This week, all three classes gathered together in the Community Room to learn the Friendly Beast song that we’ll be singing at the December 22 intergenerational service. Kids also created various props to use during the service, including a large brown donkey, a red-and-white cow, a sheep with curly horns, and a selection of doves.
Roots class w/Marie (pre-k to first grade):
As part of our exploration of what it means to have Wildflower as our church home, we’ve been thinking about homes. Last week we built homes like wild animals; this week we’re looking at the animals that have a home with humans— so we made barns together.
Seedlings class w/Piaf (2nd – 4th grade):
This Sunday we read an age-appropriate book about Stonewall and the start of the LGBTQ+ civil right movement. We then discussed how our UU principles connect to the story. Finally, we explored one of the most visible symbols of LGBTQ+ movement, the rainbow flag. After learning what each stripe represents, we made our own paper flags.
Wildflower Youth w/Solveij (5th grade & Middle School):
This week, the Wildflower Youth explored Awareness through meditation, story and conversation. We reflected on the importance of being aware of and attentive to the needs and feelings of those around us, as well as how listening to those affected by injustice is necessary once we are aware of any harm or injustice.
Roots class (pre-k to first grade) with Marie:
It was a beautiful day to be animals building homes. What wonderful beehives, dens, burrows, and webs were made with blankets, leaves and collected branches.
The children heard the Native American story Lizard’s Home and learned his song: zole zole zole, rock is my home. Bear learned she had her own song too: zole zole zole, den is my home.
Seedlings class (2nd to 4th grade) with Piaf:
This week we read a book about the story of the Lovings, the couple who fought to overturn the ban on interracial marriage that prevented them from living together in their home state. The kids discussed how the story related to our UU principles and made connections to the more recent struggle for marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. Finally, we created art pieces using overlapping hand tracings.
Wildflower Youth (5th grade & Middle School) with Solveij:
This week, youth practiced an awareness meditation together. They then checked in about how their experiences with it differed. We also brainstormed ways to call each other in when youth mis-gender other youth unintentionally, and youth brought up the idea of making pronoun buttons together.
Roots Class (pre-K to 1st) with Marie:
Returning to our discussion about our flaming chalice symbol, and a broader discussion about the concept of that symbols represent a bigger something you often can’t really see, like an idea, today we talked about the word faith.
“Your faith has to do with the things you believe are true, and the way you try to live your life. Children your age are not too young to have some ideas about your faith. Today you have a chance to think about some of the things you believe in, and the ways you think it is important to live every day.”
We read the 7 principles in children’s language and then each child worked on their own faith symbol. “You’ll keep thinking about what’s important to you. As Unitarians we keep thinking about what’s important to us, and learning more, our whole lives.”
I was so touched to see how much thought went into this work. There was much curiousity too in noticing how many different ways there are to represent the chalice.
Seedling Class (2nd to 4th grade) with Piaf:
This week we read a book about a young boy named Julián who wants to dress up as a mermaid and is lovingly encouraged by his grandmother. After discussing which of our UU principles this act embodied, we brainstormed about how we can bring our principles with us on Halloween. The kids came up with a whole variety of ideas, including picking up candy wrappers that have been thrown on the ground, comforting a friend who’s overwhelmed by scary costumes, sharing candy with younger kids, and letting each person choose what kind of dressing up feels right to them. We finished by playing several silly Halloween games.
Wildflower Youth (5th grade & Middle School) with Solveij:
Today the youth group was visited by a member of the ministerial search committee. They were asked to share what they would want in a future minister, and gave thoughtful reflections.
This Sunday we held an all-ages class where we discussed various fall traditions from around the world. We discussed some of the ways these celebrations are similar and different from the Halloween plans that many of our Wildflower kids have. Kids noticed that in many other cultures, loving spirits are welcomed, while in the United States, ghosts and skeletons are viewed as scary. Then, we made a loving spirit craft where we used white tissue paper to create these beings. It was wonderful to see the older kids helping the younger ones do the tricky part of using the pipe cleaner to create a head.
Roots Class (pre-K to 1st grade) with Marie:
Continuing our thinking together about symbols, today we heard the story of the Unitarians and the Universalists coming together and adding to the chalice symbol the Unitarian service committee began using during World War two. There are many ways to represent a chalice but when we look carefully on our hymnals, church pamphlets, and the order of service you’ll see the image of two overlapping circles (which we explored using the light circles from two flashlights, experimenting on the walls in our classroom) representing the coming together of the Unitarians and the Universalists, the chalice representing community, and the flame representing spirit. Look very carefully and you can see that the chalice is placed not in the middle but over to the side, reminding us that our Unitarian Universalist faith leaves room for more ideas.
Seedlings Class (2nd to 4th grade) with Piaf:
This week our group met with Libby to discuss the search for a new minister. Children gave their input on what they ‘d like to see in a new minister, and shared why they thought that Wildflower would be a good place for a new minister to join. I heard elements from our 7 principles come up repeatedly, as kids articulated what a good minister means to them. It is so wonderful that this congregation values the viewpoints of every member of the community, including our youngsters. After all that talking and thinking, we got up and played some games to round out our time together!
Wildflower Youth (5th grade & Middle School) with Solveij:
Today, the youth brainstormed ways they’d like to connect with our natural world during their camping trip, including hiking and meditation. They also did a collaborative art project together, painting a piece on canvas for our room.