Introducing the 7 Principles, lesson one

Introducing the 7 Principles

Lesson#1/Principle #1

(Printable – PDF Here)

Parents/Guardians:

This is the first of an RE@Home curriculum designed to help you guide your child, or your family as a whole, through some basic, but important religious education content.  This particular curriculum,Introducing the 7 Principles, focuses on helping children to gain a deeper understanding of our UU Principles, in concept and practice.

Each lesson offers a variety of suggested talking points, poems, stories, songs, activities and the like that you can draw from either systematically as a home lesson, or more casual through small moments with your child and family.  Each lesson also contains some suggestions for further exploration.

There is plenty of evidence that children learn best when the lessons they are given at school are discussed and reinforced in the home environment. We also happen to think that the entire family is better served by our mission as religious educators when children and adults explore and learn together.

Obviously, this final component is in your hands and you can choose to dive in deeply or wade more quietly in the waters stirred up by your child’s First Parish RE classes. If you ever find yourself needing or wanting more resources to aid in your family’s at home religious exploration, please contact me at dre@uuneedham.org .

Mark LaPointe

Director of Religious Education, First Parish in Needham, Unitarian Universalist

Lesson:  In week one, I suggest introducing the 7 Principles to your child, not just as a set of guiding ethics, but as a set of shared beliefs and practices.  We can emphasize our desire to put the principles to work by living them as spiritual and personal actions.

• The Principles as Pillars model – this model describes the 1^st and 7^th Principles as foundational and the other 5 Principles of Practices.  Although this particular lesson delves deeply into the 1^st Principle, it is helpful to see them all as a part of a whole system. With younger children, you may wish to use wooden blocks to build an arch to illustrate the concept. Remove one block, and all the principles fall down.

• Chalice lighting words that connect to the First Principle: “We light our flaming chalice today for all persons in the world – whoever they are, and wherever they live – whether they are rich or poor, old or young, black or white or brown – for each person is special and wonderful; each person has inherent worth!” (Ann Fields)

• The story of King John Sigismund of Transylvania – “The Unitarian Universalist King” who was the first and only Unitarian king in history.  You can read his story to your child and then discuss why his beliefs were not the norm.  The handout provided also has some key terms to explore and discuss.

• The story of Joseph and Coat of Many Colors.  You can use a children’s Bible to read this story, or borrow a book from the First Parish library.  It’s a useful way to discuss the 1^st Principle in practice.

• Song (to the tune of “Ten Little Indians”) – “I’m Unique and Unrepeatable” by Jan Evans-Tiller

1^st verse:                                             2^nd verse:                                                3^rd verse:

I’m unique & unrepeatable,        You’re unique & unrepeatable,                 We’re unique & unrepeatable,

I’m unique & unrepeatable,        You’re unique & unrepeatable,                  We’re unique & unrepeatable,

I’m unique & unrepeatable,        You’re unique & unrepeatable,                  We’re unique & unrepeatable,

I’m glad to be me!                           You’re glad to be you!                                   We’re glad to be us!

• Family Exploration: I encourage you to continue exploring the idea of Unitarian Universalism more broadly with your child(ren).  As a family, you should discuss what it means to you to belong to this faith and this church.  You may wish to share with your child(ren) any difficulties you had in finding your faith and/or in defining your faith. How might the 7 Principles serve as a guide? What does it mean to have beliefs, but no creed?

• Family Activity – “Who is my neighbor?”  This family activity asks you all to take a closer look at the people in your neighborhood and in your community. It encourages you to contemplate why some are more “familiar” to us than others, and to actually reach out and connect with a neighbor that you might not know as well. It teaches that the First Principle can be applied to ALL people and that we gain as individuals when we accept others and connect with them.

• Suggested Readings: A great way to engage with the First Principle is to read stories of people connecting with others, finding themselves to be unique and worthwhile people, and understanding that diversity and difference are as valuable as similarity.  There are many age-appropriate stories that touch upon these ideas. I’ve included a few suggestions, but you should seek out stories that most clearly speak to you and your family

For Younger Readers/Beginning Readers

• Otis the Tractor by Loren Long
• Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Suess
• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

Middle Readers (may take longer to read, but cross several principles)

• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and Carson Ellis

Advanced Readers (again, more in-depth, but worth the exploration)

• Kids Like Me: Voices of the Immigrant Experience by Judith Blohm & Terry Lapinsky
• Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
• Then Again, Maybe I Won’t by Judy Blume