RE Curriculum

Year 5

5: First quarter, October through December
Age range: 9 and up, centered on approximately age 10
Topic: Unitarian Universalist Identity
10 sessions in the topic area; one seasonal session, one session on Christmas, and one week off.

Sessions in topic area:

Choose ten of the thirteen stories in What If Nobody Forgave? and Other Stories of Principle -- Second edition. You can use the basic session plan, or you can use the activities and discussion questions included in this book. We especially recommend the following ten stories for this age group:

all people should be treated fairly

• "The Stone on the Mantel"

we accept one another and keep on learning together

• "A Candle for Us"

everyone must be free to search for what is true and right in life

• "Grandmother's Gift"
• "A Little Jar Labeled Freedom"

it is our responsibility to work for justice

• "Spite Fences"
• "What If Nobody Forgave"

all people should have a voice and vote

• "Susan Goes to Work," a story about Susan B. Anthony
• "A Good Idea"

we care for our earth and its plants and animals

• "Reverence for Life," the story of Albert Schweitzer, CLF member

each and every person is important

• "Give the Ball to Peetie"
• "If Christmas Happened Today"

Seasonal session:

Choose one holiday from CLF's Cycle of Seasons that has special meaning to your family, and celebrate it together as a family

OR

Celebrate the solstice using a celebration from Starhawk's Circle Round.

Christmas session:

Use "If Christmas Happened Today" in What If Nobody Forgave?

Celebrate Christmas together as a family.

One week off.

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5: Second quarter, January through March
Age range: 9 and up, centered on approximately age 10.
Topic: Our Jewish and Christian heritage
10 sessions in the topic area; one seasonal session, one session on Easter, and one week off.

Sessions in topic area:

Ten sessions on Christianity and other Western traditions, based on early Christian stories and folk tales from the European tradition from the book Old Tales for a New Day, using the basic session plan.

Three pre-Christian stories from ancient Greece:

• "Water over the World" (you might compare to the story of Noah and the flood)
• "How Prometheus Brought Fire to the World" (you might compare to Adam and Eve's rebellious act against God)
• "The King with the Golden Touch"

Three Early Christian stories:

• "The Rich Young Man" (you might compare to "The King with the Golden Touch")
• "The Hungry Multitude"
• "Jesus and the Evil Spirits"

Four stories from the Western tradition:

• "The Weeping of the Birch Tree" (note the mostly pre-Christian pagan influences)
• "Blood of the Poor" (you might compare to the story "The Rich Young Man")
• "The Boy Who Asked Questions" (is science influenced by the Christian tradition?)
• "The Pollution Dragon"

Seasonal session:

Choose one holiday from CLF's Cycle of Seasons that has special meaning to your family, and celebrate it together as a family

OR

Celebrate the equinox using a celebration from Starhawk's Circle Round.

Easter session:

Celebrate Easter together as a family.

One week off.

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5: Third quarter, April through June
Age range: 9 and up. Centered on approximately age 10.
Topic: Wisdom from the world's religions
10 sessions in the topic area; one seasonal session, and two weeks off.

Sessions in topic area:

Ten sessions on Eastern religions, based on stories from Old Tales for a New Day:

Four stories from the Hindu tradition:

• "The Fig Tree and the Seed"
• "Yudisthira's Faithful Dog"
• "Krishna, Champion of the Oppressed"
• "Brahman, the Universal Being"

Three stories from the Buddhist tradition:

• "Two Selfish Kings"
• "The Soldier Dreams"
• "The King's Question"

One story about Zoroastrianism:

• "Zoroaster and the Sun"

Two stories from ancient China:

• "Magic Pillow"
• "The Determined Daughter"

Seasonal session:

Choose one holiday from CLF's Cycle of Seasons that has special meaning to your family, and celebrate it together as a family

OR

Celebrate the solstice using a celebration from Starhawk's Circle Round.

Two weeks off.

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5: Fourth quarter, July through September
Age range: 9 and up, centered on approx. age 10
Topic: Social justice
9 sessions in the topic area; one seasonal session, two weeks off, and one annual session of evaluation (and assessment) in mid-September.

Sessions in the topic area:

Using The Kid's Guide to Social Action, plan and carry out social action projects of your choice. Meet weekly and use the basic session plan. For the activity, reflect on how your project went or is going, then choose a new project (if you're ready for a new one).

Seasonal session:

Choose one holiday from CLF's Cycle of Seasons that has special meaning to your family, and celebrate it together as a family

OR

Celebrate the equinox using a celebration from Starhawk's Circle Round.

Evaluation session:

Remembering -- Brainstorm list of memorable Sunday school sessions from the past year.

Evaluating: From the children's point of view, what were the best sessions?

Revisiting the covenant: Review Sunday school covenant you created. Does it need to be revised? When done, sign it again for this year.

See the Introduction for more on assessment and evaluation sessions.

Two weeks off.

RE Curriculum Home

Last updated June 12, 2005