Age of Reason — UU Program of Religious Becoming for Primary Age Children
Layne Richard-Hammock
PSD Library has a Library Loan copy of this curriculum for your information. Designed to engage 2nd and 3rd grader UU's in their own special Rite of Passage at the universally recognized stage of development. the ‘age of reason’. Created around the roots and wings values of UU Religious education and the 7 principles rainbow path format and was originally conceived and designed to coincide with 1st communion time. Includes a professionally illustrated activity booklet which, if congregation purchases CD, individual copies for each child can be printed from CD.
Around the Church, Around the Year: UUism for children K – Grade 2
Evans–Tiller
UUA
Thirty-four lesson plans in nine units contain resources, music, handouts, and stories.
Celebrating Diversity
Follen Church, UU
Ten-week curriculum for K–6 intended to raise awareness of and appreciation for people who are different from us and to examine role that stereotypes and prejudice play. Focus on people of color, disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual and gender roles.
Celebrating Me and My World
Debora Chandler Pratt
A UUA preschool curriculum which encourages pre-school children to develop a positive self-image; feel safe, accepted and at home in church; become familiar with the terms Unitarian Universalist and chalice; feel a growing inter-connection with nature; develop cooperative skills; practice expressing what he or she sees, feels, thinks, remembers and prefers; extend the boundaries of their world. Each session is built around a specific theme. Throughout the year the themes progress form the focus on self, to family, community and the world. Each session includes circle time, story time, activity time and physical/free time to accommodate the developmental needs of this age group.
Celebrating Our Origins in the Universe
with “The Beginning of Everything” and “The Tree of Life”
ECE consulting
About the story of Creation from the Big bang through the Evolution of Humans suitable for classes ranging from 1st through 5th grade. This field-tested curriculum was written by an early childhood educator and a cosmologist (and former UU minister) and includes 15–22 weeks of reading, song and active learning experiences in which children learn and celebrate the origins of the Universe, our world, and human beings.
Chalice Children
Kate Tweedie Erslev
Highly adaptable program for preschool children nurtures spiritual growth, creativity and sense of community through imaginative activities and rituals. Includes 36 sessions (plus five alternates) that introduce children to concepts such as birth and death, dreams, nature and holidays. Detailed guidelines for teachers.
Connecting with the Earth
Canadian Unitarian Council
This intergenerational course is designed with programs for four age groups: primary, junior, youth and adult. The overall aim is to create opportunities for participants to develop a more spiritual relationship with the world around them. This is also an exploration which helps to affirm and promote the seventh principle of UUism. The course is designed to promote the following attitudes:
— Gratitude, awe, wonder and respect for the land and nature’s bounty
— Appreciation for the spirituality of all life and our spiritual connection with nature
— Some understanding of the wholeness, completeness and mystery of life
— Awareness of the inter-communion of all living and non-living components of the earth community
— Understanding of the concept of a sustaining use of natural things, finding a use for everything
Cultural Tour of World Religions
Teaching Peace through Play
Culture Company
A curriculum for children ages 6–10 teaching peace through play by giving children examples of peaceful behavior.Using stories of world religions and wisdom traditions, games and activities that foster communication and cooperation, children learn peaceful living. Thirty two sessions educate children about fundamental facts of world religions while showing them examples of peace heroes. Using a travel theme this curriculum requires the congregation purchase from Culture Company individual passports for each child — order forms will be included. You may also wish to purchase other items e.g. stamps, travel bags, music, etc which are available on order form. This is an excellent interactive curriculum.
A Discovering Year
Tirrell H. and Richard S. Kimball
Written for kindergarten, suitable for individual grades K and 1 and for combined groups of 4, 5, and 6 year olds. This curriculum nurtures children’s spiritual and religious growth through connections to their ever widening environment. They explore selves, friendships, families, church, nature, and religious and cultural days. Through ritual, sharing times, quiet times, crafts, activities, singing and music, games and movement, stories and talks, they learn to appreciate the worth of each person, to work and play cooperatively, to express feelings, to celebrate human diversity, and to feel part of their UU community. Twenty five sessions.
Dr Seuss
Patricia Kahn
A 12-session curriculum based on the books of Dr Seuss and the purposes and principles of UUism. Designed for summer school it can be adapted for church year use.
Experiences with the Web of Life
Paint Brush UU Church
A full year curriculum for five to eight year olds 945 sessions). Children explore the ways that specific living things relate to the rest of life . . . what the earthworm eats, what eats it, what it contributes to the soil, how that helps plants and helps us who grow food in that soil — each lesson is an adventure in finding such connections. Concepts come to life through direct experience. Throughout the curriculum, our spiritual connection with all living things is reinforced. A closing ritual at the end of each session helps the children internalize their learning, sometimes with a story that summarizes the day’s discoveries.
