Tapestry of Faith: Love Will Guide Us: A Program for Grades 2-3 that Applies the Wisdom of the Six Sources to the Big Questions

Alternate Activity 2: UU Source Constellation

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Review this activity. Plan how you can incorporate it into the session Opening.
  • Purchase gold and silver star stickers.
  • Print out Handout 1, UU Source Constellation -Our Sense of Wonder, for all participants plus one extra for the Night Sky.
  • Print out Leader Resource 1, UU Source Constellation Answer Sheet - Our Sense of Wonder.
  • Using Leader Resource 1 as a guide, use star stickers to mark the heart-shaped constellation on one copy of the handout: Place gold star stickers on the outlined stars and silver star stickers on the solid stars. Do not connect the gold stars. Post the constellation on the Night Sky along with the Big Dipper and North Star.

Description of Activity

Tell participants:

Our Sources are the way we are guided as Unitarian Universalists to help us live our faith.

Ask participants if they remember (or know) what a "source" is. Allow a moment for responses. Then, explain that the definition of source you are looking for has to do with origin, or beginning.

Say in your own words:

Today we are talking about the sense of wonder we all share. We are talking about times that are awesome and wonderful. Times when we feel glad to be alive and a part of nature. Have you ever been awestruck by the color of the sky? Or the smell of a flower? Maybe it's just how much you love your mom or dad or how much they love you. Maybe it's the way you feel about your dog or cat. Maybe running is awesome to you, or swimming, or maybe reading a story.

Give the children time to think. Then, distribute the UU Source Constellation handout. Say:

Unitarian Universalists think it's important to learn from a sense of wonder-the awesome things that we can't explain. We have a constellation named in honor of this Source. It's shaped like a heart to show how awesome things can make us feel love. Can you find the heart constellation in our Night Sky?

Give them time to try to find the heart. As children find it, let them show it to you by tracing the heart shape with their finger on their own handout.

Distribute gold and silver stars. Have children stick gold stars on the outlined stars and silver stars on the solid stars on their handouts. Then, invite them to pencil the heart shape by connecting the gold stars. Tell them they may take their Awe and Wonder constellations home.

Say, in your own words:

As Unitarian Universalists, we learn a sense of awe and wonder we all share.

Light the chalice.