Activity 1: Story - Joseph Tuckerman's Revolution
Part of Love Connects Us
Activity time: 15 minutes
Materials for Activity
- A copy of the story, "Joseph Tuckerman's Revolution"
Preparation for Activity
- Read the story several times so you are comfortable telling it to the group.
- Review the discussion questions and choose those that will best help the children share their interpretations of the story and relate it to their own lives.
- Optional: Learn more about Joseph Tuckerman. See this session's Introduction and resources provided under Find Out More.
Description of Activity
Read or tell the group the story.
After the story, invite the group to be silent for a moment to think about the story.
Begin a discussion by asking the children to recap the story in their own words. What they recall indicates what they found most meaningful or memorable.
Then say:
Unitarians and Universalists have a long history of believing that service to other people is an important part of religion. Can you think of any other Unitarians and/or Universalists who are famous for their service to people? (Some examples are Dorothea Dix, Clara Barton, Martha and Waitstill Sharp, and Theodore Parker.)
Lead a discussion using these questions:
- Think about times when people have helped you. Were there times when having someone help you felt bad? Why? Were there times when having someone help you felt good? Why?
- Think about times when you have helped someone else. Why did you want to help them? How did helping them make you feel? How do you think it made them feel? How could you tell?