Workshop 3: Keenly Observing Nature

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

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Exploring Our Values Through Poetry, High School

In This Section

Introduction
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. — Rachel Carson Today’s workshop asks participants about their spiritual connections to nature. Consider whether you might want to hold part of today’s entire workshop outside to…
Workshop-at-a-Glance
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

ACTIVITY MINUTES Opening 5 Activity 1: Loving Nature 10 Activity 2: A Sensory Meditation 40 Faith in Action: The Gift of a Garden Closing 5 Alternate Activity 1: UUs and Nature 10 Alternate Activity 2: Nature Music 10…
Spiritual Preparation
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Since the subject of today’s workshop is nature, why not spend a little time outdoors preparing for the workshop? What do you like to do outdoors? Do you garden or hike? Do you enjoy picnics or football games? Does a thunderstorm give you a thrill?…
Opening
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice and matches Description of Activity Use the Opening designed by your group or the one provided below. Gather around the chalice. As a volunteer lights the chalice, ask the group to focus on the word “nature” in silence. After about fifteen…
Activity 1: Loving Nature
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Handout 1, “A Nature-Lover Passes,” by Daniel Henderson Preparation for Activity Photocopy Handout 1, “A Nature-Lover Passes,” one for each participant. Description of Activity Participants read, hear, and discuss a poem about nature….
Activity 2: A Sensory Meditation
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Activity time: 40 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint and markers, at least one sheet and marker for each participant Journals and pens or pencils Preparation for Activity Make sure each participant has a comfortable place to sit. Description of Activity Participants will use their senses to…
Closing
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice Singing the Living Tradition Description of Activity Use the Closing designed by your group or the one provided below….
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Review today’s workshop with your co-leader. How did the writing proceed? Was there enough time for participants to write and share fully? What worked well and what activities need adjustment? How do the answers to these questions affect future workshops?
Faith In Action: The Gift Of A Garden
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Materials for Activity Varied; see Leader Resource 1, Butterfly Garden Handout 2, Tips on Caring for Your Butterfly Garden Newsprint and markers A calendar Preparation for Activity Before presenting this idea to participants, seek support from others in the congregation, particularly the religiou…
Alternate Activity 1: UUs and Nature
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of the inSpirit: UU Book and Gift Shop, Skinner House, and Beacon Press catalogs, one for every 3-4 participants Optional: A computer with Internet access Preparation for Activity You can request multiple copies of these catalogs by Internet…
Alternate Activity 2: Nature Music
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity CDs of popular songs about nature Optional: CDs with songs about our spiritual connection to nature Preparation for Activity Have songs cued and ready to play. Description of Activity The group explores popular songs to discern their different…
Taking It Home: Keenly Observing Nature
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. — Rachel Carson DURING TODAY’S WORKSHOP… We read the poem “A Nature-Lover Passes” and discussed some of our connections to nature….
Handout 1: A Nature-Lover Passes
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Daniel Henderson (1880-1955)In certain parts of Great Britain, where families commonly kept beehives, people believed the first thing you should do when a relative dies is to tell the bees. BEES, go tell the things he treasured — Oak and grass and violet — That although his life was measured He…
Handout 2: Tips On Caring For Your Butterfly Garden

Gulf Coast UU Fellowship, Gulfport, MS

From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Welcome to your butterfly garden! The garden needs you to take care of it. Here are a few easy ways to care for your garden: Because many plants are poisonous, never taste or eat any plant part. Do not walk among the plants or step on plants. A broken branch wounds the plant….
Leader Resource 1: Butterfly Garden Instructions
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Adapted from instructions provided by Elizabeth Waldorf and the Gulf Coast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (GCUUF), Gulfport, MS.These instructions are the steps taken by the GCUUF when they created a butterfly garden for a local elementary school. You may use these instructions or follow…
Find Out More
From Exploring Our Values Through Poetry

Many poets, such as Robert Frost, Wendell Berry, May Sarton, and Walt Whitman, are noted for their nature poetry, and you can find many anthologies of nature poems. One such anthology is Poetry for the Earth, edited by Sara Dunn and Alan Scholefield (New York: Ballantine Books, 1992).

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