WORLD OF WONDER
A Tapestry of Faith Program for Children
SESSION 11: KINDNESS IN NATURE
BY REV. ALICE ANACHEKA-NASEMANN, PAT KAHN, AND JULIE SIMON
© Copyright 2013 Unitarian Universalist Association.
Published to the Web on 11/9/2014 2:42:24 AM PST.
This program and additional resources are available on the UUA.org web site at
www.uua.org/religiouseducation/curricula/tapestryfaith.
SESSION OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated. — Mahatma Gandhi
This session highlights kindness and altruism in the web of life and encourages participants to act for the welfare of other living beings. Kindness as a central tenet of Buddhism is introduced in the central story, "The Noble Ibex," in which an ibex saves the life of a king who was hunting for sport. The children hear real life examples of animals acting to save the lives of other species and act out the stories out in role plays that foster empathy and kindness.
Note: If you have access to a computer with Internet access, you can incorporate the You Tube and video images of animal altruism suggested in Alternate Activity 1 as part of Activity 3, Animal Altruism Stories and Dramatic Role Plays.
GOALS
This session will:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Participants will:
SESSION-AT-A-GLANCE
Activity | Minutes |
Opening | 5 |
Activity 1: Earth Ball Name Game | 5 |
Activity 2: Story — The Noble Ibex | 10 |
Activity 3: Animal Altruism Stories and Dramatic Role Plays | 25 |
Activity 4: Clay Animals | 10 |
Faith in Action: Kindness Cookies and Cupcakes Bake Sale | 90 |
Closing | 5 |
Alternate Activity 1: Welcoming Web Game | 10 |
Alternate Activity 2: View of Nature — Animal Video Clips | 20 |
SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
Find a place where you can be quiet with your thoughts. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for several minutes, perhaps repeating a word or phrase to separate yourself from the activities of the day and consider:
Have you ever had a time when you felt that an animal expressed kindness to you, perhaps a dog or a cat? Reflect on the bond you felt with that animal.
In Western culture, humans tend to see ourselves as separate from the animal world. We believe our emotional and spiritual lives distinguish us from other creatures. What if that is not the case? Foster a spirit of curiosity and wondering, and allow your own sense of reverence, wonder, and awe to be present as you lead this session.
SESSION PLAN
OPENING (5 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
The opening circle rituals reinforce the theme of interdependence and the web of life and provide leadership opportunities for participants.
Gather participants in a circle around the chalice. Using the Leadership Chart created in Session 2, assign roles for this session. Briefly describe each job. Explain that next time you meet the jobs will change and anyone who did not get a job today will have a chance during another session. Throughout the session, prompt those with leadership tasks at the appropriate times.
Remind the group that each session starts with the ritual of lighting the chalice. In these words or your own, say:
All around the world, Unitarian Universalists of all ages light chalices when they gather together. With this ritual, Unitarian Universalists are connected to one another, even though they might never meet each other. Now we will light the chalice, the symbol of our Unitarian Universalist faith; then say together our chalice-lighting words.
As needed, help the designated leaders light the chalice and lead the chalice-lighting words:
We light our chalice to honor the web of all life.
We honor the sun and earth that bring life to us.
We honor the plants and creatures of land, water, and air that nourish us.
And we honor each other, gathered here to share the wonder of our world.
—adapted from words by Alice Anacheka-Nasemann
Point to the covenant the group created in Session 1 and briefly review it. Invite any newcomers to sign their name. You might have the Welcoming Leader or Justice Leader invite newcomers to sign the covenant, if those roles have been assigned.
Remind the children that each time we meet, we will explore something about our seventh UU Principle: respect for the interdependent web of life. In these words or your own, say:
Today we will learn about kindness in our interdependent web of all existence. What do you think kindness is?I [Invite responses.] Kindness is when you care about a person or animal who is sad, hurt or scared and you want to help them feel better.
Can you think of a time when an animal showed you kindness?
Including All Participants
At this age there is a very wide span in terms of reading abilities; point out words as you read them to the children, but do not expect them to be able to read.
ACTIVITY 1: EARTH BALL NAME GAME (5 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity engages active learners while helping everyone learn the names of participants and leaders.
Stand in a circle with participants. Say, in these words or your own:
One important way to make connections and help everyone feel welcome is to know each other's names. We will use this earth ball each time we are together to help create connections in our group. When someone throws the "earth" to you, catch the ball and say your name.
