Session 15: Saving the World

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

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Amazing Grace, 6th Grade: Exploring Right and Wrong

In This Section

Introduction
From Amazing Grace

If I do not have love, I am nothing. — adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:2 Does it really matter whether we do right or wrong? This session explores the question of how much impact an individual can have….
Session-at-a-Glance
From Amazing Grace

ACTIVITY MINUTES Opening 5 Activity 1: Ethics Play 15 Activity 2: Story and Discussion – How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh? 7 Activity 3: Universal Love Art 20 Activity 4: Round-Robin Story 10 Faith in Action: Random Acts of Kindness 15 Closing 3 Alternate Activity 1: Readings from the Hymnbook 10…
Spiritual Preparation
From Amazing Grace

In the days before you present this session, ask yourself what acts of yours have had consequences larger than you might have predicted. Sometimes, the reality that our actions can have far-reaching consequences can be intimidating. It can lead to inability to act. Have you ever made an important…
Opening
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Conundrum Corner poster/banner Leader Resource 1, Butterfly and Wave, for Conundrum Corner Chalice and matches Optional: Newsprint, markers and tape Optional: Recording of “Amazing Grace” and music player Optional: Nametags and markers Optional:…
Activity 1: Ethics Play
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Two dice (extra large, if possible) of different colors Ethics Play role nametags Ethics Play Scenarios (Session 1, Leader Resources 2-7) Optional: Masks, costumes, and wigs for roles Preparation for Activity If you are or your group is new to Ethi…
Activity 2: Story and Discussion - How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh?
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 7 minutes Materials for Activity Story 1, “How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh?” Preparation for Activity Read the story. Photocopy Story 1, “How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh?,” one for each participant. Description of Activity Participants hear and discuss a story about small actions…
Activity 3: Universal Love Art
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Sample of Robert Indiana’s LOVE art. Leader Resource 2, Robert Indiana’s LOVE Image. Indiana never copyrighted the image, so you can locate many reproductions. One image on the Internet is on the website for Wichita State University’s Sculpture…
Activity 4: Round-Robin Story
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Butterfly and Wave Description of Activity Ask your group to create a story that shows how a small personal action can lead to significant results….
Closing
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 3 minutes Materials for Activity Copies of Taking It Home Preparation for Activity Create a handout from Taking It Home that is specific to the activities used in this session. Description of Activity Briefly summarize what you have done in this session. Hand out any Taking It Home…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Amazing Grace

Meet with your co-leaders after the session to reflect on how it went. How was your mix of discussion and action? Have you successfully found ways to involve all youth fully in your sessions despite any limitations they might have? Are your youth excited by the idea of random acts of kindness? If…
Faith In Action: Random Acts of Kindness
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 15 minutes Description of Activity Ask youth to imagine and perform random acts of kindness. Introduce the activity by asking the group to imagine a scene like this: “You and your family are driving along in a car when you get to a tollbooth on the highway. When you pull up to the…
Alternate Activity 1: Readings from the Hymnbook
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Unitarian Universalist hymnbook, http://www.uuabookstore.org/Singing-the-Living-Tradition-Hymnal-P16918… the Living Tradition Preparation for Activity Find and mark the suggested readings. Description of Activity Introduce your group to hymnal…
Alternate Activity 2: Creating Challenges for Ethics Play
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Paper and pencils Preparation for Activity Review what your group has done to date with Ethics Play. Description of Activity In this activity, small groups of participants make up new Ethics Play situations. The activity assumes that your group has…
Alternate Activity 3: Action Music
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Recorded music and music player Copies of the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Singing the Journey Preparation for Activity Identify and obtain music that fits the theme of this session….
Alternate Activity 4: Ripples and Waves
From Amazing Grace

Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 1, Butterfly and Wave Optional: Art materials, including paper and drawing utensils Optional: CD player and background music Preparation for Activity If you decide to use background music, have CD player and music ready….
Taking It Home: Saving the World
From Amazing Grace

If I do not have love, I am nothing. — adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:2 IN TODAY’S SESSION… We talked about the power of individual action and kindness. We did Ethics Play and heard a story about a single snowflake that made a big difference. We made art built on the idea of universal love,…
How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh?
From Amazing Grace

One Hundred Wisdom Stories from Around the World, Margaret Silf, p.29. “How Much Does a Snowflake Weigh?” Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press. Copyright (C) 2003. Used by Permission for this one time use. No reprints or use permitted. All Rights Reserved. It was deep winter and the snow was falling…
Leader Resource 1: Butterfly and Wave
From Amazing Grace

This painting “Chaos” is by Chet Phillips; used with permission.Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Leader Resource 2: Robert Indiana's Love Image
From Amazing Grace

Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Find Out More
From Amazing Grace

Johns Hopkins University’s website on Chaos and Fractals has a short explanation of the butterfly effect. Silf, Margaret. https://books.google.com/books?id=TGADe931y6EC&printsec=frontcover&… Hundred Wisdom Stories from around the World (Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2003). Tom Owen-Towle is the…