We strive to be a welcoming and growing spiritual community of religious liberals advancing acceptance, pursuing reason, nurturing love, furthering justice, and promoting peace.
ZOOM RE RESOURCES
We will post the activities and resources that are used during Sunday morning RE services over zoom while in-person services are suspended. Check out all the activities we're doing for RE during Covid-19!
March 15, 2020​
We red The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Manus Pinkwater, and then we discussed how each of us is unique and different and important (principal #1). We compared how we are similar and different from people in our family. Kids are encouraged to complete the Similar/Different worksheet on how they are similar and different from their friends. And, each kid can make their own house to match their dreams--just like Mr. Plumbean did in the book--by using the house building kit. To build the house, print two copies of the PDF file. Cut out the 4 sides of the house (be sure to leave the folding tabs on!). Decorate and color the house the way YOU want it--have it reflect how you are unique and individual. Then, put glue on the folding tabs and glue the 4 sides together (it will still be a bit flopping, and that is okay). For the roof, take one regular sized sheet of paper and fold it in half and place it on your house! Your done! Take a picture of it and send it to Sarah (along with the worksheet and anything else you want to show off) at dre@mvuuc.org
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March 21, 2020
We are reading Say Something by Peter H. Reynolds. This book is all about the many ways we can use our voices, hands, and ideas to create change in the world! Kids are encouraged to download the Say Something Activity Book after service!
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March 29, 2020
We read A Prayer for the Earth: The Story of Naamah, Noah's Wife by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, illustrated by Bethanne Andersen. We discussed which animals on the ark would have been particularly helpful to the plants, and how the story connects to UU Principles (#7). We then learned about the parts of a plant and parts of a leaf. After service, kids can complete the parts of a leaf worksheet and garden coloring activity. I also found this fun "who am I" plant game that parents can download and play with their kids later this week. And, if you have a chance to take a walk this week, check out this really great botany scavenger hunt!
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April 5, 2020
We read "The Lion and the Mouse" this week! This story connects with UU principles #1 and #2 as its about the importance of each person and being fair and kind to friends. Kids can print out this simple lion and mouse puppet set, and put on the lion and the mouse play! If you want, you can record the kids putting on the play and then we can share it in our newsletter and here on our website. I also encourage you to check out these Lion and the Mouse extension activities!
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April 12, 2020
Happy Easter! We read The Berenstain Bears and the Real Easter Egg by Stan and Jan Berenstain. Then we did some fun Easter craft demonstrations, including making a bunny out of an old sock, and making nature bunny faces (which you can download here) and easter eggs!
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April 19, 2020
Today we welcomed guest Dr. Shannon Orr from BGSU, and we talked about service-learning. We started with the book Helping-Out Day! Hooray! by Suzy Spafford. From that book we learned that you have to make sure the help you are giving is needed and wanted by the community you're helping! Then we talked about lots of different projects that Dr. Orr has compiled and published that have asked for help! And, all of these projects can be done from home. If kids do a project, please send pictures and stories about the service learning to dre@mvuuc.org. Please let us know what you did, why you chose that project, and what you learned!
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April 26, 2020
Today we focused on principle #3: We believe that we should accept one another and encourage spiritual growth. We read the short story called "A Visit to the Land of Great People," adapted from Long Ago and Many Lands by Sophia Fahs. In that story, people walk on little clouds, and the color of their cloud reflects how they feel on the inside--rainbow if they're feeling kind and loving, black if they're feeling mean. We talked about how we often have the power to influence how we feel inside, even when bad things are on the outside. To practice changing our inner feelings, we did a guided mediation together. Kids are encouraged to color the cloud handout, and the write about how they can encourage themselves to feel that color inside.
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May 3, 2020
Today we got ready for Mother's Day (May 10th) by listening to the story of Ruth and Naomi from the Bible. Children are invited to do this small craft activity at home (From Jesus Without Language) about Ruth's blessings. I've also created this "Happy Mothering Day" printout booklet for kids to complete for all the people who play mothering roles in their lives! Naomi was not Ruth's biological mother, but she was a good mother to Ruth and that was what mattered!
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May 10, 2020
Happy Mother's Day! We celebrated by reading Twas The Night Before Mother's Day by Natasha Wing and then we wrote an acrostic poem together, based on the phrase MOMS ARE LOVE! Here is our work:
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M agical
O n top of
M ountains of
S ugar
A mazing
R eady for
E everything
L oving
O ur
V ery special
E xcellent moms!!
