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 - The Harmony of Nature

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 - The Harmony of Nature for all participants, plus one extra.
  • Print out Leader Resource 1, UU Source Constellation Answer Sheet - The Harmony of Nature.
  • Using Leader Resource 1 as a guide, use star stickers to mark the terra symbol constellation 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 the harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life-our sixth UU Source. We will talk about how this Source helps us answer the questions we have about death and dying.

Give the children time to think. Then, distribute the UU Source Constellation handout. Say:

We think it's important to learn from nature, so we have a constellation named in honor of this Source. Some of the stars can be connected to look like a terra (or Earth) symbol. It is a circle, with two lines across it to make four parts, like pieces of a pie. Can you find the terra symbol in our Night Sky?

Give them time to look for the terra symbol. As children find it, let them show you by tracing the shape 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 terra constellation by connecting the gold stars. Tell them they may take home their own Harmony of Nature constellations.

Say:

As Unitarian Universalists, we learn from the harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life. Nature can teach us and guide us to love.