, I’m sure. But it can’t bloom because it needs water.”

Mr. Sanchez gave her a plastic bucket.

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Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)“I hope that really is a rosebush, Wanda,” he said, looking at ther doubtfully.

“You’ll see, “ Wanda told him. “In a few weeks that whole lot will be full of roses!”

As Wanda carried the water to her rosebush Mr. Snchez muttered, “In a few weeks that thornbush will still be a thornbush.”

Move Mr. Sanchez underneath Ms. Jones.

Every day, Wanda ran to her rosebush after school, but every day it was still bare and thorny. She watered it and sang to it and checked its bare branches for roses.

Mrs. Turner, on her way to the butcher shop, stopped to see if there were any roses yet.

Point to Mrs. Turner in the row.

Mr. Claudel, on his way home from work, stopped to see if there were any roses yet.

Point to Mr. Claudel.

Mrs. Giammoni, seeing Wanda in the lot, called down to her apartment to ask if there were any roses yet.

Point to Mrs. Giammoni.

When Wanda went to the library at school, Mrs. Jones asked if there were any roses yet.

Point to Ms. Jones.

And every day, when Wanda went to the butcher shop for water, Mr. Sanchez asked if there were any roses yet.

Point to Mr. Sanchez.

To each person, Wanda would answer the same thing. “Just you wait…pretty soom this whole lot will be filled with roses!”

And then one day in June, Wanda had an idea. Looking at the bare, thorny bush, she said, ‘If my rosebush won’t give roses to me, I’ll just have to give roses to my rosebush.” And when she saw Mrs. Turner, Mr. Claudel, Mrs. Giammoni, Ms. Jones, and Mr. Sanchez, she gave each of them an invitation that said:

Place invitation on the mat next to the right of the people.

“Please come for tea and muffins in Wanda’s Rose Garden: Saturday Morning at 9”

“Oh, dear,” said Mrs. Turner, “Is she still expecting to get roses from that bush?”

“Oh, no, “ said Mr. Claudel. “And she’s worked so hard, too…”

“Oh, my,” said Mrs. Giammoni. “She’ll be so disappointed.”

“Oh, darn,” said Mr. Sanchez. “There must be something that I can do….”

“Oh, good,” said Ms. Jones, who had only heard about the bush from Wanda and hadn’t seen it for herself. “And I’ll bring the muffins.”

And the next morning at nine, everyone was surprised to see Wanda’s rosebush covered with roses- paper roses that Wanda had made herself and carefully tied to each bare, thorny branch.

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Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)Remove old bush and place new bush with roses.

But more surprising yet, everyone who came to the party had brought along a rosebush to plant near Wanda’s (except Ms. Jones, who had brought delicious blueberry muffins.)

Place plastic pots with flowers next to each person.

After they had eaten their muffins and drunk their tea, they all got busy planting rosebushes. Mr. Claudel and Mrs. Turner dug the holes, Mrs. Giammoni held the bushes in place while Wanda and Ms. Jones filled in around the roots with soil, and Mr. Sanchez brought water from his shop and watered them all thoroughly.

When the work was finished, Mr. Claudel said, “Wanda, this is going to be a rose garden fit for a king!”

“Or a queen!” said Mrs. Turner.

Wanda and the others smiled. And later that summer, the whole lot was filled wit the biggest, most beautiful, sweetest-smelling roses that anyone had ever seen- just as Wanda had always said it would be.




I wonder where you are in this story?

I wonder where this bush could really be?

I wonder if you have ever cared for a growing thing?

I wonder what a plant really needs to grow?

I wonder which things that Wanda did helped the plant to grow?

I wonder how Wanda felt when no one believed that the plant was a rosebush?

I wonder why no one thought that the rosebush would bloom?

I wonder if anything else grew in the lot that summer?

I wonder whether the bush will ever bloom with real flowers?

I wonder what this bush could really be?

I wonder if you have ever had someone doubt one of your ideas?

I wonder if you’ve ever heard that little voice inside that tells you something’s right or wrong?



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Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)Choices

Say something like:




Make tissue paper, paper, or crepe paper roses

Design a fantasy playground (or other space)

Garden Tour



Activity Directions



Make tissue paper, paper, or crepe paper roses:

There are a variety of methods for making paper roses. Here are some options:

Tissue Paper Rose: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/tissue-paper-rose (requires some advanced fiddly prep work by the teacher)

Crepe Paper Rose: http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Nature/crepepaperroses/crepepaperroses.html (probably the simplest to do, but won’t necessarily look more like a rose than a carnation – that’s okay, the kids are unlikely to care.)

Paper rose:http://www.curbly.com/users/diy-maven/posts/4712-make-quick-and-easy-paper-roses (pretty easy - you’ll also need some tape to keep the whole thing from unwinding at the end.)

Design a fantasy playground (or other space):

Invite the class to design their own fantasy playground, park or other public space. Wanda’s rose garden was fairly simple, really, but I don’t know any kids who wouldn’t like to add a complex, expansive play area to their world. Work together to illustrate a large posterboard, or work individually to design a multitude of options.

Garden Tour:

This session will take place when plants are for the most part dormant and it may not be obvious what is what in the garden. Invite a gardener to tour the garden with you, with an eye to identifying plants which flower beautifully in the summer, but which are bare and unattractive now.

