Session 7: Stuff Happens Part of Riddle and Mystery, 6th Grade In This Section Introduction From Riddle and Mystery I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense. — Harold Kushner Big Question: Why do bad things happen? The flat statement that "stuff happens" seems to ask that we shrug, accept whatever fate befalls us and shuffle on, head down, through life.... Session-at-a-Glance From Riddle and Mystery Activity Minutes Opening 5 Activity 1: Story — Job 10 Activity 2: Exploring Answers 10 Activity 3: WCUU — A UU Panel 20 Activity 4: WIT Time — Making Our Marks 12 Faith in Action: Reacting to the News Closing 3 Alternate Activity 1: Notable Thoughts 5 Alternate Activity 2: Song — We'll Build... Spiritual Preparation From Riddle and Mystery Carve out a meditative moment for yourself. Relax. Take several deep breaths. Examine your own current understanding of why bad things happen. Have you learned to accept at least most such events with equanimity? How do your religious beliefs support or comfort you in answering today's Big Question? Opening From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice or LED/battery-operated candle Newsprint, markers and tape Bell, tingsha chimes or other sound instrument Handout 1, Today's Big Question and (optional) a plain envelope "Today's Big Question" sign Kid for the Day bag or box, card stock cut... Activity 1: Story - Job From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity A copy of the story "Job" Preparation for Activity Review and print out the story. Description of Activity Read or tell the story. Invite responses. Ask if anyone has ever had a day when all bad and no good things happened to them.... Activity 2: Exploring Answers From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 10 minutes Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers and tape Leader Resource 1, Some Answers Two red and two green cards (or, any two contrasting colors) for each participant Paper and pencils Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 1. Optional: Post newsprint with an... Activity 3: WCUU - A UU Panel From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 20 minutes Materials for Activity Microphone(s), video camera(s) and tripod(s), real or simulated For studio set Backdrop made in Session 1 Painter's tape or masking tape Leader Resource 2, WCUU Script - A UU Panel A copy of Singing the Journey: A Supplement to Singing the Living... Activity 4: WIT Time - Making Our Marks From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 12 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 3, Bad Things That Happen Newsprint, markers and tape Preparation for Activity Use Leader Resource 3 to prepare six newsprint sheets. On each sheet, write one of the bad events with plenty of room for youth to write around or under it. Closing From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 3 minutes Materials for Activity Chalice or LED/battery-operated candle Newsprint, markers and tape Bell, tingsha chimes or other sound instrument Taking It Home handout Preparation for Activity Adapt the Taking It Home section and copy it for all participants.... Leader Reflection and Planning From Riddle and Mystery Meet with your co-leaders after the session to reflect on it. Does the group have any new behavioral issues you need to address? Do the youth have a realistic understanding that bad things are part of life? Note that the Big Question for Session 8 asks, "Is life fair?" Plan to reflect on your own... Faith In Action: Reacting to the News From Riddle and Mystery Materials for Activity Newsprint, markers and tape Local newspapers and (optional) congregational newsletters Preparation for Activity Gather recent local newspapers and (optional) congregational newsletters or announcements of social action needs and projects. Mark some stories that might invite... Alternate Activity 1: Notable Thoughts From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Bag or box containing participants' Big Questions notebooks (see Session 1, Alternate Activity 1, Notable Thoughts) Blank notebooks for new participants Pencils or pens Masking tape Preparation for Activity Retrieve participants' Big Questions... Alternate Activity 2: Song - We'll Build a Land From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Copy(ies) of the Unitarian Universalist hymnbook Singing the Living Tradition Optional: A recording of the song and a music player Preparation for Activity Decide how best to present the song "We'll Build a Land," Hymn 121 in Singing the Living... Alternate Activity 3: Challenge Question From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 5 minutes Materials for Activity Optional: Newsprint, markers and tape Preparation for Activity Optional: Write the challenge question on newsprint, and post. Description of Activity Challenge questions guide a deeper inquiry for especially thoughtful individuals and groups.... Alternate Activity 4: The Perfect Day From Riddle and Mystery Activity time: 12 minutes Materials for Activity Leader Resource 4, Hopeful People Preparation for Activity Print out Leader Resource 4 and cut up as shown. Description of Activity This activity asks youth to assume roles and report on what a perfect and a rotten day would be like for their... Taking It Home: Stuff Happens From Riddle and Mystery I think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to make sense. — Harold Kushner Talk about the quote. Do you think life makes sense? Or are you still trying to figure it out? WHAT WE DID TODAY Today's Big Question is "Why do bad things happen?" We responded to some... Job From Riddle and Mystery Based on Hebrew scripture. Have you heard about Job? He had quite a story. You can find it in Hebrew scripture—the Book of Job. Job lived in the land of Uz, and at the beginning, he was a happy man—as he should have been. He had ten great kids and a wonderful wife. He was wealthy, and he was a... Handout 1: Today's Big Question From Riddle and Mystery To the Kid for the Day: You have two jobs. The first is getting your group excited about hearing today's Big Question. The second is announcing the question. 1. Say to the group, "Give me a drum roll!" Then wait for a minute while the drum roll builds.... Leader Resource 1: Some Answers From Riddle and Mystery Includes material from Why Do Bad Things Happen? by Charlene Brotman, Barbara Marsh, and Ann Field (Brotman Marsh-Field Curriculums, 1975).... Leader Resource 2: WCUU Script - A UU Panel From Riddle and Mystery To the Anchor: Today's WCUU broadcast explores UU answers to today's Big Question: "Why do bad things happen?" The script has three parts. In the first, a panel of four UUs share UU responses to the question.... Leader Resource 3: Bad Things That Happen From Riddle and Mystery You break your arm—the one you write with. A hurricane destroys the homes of 5,000 families in another part of the country. You had let go of your dog's leash for one minute and now you can't find your dog. A parent found all your hidden candy and threw it away. Fighting soldiers in a nation far... Leader Resource 4: Hopeful People From Riddle and Mystery 1.a. Your name is Jay. You are one of three finalists for the single scholarship that Super Summer Camp offers every year. You hear the camp is a great place and you really want to go. But you will not be able to unless you win the scholarship. What will make tomorrow a perfect day for you? What... Find Out More From Riddle and Mystery Reconciling Faith and Evil Rabbi Harold Kushner's classic book When Bad Things Happen to Good People attempts to reconcile a belief in God with evidence of evil in the world, based on some of the author's own experiences. That's Good! That's Bad!... PREVIOUS: Find Out More UP: Riddle and Mystery NEXT: Introduction Download all of Riddle and Mystery (Word) (PDF) to edit or print.