Demonstrate by throwing the ball gently to a co-leader. Have the co-leader say their name.
Then everyone says "Welcome, [co-leader's name]." Then, that person will gently throw the earth ball to someone else in the circle, who will say their name and be welcomed by the group.
Continue until everyone in the circle has been introduced.
Including All Participants
If throwing and catching the ball is difficult, do the activity seated with legs out and feet touching, rolling the ball instead of throwing it. If any participant cannot stand or sit on the floor, have everyone play in a circle of chairs.
ACTIVITY 2: STORY — THE NOBLE IBEX (10 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Gather the children in a circle in the storytelling area and show them the story basket. Say something like:
This is our story basket. I wonder what is in it today?
Take the story-related items from the basket, one at a time, and pass them around. Objects that are fragile or cannot easily be passed around can be held up for all to see and then placed on the altar/centering table or any table or shelf.
Take the chime or rain stick from the basket and say, in these words or your own:
Each time you hear a story during World of Wonder we will use this instrument to get our ears, minds, and bodies ready to listen. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. When I sound the chime (turn the rain stick over), listen as carefully as you can and see how long you can hear it. When you can't hear it anymore, open your eyes and it will be time for the story to start.
Sound the chime or rain stick. When the sound has completely disappeared, explain that this story is called a Jataka tale, which is a special kind of story from the Buddhist religion. In Jataka tales, the Buddha is reborn as an animal in order to teach people an important lesson. Note: An ibex is a kind of mountain goat. Tell or read the story, "The Noble Ibex."
When the story is finished, lead a brief discussion using questions such as:
Including All Participants
Fidget objects, described in Session 1, Leader Resource 1, can provide a non-disruptive outlet for anyone who needs to move or who benefits from sensory stimulation.
ACTIVITY 3: ANIMAL ALTRUISM STORIES AND DRAMATIC ROLE PLAYS (25 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Children hear real-life examples of animals acting altruistically and consider whether this might be motivated by kindness. Recognizing emotions, empathy, and kindness are all fostered as participants role play and discuss the stories.
Read a story from Leader Resource 2, Animal Altruism Story. Show any relevant video clips. When you have finished ask for volunteers to act the story out. You may wish to read the story again as the children act it out.
Before each role play, ask each volunteer to name what they think their character (human or animal) might have been feeling.
After each role play, process with questions such as:
ACTIVITY 4: CLAY ANIMALS (10 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Children create an animal to take home.
Say, in these words or your own:
We've talked about many different kinds of animals today. Can you remember some of them? [Wait for responses.]
We will use clay to create an animal—any one you choose. It might be one of the animals whose kindness we heard about, or it may be another animal that you know.
Give each participant a ball of clay. Have children share their creations with each other.
CLOSING (5 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Gather in a circle by the World of Wonder mural. Say in these words or your own:
Today we learned about kindness, which means caring when another person or living being is hurting and trying to help them feel better. Unitarian Universalists believe all people and animals and plants are part of an invisible web of life, like the web on our mural. Each time we meet we add something new to the World of Wonder mural. Today we add a picture of dolphins, like the ones we learned took actions to save people. The dolphins will remind us how important kindness is in the web of life.
Attach the picture to the mural.
Indicate the lyrics to the closing song "We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands."
Invite the Song Leader to start the song with accompanying hand motions. Participants can help each other remember hand motions or can create new ones.
Distribute Taking It Home. Thank the children for participating and invite them to return next time.
FAITH IN ACTION: KINDNESS COOKIES AND CUPCAKES BAKE SALE (90 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
By raising funds to support animals in crisis, participants act with kindness in caring for other living beings.
Explain to the children that you will host a bake sale to raise money to help animals. Tell them briefly about the different organizations you can support and have participants vote to select an organization. Or, tell the children about the organization you have selected.
Have participants help make signs to promote sales, put price labels on baked goods, and help sell items. Donate proceeds to the organization you have selected.
You might donate to:
At the end of the bake sale, gather as a group and process the activity with questions such as:
Say, in these words or your own:
As Unitarian Universalists we believe it is important to take care of all of the living beings in the web of life because we are all connected to each other.
