Session 4: Animal Homes

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

The UUA is no longer updating Tapestry of Faith programs.

Part of Creating Home, Kindergarten-1st Grade

In This Section

Introduction
From Creating Home

Perhaps the most radical thing we can do is to stay home, so we can learn the names of the plants and animals around us; so that we can begin to know what tradition we’re part of. — Terry Tempest Williams Terry Tempest Williams is a naturalist and an environmental activist….
Session-at-a-Glance
From Creating Home

ACTIVITY MINUTES Opening 5 Activity 1: Story — Lizard’s Song 10 Activity 2: Who Shares the Barn Home? 18 Activity 3: Burrow, Den, or Nest 12 Activity 4: Wild Animal Matching Puzzles 10 Faith in Action: Audubon Bird Count — Long-term 10 Faith in Action: Community Supported Agriculture —…
Spiritual Preparation
From Creating Home

The term “nesting” evokes birds, but it also describes human behavior upon claiming a space. In your moments of spiritual preparation to lead this session, think about human beings in the following situations and imagine how they might “nest.” A military family has moved once a year for the past…
Opening
From Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice candle or LCD light Lighter or matches if needed Labyrinth Basket of stones, at least one stone for each participant Optional: Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Place the basket of stones near the threshold where…
Activity 1: Story - Lizard's Song
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Copy of story, “Lizard’s Song” Optional: “Lizard’s Song” coloring sheet, and crayons Preparation for Activity Read and print out story, “Lizard’s Song.” Prepare to tell the story. Optional: Print the coloring sheet and copy for all participants.
Activity 2: Who Shares The Barn Home?
From Creating Home

Activity time: 18 minutes Materials for Activity farm sanctuary website. Optional: Find and photocopy images of farm animals for children to cut out and paste in their “barns”; be sure you have enough for all participants. Description of Activity In this activity, children understand that some…
Activity 3: Burrow, Den, or Nest
From Creating Home

Activity time: 12 minutes Materials for Activity Photographic and illustrated images of wild animals and farm animals Quilts, sheets, large sticks, and other items that children can use to build their own burrows, dens, or nests Preparation for Activity Find photographs or pictures of wild animal…
Activity 4: Wild Animal Matching Puzzles
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Print out Leader Resource 1: Wild Animal Matching Puzzles. Decide whether you will cut out the puzzle pieces in advance and have small groups of children do the puzzles during the session and/or whether you will give each child a copy of the entire…
Activity 5: Farm Animal Antics
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Post a blank page of newsprint and title the page “Farm Animals.” Description of Activity Invite the children to form a circle, standing as they are able….
Closing
From Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice candle or LED/battery-operated candle Lighter and extinguisher, if needed Labyrinth, with participants’ name stones placed upon it Basket for name stones Optional: Index cards or post-its, bold marker, and tape Preparation for Activity Revie…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Creating Home

As you clean up the learning space, think about ways that animals have provided for your life.
Faith In Action: Audubon Bird Count - Long-term
From Creating Home

Activity time: 60 minutes Preparation for Activity Go to the National Audubon Society website to learn about the century-old Christmas Bird Count that takes place each year between December 14 and January 5….
Faith In Action: Community Supported Agriculture — Short-Term
From Creating Home

Activity time: 60 minutes Materials for Activity Sheets of 11X17-inch paper. Preparation for Activity Visit one or more websites about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) by doing a web search or using the links provided under “Leader Resources” in the Resources section. Look for information…
Alternate Activity 1: Farm Animal Interactive Story - It Could Be Worse
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story, “It Could Be Worse” Optional: “It Could Be Worse” coloring sheet, and crayons Preparation for Activity Review and print out the story, “It Could Be Worse.” Practice telling the story so you can present it effectively and…
Taking It Home: Animal Homes
From Creating Home

Perhaps the most radical thing we can do is to stay home, so we can learn the names of the plants and animals around us; so that we can begin to know what tradition we’re part of. – Terry Tempest Williams IN TODAY’S SESSION… We spent a wonderful time getting inside animal homes of all kinds.
It Could Be Worse
From Creating Home

Adapted from a Jewish folktale from Poland In this fun and participatory story a farmer lives in a house with his wife and children and the grandparents, and it is so noisy that he thinks he will go crazy. The rabbi advises the farmer to bring his animals into his home, too. First chickens, then…
Lizard's Song
From Creating Home

Adapted from a National Park Service website; used by permission of Wind Cave National Park. In this Native American legend, Lizard sings a happy song about his home: “Zole, zole, zole, zole, zole, zole, rock is my home.” Bear wants to learn the song. Lizard shares the song, but Bear keeps…
Handout 1: Who Shares the Barn Home
From Creating Home

Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Leader Resource 1: Wild Animal Matching Puzzles
From Creating Home

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

Find out more about Community Supported Agriculture and get information about CSA in your area on the web. Learn about issues regarding the housing of chickens that are used for meat and for egg production on the http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/facts/cage-free_vs… Humane…