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May 17, 2020
Last week learned about the concept of JUSTICE--and the rights and responsibilities that are part of justice--and how it is connected to Principle #2. We read the book What If Everyone Did That? by Ellen Javernick, and watched a short video on Rights and Responsibilities . Then, we worked together to make this Rights and Responsibilities Town Map ! Check it out!
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May 24, 2020
Today we learned about the history of memorial day, and the meaning behind the red poppy as a symbol of remembrance. We also discussed how UU's generally feel about war, and we learned about the history of our flaming chalice symbol! Then, Sarah showed the kids how to make a red poppy to wear on memorial day. Need more activities? Check out the Flaming Chalice coloring page and the red poppy coloring page!
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May 31, 2020
Today we read the book Something Happened In Our Town by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin. This book is about a police shooting of a Black man, and it helps us discuss race and violence. Parents are encouraged to continue the conversation at home! Here are some resources for parents: 1) "Your kids aren't too young to talk about race: Resource Roundup by Katrina Michie, and 2) 31 Children's Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism, and Resistance. You can also contact Sarah at dre@mvuuc.org for more help on discussing race with kids.
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June 7, 2020
We continued our conversations about race and racism today by learning about the 1963 Children's March! We read the book Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson. We also watched and discussed footage of the march from 1963! The kids were impressed to learn about the march, and we talked about the similarities and differences between 1963 and today's marches. For example, because of Covid-19 social distancing, some of our families participated in an online "march" through zoom recently through Parents Together Action. We want to continue to encourage you to talk to your kids about race--check this work from Black Lives Matter at School.
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June 14, 2020
Today we learned why June is Pride month! We read Stonewall: A Building, An Uprising, A Revolution by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Jamey Christoph. We learned that much like the civil rights movement, the LGBT movement started with protests and riots, people demanding their rights! We learned about Marsha P. Johnson and Silvia Rivera, two trans women of color who were there that fateful day in June 1969 and help start the uprising. Kids can color a picture of Johnson and Rivera, and a Pride month image. Check out the full coloring book from GLSEN!
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June 28, 2020
Today we learned about the history of the rainbow pride flag and the trans pride flag! We read Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders. Then we watched a short video about the history of the trans pride flag. We also discussed what the word "ally" means and why UU's are concerned about LGBT people's rights. I challenged all the kids to design their own flags! Flag pictures can be submitted to dre@mvuuc.org
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July 12, 2020
Today we started by playing the game "ugly/beautiful" which is a silly-freeze game where the kids have to make faces and poses that are ugly, and then transform them into beautiful. Then we read "The Scratched Diamond" which is based on a tale told in the 1700s by the Jewish teacher, Jacob ben Wolf Kranz, Maggid of Dubno. We discussed how we can learn to see beauty in deemed "ugly" and that all things, including people, have the power to transform and see things different. We related all this to the sense of wonder and awe at the world and its immense beauty (one of our UU principles!).
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July 19, 2020
Today we learned about "blessings," reading the "The Hospital Blessing," which is a true story about Rev. Schwing, a UCC minister, who helped moral at his local hospital by blessing the hands of the health care workers. We talked about how blessings can be used, across religious beliefs, to focus care on a person. Then, together, we wrote a blessing for our group:
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Blessing for our RE Class:
May our hearts be with each other, even when we are apart.
May our hands be together to give hugs, high fives, fist bumps, secret handshakes, and to write notes of care and love.
May our feet walk, run, jump, kick, stomp, and remember to have fun and take us places that we care about.
May our minds remember our friends who have moved away or passed away, and help us think of new and creative ways to help each other.
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July 26, 2020
Since the regular service was focused on community today, we paired up by reading What Can A Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris. Together we then wrote a letter to Governor DeWine and submitted it online! We wrote:
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Dear Governor DeWine,
We are sorry that people are making fun of you for requiring masks. We thank you for making the mask rule. We know masks can keep us safe from the virus. We still don’t like the pandemic, but we do like how you require masks.
Sincerely,
Maumee Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation kids (Desmond McCluney age 8, Aurionna Smithback age 9, Harper Smithback age 9)