Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Love Will Guide Us: A Program for Grades 2-3 that Applies the Wisdom of the Six Sources to the Big Questions

Alternate Activity 2: UU Source Constellation - Jewish and Christian Teachings

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Review this activity. Plan how to incorporate it into the session Opening.
  • Purchase gold and silver star stickers.
  • Print out Handout 1, UU Source Constellation - Jewish and Christian Teachings, for all participants plus one extra.
  • Print out Leader Resource 1, UU Source Constellation Answer Sheet - Jewish and Christian Teachings.
  • Using Leader Resource 1 as a guide, use star stickers to mark the Star of the David and the crucifix on one copy of the handout: Place gold star stickers on the outlined stars and silver star stickers on the solid stars. Do not connect the gold stars. Post the constellation on the Night Sky along with the Big Dipper and North Star.

Description of Activity

Use this activity with your Opening to add additional Source constellations to your Night Sky.

Tell the children:

Our Sources are the way we are guided as Unitarian Universalists to help us live our faith.

Ask the children if they remember (or know) what a "source" is. Allow a moment for responses. Then, explain that the definition of source you are looking for has to do with origin, or beginning.

Say in your own words:

Today we are talking about our fourth UU Source, "Jewish and Christian teachings which tell us to love others as we love ourselves."

Allow children to share the relevant information they know. Then, distribute the UU Source Constellation handout. Say:

We think it's important to learn from other religions. To help us, we have a constellation named in honor of this Source of learning. Connected stars look like a cross (for Christian teachings) and the Star of David (for Jewish teachings). Can you find them in our Night Sky?

Give them time to look for the Star of David and the crucifix symbol. As children find the symbols, let them show you by tracing the shapes with a finger on their own handouts.

Distribute gold and silver stars. Have children stick gold stars on the outlined stars and silver stars on the solid stars on their handouts. Then, invite them to pencil the cross and star symbols by connecting the gold stars. Tell them they make take home their own Jewish and Christian Teachings constellations.

Say, in your own words:

As Unitarian Universalists, we learn from Jewish and Christian teachings, especially the wisdom they can give us about love.

Light the chalice.