Tapestry of Faith: Riddle and Mystery: A Program on the Big Questions for Grade 6

Activity 3: WCUU - Visit to UUville

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Microphone(s), video camera(s) and tripod(s), real or simulated
  • For studio set
    • Backdrop made in Session 1
    • Painter's tape or masking tape
  • Leader Resource 3, WCUU Script - A Visit to UUville
  • Leader Resource 4, Memo to Citizens of UUville
  • Paper for On-Air People's name cards, markers and string or tape
  • Timepiece
  • A copy of the Unitarian Universalist Principles and Sources (Session 1, Leader Resource 1, or a poster in your meeting space)
  • Optional: Music player for theme song (see Session 1)
  • Optional: Studio lights (flashlights will do)

Preparation for Activity

  • Retrieve real or simulated television studio equipment, backdrop made in Session 1 and other WCUU materials.
  • If necessary, arrange furniture, set up and test equipment and post backdrop. If you plan to record WCUU:
    • Make sure electrical outlets are nearby if you will need them.
    • Pay attention to lighting. Do not set On-Air People in front of a sunlit window.
    • If you are using on-camera microphones, direct On-Air People to speak toward the camera. Invite the Director or Floor Director to use the phrase "Quiet on the Set... Rolling... " followed by a silent countdown from five, using the fingers of one hand, ending with pointing to the On-Air Person to cue them to begin speaking.
  • Make enough copies of Leader Resource 3 for everyone who will need a script for the broadcast. This script has three On-Air people who will need scripts-an Anchor, a Roving Reporter and a NUUs (pronounced "News") Analyst. Four Citizens of UUville will use Leader Resource 4 instead of scripts. If the group is small, co-leaders can be Studio Crew; if the group is large, the Studio Crew might include a director, a floor director, a camera operator, a sound engineer, a lighting director, a script supervisor and multiple production assistants.
  • Print out Leader Resource 4 for youth who will portray the four Citizens of UUville.

Description of Activity

Participants present a WCUU with seven On-Air roles and a Studio Crew which might include a director, a floor director, a camera operator, a sound engineer, a lighting director, a script supervisor and multiple production assistants.

Assign roles, using volunteers for On-Air People and Studio Crew. You might invite the Kid for the Day to be the Anchor or Roving Reporter.

Give copies of Leader Resource 4 to the youth who will be the UUville Citizens and have a co-leader or adult volunteer take them aside to prepare their roles.

Give participants who need to follow the script a moment to look it over. Review it with them if you have participants with limited reading skills. Note: This script asks the Roving Reporter to improvise dialogue with the UUville Citizens; coach as necessary. You might suggest the Roving Reporter talk first, very briefly, with each of the Citizens about what they are presently doing (riding a bicycle, etc.), and then, briefly again, about the Citizen's death beliefs.

Tell the group when the show should end to keep the session on schedule; assign a Studio Crew member (director or floor director) to watch the time.

Begin the broadcast.

At the end of the broadcast, ask participants how it went. Ask them to summarize how typical Unitarian Universalists respond to today's Big Question: "What happens when we die?" Do they think non-UUs would understand Unitarian Universalism better after seeing the WCUU broadcast?