Session 5: Home in Nature

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

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. — Henry David Thoreau Many Unitarian Universalists applaud Henry David Thoreau as a…
Session-at-a-Glance
From Creating Home

ACTIVITY MINUTES Opening 5 Activity 1: Preparing Observation Journals 10 Activity 2: Story — Thoreau and the Cottage 15 Activity 3: Through My Window 10 Activity 4: The Web of My Life 15 Faith in Action: Tidying a Shared Natural Space — Short-term 60 Closing 5 Alternate Activity 1: Nature Picnic…
Spiritual Preparation
From Creating Home

Our material-centered, time-based lifestyle makes simplicity in living hard to imagine. Explore for yourself a time when you feel your life was simplest. Take a piece of paper and a pencil and draw yourself at that time in your life. Stick people are fine. Draw a few of the things that you did in…
Opening
From Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice candle or LED/battery-operated chalice Lighter and extinguisher, if needed Labyrinth Basket of name stones Newsprint, markers, and tape Preparation for Activity Write the chalice-lighting words on newsprint and post. Memorize the…
Activity 1: Preparing Observation Journals
From Creating Home

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity…
Activity 2: Story - Thoreau And The Cottage
From Creating Home

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of story, “Henry David Thoreau and the Cottage” Drawing paper, 11x17” or larger Drawing, coloring, and arts and crafts materials such as pencils, pastels, crayons, colored paper, stickers, and glue sticks Optional: Small natural objects, suc…
Activity 3: Through My Window
From Creating Home

Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Download, print, and photocopy Handout 1, Through My Window. Arrange to use a room where all participants will be able to sit comfortably and look out a window to the outdoors. Prepare drawing and writing implements to distribute after participants…
Activity 4: The Web Of My Life
From Creating Home

Activity time: 15 minutes Materials for Activity Pieces of corrugated cardboard or poster board, about 12 inches square, for all participants Push pins with cylindrical tops Stickers Yarn Markers and/or crayons Scissors, including left-handed scissors Preparation for Activity Obtain sheets of…
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 on it Basket for name stones Optional: Index cards or post-its, bold markers, and tape Optional: One copy of Singing t…
Leader Reflection and Planning
From Creating Home

Henry David Thoreau learned by observation of nature. He had a unique way of transferring knowledge obtained in his natural home to his relationships in the human world. Take a moment to reflect on the session….
Faith In Action: Tidying A Shared Natural Space - Short-term
From Creating Home

Activity time: 6o minutes Materials for Activity Large trash bags Latex gloves for all participants (check for allergies) A watch Optional: Snacks Optional: Participants’ nature journals prepared in Activity 1, and pencils and crayons Optional: Items for closing ritual Preparation for Activity…
Alternate Activity 1: Nature Picnic
From Creating Home

Activity time: 60 minutes Materials for Activity Quilts to sit on Vegetables, grains, legumes, and (if no allergies) nuts in their natural, just-harvested state Implements such as a nutcracker or a pocket knife for preparing portions Preparation for Activity Locate an indoor or outdoor spot, away…
Alternate Activity 2: Urban Garden
From Creating Home

Activity time: 30 minutes Materials for Activity One or more clay growing pots (at least 16” in diameter and 12” deep), or a window box Potting soil Six young strawberry plants or one set of small onion bulbs for each pot Watering can Trowels Newspaper Preparation for Activity Find a sunny spot…
Taking It Home: Home in Nature
From Creating Home

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. – Henry David Thoreau IN TODAY’S SESSION… Connecting our human homes to nature is…
Henry David Thoreau and the Cottage
From Creating Home

Written by Tracey L. Hurd. This is a story is about a boy who loved the outdoors. His name was Henry David Thoreau. All his life, he loved nature. It was almost as if he had a small, still voice inside him that whispered, “Go outside. Be amidst the trees, and lakes, and grass. This is your true…
Handout 1: Through My Window
From Creating Home

Printing This Handout Download a high-resolution copy of this Handout (PDF) for printing.
Leader Resource 1: Making Nature Journals
From Creating Home

Method 1 For each journal, you will need: six pages of unlined copy paper one page of heavier, card stock paper You will also need a sewing machine and thread, and some glue. 1. Stack six pieces of copy paper together, and fold them in half. 2….
Find Out More
From Creating Home

Go online to find out more information about urban gardening. Healthy Food and Nutrition Online, you can find more information about org… foods and health for children. Henry David Thoreau A website called CyberBee offers wonderful children’s computer experience with Henry David Thoreau and a…