Session 7: Democratic Process (Chalk)

Beautiful orange sunset over a deep blue ocean. — Tapestry is Sunsetting

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Part of Toolbox of Faith, Grades 4-5

In This Section

Introduction
From Toolbox of Faith

The price of the democratic way of life is a growing appreciation of people’s differences, not merely as tolerable, but as the essence of a rich and rewarding human experience. — Jerome Nathanson (1908-1975), a leader of New York Ethical Culture Democracy means not “I am as good as you are,” but…
Session-at-a-Glance
From Toolbox of Faith

ACTIVITY MINUTES Welcoming and Entering Opening 10 Activity 1: Story — Olympia Brown — A Voice and a Vote 10 Activity 2: Cloak and Dagger Game 10 Activity 3: Voting in the Demos Role-Play 10 Activity 4: Consensus Role-Play 10 Activity 5: Council Circle 10 Faith in Action: Ideas…
Spiritual Preparation
From Toolbox of Faith

Take a moment and let your body and mind settle. If you are comfortable doing so, spend a few moments in peaceful meditation. In preparation for this session on democratic process, you may wish to reflect on your own experiences and feelings about voting, consensus-building, and democratic…
Welcoming and Entering
From Toolbox of Faith

Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Optional: A chalkboard and chalk Dark paper, light-colored chalk, and containers for “ballot boxes” Preparation for Activity Prepare and post (or set on worktables) sheets of newsprint where participants can vote for their favorite television…
Opening
From Toolbox of Faith

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice candle or LED/battery-operated candle Lighter and extinguisher, if needed Newsprint, markers, and tape Newsprint or chalkboard with participants’ tally marks Dark paper, light-colored chalk, and containers for “ballot boxes” Tool of the Day…
Activity 1: Story - Olympia Brown - A Voice And A Vote
From Toolbox of Faith

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story, “Olympia Brown — A Voice and a Vote” Preparation for Activity Read the story and prepare to tell or read it to the group. Description of Activity Participants will learn about a time in United States history when women did not…
Activity 2: Cloak And Dagger Game
From Toolbox of Faith

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Index cards for all participants Optional: One or more sets of the board game, Apples to Apples (five players per set) Preparation for Activity The game, Cloak and Dagger, works best with eight to 15 players. Decide whether the group will play…
Activity 3: Voting In The Demos Role-play
From Toolbox of Faith

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Pieces of pottery (such as from smashed-up clay flower pots), large enough to write a name on, for all participants Pencils for participants to share A vessel such as an urn, bowl, or vase for collecting votes Several plastic toy figures or stuffed…
Activity 4: Consensus
From Toolbox of Faith

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Newsprint, markers, and tape Sheets of green, red, and yellow construction paper and scissors Optional: Sheets of orange and blue construction paper A variety of snacks, all desirable, such as cookies, ice cream, and candy (or various dri…
Activity 5: Council Circle
From Toolbox of Faith

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Tool of the Day — a piece of chalk Chalice and candle Safety matches and long fireplace matches Small dish for spent matches Candle snuffer Council candles (a tea light or votive candle for each participant, or some to share if group is very large)…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Toolbox of Faith

Reflect on these questions and discuss them with your co-leaders: How do we feel about today’s session? What parts of the session worked well? What can we learn from the experience of this session? What preparations do we need to make for the next session?
Faith In Action: Ideas
From Toolbox of Faith

Description of Activity One idea that has caught on is a “Take Your Child to Vote” Day. If you are near an election time, consider the words of Dayton, Ohio, Daily News reporter Scott Eliot, published on Tuesday, November 7, 2006 (Election Day). There’s two things I hope you’ll do today….
Taking It Home: Democratic Process (Chalk)
From Toolbox of Faith

The price of the democratic way of life is a growing appreciation of people’s differences, not merely as tolerable, but as the essence of a rich and rewarding human experience. — Jerome Nathanson (1908-1975), a leader of New York Ethical Culture Democracy means not “I am as good as you are,” but…
Olympia Brown Gets the Vote

Polly Peterson

From Toolbox of Faith

Read or tell the story. A farm wagon bumped along through the Kansas prairie, under a blazing August sun. Next to the wagon’s driver sat a young woman in a long black dress. She had been up since four a.m. and, after a hasty breakfast, had taken her leave. Now, as her eyes took in the great sweep…
Handout 1: The History of Ostracism
From Toolbox of Faith

Excerpted from an online Wikipedia article, “Ostracism,” accessed April 4, 2008.A Wikipedia article on ostracism in ancient Athens includes a photo image of three potsherds inscribed with the names of citizens who, at one time, were selected for ostracism by some of their peers….
Find Out More
From Toolbox of Faith

Children, Democracy and Unitarian Universalist Faith Read an essay by Tracey L. Hurd. She writes, in part: Whether active or passive, we’re all part of the political process and the choices we make for our participation influence our children. Recent research shows that young adults who vote are…