Sunday July 21st: Mischievous Compassion
background information
In addition to the link above to Background Information for this week's topic, there is a lot of useful background information about Compassion in general on the Home Page
Click here to navigate to that page.
Click here to navigate to that page.
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.
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. (Below)
Encourage the kids to sing along and follow the hand motions. Since we are using the same song each week, some are likely to know it by now.
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.
You may need to shorten the meditation for the younger class by leaving out a couple sentences per paragraph.
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.” There is no need to comment on the noticings, simply listen to them.
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.
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. (Below)
Encourage the kids to sing along and follow the hand motions. Since we are using the same song each week, some are likely to know it by now.
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.
You may need to shorten the meditation for the younger class by leaving out a couple sentences per paragraph.
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.” There is no need to comment on the noticings, simply listen to them.
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 July 21st: Mischievous Compassion
topic for July 21st: Mischievous 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.
mis·chie·vous(msch-vs) adj.
1. Causing mischief.
2. Playful in a naughty or teasing way.
Mischievous Campassion is a way of showing compassion that is playful and light. It has a lot in common with Jesus using parables to teach, or the folklore character of the trickster. The object of mischievous compassion is to affect someone's life in a compassionate way without being directive or didactic. Mischievcius compassion quite often uses humor and either subtlety or over exageration.
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.
mis·chie·vous(msch-vs) adj.
1. Causing mischief.
2. Playful in a naughty or teasing way.
Mischievous Campassion is a way of showing compassion that is playful and light. It has a lot in common with Jesus using parables to teach, or the folklore character of the trickster. The object of mischievous compassion is to affect someone's life in a compassionate way without being directive or didactic. Mischievcius compassion quite often uses humor and either subtlety or over exageration.
theme song
activity choices
Love Notes: Interpersonal and Artistic Learners.
Supplies:
Paper
Markers
Pens
Scissors
This project entails making small love notes for someone and then hiding them in a place where they will happen upon them. Notes should say things like "I love you no matter what." "You are my favorite." "God sees you and loves you just as you are." You can have the kids hide notes around the church, such as in hymnals in the sanctuary (gather a few hymnals before church), or take them home and hide them for their family.
Paper
Markers
Pens
Scissors
This project entails making small love notes for someone and then hiding them in a place where they will happen upon them. Notes should say things like "I love you no matter what." "You are my favorite." "God sees you and loves you just as you are." You can have the kids hide notes around the church, such as in hymnals in the sanctuary (gather a few hymnals before church), or take them home and hide them for their family.
Rainbow Prayer Flags: Artistic, Mathmatic, and Interpersonal Learners
Supplies:
Light fabric in a rainbow of colors (red, orange, yellow, green, turqoius, blue, violet)
Sharp Fabric Scissors
Ruler
Fabric markers or sharpies
An explanation of the meaning of the Pride Flag colors (click here)
This project is to create prayer flags in the colors of the Pride Flag. The Pride Flag is an example of mischievous compassion because it took two commonly used symbols,a flag and a rainbow, and co-opted them in a playful way to show compassion for and solidarity with a group of people who were discriminated against. Displaying prayers for people on the colors of the flag is a component of the 2013 International Compassion Games. While the effort is meant to peak in June, LGBT Pride Month, we can still make and display our prayer flags to show our participation in the mischeivous use of rainbows and flags in support of our lgbt friends.
Directions:
Cut the fabric into equal sized squares or rectangles. (This is a good job for our mathmateical learners.)
Talk about the meaning of the colors of the flags.
Think about what wishes we have for people. You can use the closing prayer as a guide.
Or you can use the stories of when Jesus welcomed people. (Think Good Samaratin, Let the children come to me, Syrophoenician woman...)
Talk about the way the LGBT Pride Flag is used as a subtle (sometimes not so subtle) symbol of welcome. You can parallel it to the Icthys fish which was used in a similar when in Christianity. "According to tradition, ancient Christians, during their persecution by the
Roman Empire in the first few centuries after Christ, used the fish symbol to
mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes." Click Here for the full story
Have each child draw or write something on the flag that represents their wishes
Light fabric in a rainbow of colors (red, orange, yellow, green, turqoius, blue, violet)
Sharp Fabric Scissors
Ruler
Fabric markers or sharpies
An explanation of the meaning of the Pride Flag colors (click here)
This project is to create prayer flags in the colors of the Pride Flag. The Pride Flag is an example of mischievous compassion because it took two commonly used symbols,a flag and a rainbow, and co-opted them in a playful way to show compassion for and solidarity with a group of people who were discriminated against. Displaying prayers for people on the colors of the flag is a component of the 2013 International Compassion Games. While the effort is meant to peak in June, LGBT Pride Month, we can still make and display our prayer flags to show our participation in the mischeivous use of rainbows and flags in support of our lgbt friends.
Directions:
Cut the fabric into equal sized squares or rectangles. (This is a good job for our mathmateical learners.)
