WORLD OF WONDER
A Tapestry of Faith Program for Children
SESSION 2: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
BY REV. ALICE ANACHEKA-NASEMANN, PAT KAHN, AND JULIE SIMON
© Copyright 2013 Unitarian Universalist Association.
Published to the Web on 11/9/2014 2:15:57 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
Your deepest roots are in nature. No matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of life you lead, you remain irrevocably linked with the rest of creation. — Charles Cook, founder and director of Wild Earth Adventures (at wildearthadventures.com/books.htm)
This session introduces the importance of partnerships in the web of life. A story about partnership between sea anemones and clown fish demonstrates that helping one another is an aspect of interdependence. Children experience the benefits of partnership by working together cooperatively. Participants are introduced to leadership roles they will take on over the course of the program.
The Faith in Action activity invites participants to learn more about one of nature's partnerships and ways they can take action to support it.
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: Introducing the Leadership Chart | 10 |
Activity 3: Story — Swimming Home | 10 |
Activity 4: Sea Anemone and Clown Fish Partner Game | 10 |
Activity 5: Nature's Partnership Puppets | 15 |
Faith in Action: Help the Honeybees | |
Closing | 5 |
Alternate Activity 1: Welcoming Web Game | 10 |
Alternate Activity 2: Nature Walk | 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. When you feel settled and relaxed, consider:
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 themes of interdependence and the web of life and provide leadership opportunities for participants.
Gather participants in a circle around the chalice. 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.
Invite a volunteer to light the chalice and lead the chalice lighting words. As needed, assist the volunteer.
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 created in Session 1 and briefly review it with the group. Invite any newcomers to sign their name.
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 talk about partnership. We will discover how partnerships are important in the web of life.
Ask what the children think partnership means. Affirm that partnership is when two or more people or animals work together to get something done.
Including All Participants
Children this age differ widely in reading ability. Point out words as you read them aloud, but do not expect children 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: INTRODUCING THE LEADERSHIP CHART (10 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
Sharing in leadership roles empowers children as partners in their group. In future sessions, the Leadership Chart and role assignments will be part of the Opening.
Gather the group in a circle. Indicate the Leadership Chart and tell the children they will take turns being leaders. Briefly describe the roles and tasks. Assign jobs randomly or by soliciting volunteers. Explain that each time you meet, the jobs will change. Anyone who did not get a job today will have one during another session.
ACTIVITY 3: STORY — SWIMMING HOME (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, tell or read the story, "Swimming Home."
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 4: SEA ANEMONE AND CLOWN FISH PARTNER GAME (10 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity reinforces the concept of partnership with an active game that is effective for kinesthetic learners.
Form two groups: sea anemones and clown fish. Referencing the story, remind them that sea anemones and clown fish have a special partnership. Instruct the sea anemones to stand still and wiggle their fingers above their heads like tentacles. Ask the participants what they remember about the tentacles and remind them as necessary that the tentacles are poisonous and they keep most fish away from sea anemones. Tell the clown fish that they will pretend to swim around the space. When you call out "big fish," the clown fish need to swim "back" to their sea anemone partners to be safe. Select a volunteer to act as the "big fish," trying to catch the clown fish before they reach safety.
Play the game for a couple of rounds. Then have participants switch roles. When you are finished, process the game with questions such as:
Including All Participants
If any children in your group are sensitive to sensory stimulation, you can adapt the game by instructing the children to swim without making any sound. You can also slow the game down by having participants walk when they "swim," rather than run.
ACTIVITY 5: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIP PUPPETS (15 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
By creating and playing with puppets, participants explore the concept of partnerships.
Distribute Handout 1-8, Nature's Partnerships. Use Leader Resource 2, Nature's Partnerships Key, to tell the children about the partnerships you selected. Tell the children to create puppets by cutting out the partnership pairs and gluing them to craft sticks
Invite the children to enjoy free play with the puppets. Encourage them to create puppet shows that demonstrate the animal partnerships. If you have time, invite children to share their puppet show with the others.
If time allows, process the activity:
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 that animals and plants of different species can help each other in interesting ways by forming partnerships. Unitarian Universalists believe all people and animals and plants are part of an invisible web of life, like the web of our mural. Each time we meet we add something new to the World of Wonder mural; today we add a sea anemone and clown fish to remind us of the importance of nature's partnerships.
