Week 1: Introduction to Compassion
background information
class outline
Teaching Our Children About and With Compassion
Foothills Congregational Church Summer 2013
Class Outline
BEFORE CLASS
9:30 Set-up your classroom for the day.
Preschool-2nd grade will meet in the downstairs classroom.
2nd-6th grade will meet in the upstairs classroom.
Youth in 7th-12th grade are encouraged to stay in church, but are also welcome to be
teaching assistants in the other classes. (7th-9th downstairs,10th-12th upstairs)
9:45 Meet in the upstairs classroom to confer with teachers and staff about any last minute
logistics or questions about the curriculum.
10:00 Enter church
10:15 Come forward for the Children’s Sermon and then exit church with the children.
Escort your class to your room. You may need to help kids sort out where they
are to go on this first Sunday of the summer program.
IN CLASS
Welcome
It is important to welcome each child by name. Since we are teaching about compassion, the intimacy this fosters is important. You probably will not know each child by name. You may choose one of several methods to learn their names:
You could have the children introduce themselves and answer a question
Example: My name is Michelle and my favorite animal is a cat.
You can challenge students to see if anyone already knows everyone’s name and then have that person name everyone.
You could simply introduce yourself and shake hands as you say the names of the kids who you know and ask the names of the people whose names you don’t know.
Click here for more fun ways to learn names.
Theme Song Play the video of the theme song The Lord is Merciful and Compassionate.
Encourage the kids to sing along and follow the hand motions.
Centering Activity
Part of compassion is being able to notice the activities and people around us, including ourselves. We will begin each class by playing The Noticing Game.
The Noticing Game
Ask children to sit comfortably in a position they can be still in for 5 minutes.
They can assume a common meditation pose if they would like, sitting cross legged on the floor or sitting straight-backed in a chair, with the hands on their lap. Any position will work as long as it’s comfortable.
Say: “Breathe in through your nose. Notice where you can feel the breath moving into your body. Can you feel it in your nose? In your throat? Can you feel your chest rise? Hold your breath for a brief moment and then exhale. Where can you feel your breath exiting your body?
Now take a second to notice your body. Pay attention to your head and your shoulders. If they feel tight, take a deep breath and imagine your breath travels to the tightness and makes you feel relaxed. Pay attention to your core, between your neck and your legs. If you notice any tension, take a deep breath and imagine your breath travels to the tension and you feel relaxed. Pay attention to your arms and legs, your hands and your feet. Try to make them smooth, warm, and relaxed. If they feel fidgety or tight, take a deep breath and imagine your breath travels to them, warming them and relaxing you all over.
Now notice what is around you. Is there a shape or a color that catches your attention? Can you find something else in the room that is the same shape or color? Notice who is here today. Is there someone you expected to see today who is not here? Is there someone here you are especially excited to see today?
Take a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh (demonstrate)
Do this one more time. Now turn your focus into the center of the class so we can all see each other. Everyone will now share something they noticed during this exercise.”
Go around the room and let each person share something they noticed. Make room for small
things and big things. “I noticed the red circle on the bulletin board” and “I noticed I felt like
crying.”
Take note of the names of anyone who was missed or kids the others were excited to see.
Give these names to the Children's Program Coordinator, Amelie, so she can follow-up.
Introduce the topic of the day
Each Sunday we’ll introduce an aspect of compassion. Give the kids an opportunity to tell
you what they already know about the aspect you are studying today, then you can share a
brief definition.
Give kids a choice of activities
Each Sunday there will be several activities for you to choose from. These activities are based on the theory of multiple intelligences. Click here for an explanation of this theory. The basic idea is that each child has a preferred way of learning. By choosing activities from different preferred methods, more children learn more comfortably. Please choose two activities to use the Sunday you teach.
Ending Ritual
The Children’s Program officially ends at 11:15. Sometimes parents come into the room as
soon as church is out, which is earlier than 11:15, especially in the summer. Begin your ending ritual at 11:10 or when parents begin to come into the room. You can invite the early arriving parents to join you.
We will end each class with a prayer for the world. Begin by asking the children to repeat
after you, line by line. You could say, "This is a repeat after me prayer."
We pray that all beings will be free.
We pray that all beings will be happy.
We pray that all beings will be safe.
We pray that all beings will awaken to the light of their true nature.
We pray that all beings will be free.