Talk about the meaning of the colors of the flags.
Think about what wishes we have for people. You can use the closing prayer as a guide.
Or you can use the stories of when Jesus welcomed people. (Think Good Samaratin, Let the children come to me, Syrophoenician woman...)
Talk about the way the LGBT Pride Flag is used as a subtle (sometimes not so subtle) symbol of welcome. You can parallel it to the Icthys fish which was used in a similar when in Christianity. "According to tradition, ancient Christians, during their persecution by the
Roman Empire in the first few centuries after Christ, used the fish symbol to
mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes." Click Here for the full story
Have each child draw or write something on the flag that represents their wishes
YEs...And: Extroverted and Verbal Linguistic Learners
The point of this exersize is to practice the art of agreeing with someone in a mishievous way, developing a skill that is integral to mischievous compassion. Sometimes we want to disagree with someone, but doing so will only put them on the defensive. If we can agree with them, and make our point, we can use this type of compassion more effectively.
Here is an Improv Skit that helps kids practice this skill.
Jim Carrey’s comedy Yes Man follows a vital rule of improvisational theater: Never
deny your fellow actor. Instead, you should be willing and able to accept the
ideas the character conveys. Then, you should add to the scene. This improv
principle is known as “Yes And.” Here’s how it works:
At the beginning of the scene, Character #1 will begin by establishing setting and plot.
Character #1: What a hot and miserable day to be a ranch hand!
Following the “Yes And” method, Character #2 will accept the premise and add onto the situation.
Character #2: Yep and the boss said we don’t get no water until this fence is mended.
Character #1: Yes and ain’t he the meanest cuss we’ve ever worked for?
Character #2: Yep and it’s made me think about leaving behind this cowboy
life and headin’ off for San Francisco.
Read More...
Here is an Improv Skit that helps kids practice this skill.
Jim Carrey’s comedy Yes Man follows a vital rule of improvisational theater: Never
deny your fellow actor. Instead, you should be willing and able to accept the
ideas the character conveys. Then, you should add to the scene. This improv
principle is known as “Yes And.” Here’s how it works:
At the beginning of the scene, Character #1 will begin by establishing setting and plot.
Character #1: What a hot and miserable day to be a ranch hand!
Following the “Yes And” method, Character #2 will accept the premise and add onto the situation.
Character #2: Yep and the boss said we don’t get no water until this fence is mended.
Character #1: Yes and ain’t he the meanest cuss we’ve ever worked for?
Character #2: Yep and it’s made me think about leaving behind this cowboy
life and headin’ off for San Francisco.
Read More...
Cartooning Compassion: Verbal Linguistic and Artistic Learners
Supplies:
Markers
White Paper or Newsprint
Political Cartoon Examples
Articles or websites about current events that may invoke the children's compassion
The point of this exersize is to make a political-cartoon style cartoon about a topic that invokes the children's compassion. Political cartoons are an example of mischievous compassion.
Frist, look at some political cartoons, such as the ones below.
Ask:
What do you see in the cartoon?
What other person/thing/idea might each thing represent?
What do you think the creator of this cartoon is trying to say?
What do you think the creator of this cartoon wants to happen?
Are you inspired to do anything after seeing this cartoon?
Next, ask the kids what people/place/events inspire their compassion. Be ready to suggest some thing you have seen in recent news, or try one of the links below. Also, you can search on-line for resources for other topics that interest them.
Ask:
What do you think is important to say about this topic?
What would make this situation better?
What would you like people to do about it?
What symbols, sayings, or common stories can you use to represent this situation?
Finally, have kids make a cartoon based on their topic. You might encourage them to work in pairs as those who are good at coming up with words might work best with those who are good at drawing. Make sure to share your creations with the Associate Minister.
Markers
White Paper or Newsprint
Political Cartoon Examples
Articles or websites about current events that may invoke the children's compassion
The point of this exersize is to make a political-cartoon style cartoon about a topic that invokes the children's compassion. Political cartoons are an example of mischievous compassion.
Frist, look at some political cartoons, such as the ones below.
Ask:
What do you see in the cartoon?
What other person/thing/idea might each thing represent?
What do you think the creator of this cartoon is trying to say?
What do you think the creator of this cartoon wants to happen?
Are you inspired to do anything after seeing this cartoon?
Next, ask the kids what people/place/events inspire their compassion. Be ready to suggest some thing you have seen in recent news, or try one of the links below. Also, you can search on-line for resources for other topics that interest them.
Ask:
What do you think is important to say about this topic?
What would make this situation better?
What would you like people to do about it?
What symbols, sayings, or common stories can you use to represent this situation?
Finally, have kids make a cartoon based on their topic. You might encourage them to work in pairs as those who are good at coming up with words might work best with those who are good at drawing. Make sure to share your creations with the Associate Minister.
Topic Ideas for Cartoons (links)
Consider playing this song while doing one of the activities.