Spirit of Adventure
UU Identity for 2nd-5th Graders

By Kate Tweedie Erslev

Web site

www.uure.com

Sample material

www.uure.com/spirit.html#anchor_12877

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Theme and Description

This is an active Unitarian Universalist Identity curriculum for children using the themes of sports, medicine, food, science, building, exploring and the web of life as ways to discover the people and values of our Unitarian Universalist faith.

Goals for Participants

To communicate that good sportsmanshipand teamwork offer important parallels to the UU way of being in the world;
To reinforce the value of taking care of others and keeping each other safe;
To experience the significance of being kind and generous;
To affirm the value of using reason and being curious;
To explore the importance of being creative and trying new things;
To examine the value of living simply and loving animals;
To build leadership skills and responsibility in the congregational setting through special projects.

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Age Range

2nd-5th graders

Size of Group

6-20

Space Requirements

A large room with a big, open floor space for active games.

Number and Length of Sessions

35 sessions
Length: 60 minutes

Leader Training

None

Leader Preparation

Average

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Strengths

Includes active games with lots of physical movement;
Incorporates a system of awards (for participation and cooperation) which is important to motivating this age group;
"Take Home" pages connect with parents/guardians and communicate the heart of the lessons to families;
Entering activities engage children as they arrive, without waiting for the official start of class time;
Involves members of the congregation who are invited to visit and share their thoughts, ideas and talents;
Encourages participation in the wider congregation through projects such as clean-up day, inspections of safety equipment, and social justice projects;
Provides lists of suggested books with stories to enrich curriculum topics.

Limitations

Children with mobility restrictions may not be able to participate in some active games;
Options are given to accommodate these children and others who prefer less active play;
Some children may have difficulty settling down to structured quiet activities after active games. The curriculum provides good transition activities for this purpose.

Adaptability

Each session is easily adaptable to include children slightly younger or older;
From the 35 sessions, leaders can choose those that are most valuable for their group;
Most sessions offer multiple suggestions for games with different levels of activity.

Unitarian Universalist Values

Each session makes a direct connection to a Unitarian Universalist Principle and Source of our Living Tradition. Most of the sessions offer stories about a Unitarian Universalist who exemplifies or offers a deeper perspective on the ideas of the sessions. A sharing circle and closing time with chalice lighting relates specifically to our Unitarian Universalist faith.

Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon St. | Boston, MA 02108 | 617-742-2100