End the activity by singing, "We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands," inviting the participants to add verses such as "dolphins and the whales (in our hands)" or "the cats and the dogs (in our hands)" with corresponding motions.
LEADER REFLECTION AND PLANNING
Take a few minutes to evaluate the session with your co-leader immediately afterward, while it is fresh. Share your thoughts with any other team leaders and the religious educator. You might find it helpful to consider these questions:
TAKING IT HOME
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated. — Mahatma Gandhi
IN TODAY'S SESSION... We considered how kindness is important in the web of life and learned about real life examples of animals who have acted with altruism to save the lives of humans and other creatures. Our central story was a Jataka tale from the Buddhist tradition, in which the Buddha reincarnated as an ibex to teach a lesson of kindness and compassion.
EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... the stories they heard about gorillas, dolphins, polar bears, and elephants helping people and other animals. Share stories you know about animals comforting or helping people. Talk about ways you can show kindness to animals and how to recognize when an animal is in distress. Read animal hero stories (at www.squidoo.com/animalheroes) collected on the Squidoo website. Watch this story of dolphins rescuing a surfer (at today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21689083#.UAhQW7Se5yV) on the MSNBC website.
EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...
A Family Adventure. Go on a worm rescue mission! Worms need to stay moist in order to breathe. They come out of the ground when it rains because that is when they can safely do so to seek a mate. Once the rain stops, however, worms often get stuck on pavement where they are in danger of drying out and dying. After a rainstorm, go with your child to a paved area, such as a sidewalk, playground, driveway or parking lot. To rescue the worms, remove them very carefully and gently from the pavement and move them to a grassy or dirt-covered area.
Family Discovery. There are a number of fascinating instances of humans studying animals over a very long period of time and building relationships with them. These stories have much to teach us about animal intelligence and emotions. Discover them with your child using these websites and books:
A Family Game. A game of Emotions Charades builds everyone's emotional intelligence. Give each person a scenario and ask them to act out the feeling they might have in that scenario. Possible scenarios could include:
Once a feeling has been acted out and guessed correctly, discuss the scenario and ask everyone how they might respond with kindness to a person who has that feeling in that situation. Explain that there is no "right" feeling in any given situation. Different people might experience different emotions in the same situation.
A Family Ritual. Practice a kindness meditation. Read through this description, then lead your family in this ritual:
Sit comfortably and begin by paying attention to your breathing. Now have someone in the family name a form of suffering or hurting that exists in the web of life, such as elephants losing habitat, beached whales, or homeless kittens. As you breathe in, focus on kindness for the suffering. As you breathe out, visualize the web of life and all creatures as whole, healthy, and strong. Meditate with this focus on kindness and breathing for a few minutes. When you are finished, take a few minutes to share your experiences of the meditation with each other.
ALTERNATE ACTIVITY 1: WELCOMING WEB GAME (10 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity makes the concepts of interdependence and the web of life concrete with a web made out of yarn.
Tell the children that together you will create a web, like a spider web. Explain that, holding a piece of the yarn, you will roll the ball to someone else in the circle and welcome them by name. Then, that person will pass the yarn to someone else and the group will continue until everyone has been welcomed and is holding a piece of the yarn. Remind the children:
1. Do not let go of your piece of yarn when you roll the ball of yarn to the next person.
2. Pass the ball of yarn to someone who is not sitting right next to you.
Start the game. When everyone is holding a piece of yarn, point out that you have created a web together.
Ask everyone to hold their piece of yarn. Then, pull on your piece and ask the children what they noticed. Point out that everyone could feel the tug. Invite another child to tug the string and ask the children if they could feel that, as well. See if they can tell, by feel, who made the tug.
Now drop your string and ask the children what happens to the web. Ask the children what they think would happen if half of the group dropped their pieces of yarn. As needed, point out that the web might fall apart. At the end of the game, ask for a volunteer to roll the yarn back into a ball.
ALTERNATE ACTIVITY 2: VIEW OF NATURE — ANIMAL VIDEO CLIPS (20 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Participants observe animal activity that seems to indicate love, kindness, or altruism.
Show the clips you have chosen from this list:
After you show the clips, process the activity with questions such as:
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 11:
STORY: THE NOBLE IBEX: A JATAKA TALE
From the book Kindness: A Treasury of Buddhist Wisdom for Children and Parents, collected and adapted by Sarah Conover.
