Faith CoLab: 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 - Jewish and Christian Teachings

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Review this activity. Plan how to incorporate it into the session Opening.
  • Purchase gold and silver star stickers.
  • Print out Session 4, Handout 1, UU Source Constellation - Jewish and Christian Teachings for all participants plus one extra.
  • Print out Session 4, Leader Resource 1, UU Source Constellation Answer Sheet - Jewish and Christian Teachings.
  • Using Leader Resource 1 as a guide, on one copy of the handout use star stickers to mark the Star of David and the Christian cross: 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

Use this activity with your Opening to add additional Source constellations to your Night Sky.

Tell the children:

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

Ask the children 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.

Distribute the UU Source Constellation handout. Say:

We think it's important to learn from Jewish and Christian teachings that have wisdom about love. So we have a constellation to honor this Source. Some of the stars can be connected to look like a six-pointed Star of David and a Christian cross. Can you find the constellation in our Night Sky?

Give children time to look for the Star of David and the Christian cross. As they find them, let them show you by tracing with a finger on their own handouts.

Distribute gold and silver stars. Have children stick gold stars on the outlined stars and silver stars on the solid stars. Then, invite them to pencil the star and cross symbols on their handouts by connecting the gold stars. Tell them they make take home their own Jewish and Christian Teachings constellations.

Say, in your own words:

As Unitarian Universalists, we learn from Jewish and Christian teachings that have a message about love.

Light the chalice.