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: HELP THE HONEYBEES
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
One nature partnerships is the honey bee and the flower. Families and the wider congregation may not be aware of the current honey bee crisis in the United States. The ice cream brand Haagen-Dazs has created an interactive website explaining the importance of honey bees as well as actions that can be taken to help. Choose activities that will work well for your group or congregation. Examples include:
During the event, have volunteers take photographs or video to share with the children at a later time. Close the event with 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. What happens to the honey bees matters to us all.
Have the children lead the song, "We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands." Invite the participants to add verses such as "bees and the flowers in our hands" and corresponding motions.
Share photos or video of the event with the children in a subsequent session.
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 leaders and the religious educator. You might find it helpful to consider these questions:
TAKING IT HOME
Your deepest roots are in nature. No matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of life you lead, you remain irrevocably linked with the rest of creation. — Charles Cook, founder and director of Wild Earth Adventures (at wildearthadventures.com/books.htm)
IN TODAY'S SESSION... we learned about some interesting partnerships in nature, discussing how very different creatures can be helpful to one another. We played an active game in which participants pretended to be sea anemones and clown fish, working together in partnerships. We created and played with Nature's Partnerships puppets. We added a sea anemone and a clown fish to our World of Wonder mural and sang "We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands."
EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about... partnerships in your family and congregation. Are there times when you work as a team? What is easier about having a partner? Are there times when having a partner makes things harder? What makes someone a "good" or helpful partner? Are there things you can do together with your family or your congregation that you would not be able to do alone?
EXTEND THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Try...
A Family Adventure. Help keep the ocean clean for clown fish and sea anemones by volunteering for the international coastal clean-up, described on the Ocean Conservancy (at www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/marine-debris/international-coastal-cleanup-11.html) website. If you do not live near the ocean, volunteer to help clean up a local river or lake. A good book to read together about trash and the oceans is Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion by Unitarian Universalist Loree Griffin Burns (at www.loreeburns.com/).
Family Discovery. With your child, search online for the terms "animal partnerships," "mutualism," and "symbiosis." (You can also contrast these with parasitism, in which one animal benefits but another is harmed.) Print out pictures of partnerships in nature. Create a partnership mural.
A Family Ritual. Foster awareness of the ways each family member contributes to the well-being of the family. Begin a dinnertime ritual in which each person takes a turn naming something they did during the day to help someone else in the family, and expresses gratitude to another family member for the help they provided during the day.
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: NATURE WALK (20 MINUTES)
Materials for Activity
Preparation for Activity
Description of Activity
This activity invites participants to experience nature directly.
Go on a nature walk. Notice the different plants, insects, and animals you see along the way. Remind the children to interact with all living beings gently so as not to cause harm. Carefully look under rocks or leaves, replacing them gently when you are done. Invite participants to place in their paper bags any interesting non-living items they find, such as acorns, stones, or leaves. Use dental mirrors or other tools to get a close-up look without disturbing the environment. As you notice a new creature, pause and ask the children how it helps the web of life. Does it provide food for someone? Does it help pollinate the flowers? Does it provide shelter?
After your walk, process the activity:
Including All Participants
Identify any relevant allergies within your group, such as bee stings or pollen, and plan accordingly.
Select a location that is accessible, with paved paths, to accommodate any participant uses a wheelchair or has mobility limitations.
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
STORY: SWIMMING HOME
By Janeen Grohsmeyer.
In the warm salty waters of the great blue sea, little orange and white fish called clown fish played their favorite game: chasing each other round and round, swimming as fast as they could go. Yet always they stayed close to their sea anemone home. Their sea anemone had thousands of soft white tendrils all over her body, and the tendrils were just perfect to hide in.
Aliq was following his brother Twyl. His bright orange and white stripes, outlined with black, flashed as he swam through the forest of tendrils. The sea anemone's tendrils tickled when they touched Aliq. He liked watching the tendrils sway back and forth as the water moved.
"Look," Twyl called suddenly. His side fins were going in little circles, holding him steady in one place. "Here come Mother Fish and Father Fish!"
Aliq and Twyl and their other brothers watched as Mother Fish and Father Fish slowly glided by. Their side fins touched each other as they swam.
Suddenly, Mother Fish flicked her tail and zipped on past. Father Fish went, too. A yellow striped fish with a pointy mouth was eating a tendril of the sea anemone, taking big bites. Mother and Father Fish headed right at that strange fish and started biting at it. The yellow fish swam away, and Mother and Father swam after it.