Faith Footsteps: Bible Stories for Primary Ages
UUA
The primary purpose of this curriculum is to introduce the children to our faith stories found in the bible. The stories in this curriculum are chosen by the following criteria: the story is from our faith traditions; stories spark the child’s creative imagination, sense of wonder, awe and worship; stories should nurture the children in trust, courage, and hope in the context of god’s purposes for us. Each lesson is self-contained. 28 lessons.
First Steps
Jensen–Funk–Nelson
A preschool curriculum and training course in child sexual abuse prevention for daycare workers and home care providers. Divided into two components. The first component is the curriculum which contains six sections addressing integral parts of sexual abuse prevention. Second component is a training course and manual for leaders.
Free To Believe
Tirrell H. and Richard S. Kimball
Written for 2nd graders; suitable for individual grades 2 and 3 and for combined groups of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders. This curriculum explores UU principles and sources while nurturing the emotional, social, and spiritual life of children. Its first sessions focus on UU principles, values, and beliefs through hands-on activities, stories, games, songs, and discussions. Children address the conflicts they often face, and create an accepting classroom community. Later sessions focus on life’s big questions (God, death, creation of life) through the lens of UU sources. Twenty four sessions.
God’s Paintbrush
with Study Guide
Jewish Lights
Kindergarten–Grade 4 and older. Children of all faiths and backgrounds can encounter god through this wonderfully interactive storybook. Guidelines for using God’s Paintbrush include steps for exploring the book’s theological foundations with students. Lesson plans, classroom activities and more.
Growing Good Kids
Free Spirit
Grades 3–8. 28 original activities that promote self-awareness, compassion and leadership. Creative and fun activities build students’ skills in problem solving, decision-making, cooperative learning, divergent thinking, communication and more. Also promotes self-awareness, tolerance, character development and service to others. Provides parents and teachers with a broad selection of meaningful and enjoyable enrichment activities.
Growing Times
Corelyn Forsythe Senn
UUA
A curriculum for 3–5 year olds, this three-year program helps young people build religious foundations by exploring nature experiences, human relationships and the church as a religious home. Group worship, celebration, specific suggestions for coordinated stories, discussions, arts activities, and related experiences are included. The three units can be used in any order; each has sufficient material for one whole year.
I Like Being Me
with Leader’s Guide
Judy Lali
Simple rhymes explore what is important in the everyday lives of young children — being kind, solving problems, learning from mistakes and more. Each poem offers possibilities for thought-provoking discussion and creative learning. Ages 3–8
I Stood Upon a Mountain
AV: Slides and Book
A set of slides of the illustrations in the book which is used in A Stepping Stone Year and is also an excellent multigenerational source for questions about creation.
Images for Our Lives
Unity Church Unitarian, St. Paul
Two twelve-week units: Judeo-Christian Heritage and World Religions. Each unit includes detailed lesson plans divided into the following levels: grades 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, junior high. These curriculums can be described as a “tradition-sensitive, child-centered, values-oriented religious education program for grades 1st–junior high.” Please specify Judeo Christian or World Religions
In Our Hands
Goldenberg, Hunting, and Thomson
UUA
Grades 1–3. Six units: Affirming the worth of self and others; exploring one’s own experience; exploring friends and enemies; partners with nature; Unitarian Universalist working for a fair and peaceful world; acting for peace and fairness. Sixteen sessions plus handouts, songs and a reading list.
Just Because I Am
with Study Guide
Ages 3–8 self-empowering picture book builds self-esteem. Leaders Guide contains thirteen lessons augmenting the self-esteem readings and illustrations to create an entire course on boosting self-love among youngsters. Full of enjoyable activities, simple discussion questions and follow-up activities. Includes 19 reproducible handouts.
Kids Around the World Celebrate! The Best Feasts and Festivals from Many Lands
Lynda Jones
Many diverse activities, recipes and crafts help children learn that people all over the world celebrate for the same reasons. Includes activities for carnivals in Brazil and Venice, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the Chinese New Year, thanksgiving celebrations in India and Nigeria and man others celebrations in the US and around the world Ages 9–12.
Kids Creating Circles of Peace
Anne Marie Witchgar Hansen and Susan vogt
Families Against Violence Advocacy Network
Created for use at Peace Camp for grades 1–5, this booklet provides activities and story starters about real life situations that children face — dealing with bullies, getting along with kids who are different, fighting and how to avoid it, feeling mad and what to do about it. full of activities and story starters that improve communication and listening skills.
