Our Church and Ourselves

The middle school youth group made "mirror boards".  These will be added to throughout the year, creating reflections of who we are--those parts that can be seen by a mirror, and those which can't.

The youth also had a discussion about helping others, and ways we are each called to help.

The Discovery Class learned about some special rituals and celebrations in our church.   They practiced with some objects we use--a bell chime, a song book, candles and stones for sharing joys and sorrows.

The Explorers class also learned about special celebrations in our church.  We talked about how rites of passage are celebrated in our church to mark important milestones in people's lives.

Ways to extend the learning at home:

Look at the calendar in the church newsletter together and talk about any special events or celebrations that will be happening at our church.

If your child participated in a child dedication ceremony in our church, tell him or her about the dedication.  (If you are interested in having your child dedicated in the church, contact Rev. James).

Talk about how there are things about people we can see and things we can't see.  Look in a mirror together and describe who you see.  Then make drawings or collages of the qualities you can't see about yourselves just by looking in the mirror.  Talk about how everyone has aspects to themselves that we can't see just by looking at them.

Read the story Old Turtle together.  Talk about how important it is to learn from one another.  Unitarian Universalists believe that no one person has all the answers, and that we can all learn from each other.

Off to a Great Start!

Our classes for children and youth are off to a great start!  The Explorer's class talked about some of the different things we do at our church.  Two things we do are learn together and worship together.  As part of learning about worship, the Explorers wrote new chalice lighting words to be used in their class each week.

Explorers also made special candle holders that were used in a mini-worship at the end of class, and then taken home for personal or family chalice lightings.

The middle school youth group made personal aliens as part of their first Quest of the year.

Throughout the year, part of their challenge will be to explain what Unitarian Universalism is and what their personal beliefs are to their alien.

The Discovery class heard a story about our seven principles and the flaming chalice.  We make promises to one another (our principles) to help us all be in community together and to help us to be our best selves.

The Treasure Hunters class made cardboard houses representing each person's individuality.  Check our our village of individuals!

Ways to extend the learning at home:

Light a family chalice at dinner time or another special time each day.  

Here are some resources for chalice lightings for younger children and for youth.  Or write your own.

If you don't have a family chalice, consider making your own.  

Talk about our first principle:  The inherent worth and dignity of every person (Red Promise:  Respect All People).  Why is it important to respect to everyone?  When can this be difficult?  What can we do to remind ourselves that each person is worthy of respect?

Green Energy and Enough Stuff

Toddlers in the nursery enjoyed playing in a large crawl-through maze today.

The elementary class was joined by the youth group for a special lesson on renewable energy.

The class made solar ovens out of pizza boxes.

Even though there was not enough sun for the ovens to work, the class still enjoyed a special snack of s'mores--made in the microwave instead.

 Here are a few ideas for extending the learning at home:

Talk about ways your family can conserve energy at home, work, or school.  Explore "365 Ways to Save Energy" for more ideas.  Do you have forms of green energy available to you?  Are there ways you can develop cooperative partnerships concerning energy issues in the congregation, your child's school, or the local community?  Read about the work of Interfaith Power and Light and meet some interfaith neighbors.

Learn how solar energy can change lives around the world.  Find out more about Solar Cookers International, a not for profit organization that "spreads solar cooking awareness and skills worldwide, particularly in areas with plentiful sunshine and diminishing sources of cooking fuel.  Since its founding in 1987, SCI has enabled over 30,000 families in Africa to cook with the sun's energy, freeing women and children from the burdens of gathering firewood and carrying it for miles."  View the inspiring video "A Liter of Light."  Discuss what other things can be accomplished with solar power?

Try some of the experiments from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory website or this web page for kids from Aliant Energy.

The Discovery class heard a story that introduced the idea of a no-presents birthday party.  Talk with your child about what is "enough stuff?"  How does your family celebrate birthdays?  What changes could you make to cut down on the amount of "stuff"?  Check out "Birthdays Without Pressure" on the website of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Nebraska for family discussion questions and more.

Explore the website "Loop Scoops," a project of PBS kids by Annie Leonard, the author of the Story of Stuff.  Or go to the Story of Stuff website to watch the movie and look at the resources for more ideas.

Joy and Creativity in Nature

Discovery Class heard a story about bower birds, who build colorful, creative nests.

The children then created their own creative nests

The Treasure Hunters class explored the idea of play in nature.  

They acted out different animals for others to guess in a game of "animal charades".

And enjoyed singing some songs about animals, too.

The youth group learned a little about bicycling, another way to experience joy in nature!

Here are a few ideas for extending the learning at home:

Go for a family bicycle ride, hike, or other outdoor activity.

Visit a zoo, aquarium, farm, or other site that keeps animals.  Specifically watch for animals that are playing.  Notice with your child how they play.  Do they play with each other?  Do they use objects as toys?  Is it hard to tell the difference between playing and fighting?  Do the animals appear to experience happiness?  Ask the people responsible for the animal's daily care whether they think animals experience joy while they are playing.

