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Dawn Star Borchelt, DRE
Davies Memorial UU Church
Camp Springs, MD
In the summer of 2000 I created supplementary lesson plans for use in
Unitarian Universalist Religious Education programs with Keepers of
the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children,
by Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac.
I am now able to offer these lesson plans as a Supplement for sale at
$25 per copy. It includes eleven sessions based upon stories and activities
found in the above book. Each session refers to specific pages and sections
in that book for stories and some activities (so you will also need to
purchase or borrow a copy of the book - available from major booksellers
and in some library systems.) Each session also refers to Chalice Lighting
and Activity Sheets, which are included in the supplement. In addition,
the supplement provides an appendix with lists of other books and recordings
used with each session, and a recording by me of three chants to be taught
over the course of the program.
This format and some of these activities were developed for a Summer
RE program for about 30 - 40 children ages three to twelve at the Unitarian
Universalist Congregation of Fairfax in Fairfax, Virginia. I led the program
each week with the help of three or four parent helpers. I think it would
also work well with fewer kids.
Here's some of the other information from the introduction to the Supplement,
for those of you who might like more detail:
"I want to address the topic of cultural appropriation in a very
abbreviated way in this introduction. I am a white person, and I knew
I would be working with children and adults who, for the most part,
would also be white. It was important to me to openly acknowledge that
the stories I told were not my stories, but stories I had learned from
the Native Americans who wrote them down in a book, and from which I
believed we as a community of mostly non-Indians could learn. Similarly,
none of the craft activities is identified or presented as an `Indian'
craft, and all of the resources I have suggested using are either clearly
non-Native American (such as origami books or the UUA's Singing the
Living Tradition) or created by or with Native Americans for use
by people of a variety of cultures (such as Keepers of the Earth and
the story books listed in the Appendix.) Although the program's focus
was not anti-racism per se, this supplement is as anti-racist as I can
make it at this point in my life. I know, however, that I am not at
the end of learning how to create community with justice, equity, and
compassion. I hope you will help me see ways in which the current supplement
could better affirm all people.
Format:
Each session is about one hour long and generally includes the following
sections:
Ingathering (10 - 15 minutes before the session begins)
Signing in, nametags
Opening Circle (10 minutes)
Chalice Lighting
Story
Song
Activities (40 - 45 minutes)
An age-appropriate activity for three- to five-year-olds
An outdoor activity
A group activity or active indoor activity
An individual craft activity
Closing Circle & Snack (10 minutes)
Sharing circle
Snack
There are two exceptions to this format: Session 1 includes only one
activity for everyone, and Session 11 includes preparation for and presentation
of a Pageant, performed in front of parents and anyone else who is interested.
Space:
The building we used for this program had a central, open room surrounded
by six classrooms. The opening circle met outside (indoors in the central
room if it rained) and then the three indoor activity groups met in different
indoor rooms and the outdoor group stayed outside. The closing circle
and snack were held indoors.
A Supplement for use with:
Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities
for Children
in Unitarian Universalist Religious Education Programs (Caduto & Bruchac)
by Dawn Star Borchelt, DRE
Includes:
11 sessions based upon stories and activities from Keepers
of the Earth
(you will need a copy of the book!)
Appendix listing other books and recordings used with each session
A recording by me of three chants to be taught over the course
of the program.
Designed for use with kids ages 3 – 12!
Each session includes an Ingathering, Opening Circle, Activities, Closing
Circle, and Snack!
To order contact:
Dawn Star Borchelt, 17710 Indian Head Hwy, Accokeek, MD 20607, 301-283-4545
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