Faith CoLab: Tapestry of Faith: World of Wonder: A Program on the Seven Principles of Unitarian Universalism for Grades K-1

Activity 2: Story - Noah's Wife: The Story of Naamah

Part of World of Wonder

Activity time: 10 minutes

Line drawing of a friendly looking woman from biblical times holding a plant in each hand

Invite children to color before, while, or after they hear "Noah's Wife: The Story of Naamah" to help them engage with the story.

Coloring Sheet (PDF)

Materials for Activity

  • Story, "Noah's Wife: The Story of Naamah"
  • A large basket
  • Objects to place in the basket that are related to the story such as an apple, a zucchini, some herbs, a dandelion, a milkweed pod, or a Noah's ark toy or picture
  • A chime or rain stick
  • Optional: Fidget Basket (Session 1, Leader Resource 1)
  • Optional: Coloring sheet for "Naamah" (PDF) and crayons

Preparation for Activity

  • Place the story-related items and the chime or rain stick in the story basket and place the filled basket in the storytelling area.
  • Read the story a few times. Plan how you will use items from the story basket as props. Note: "Naamah" is pronounced "NAY-ma."
  • Read the story questions. Choose ones that will best help these children interpret the story and relate it to their own lives.
  • Optional, but highly recommended: Provide a basket of soft, quiet, manipulable items for children who will listen and learn more effectively with something in their hands. Remind children where is the Fidget Basket is before you begin the "centering" part of this activity. See Session 1, Leader Resource 1, Fidget Basket for a full description of a fidget basket and guidance for using it.
  • Optional: Print and copy the coloring sheet for "Naamah" (PDF) and plan when you will invite the children to color.

Description of Activity

Gather the children in a circle in the storytelling area and show them the story basket. Say something like:

This is our story basket. I wonder what is in it today?

Take the story-related items from the basket, one at a time, and pass them around. Objects that are fragile or cannot easily be passed around can be held up for all to see and then placed on the altar/centering table or any table or shelf.

Take the chime or rain stick from the basket and say in these words or your own:

Each time you hear a story during World of Wonder we will use this instrument to get our ears, minds, and bodies ready to listen. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. When I sound the chime (turn the rain stick over), listen as carefully as you can and see how long you can hear it. When you can't hear it anymore, open your eyes and it will be time for the story to start.

Sound the chime or rain stick.

When the sound has completely disappeared, ask children if any are familiar with the story of Noah's ark. Provide context as needed. Then read or tell the story, "Noah's Wife: The Story of Naamah."

When the story is finished, lead a brief discussion with questions such as:

  • What did you wonder about the story?
  • What did you like most about the story?
  • What do you think about having so many different plants on earth?
  • What are some of the ways you heard in the story, or ways you already knew, that plants help humans or other animals?
  • How can we as Unitarian Universalist care for and protect the abundance and diversity of plants on earth?

Including All Participants

Fidget objects, described in Session 1, Leader Resource 1, can provide a non-disruptive outlet for anyone who needs to move or who benefits from sensory stimulation. You might include soft crayons and the coloring sheet for this story as a fidget option.