I am looking for all of my friends and neighbors who… Gratitude … are grateful for our parents. … are grateful for our school. … are grateful for the color red. … are grateful for soccer games. … are grateful for pizza. … are grateful for chocolate. … are grateful for summer….

Young children appreciate ritual. Repeating the same opening words or singing the same song at the start of each session supports a structure and consistency of practice that will strengthen each child’s sense of belonging in Moral Tales as well as their Unitarian Universalist identity. An…

Dear Parents, As part of our exploration of the virtue of courage your children have begun a two-part Faith in Action project, “Courage” stickers. Today they made heart-shaped stickers….

Scenario #1: Bullying on the Playground A bully and two of the bully’s friends are surrounding a child alone on the playground and making fun of his/her haircut. Another couple of children are watching from a short distance away but they aren’t sticking up for the child….

Questions for Reviewing the Story, “The Good Samaritan” Gather children in chairs set in a semi-circle. Review the story, “The Good Samaritan,” with these questions: Who did Jesus think was the lawyer’s neighbor? Did Jesus mean that everyone is our neighbor? Did he mean that everyone should be…

Call out these human actions, your own ideas, and ideas suggested by the children to play the game in Alternate Activity 3, Help or Harm the Earth? Game. Build a house of wood by cutting down an entire forest of trees Eat fruits and vegetables grown at a local farm or in your own garden Spill oil…

Leader: “Hi, my name’s Joe.” (Wave one hand and continue waving.) Participants: (Repeat words and keep the movement going.)) Leader: “I’ve got a wife and three kids and I work in a button factory.” (Continue movement.) Participants: (Repeat words and keep the movement going.) Leader: “Hi….

Problem Small step Small step Small Step Global Warming Turn out lights. Recycle school papers. Start recycling bin in class. Loneliness in nursing homes Visit and bring cookies. Visit and listen to residents’ stories. Bullying at school Tell a teacher. Ask the bullied child to play….

Your younger brother has just destroyed an art project that you worked on for hours! You are furious and you feel like hitting him, or maybe destroying one of his favorite things. The answer is in your hands — what will you do? A bully has demanded that you give her your lunch money. You are…

Materials for Activity Medium-sized white or light gray stones, one per participant A large decorative vase or glass bowl A small table or altar Decorative cloths for the table or altar Magic markers Tables and chairs List of suggested items or activities that the kids made during the Living Simp…

This recipe will make enough modeling dough for two or three children to use in Session 9: Generosity. This can be messy. Use smocks or old tee shirts….

Dear Parents, As part of our session on Perseverance, the children started a new Faith in Action project today. Faith in Action projects help us to practice the skills and virtues we are learning about. The children heard a story about a small parrot that kept flying back and forth to a river and…

Before you make your story theater, read the story, “Mussa and Nagib,” to get a sense of the action in the story, and to figure out how big a story theater you need. Remember, you will need enough room to write certain words in sand and in clay. A large shoe box with the top and one long side…

Characters in story, “We Are All One” Suggested pose/motion Suggested statement Woman looking for herb Put a hand above one’s eyes as if searching for something “I hope I can find the herb.” “I’ve been searching for a long time.” “Poor ants. I should help them.” Woman’s family members and other…

I have faith that there is life somewhere else, on another planet besides Earth. I have faith that rules are for a good reason. I have faith that my friends will share with me. I have faith that there is a God. I have faith that the sun will give Earth light for billions of years….

Dear Parents, Please be a tattletale! For the next few months, while we teach the Tapestry of Faith Moral Tales curriculum, your children will be encouraged to keep track of and name their own acts of justice and goodness. Each time the group meets, the children will have the opportunity to share…

GOOD NEIGHBOR COUPON I, ________________________________ (name of child), would like to do a helping kindness for ________________________________ (name of recipient)….

“I Make a Difference” Name_________________________________________ Is concerned about the following problem: ________________________________________________ They will to the following to make a difference: ___________________________________________…

Session Title Concept as Noted on Moral Compass Poster 1 We Are All One Interdependence 2 Conscience: Hearing the Inner Voice Inner voice 3 Faith, Hope and Prayer Faith 4 In Another’s Shoes Empathy 5 Forgiveness Forgiveness 6 Welcome One and All Welcoming 7 Seeing Others with Awe Respect 8 Do Unt…

In this quick “get the wiggles out” activity, you will lead the children in a short series of stretching and breathing exercises. Begin standing with arms at your sides. Ask the children to breath in as they bring their arms slowly out to the sides and then up overhead….

Dear Parents, The children in Moral Tales will be collecting new and gently used toys and books for (name of agency or organization), from (start date) until (end date). This Faith in Action project will begin with a visit from (agency or organization) on (day, date). They will talk about the…

Scenario 1 (two, plus watchdog): Person A: You have a really big piece of chocolate cake. It’s your favorite desert and you don’t want to share any. Person B: You don’t have any cake and you would like some….

There are 15 dilemmas suggested to use for the activity. All of the session concepts (Moral Compass directions) taught in the Moral Tales program can be used to resolve at least one dilemma. Download this Leader Resource into a word processing document on your computer. Use your word processing…

Use these questions once the children have got the hang of the game. As you play, make your criteria for friends and neighbors more specific, and encourage children to be specific in their own suggested criteria. The more specific the criteria in this game, the more everyone will learn. I want to…

Young children appreciate ritual. Using the same Closing for each session helps to gives a clear end to your time together, each time, and reinforces each child’s sense of belonging in Moral Tales as well as their Unitarian Universalist identity. Hymn 414 in Singing the Living Tradition, “As We…

Here are two sample letters to engage parents’ help in (1) the children’s retelling of “The Wounded Seal” or (2) a fundraising bake sale to help an organization working to protect seals from hunting. Customize as you wish for the long-term Faith in Action project you plan to do. Dear Parents, The…

Here are two sample letters to engage parents’ help in (1) the children’s retelling of “The Wounded Seal” or (2) a fundraising bake sale to help an organization working to protect seals from hunting. Customize as you wish for the long-term Faith in Action project you plan to do. Dear Parents, The…

Note: If any participants would be unable to easily “stand up,” invite the entire group to “raise your hand” instead of “stand up.” Stand up if you have ever… Had a birthday Eaten too much Had a haircut Had a haircut you didn’t like Had a bug fly up your nose Had a pet Held a frog…

Session Title Concept as Noted on Moral Compass Poster 1 We Are All One Interdependence 2 Conscience: Hearing the Inner Voice Inner voice 3 Faith, Hope and Prayer Faith 4 In Another’s Shoes Empathy 5 Forgiveness Forgiveness 6 Welcome One and All Welcoming 7 Seeing Others with Awe Respect 8 Do Unt…

Dear Parents, As part of our session on Perseverance, the children started a new Faith in Action project today. Faith in Action projects help us to practice the skills and virtues we are learning about. The children heard a story about a small parrot that kept flying back and forth to a river and…

You will need: Shoe boxes or large, flat pieces of cardboard for all participants Play sand Modeling clay Blue paper, and scissors Glue Toothpicks, three or four for each participant Color markers Sealable, plastic sandwich bags, two for each participant Cut the sides down from one side of each b…