Go for nature walks and pause often to observe any living beings you encounter.  Look for insects, birds, and mammals.  Talk with your child about what you see them doing.  Are they gathering food?  Creating shelter?  Fighting or threatening one another?  Playing?  Hiding from you?  What behaviors do you notice that help you tell the difference?  Select an animal that interests your child and research it together in books and online.  Find out how this animal plays and how playing is beneficial for it.

Go on a birding expedition, if possible, in a local nature preserve.  Look for nests and notice how they are constructed and the materials used.  Try to identify the different songs and sounds that local birds make.  At home you can learn about identifying birdsong online at the Nature Songs website.

Learn together about creativity and intelligence as it is expressed in nature.  Read books such as What Does the Cros Know? The Mysteries of Animal Intelligence by Margery Facklam.  On YouTube, watch a video of the Satin Bowerbird or the painting elephants of Thailand.

Decomposition

Discovery Class went outside today to look up close at small creatures using magnifying glasses, exploring our "World of Wonder"

They also heard a story about composting, and how small creatures (such as worms) help break rotting food into compost that helps new plants to grow.

The Treasure Hunters class also used magnifying glasses to explore small creatures outside.

They thought and talked about how long it takes different sorts of waste to decompose ...

.. . .  and examined compost and a rotting log with their magnifying glasses.  

Meanwhile, the nursery children enjoyed the outdoors too--with bubbles.

Here are a few ideas for extending the learning at home:

Set up a worm compost bin or other type of composting at home.  Instructions for worm composting can be found here or here.  Instructions for other types of compost bins can be found here or here.  If you already compost at home, find guidance on the TLC website to work with your child's school to start composting.

Take a hike to look for signs of decomposition or try log dissection.  Be sure to bring magnifying glasses!

Watch a video from New Hampshire public television (approximately 14 minutes) about decomposition.  If family members find some of the visuals "gross." try to think of the images as "fascinating" instead!

Perhaps your family already practices the ritual of chalice lighting before dinner.  Bring this kind of reverence and intentionality to composting.  You might make a compost collection pail for your kitchen, and at the end of the day, make a trip to your compost bin to "feed" it, recognizing your part in the interdependent web of life.

Moving and Growing

This Sunday, our children and youth were busy exploring different ways living things move and grow. The youth group tried out some yoga positions.

Our nursery children enjoyed "growing" bubbles outside on the porch.

Our preschool class learned about how butterflies change and grow during their lifetimes, then made egg carton caterpillars.

The elementary class made origami flower pots and watering cans to help plant grow.

Here are a few ideas for extending the learning at home:

Try out some yoga positions!  Katie Hardin teaches a class at Saltwater Thursday evenings at 6:30.

Watch nature shows, such as PBS Nature, Planet Earth, or Life.  Many wonderful videos show metamorphosis in time-lapse photography.  On YouTube watch Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle or Frog Life Cycle

Make time each week to go for a nature walk with your family, even if it's only to your own backyard.  Find ways to nurture your family's sense of wonder every day.

Talk about ways your family can engage with the UUA 2011 Statement of Conscience on Ethical Eating. There are many ideas and resources in the Ethical Eating Study Guide and the Ethical Eating blog.

Tour a local community garden, or plan a trip to a CSA (community supported agriculture) farmer in your area.  Learn more at the Local Harvest website. Plant a garden at home, or in a community garden. Spend time in the garden during every season to help your family live in harmony with the rhythms of life.

Trees and Tattoos

The youth group explored face painting and airbrush art this week.  What a great flame tattoo!

Guest Aaron Sperry demonstrated some techniques.

The youth got to try out their new skills painting faces at the "stay and play" event after church today.

The Treasure Hunters class went outside to collect leaves from different kinds of trees.

The children made rubbings from the leaves and talked about the diversity of different kinds of trees, and ways trees contribute to our ecosystem.

The Discovery Class also explored the plants and animals of our ecosystem, and then made bird feeders out of pine cones.

Here are a few ideas for extending the learning at home:

Get or make some face paints, and enjoy decorating one another!

Try choosing an outdoor area near your home and keeping a list of all the animals you see there this week.  How does the habitat support them?  Where do they find shelter, food, and water?

Borrow or buy a book about identifying trees in our local area (there are plenty available through the local library).  Go on a nature walk and identify as many trees as you are able.  Or choose a tree near your home and visit it at different times of day and during different seasons.  Draw pictures of the tree, create tree poems, make bark rubbings, etc.  As you explore the tree, talk about the times when your heart fills with awe, wonder, and amazement in response to the web of life.

Do you have an outdoor space near your home?  Find out what animals live there.  Could you attract more animals by changing the environment (e.g., could you install a window box with flowers that butterflies or hummingbirds love)?  The Family Pages insert in the Fall 2012 UU World magazine has the theme "All God's Creatures. . . Even the Bat!"  Learn how human activity has disrupted bats' habitats.  Find out what some people are doing to help, and ways you and your child can get involved.