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

Closing

Activity time: 10 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Print out Leader Resource 4, Source Star - The Harmony of Nature. Copy for all participants, plus one to place on the Night Sky display. Cut out the stars.
  • Download, adapt, and copy Taking It Home for all participants (or plan to email it to all families after the session).
  • Write the words for the sixth UU Source on newsprint, and post:

Our Unitarian Universalist beliefs come from the harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life.

  • Optional: Prepare to teach and lead the song "Our Sources."
    • Copy Session 1, Handout 3, Our Sources Lyrics, or write the words on newsprint, and post. Plan to store handouts or newsprint for re-use.
    • Learn the song so you can teach it to the group. Listen to the song online to familiarize yourself with it. You might invite a member of the choir or someone in the congregation comfortable leading songs to learn the song with you and help you.

Description of Activity

Gather participants at work tables. Invite them each to decorate a Source Star to take home and share with their family. You might suggest they draw a circle to symbolize Earth or a picture of something alive in nature. As children work, attach one star that says "We learn from the Harmony of Nature" to the Night Sky.

When children are done, gather them in a circle. Say, in your own words:

Today we talked about how we learn from the harmony of nature and the sacred circle of life. We learned death is part of the circle of life. What does nature teach us about death? (Point out: We can see it is natural for everything alive to die, we can see new life constantly being born, the old life is recycled into the earth and helps create new life.)

If you wish to sing "Our Sources," distribute Session 1, Handout 3 or indicate the newsprint where you have posted the lyrics. Teach/lead the song, with a musical volunteer if you have invited someone to help. You might play the music clip of "Our Sources" for the children to sing along.

Distribute Taking It Home and thank participants.

Save the Night Sky display and the handouts/newsprint to use next time.

Including All Participants

At this age, children have a wide range of reading ability. Do not put individual children on the spot to read aloud.