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http://www.curbly.com/users/diy-maven/posts/4712-make-quick-and-easy-paper-roses



http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Nature/crepepaperroses/crepepaperroses.html

http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Nature/crepepaperroses/crepepaperroses.html

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/tissue-paper-rose

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/tissue-paper-rose

Wanda’s Roses (Blue Promise)

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A Drop of Honey (Indigo Promise)A DROP OF HONEY (INDIGO PROMISE)

Opening Circle








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A Drop of Honey (Indigo Promise)A DROP OF HONEYIndigo Promise

Materials

Purple Underlay Castle Queen Advisor, Honey colored glass stone Fly Lizard Cat Dog Baker Butcher Shopkeepers Soldiers Red flame cloth

Presentation



Once upon a time, a queen sat on her balcony eating rice cakes and honey with her chief advisor. As they ate, they gazed down at the busy street below

Put castle on underlay place queen and chief advisor next to it

The Queen pointed to something in the distance, and as she did a drop of honey from her rice cake landed on the balcony railing.

“My Queen, you have spilled a drop of honey,” observed the advisor. “Shall I call a servant to come and clean it up?”

But the queen laughed, “A little drop of honey is… (Leader – Pause for a moment so the children know to join

you.) … NOT MY PROBLEM. Someone will clean it later.”

Place honey on underlay

As you mention the animals place them all around the drop of honey

Soon FLIES gathered at the honey. Then a LIZARD darted out from underneath the palace wall and began to catch the flies on her tongue. Then a CAT sprang from the baker’s shop and began to bat the lizard back and forth like a toy. Just then a DOG charged out from the butcher’s shop and began to bite the cat on the neck.

“Your Highness, ” the advisor implored, “now the flies have attracted a lizard, which attracted a cat, which is now being attacked by a dog. Shouldn’t we call someone to stop the fight?”

But the Queen only stretched, and shook her head at her advisor, “Won’t you relax. A silly animal fight is…

(Leader – Pause, so the children will join in.)

…NOT MY PROBLEM. Someone will surely see to it.”

Bring out villagers as they are mentioned and place around the animals or on top of them. This can look very chaotic!

In fact the BAKER did see to it. She saw the dog attacking her cat and ran out with her rolling pin and began to hit the dog. And then the BUTCHER heard his dog howling and ran out with his broom and began to hit the cat. Soon the butcher and baker were hitting each other. Then the neighboring SHOPKEEPERS began to take sides, joining in the fight. Then some SOLDIERS came along, but some knew the butcher and some

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A Drop of Honey (Indigo Promise)knew the baker. So the soldiers, too, took sides and the battle grew. It grew and grew until a great battle waged in the streets. People were throwing rocks through windows and tipping over the vendor carts. Someone picked up a torch from the wall and hurled it through a window. Fire raged, and eventually it spread to the palace.

Place cloth representing fire over all

Later that day when the fire had died out, the queen and her advisor surveyed the ruins of their land.

Pull fire cloth off of mess

Pause and then have queen touch honey

Suddenly the queen stopped in the street underneath where her balcony had been. She reached down and touched something in a small puddle on the ground. “It’s honey,” she said, remembering. “I guess I should have cleaned up that drop of honey in the first place. Now, my whole kingdom has been lost because of it.”

That was the last day that the queen ever said…

(Leader – Pause, so the children will join in.)

…IT’S NOT MY PROBLEM!






I wonder if there is a part of the story that we could leave out and still have a story?

I wonder if you have ever tasted honey?

I wonder if you have ever not wanted to do anything like the queen?



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A Drop of Honey (Indigo Promise)Choices

Say something like:




Draw scenes from the story

Play Hot Potato

Learn about ways in which we as UUs INSIST on a peaceful, fair, and free world



Activity Directions



Draw scenes from the story:

This is a great activity for a mixed age and interest group. Some children may want to

draw the beautiful queen in her castle; others may like to show the ants eating the honey; still others will enjoy the chaos of the villagers running around and whacking each other; or even the destruction of the city. Encourage acceptance and appreciation of each other’s interests.

Play Hot Potato:

A classic game: you will need a small object (like a potato, tennis ball, or similar) which can be easily passed from hand to hand. And maybe some music to play in the background.

Play the music, stand in a circle and pass the object around the circle. Have a helper ready to stop the music at a random moment.

In honor of the story, you may want to have kids say, “Not My Problem” as they pass the object!

The goal is not to be left with the object at when the music stops. Play enough rounds so that everyone has been ‘caught’ holding the ‘hot’ potato.

Learn about ways in which we as UUs INSIST on a peaceful, fair, and free world:

There are a number of different ways to do this:

Invite a social justice leader to come and share about something important to the congregation with the children. This is potentially tricky if you don’t know how many or what age kids you will have, but if you can find a leader who is comfortable with kids of all ages and is working on a cause which will be easy to explain to the children, it could be a great opportunity.

Make a list of all the social justice projects your congregation supports and share them with the children, briefly explaining how each one makes

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A Drop of Honey (Indigo Promise)the world more peaceful, fair and/or free

Pick a social justice topic you yourself are passionate about and share what you do to support it with the children, whether it is related to the congregation or not.

Learn about the Guest at Your Table project of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee: http://www.uusc.org/welcome-to-guest-at-your-table They used to provide boxes for families to take home and put change in over the winter holidays, but are now simply asking for donations. However, many congregations have continued to make their own boxes, and this is something you could do connected with this class, given enough advanced planning.

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http://www.uusc.org/welcome-to-guest-at-your-table

http://www.uusc.org/welcome-to-guest-at-your-table

A Drop of Honey (Indigo Promise)

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· web viewsources basic lesson. flaming chalice with animals and plants extension. wanda’s...

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