My Unitarian Universalist Journey: Workbook and Adult’s Guide
Cullin, Tricco, Warren
Rites of passage program for 7 years and older culminating in ceremony of recognition. Can be used as semesters curriculum
One World One Earth
New Society Publishers
Ages 3–15. Imaginative learning activities and discussion starters make this the perfect guide for explaining difficult and sensitive issues — human rights, environmental concerns and more. Includes suggestions for action and reading.
Our Whole Lives: Grades K–1
UUA
Supports parents in educating children about birth, babies, bodies and families. Following a Parent Meeting and parent/child Orientation, the 8 sessions engage children with stories, songs and activities and include a weekly HomeLink — a homework project for parents and children to do together. Promotes dialogue between parents and children.
The Parent Guide to Our Whole Lives: Grades K–1
Patricia Hoertdoerfer
The Parent Guide was designed to help parents respond to their children’s questions and concerns about sexuality. For each age level program the Guide includes a summary of the topics of each session, questions parents often ask and possible responses, and examples of how to take advantage of “teachable moments.” The guide is an excellent reference and resource for Our Whole Lives teachers with its information about the sexual development of children and tools for sexuality educators to help children grow up in sexually healthy ways as well as a glossary of terms and a bibliography of resources.
Peace Experiments
UU Peace Network
A five-session curriculum offering over 100 activities and specific lesson plans for K–2, 3–4, 5–6, junior high, senior high; a workshop for adults; an intergenerational celebration; and a teacher training workshop. Materials could be adapted for a weekend workshop.
Peacemaking Skills for Little Kids
Peace Education Foundation
A curriculum for preschoolers–grade 2 which affirms the preciousness of life, the uniqueness of each person, and the interdependence of all living things through puppetry, role playing, singing, body movement, story telling, discussion, art, circle activities and walks. Teacher’s guide, puppet, audio cassette, poster.
Picture Book Of World Religions
Kate Tweedie Erslev
15 sessions includes pictures book for each session teaching Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism. Includes parent/teacher orientation workshop.
Rainbow Children
Poinsett and Burns
UUA
For ages 5–8. Reverend mark Morrison reed has said that nobody is born a racist, but that racism is a role we are taught and then asked to play. This program is an invitation to teach our children and ourselves that racism is not a role we want to play. 14 sessions — 12 one-hour sessions with options for the last two sessions.
Special Places, Sacred Spaces
Follen Church, UU
“Teacher friendly” adaptation of Haunting House curriculum to use with K and Grade 1. Helpful but not necessary to have Haunting House kit. Fall terms has 12 lessons introducing the concept of special places in classroom, home, outdoors; special places for treasures, animals Jesus’ birth. Winter term’s 12 lessons covering emotions, our bodies, birth, death and construction of our own special place.
Special Times: Honoring Our Jewish and Christian Heritages for Grades 1–2
Betty Jo Middleton
UUA
Packed with imaginative arts and crafts, stories and songs, this year long program introduces 6–7 year olds to the historical richness of UUism. Twenty-six self-contained sessions celebrate holidays and other ‘special times’. Features planning calendar for teachers and extensive reading list for kids.
Spirit Of Adventure: UU Identity for 2nd–5th Grades
Kate Tweedie Erslev
Exploring UU Identity without usual arts and crafts but with activities that include dissecting a computer, building cantilevered architecture using graham crackers, singing Jingle Bells in ‘dog’ language. Introduces themes of Medicine, food, winter holidays, science, building, exploring, web of life. 35 sessions.
Stories About God
Mary Ann Moore
UUA
A full year curriculum for 5–7 year olds which offers experiences with the realities, values and mysteries which people call god; helps develop a language with which to speak of god; provides a variety of stories from world religions, feminist insights, science; fosters the understanding that god can take many forms and is called by many names; gives opportunity for personal expression of personal thoughts and feels about God. Audiotape of music included.
Super Heroes — Bible People
Gaia Brown
19 lessons for ages 6–9 and includes CD of Super Hero theme song to introduce children to people from the Bible who have acted with courage and wisdom in their attempts to lead their lives fully and make the world a better place for others. To show how the lives of these people confirm principles which we, as UUs, strive to promote. To encourage children to lead their own lives fully and to use their own positive super powers as they interact with their world and to grow spiritually and ethically.
Teaching Young Children in Violent Times
Educators for Social Responsibility
Preschool through Grade 3. Practical guide for teaching violence prevention and conflict resolution. Informative articles analyze violence in today’s world and how children understand and learn about peace and violence. Contains games, charts, extensive resources and handy discussion ideas.
