Walking the Rainbow Path:
Celebrating All the Colors of Love

Curriculum for K-3 Unitarian Universalist Children
Rev. Laurie Bushbaum

Review by Pat Hoertdoerfer
Children, Family and Intergenerational Programs Director
Lifespan Faith Development, UUA
Boston, MA

My goal in developing this curriculum was to create a developmentally appropriate way for children to clearly understand the UU Principles. Walking the Rainbow Path is a tool to help children begin to name their own religious/spiritual experiences, to give them stories and language that create a framework on which to build their own belief system, and to nurture their ethical growth. So author Laurie Bushbaum begins this 28- session curriculum in her introduction. She credits and builds on the basic premise of the Rainbow Path developed by Elizabeth Katzman and Meg Riley of the Prairie Star District in the 1980s.

The Rainbow Path of Unitarian Universalism:

Themes of the sessions include: focus on core UU values, such as love, generosity, honesty, forgiveness, and beauty; UU practices, such as prayer, social justice project, class covenant, and baby dedications; important holidays, such as All Saints Day and Thanksgiving; and UU stories, such as Flaming Chalice story, Henry David Thoreau story, and Growing Up Unique story. Each session includes a gathering circle, class journal, story and discussion, activity and/or project, song, and benediction. The books and stories, such as The Blessing Seed, I Love You the Purplest, and Old Turtle are available from local libraries and bookstores.

Treasure Table is included in every session as a way to introduce children to the experience of an altar. Children are invited to bring items of wonder and beauty to place on the table each week. This routine is complemented by a closing ritual of writing in the class journal. Children articulate what they experienced that morning, what they learned, and what they want to remember to build on in the future. The journal entry from the previous session is reviewed at the beginning of the next session. Another beautiful ritual is the benediction, beginning with the words “We are connected to each other” that the children share each week.

There is a Chapel Resource section with suggestions for Children’s Chapel Services and Intergenerational Services incorporating the themes of the curriculum sessions. Tree of Life, Day of the Dead, Celebrating Wonder, Welcome Table, and the Legend of the Poinsettia are a few of the services included in this section.

A sample session follows – Joy of Giving – to give you a preview of this program. For more information or to purchase the curriculum contact Rev. Laurie Bushbaum, 4249 Linden Hills Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55410 revbushbaum@visi.com.

Walking the Rainbow Path Curriculum
Lesson #11

Concept: Gifts and giving from the heart, finishing up the collection for items for the homeless and making gift bags for the items.
Note: You may wish to send postcards to families early in the week to remind them that this will be the final collection day for Joy Bag items.

Materials: The book The Quilt-maker’s Gift, white paper bags for decorating, (size larger than a lunch bag) stamp pads, stickers, markers, etc.

Colors: Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo

Treasure Table

Gathering Circle: Light Chalice and sing/listen “Tis a Gift to Be Simple” Rainbow Path.

Offering: Sing “Magic Penny” or another sharing song.

Introduction to the Lesson: We are moving into the seasons of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. In each of these holidays, gifts are given. It is exciting to get a gift from someone. It can also be wonderful to give a gift. Our story today is about someone who gives gifts.

Story: The Quilt-maker’s Gift

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think the King was not very happy at the beginning of the story?
2. Sometimes when a person has a lot of money and a lot of things we say that person is “rich.” How else can a person be rich?
3. The quilt-maker is a happy person. Why do you think she is happy?
4. It is fun to get presents. It can also be fun to give presents. Have you ever given something to someone and felt very good about it?
5. What is one of the very best gifts you have ever received?
6. After I ask you this next question, I want all of us to stop and think quietly for a minute. If you could give anything in the whole world to someone, what would you give them? Let people share.
7. If you celebrate Christmas at your house, what is your favorite part about Christmas? Who celebrates Hanukkah? What is a special part of this holiday for you?
8. Would Christmas or Hanukkah be different if you didn’t have money for gifts from the store?
9. What do you and your family or friends do to make the holidays special that does not include gifts that can be wrapped in a package?

Introduction to project: As a class you could look at the donations. You might talk about how they feel to be able to give these gifts.

Activity: Decorate and fill the Joy Bags. (Decide ahead of time, based on how many items you have, how many items should go in each bag. They should be carefully set out in organized piles or baskets.) Mark the bags for boys or girls and general age range, or for men/women.

Closing: Suggested hymn for listening/singing: “Tis a Gift To Be Simple”

Journal: “What color of the Rainbow Path did we walk today?”

Extinguish the Chalice

Close Benediction:

We are connected to each other
Like the knots in this circle
We will go out from here
And we will return
Weaving our spirits strong
And our love, many colors

© Rev. Laurie Bushbaum, 2002