Tapestry of Faith: Moral Tales: A Program on Making Choices for Grades 2-3

Alternate Activity 3: Take-home Mini-compasses

Part of Moral Tales

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Copies of handout, Take-Home Mini-Compass for all participants (three-page story)
  • A sample, finished compass
  • Brass fasteners for all participants, scissors (including left-handed scissors), tape or glue, and markers, pencils or pens
  • Optional: Hole-puncher

Preparation for Activity

  • Print out enough copies of the two-page handout, Take-Home Mini-Compass, for all participants plus several extra. Use as thick paper as possible, preferably card stock. The thicker the paper you use, the more useful you will find a hole-puncher.
  • Make one or two paper compasses to show the children.
  • Cut out the circles and arrows in advance, or plan for the children to do this as part of the activity.

Description of Activity

Making take-home mini-compasses reinforces the cumulative learning of Moral Tales. This activity will work nicely following Alternate Activity 2: What Would UU Do? - Moral Compass.

Show the children the sample compass(es) you have made. Distribute two-page handout to each child at work tables, along with child-safe scissors and markers, pencils, and pens. Invite children to cut out the circle and the arrow from their handouts, if you have not done so for them. Tell them they may also color the face of their compass or color their arrow.

Visit each child and help them insert a brass fastener through the middle of their circle and arrow to join the two pieces together. If you are using a hole-puncher, you will need to fold the compass circle in half to punch a hole in the circle's center. Then place the brass fastener through the holes and flatten the ends so that it holds the arrow in place.

Give the children time to work individually to assemble their compasses. Older children can also help younger ones. The goal of this activity is to give the children a chance to work with materials making something that symbolizes the moral compass. Encourage them to take pride in making the compass and in decorating it in a way that is pleasing to them.

Including All Participants

If you are concerned that some children may be unable to complete the assembly process, have several compasses pre-made. Invite the child(ren) to decorate with markers, stickers or whatever materials they can manipulate.