Tapestry of Faith: Building Bridges: A World Religions Program for 8th-9th Grades

Welcoming and Entering

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Print out the leader resource and make multiple copies (enough for the number of groups you expect participants will form on their own).
  • Obtain bowls (one for each copy of the leader resource).
  • For each copy of the leader resource: Cut the leader resource into five columns. One column at a time, cut apart the pieces of information as indicated and mark the back of each piece with a letter-use "A" for the pieces from the first column, "B" for the pieces from the second column, and so on. Use soft pencil so the writing is not visible from the front. Then, place all the pieces in a single bowl.
  • Set the bowls and the tape on work tables.

Description of Activity

As youth arrive, invite them to begin sorting the papers in one of the bowls or to join youth already working. Suggest they pull out a few pieces of paper and try to match the pieces to find out about five religions founded between 600 and 500 BCE. Encourage youth to work together.

Youth will soon discover the letters on the backs of the pieces. Tell them all the pieces with matching letters on the back relate to the same religion. Invite them to tape related pieces together as they discover which pieces make a set. Encourage them to use information they may already know about Eastern religions, as well as the letter clues.