Summer Fun!

Alice Delaquess
First Unitarian Society
Madison, WI

Introduction

Making Summer Fun! fulfills the needs of Unitarian Universalist summer religious educators in several ways. First, it provides sixteen complete lesson plans, suitable for ages 4-9, which volunteer teachers can easily adapt for groups of up to 25 children. Secondly, because of its multi-model focus, it provides children opportunities, through active engagement, to nourish relationships with others, deepen their understanding of UU Principles, and strengthen their connections to the life of their religious community. Finally, it provides a model for individuals to develop lesson plans of particular relevance to their congregations.

As the Summer Fun! facilitator at The First Unitarian Society of Madison, WI, for the past four years, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with dozens of generous and compassionate volunteer teachers and an ever-supportive staff. Happily the program’s attendance, as well as parental involvement, has steadily increased year after year. The program’s growth confirms for me that the vision of Summer Fun! is sound.

The group of adults who met to plan the first Summer Fun! lessons began by sharing favorite childhood memories. We spoke of kickball in neighborhood backyards, sitting with a friend in an apple tree, or the solitary pleasure of resting under sheets flapping on the clothesline. We saw how these childhood experiences furthered connections? to our essential selves, to other people, to our community. Could such playful engagements be at the heart of a summer religious education program? We thought so and agreed with David Elkind, who writes (The Hurried Child):

“Children need to be given opportunity for pure play as well as for work. If adults feel that each spontaneous interest of a child is an opportunity for a lesson, the child’s opportunities for pure play are foreclosed. At all levels of development, whether at home or at school, children need the opportunity to play for play’s sake.”
--David Elkind, author of The Hurried Child.

To make the program work, we also needed volunteer teachers who would take an active role in shaping the program and sharing their interests with children. We aimed to develop a program where connections could flourish, a program to which volunteer teachers could easily contribute. The satisfaction that teachers felt in their role was palpable to the children, and increased their engagement.

Summer attendance varies widely among families in our congregation; therefore, an unchanging lesson format helps children who attend sporadically anticipate how the morning will unfold. Each session is roughly divided into thirds. The first third of the session is a short worship service - including an opening song, chalice- lighting, sharing time, and featured story. The second third of the session we explore a theme of the story through a creative arts activity, cooperative game, nature or grounds exploration. The final third, weather permitting, ends on our lovely playground with free play and a healthy snack.

At the First Unitarian Society I am paid hourly to facilitate the program. Having one (or perhaps two individuals working together) facilitator is important to maintain continuity. The facilitator recruits volunteer teachers, gathers ideas for sessions from teachers and members and finalizes lessons plans, e-mails teachers weekly to summarize the previous session, and finalize plans for upcoming sessions. Finally, throughout the summer, the facilitator teaches with two other teachers. As facilitator I report to the Children’s Religious Education Program Coordinator.

Sixteen Lesson Summaries
Each lesson can stand-alone. There is no optimal order to the lessons.

Friends

1. What it is to be a Friend
Books: 39 Uses for Friends by Harriet Ziefert and Rebecca Doughty
Activity: Friendship Bracelets

2. Friends facing challenges together
Book: Amos and Boris by William Steig

Adventure

3. Frogs in Motion
Books: Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel; Gorky Rises by William Steig
Activity: Making Origami Frogs Jump

Family and Community

4. Fruits of family labors
Books: The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, Frannie’s Fruits by Leslie Kimmelman, Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey
Activity: Sharing foods from home (or farmer’s) gardens

5. Family Forgiveness
Book: Down the Road by Alice Schertle
Activity: Making Apple Turnovers

6. Families facing challenges together
Book: Gleam and Glow by Eve Bunting
Activity: Shirley’s fish

7. Family history- grandparents’ day
Books: The Disappearing Island by Corinne Demas; Now One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie dePaola
Activity: Clothesline/Timeline

8. Friends and Neighbors working together
Book: The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco
Activities: Making Pipe Cleaner bees and leading each other on a bee path.

UU Identity

9. Our Beautiful Unique Church
Book: The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Pinkwater
Activities: Tour of building and grounds, Treasure Hunt, Service Project for Church

10. Flower Communion
Activities: Tissue Paper Vases, Flower Treasure Hunt

The Interconnected Web of Life

11. The Beauty Above Us
Books: My House has Stars by Megan McDonald & Peter Catalanotto; Coyote Places the Stars by Harriet Peck Taylor.
Activity: Making and Viewing Glow-in-the-Dark Constellations

12. Fun with Gravity: Kites
Book: Moonlight Kite by Helen Elizabeth Buckley
Activity: Carol and Jim’s simple and satisfying kites

13. From Sheeps’ Backs to Ours
Book: Charlie Needs a Cloak by Tomie dePaola
Activity: Felting

14. Recycling
Book: Garbage by Galimoto
Activity: Making Beautiful things from “trash”

Summer Pleasures

15. Magic & Illusions
Book: Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully
Activities: Learning Simple Magic Tricks, Juggling lessons

16. Camping
Book: Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe by Vera B. Williams
Activity: Setting Up Tents, Packing Backpacks, etc.