"What's happening?" Aliq asked.
Zorn, one of his older brothers, answered. "They're protecting our sea anemone. They'll be back soon."
When Mother and Father came home, a shrimp was following them and swam into the anemone. As soon as it touched the tendrils, the shrimp went still.
"What happened?" Twyl asked.
"Our sea anemone killed the shrimp with the poison on her tendrils," Zorn said.
"But we swim in her tendrils every day," Aliq said. "The poison doesn't kill us."
"That's because we're her friends," Zorn said. "We have a special covering on our scales that keeps us safe. Now watch!"
The soft white tendrils shimmered and waved. The shrimp was tossed to the middle of the sea anemone, right to the circle of her open mouth. The sea anemone swallowed the shrimp whole.
"She was hungry," Zorn said then swam away. Mother and Father Fish began gliding again. Their tails brushed against the sea anemone's tendrils, soft and gentle on their skin.
"Mother and Father Fish are so big and so brave!" Aliq said.
"I can't wait until I'm big like them, but right now, I'm hungry!" Twyl said.
They began nibbling the tiny bits of plants that clung to their sea anemone's tendrils. Twyl found a crunchy isopod, and Aliq found another shrimp. But that was all, and they were still hungry. "We could leave our sea anemone," Aliq said.
Twyl and Aliq looked out into the great blue sea. Sting rays lived out there. Sharks did too. Huge dark fish with double rows of teeth lurked in the deep water. But there were also tasty things to eat.
"Come on!" Aliq said to Twyl. "Let's explore!" With a flick of his tail he was off, swimming away from their sea anemone home. Twyl followed him, and they swam side by side, their side fins touching each other as they glided along.
Farther and farther they went, away from their family, and away from their sea anemone home. Aliq and Twyl had never left the forest of tendrils before. They had never swum without the soft touch of their sea anemone on their fins. But Aliq found another shrimp to eat, small and tasty. Twyl found plankton, little bits of green floating by. Aliq and Twyl kept eating and swimming and eating some more.
Then Aliq stopped swimming. He looked around. Far off in the water, a dark shadow appeared. "Twyl," Aliq whispered. "What's that?"
Twyl stopped eating and looked at the shadow. It was coming closer, weaving slowly back and forth. "Shark!" Twyl yelled. "Swim! Go back home!"
Aliq and Twyl turned around and flicked their tails, zipping through the water as fast as they could go, heading for their sea anemone home. Aliq didn't want to look behind him. He didn't want to know how close the shark was. But he could feel the rippling of the water. He could hear the shark getting near. Aliq twitched his tail faster. Beside him, Twyl was swimming just as hard.
The tendrils of their sea anemone shimmered ahead of them, soft and white and warm. They were almost home.
"Swim, swim, swim," Aliq chanted to himself. "Swim! Swim! SWIM!" The water swirled around them; it smelled and tasted like shark—oily and dark and cold. Aliq and Twyl flicked their tails extra hard.
Finally! Aliq and Twyl reached their sea anemone home just in time, hiding in the soft white tendrils. The water exploded around them in bubbles as the shark turned to go. The poison of the sea anemone was keeping it away.
Twyl and Aliq peeked between the tendrils to look at each other. Both of them were still scared. Both of them were very glad to be home, safe with Mother Fish and Father Fish and all their brothers. Both of them were very, very glad they had a sea anemone to protect them and to be their home. And both of them knew it was their job as clown fish to take care of her. They would chase away any fish that tried to eat her tendrils. They would bring her food. And she would take care of them.
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 1: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Clown Fish and Sea Anemone
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 2: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Ostrich and Zebra
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 3: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Honey Bee and Flower
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 4: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Tree and Human
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 5: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Aphid and Ant
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 6: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Barracuda and Cleaning Fish
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 7: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Shrimp and Goby
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
HANDOUT 8: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS
For use with Activity 5, Nature's Partnership Puppets.
Crocodile and Plover
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
LEADER RESOURCE 1: CREATING THE LEADERSHIP CHART
On a sheet of poster board, make a chart of leadership roles the participants can share during this program. Leave enough space next to each leadership role to designate a volunteer.
Make a name tag for each participant, plus a few extra for newcomers, using card stock.
Attach Velcro tape (available at hardware and craft stores) alongside each role on the chart and on the back of each name tag.
As an alternative to the Velcro tape, you can laminate the chart and write volunteer's names with a dry erase marker.