Once upon a time, the Buddha was born as a magnificent ibex. The forest in which he lived was far from civilization and therefore tranquil, inhabited by many creatures both small and large. Along the banks of clear, babbling brooks were found rare flowers, which blossomed nowhere else on earth. Trees towered above the lush undergrowth and kept the forest cool and mild.
The noble ibex that lived in this forest, the Former Buddha, was as beautiful as he was sleek and swift. He had the body of an animal but the intelligence and empathy of a human being. So deep was his kindness for all living creatures that he often trod delicately so as not to crush anything. He ate nothing but the tips of grasses already gone to seed.
As this region was renowned for its great beauty, hunting parties would at times make long journeys to reach it. On one such occasion, a king and his friends camped on the edge of the forest, hoping to bag large amounts of game before the end of their stay. One morning, the king set out on horseback with his small group following him. Not long after, the king caught a glimpse of the splendid ibex and wanted to hunt him down. Snapping his reins across his horse's neck, the king dashed away in chase, leaving the group far behind.
When the ibex heard the quick pounding of hooves, he turned and saw the king swiftly bearing down upon him. The king's bow was drawn taut and an arrow ready in the sites. Although the ibex could have fought the king's attack, he chose to avoid violence, even in self-defense. So the ibex spun around and took off with great speed towards the dense center of the forest, confident the king could not catch him. Through the thick forest he sprang, still pursued by the king, but the distance between them was increasing. The ibex came to a familiar, small, deep chasm and leapt over it effortlessly. But the king's horse, coming to that same rocky cliff, abruptly pressed his weight backwards and refused to jump. The king had been watching the ibex, not the forest floor. So when the horse stopped with a jolt, the surprised king fell forward, headlong, into the chasm.
After a time, the ibex heard no hoof beats in pursuit. He slowed and twisted his head around to examine the situation behind him. There in the distance he spotted the rider-less horse at the chasm's edge and correctly guessed what had happened to the king. A sudden welling of kindness overcame him. He anticipated that the king must be in severe pain, surely having broken a number of bones in the fall. He knew also that the king would never survive long in this forest because there were many tigers and other beasts.
The ibex walked up to the chasm edge and saw the king far below, moaning and writhing in pain. He no longer looked upon the king as his enemy, but felt his suffering keenly. The Former Buddha gently inquired, "I hope your majesty has no serious wounds? Might the pain of your injuries be diminishing by now?"
The king looked up at the ibex in utter astonishment. He felt a dreadful pang of remorse for his behavior towards this noble animal. Oh, how the king felt his shame!
"You see, your Excellency," comforted the Ibex, "I am no wild devil to be hunted for sport. I am just a peaceful creature living within the bounds of this beautiful forest."
"Oh!" blurted the king. "It is I who acted as a beast, not you! Can you ever forgive me?" he asked. "My physical pain right now," continued the king, "is far less than the pain I feel for having threatened a noble creature as yourself."
"Sire," responded the ibex, "let me help you out of your predicament. I can rescue you if you'll trust me." The ibex took the king's silence as a sign of goodwill and knew that the king would accept his help. He then searched for a boulder as heavy as a man and practiced lifting it. When he felt he could do it safely, without slipping, he made his way down the rocks beside the king. "If you mount me as you would your horse, your Excellency, I believe I can leap out of the chasm with you on my back," offered the ibex.
The king followed these directions and held on as best he could. In an instant the ibex leapt in a great arc onto the cliff rim. There the king found his waiting horse but was so overtaken by the goodness of the ibex he could not leave. "What can I do to repay you?" begged the king. "If you would come to my palace, we would see that your every need was met. I can't bear to think of you left in this forest with hunters in pursuit. Please, please come back with me," insisted the king.
"Sire, do you think I, who am so contented in the forest, could really adjust to that? I love nothing better than to live here, in peace. But there is one great favor I would ask of you."
"Anything," said the king.
"I ask that you give up hunting for sport. You now realize that all creatures want happiness and security. Can it be right to do to them what you yourself would despise? A true king," proclaimed the ibex, "will gain his people's love by showing great goodness, not by showing power."
The grateful king agreed to the request. "Now, let me show you the way back to safety," suggested the ibex. "Mount your horse and I will guide you home to your camp."