If there is time, go back over each sentence and ask children to name people/places/animals they would like to pray for.
“Who do we wish would be happy/safe/free?”
At the end say, “Amen,” and invite the children to help you clean-up the room.
Foothills Congregational Church Summer 2013
Class Outline
BEFORE CLASS
9:30 Set-up your classroom for the day.
Preschool-2nd grade will meet in the downstairs classroom.
2nd-6th grade will meet in the upstairs classroom.
Youth in 7th-12th grade are encouraged to stay in church, but are also welcome to be
teaching assistants in the other classes. (7th-9th downstairs,10th-12th upstairs)
9:45 Meet in the upstairs classroom to confer with teachers and staff about any last minute
logistics or questions about the curriculum.
10:00 Enter church
10:15 Come forward for the Children’s Sermon and then exit church with the children.
Escort your class to your room. You may need to help kids sort out where they
are to go on this first Sunday of the summer program.
IN CLASS
Welcome
It is important to welcome each child by name. Since we are teaching about compassion, the intimacy this fosters is important. You probably will not know each child by name. You may choose one of several methods to learn their names:
You could have the children introduce themselves and answer a question
Example: My name is Michelle and my favorite animal is a cat.
You can challenge students to see if anyone already knows everyone’s name and then have that person name everyone.
You could simply introduce yourself and shake hands as you say the names of the kids who you know and ask the names of the people whose names you don’t know.
Click here for more fun ways to learn names.
Theme Song Play the video of the theme song The Lord is Merciful and Compassionate.
Encourage the kids to sing along and follow the hand motions.
Centering Activity
Part of compassion is being able to notice the activities and people around us, including ourselves. We will begin each class by playing The Noticing Game.
The Noticing Game
Ask children to sit comfortably in a position they can be still in for 5 minutes.
They can assume a common meditation pose if they would like, sitting cross legged on the floor or sitting straight-backed in a chair, with the hands on their lap. Any position will work as long as it’s comfortable.
Say: “Breathe in through your nose. Notice where you can feel the breath moving into your body. Can you feel it in your nose? In your throat? Can you feel your chest rise? Hold your breath for a brief moment and then exhale. Where can you feel your breath exiting your body?
Now take a second to notice your body. Pay attention to your head and your shoulders. If they feel tight, take a deep breath and imagine your breath travels to the tightness and makes you feel relaxed. Pay attention to your core, between your neck and your legs. If you notice any tension, take a deep breath and imagine your breath travels to the tension and you feel relaxed. Pay attention to your arms and legs, your hands and your feet. Try to make them smooth, warm, and relaxed. If they feel fidgety or tight, take a deep breath and imagine your breath travels to them, warming them and relaxing you all over.
Now notice what is around you. Is there a shape or a color that catches your attention? Can you find something else in the room that is the same shape or color? Notice who is here today. Is there someone you expected to see today who is not here? Is there someone here you are especially excited to see today?
Take a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh (demonstrate)
Do this one more time. Now turn your focus into the center of the class so we can all see each other. Everyone will now share something they noticed during this exercise.”
Go around the room and let each person share something they noticed. Make room for small
things and big things. “I noticed the red circle on the bulletin board” and “I noticed I felt like
crying.”
Take note of the names of anyone who was missed or kids the others were excited to see.
Give these names to the Children's Program Coordinator, Amelie, so she can follow-up.
Introduce the topic of the day
Each Sunday we’ll introduce an aspect of compassion. Give the kids an opportunity to tell
you what they already know about the aspect you are studying today, then you can share a
brief definition.
Give kids a choice of activities
Each Sunday there will be several activities for you to choose from. These activities are based on the theory of multiple intelligences. Click here for an explanation of this theory. The basic idea is that each child has a preferred way of learning. By choosing activities from different preferred methods, more children learn more comfortably. Please choose two activities to use the Sunday you teach.
Ending Ritual
The Children’s Program officially ends at 11:15. Sometimes parents come into the room as
soon as church is out, which is earlier than 11:15, especially in the summer. Begin your ending ritual at 11:10 or when parents begin to come into the room. You can invite the early arriving parents to join you.
We will end each class with a prayer for the world. Begin by asking the children to repeat
after you, line by line. You could say, "This is a repeat after me prayer."
We pray that all beings will be free.
We pray that all beings will be happy.