If the group is small, combine tasks. For example, an Opening Circle Leader might light the chalice and lead the others in saying the chalice lighting words.
Possible leadership roles:
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
LEADER RESOURCE 2: NATURE'S PARTNERSHIPS KEY
Sea Anemone & Clown Fish
The sea anemone has poisonous tentacles which keep most fish away from it. The clown fish has special mucus that protects it from the poison. The clown fish lives by the sea anemone and is kept safe from larger fish. The clown fish chases away butterfly fish that like to eat the tips of the sea anemones tentacles. The clown fish gets a safe home and the sea anemone gets a guard.
Ostrich & Zebra
The ostrich has very good eyesight, but it has a terrible sense of hearing and smell. Zebras, on the other hand, have a strong sense of hearing and smell, but do not see as well. By staying near one another, each species can warn the other if a predator comes near. The ostrich and the zebra both get a warning when there is danger.
Honeybee & Flower
Honeybees collect pollen and nectar produced by flowers for food and energy. Pollen gets stuck on their fuzzy bodies. When they fly from flower to flower the pollen falls or rubs off onto a new flower. This pollinates the flowers and allows them to reproduce (create new flowers.) The honeybee gets food and flowers are able to reproduce.
Tree & Human
When humans breathe in, we breathe in oxygen, which is necessary for us to live and for our bodies to keep working. When we breathe out, we breathe out carbon dioxide. Trees need carbon dioxide to live and absorb it from the air through their leaves. They release the oxygen which humans (and all animals) need, back into the air. Trees and humans give each other the necessary chemicals we need to live.
Aphid & Ant
Aphids suck sap from plants and excrete a sweet waste called honeydew. Ants eat this honeydew. The ants protect the aphids from predators. Some species of ants will gather and store aphid eggs over the winter. When they hatch in the spring, the ants carry the aphids back to the plants they eat. Ants get food and the aphids get protection.
Barracuda & Cleaning Fish
The barracuda, which usually eats smaller fish, will swim to a coral reef in the ocean and move into an unusual position with its head up. When it does this, smaller fish called "cleaning fish" know that it wants to be cleaned and will not eat them. The cleaning fish eat ectoparasites and dead skin from the skin, mouth, and gills of the barracuda. The barracuda gets clean and the cleaning fish gets a good meal.
Shrimp & Goby
The shrimp digs a burrow in the sand and lives in it together with the goby. The shrimp is almost blind. The goby stays near the entrance to the burrow and warns the shrimp if there is any danger. If the shrimp wants to come out of the burrow, it touches the goby's tail with its antennae. If there is no danger, the goby wiggles its tail and the shrimp comes out. The goby gets a home and the shrimp learns when danger is present.
Crocodile & Plover Bird
The crocodile gets lots of food stuck in its teeth. When it wants to have its teeth cleaned it lies with its mouth open. The plover bird will hop right into the crocodile's mouth and eat the bits of food that are stuck. The plover bird gets food and the crocodile gets clean teeth.
WORLD OF WONDER: SESSION 2:
LEADER RESOURCE 3: MURAL IMAGE — CLOWN FISH
Clown Fish image by Adrian Pingstone from Wikipedia.
FIND OUT MORE
These online articles tell more about mutualism, symbiosis, and partnerships in nature: "Mutualism Makes Species ... Flourish (at www.bihartimes.in/maneka/mutualism.html)," "Mutual Symbiotic Relationships in the Ocean: Examples of Mutualism Under the Sea (at www.suite101.com/content/mutual-symbiotic-relationships-in-the-marine-env-a119112#ixzz1CSMs6Scz)," and "Mutualism (at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutualism_%28biology%29)."
Learn more about plastic waste and keeping oceans clean. Visit the website A Recycling Revolution (at www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-facts.html). Learn how to "start a sea change" on the website of the Ocean Conservancy (at www.oceanconservancy.org/our-work/marine-debris/international-coastal-cleanup-11.html).
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion (at www.amazon.com/Tracking-Trash-Flotsam-Science-Scientists/dp/0547328605/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332270162&sr=8-1-fkmr0) is a picture book about garbage in the ocean by Unitarian Universalist Loree Griffin Burns (at www.loreeburns.com/).
Find out how you can help the honey bee crisis (at www.helpthehoneybees.com), or explore more about endangered species with the African Wildlife Foundation (at www.awf.org/) or the World Wildlife Fund (at www.worldwildlife.org/home-full.html).
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.