The king soon returned to his palace, and the ibex disappeared into the shelter of the forest. But forevermore, the king lived by the wise words of the noble ibex, the Former Buddha. He forbade hunting for sport throughout his kingdom's domain. He protected his people, but no longer waged costly wars against nearby countries. His kingdom flourished. And thus, the good king was greatly loved and respected by his people as the gentlest and wisest of all kings.
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 11:
LEADER RESOURCE 1: ANIMAL ALTRUISM STORIES
Dolphin Heroes 1: Shark Rescue
One time, a man named Todd was surfing in the ocean in California. Just as he hit a really good wave, a very big shark appeared out of nowhere and knocked into him on his surf board. It came back and bit him twice, once on his back and once on his leg. Fortunately, there were some bottle-nose dolphins in the area. They quickly surrounded Todd and swam in circles around him, keeping the shark away so it couldn't attack him again.
Todd's friend came and helped him swim to shore. He went to the hospital and they sewed him up where he had been bitten. He was very badly injured but the dolphins had saved his life.
Dolphin Heroes 2: Saved from Drowning
Another time, a 14-year-old boy named Davide fell off his parents' boat into the ocean. Davide could not swim and his parents did not know he had fallen into the ocean. As he struggled, a dolphin swam to him and helped to keep him above the water. Davide held onto the dolphin until his father noticed what was happening and was able to pull him back onto the boat. The dolphin saved him from drowning.
Dolphin Heroes 3: Saving Whales
One time a mother pygmy whale and her baby calf swam too close to the shore. They got "beached," which means they were stuck in the sand. When this happens to whales, they die. People were trying to help the whales get back out to the ocean but it wasn't working. The whales were very agitated and they could not seem to find their way past a sandbar. Then a dolphin named Moko came to the rescue, seeming to be responding to their distress calls.
Moko swam around the whales while the people watched. The whales calmed down and within minutes Moko had led the whales through a narrow channel back to the ocean. Moko saved the whales' lives!
Optional: use together with this video clip: (Dolphin saves pygmy whales that are beached and leads them back to ocean.)
Tuk the Polar Bear
Tuk was a polar bear that lived in the Vancouver Zoo in Canada. One day a man ran past his enclosure and threw a tiny baby kitten into the pool in Tuk's cage. Everybody watched with horror wondering if the kitten would drown or if Tuk might kill it. Instead, Tuk slipped quickly into the water and carefully pulled the kitten out of the water, carrying her carefully in his teeth. He lay down with her by the water and gently licked her clean.
Elephants Free Antelopes
In South Africa, some scientists were rounding up antelopes as part of a breeding program. The antelopes were being kept in a big enclosure with locked gates. As the scientists watched, a herd of 11 elephants came over to the enclosure. The scientists thought the elephants wanted some of the alfalfa which they were feeding the antelopes. Instead of trying to eat, however, the matriarch of the herd came over by the enclosure and used her trunk to open all of the metal latches which were holding the gate closed. The elephants watched while the antelopes escaped and then walked away themselves.
Gorilla Helps Toddler
At the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, a three-year-old boy climbed up the wall of a gorilla enclosure. He fell in and was knocked unconscious. People were very afraid the gorillas might hurt him. Instead, Binti Jua, a Western Lowland Gorilla female, came over to the boy. Carrying her own baby as well, she lifted him up gently and carried him to the door where zoo keepers could come and help him.
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 11:
LEADER RESOURCE 2: MURAL IMAGE — DOLPHINS
"Two bottled nosed dolphins up close" from Office.com, a division of Microsoft Corporation(R).
FIND OUT MORE
Read animal hero stories (at www.squidoo.com/animalheroes) collected on the Squidoo website. Watch this story of dolphins rescuing a surfer (at today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21689083#.UAhQW7Se5yV) on the MSNBC website. Explore these books:
When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals, by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson and Susan McCarthy (Delacorte Press, NY: 1995)
The Pig Who Sang to the Moon: The Emotional World of Farm Animals, by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (Ballantine Books, NY: 2003)
The Souls of Animals by Unitarian Universalist minister Gary Kowalski (Stillpoint Publishing, 1991)
Visit the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth (at www.uuministryforearth.org/) or the UUA's Green Sanctuary (at www.uua.org/leaders/environment/greensanctuary/index.shtml) program to learn how UUs are involved in taking care of the earth.