We pray that all beings will be safe.
We pray that all beings will awaken to the light of their true nature.
We pray that all beings will be free.
If there is time, go back over each sentence and ask children to name people/places/animals they would like to pray for.
“Who do we wish would be happy/safe/free?”
At the end say, “Amen,” and invite the children to help you clean-up the room.
Example of a sighing breath for the opening activity
resources for wEEk 1, 2013
topic for Week 1: An intoduction to compassion
com·pas·sion(km-pshn) n.
Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.
It is important to note that compassion is an action word. It is not simply feeling something about an issue, but doing something about it.
Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.
It is important to note that compassion is an action word. It is not simply feeling something about an issue, but doing something about it.
theme song
activity choices
Kinesthetic Learners: mirroring
Supplies:
Music
A large open space
Break kids into pairs. Instruct them to stand about a foot apart and to make the same motions, like they are looking in a mirror.
Put on some quiet music. You can bring a CD of your choosing to play or the video below.
After a minute, or when the song is over ask:
Was this easy or difficult?
Who was the leader?
How did you know what motions your partner was going to do?
Switch partners and try it again. You might try a different tempo of music and see if the kids notice a difference.
Music
A large open space
Break kids into pairs. Instruct them to stand about a foot apart and to make the same motions, like they are looking in a mirror.
Put on some quiet music. You can bring a CD of your choosing to play or the video below.
After a minute, or when the song is over ask:
Was this easy or difficult?
Who was the leader?
How did you know what motions your partner was going to do?
Switch partners and try it again. You might try a different tempo of music and see if the kids notice a difference.
Mellow mirroring music
energetic mirroring music
linguistic learners: word picture & word search
Supplies:
Large pieces of white construction paper
Marking Pens
Pencils
Crayons
A Dictionary
Have kids write the word "Compassion" in the middle of their paper in large letters.
Ask them to write around it any words they think of when they think of compassion. Help them think of action words, as well as object words. Encourage kids to share their words.
If needed, have them look up compassion and related words in the dictionary.
Large pieces of white construction paper
Marking Pens
Pencils
Crayons
A Dictionary
Have kids write the word "Compassion" in the middle of their paper in large letters.
Ask them to write around it any words they think of when they think of compassion. Help them think of action words, as well as object words. Encourage kids to share their words.
If needed, have them look up compassion and related words in the dictionary.
Click here for an on-line Word Search Creater
You can either create a word search before class using compassion related words and then print it and bring it to class or you can allow the kids to go to this website and make one of their own to play with in class.
Musical/Ryhtmic Intelligence: learning the theme song & following a beat
LEARNING THE THEME SONG. This Sunday will be the first time kids hear the summer theme song and watch the video. Since they will be experiencing the same song and video each Sunday of the summer Musical/Rythmic learners would enjoy an opportunity tio listen to the song again and memorize the words and hand motions. Set the video to play, tell the kids they can repeat it as they like and let them learn the song.
FOLOWING A BEAT. Obtain the box of percussion instruments. Designate one person the "caller" and others the "responders." Have the caller tap out a rythm. The responders should follow along. The idea is to play the rhythm exactly as the caller does. After a few rythms, change callers. See below for an example of a simple percussion rythm.
FOLOWING A BEAT. Obtain the box of percussion instruments. Designate one person the "caller" and others the "responders." Have the caller tap out a rythm. The responders should follow along. The idea is to play the rhythm exactly as the caller does. After a few rythms, change callers. See below for an example of a simple percussion rythm.
interpersonal learners: compassionate portrait
Supplies:
white drawing paper
marking pens
pencils
crayons
Ask kids to draw a person, place, or animal that they care about. Have them draw around/in their picture things that represent freedom, safety, happiness to that particular person or place. Have kids show their pictures to the rest of the class, or to one other person, and explain who/where it is and the things that will make it free, safe, & happy. Make sure to include the subject of their drawings in the ending ritual.
Consider playing the song below as they draw.
white drawing paper
marking pens
pencils
crayons
Ask kids to draw a person, place, or animal that they care about. Have them draw around/in their picture things that represent freedom, safety, happiness to that particular person or place. Have kids show their pictures to the rest of the class, or to one other person, and explain who/where it is and the things that will make it free, safe, & happy. Make sure to include the subject of their drawings in the ending ritual.
Consider playing the song below as they draw.