Treasure Hunting
Ellen Schneider
UUA
A full year curriculum for 4–7 year olds which focuses on UU principles and purposes with stories, crafts, activities and music.
Treasure Hunting Take Two
Gaia Brown
Updated version of Treasure Hunting shortening lessons and with additional books and addition of websites and modern technology.
Under the Wisdom Tree
Connie Dunn
Denton UU Fellowship
This is a storytelling curriculum for helping teach values, beliefs and cultural connections. Designed for churches with small groups of multi-level, multi-aged children. It is meant to meet the needs of the youngest as well as the oldest child in the program. Designed with limited human resources in mind and requires only a few adults to run the program. There are 45 lessons — including 12 holiday lessons.
Unitarian Universalist Alphabet
Revised August 1999
Rev. Helen Zidowecki
The UU Alphabet introduces preschool and early elementary children to Unitarian Universalism through stories of special people from history and from their own church community and involves their own church environment. Some suggestions have been added for use with older children, or multi-aged groups. 33 sessions.
Up Up and Away
UUA–Universalist Bicentennial Committee
For ages 8–10 Universalist journeys take children on imaginary trips with Judith Sargent Murray and her hot air balloon as she visits key events and people in Universalist history. Fifteen sessions offer amusing activities, games and songs to celebrate men and women like John Murray, Georgene Bowen and more.
UU Super Heroes
Gaia Brown
19 lessons for ages 6–9 and includes CD of Super Hero theme song to introduce children to people from UU history who have acted with courage and wisdom in their attempts to lead their lives fully and make the world a better place for others. To show how the lives of these people confirm principles which we, as UUs, strive to promote. To encourage children to lead their own lives fully and to use their own positive super powers as they interact with their world and to grow spiritually and ethically.
A Volcano in My Tummy: Helping Children to Handle Anger
New Society Publishers
Ages 6–13. A clear and effective approach to helping children understand and deal constructively with anger. Offers engaging and well-organized activities, stories and games to help kids handle this all-too-often destructive emotion and to have fun while they’re at it.
Walking the Rainbow Path
Celebrating All the Colors of Love
Rev Laurie Bushbaum
Curriculum for Kindergarten through 3rd graders in two years. Please indicate if you wish Year #1 or Year #2 which continues Year One. This curriculum is designed to help children in their faith formation as UU’s and in their spiritual growth as young human beings. They will be presented with topics that all of us consider as part of the spiritual deepening: relationships, problem solving, celebrating Life, how we contribute to the common good, death and change, and the search for Truth. You will need to supplement curriculum with books from local library or purchased through your congregation; a box of buttons all colors of the rainbow and string; a treasure table. There are 28 lessons in Year One and 32 lessons in Year Two.
Preschool curriculum packed with stories, games and projects. This captivating program encourages children to honor themselves, their religious community, nature and cultures from around the world. Thirty-six sessions stand alone or can be adapted to suit your needs. Features rich array of games, songs and family newsletters to build relationships between teacher and home.
We Believe: Living and Learning Our Unitarian Universalist Principles
Fields and Goodwin
UUA
Twenty hour-long sessions for multi-age groupings of unpredictable sizes, this curriculum contains a 180 page Leader’s guide, a 96-page workbook, an audio cassette, and inflatable globe and PEOPLE by Peter Spier. For ages 3 and older, this also provides material for intergenerational celebrations and activities.
We Can Get Along — A Child’s book of Choices
Payne/Rohling
Book and Leader’s Guide — a complete course in positive conflict resolution for young children. Reproducible pages included along with fifteen lessons.
What is Religion — for Others and Us?
Virginia G. Steel
UUA
Twenty-seven sessions for grades 1–3. A course to help children learn about being Unitarian Universalists, about their church/fellowship, about holidays and religious celebrations and about religious words. Covers ideas about god, prayers, worship, symbols, special UU services, helping people in need, kindness, accepting differences and Christian terminology. Includes activities, stories, discussion, strategies, patterns, games, resource lists for teachers and extensive introductory materials.
Worth and Dignity of All People
UUA
A curriculum deigned so that the whole church school or summer program can address at the same time an important topic of social concern. The five sessions for four age levels (1–8 grade) begin with a focus on caring and fairness within the classroom and move on to a consideration of bias in society. An additional resource book is included for grades 5–9. Curriculum includes cassette of songs and story. Topics covered: Understanding people with disabilities; Learning about racism; Understanding and overcoming ageism; Understanding and overcoming sexism; confronting homophobia; UU Principles.