Sunday August 4th: Fierce Compassion
background information: Fierce Compassion
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.
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.
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 August 4th: Fierce Compassion
topic for August 4th: Fierce 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.
fierce (fîrs) adj. fierc·er, fierc·est
1. Having a savage and violent nature; ferocious.
2. Extremely severe or violent; terrible: "the fierce thunders roar me their music" (Ezra Pound).
3. Extremely intense or ardent: fierce loyalty. See Synonyms at intense.
4. Strenuously active or resolute: a fierce attempt to escape.
Fierce compassion might be a difficult concept for children to understand. we are taught in our culture that anger, which fierce compassion can resemble, is something to be managed. Instead, we want to have the kids think about when anger is useful. For example, when someone is hurting us or someone else, the anger might provoke us to speak up, as Jesus does in the temple when he sees people are being cheated.
Put the concept of useful anger along with the concept of compassion as action and we have anger as an inspiration to act in a way that results in a compassionate outcome. This is fierce compassion.
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.
fierce (fîrs) adj. fierc·er, fierc·est
1. Having a savage and violent nature; ferocious.
2. Extremely severe or violent; terrible: "the fierce thunders roar me their music" (Ezra Pound).
3. Extremely intense or ardent: fierce loyalty. See Synonyms at intense.
4. Strenuously active or resolute: a fierce attempt to escape.
Fierce compassion might be a difficult concept for children to understand. we are taught in our culture that anger, which fierce compassion can resemble, is something to be managed. Instead, we want to have the kids think about when anger is useful. For example, when someone is hurting us or someone else, the anger might provoke us to speak up, as Jesus does in the temple when he sees people are being cheated.
Put the concept of useful anger along with the concept of compassion as action and we have anger as an inspiration to act in a way that results in a compassionate outcome. This is fierce compassion.
theme song
activity choices
Jesus Is Fiercely Compassionate in the Temple: Narrative and interpersonal learners
Supplies:
Video (below)
Ask: When is it ok to be angry?
Elicit: When someone is hurting you or someone else.
Ask: What should you do if you become angry?
Elicit: Express how you are feeling without hurting yourself or others.
Ask: Is anger a good emotion?
Elicit: There is no good or bad emotion. Anger can be a useful tool.
Ask: Do you think Jesus ever got angry?
Watch Video.
Ask:
Why was Jesus angry?
What did he want to be different?
What did he do when he was angry?
Do you think it was the right thing to do?
Did his behavior change anything?
With older kids:
Give them the following 4 steps to using anger and have them think of a time when they were angry and talk through the steps. You can do this as pairs, or in the whole group. Please note #4 will be particularly difficult as children have not yet developed the executive functioning to do this independently.
Video (below)
Ask: When is it ok to be angry?
Elicit: When someone is hurting you or someone else.
Ask: What should you do if you become angry?
Elicit: Express how you are feeling without hurting yourself or others.
Ask: Is anger a good emotion?
Elicit: There is no good or bad emotion. Anger can be a useful tool.
Ask: Do you think Jesus ever got angry?
Watch Video.
Ask:
Why was Jesus angry?
What did he want to be different?
What did he do when he was angry?
Do you think it was the right thing to do?
Did his behavior change anything?
With older kids:
Give them the following 4 steps to using anger and have them think of a time when they were angry and talk through the steps. You can do this as pairs, or in the whole group. Please note #4 will be particularly difficult as children have not yet developed the executive functioning to do this independently.
- Recognize the presence of the emotion of anger.
- Identify the problem that you are angry about.
- Identify the corresponding situation that you want and that would constitute
a correction of the problem. - Generate and act on a prioritized list of possible actions to enhance the
likelihood of making progress towards the desired state.
Stop the video at 2:23
Righteous Anger Game: Interpersonal Learners
Supplies:
One small,wrapped prize per person
Dice
Out of Control
Out of Control is a game for a group of four to 15 people, according to
Gamesforgroups.com. The game's purpose is to make the players live by rules they
have no control over and use the feelings they experience during the
game as a basis for discussion afterward. The game is intended for kids who tend
to get angry when things don't go as planned or as they want.
To play the game, wrap up several small, age-appropriate prizes in wrapping
paper. Get at least as many prizes as there are kids, and maybe a few extras.
You will also need a pair of dice.
The game will be played in two parts, but explain only the first part. Gather
the children in a circle and let them take turns rolling dice. When a child rolls a double,
he selects a prize (still wrapped) from the table and places it in front of him. If he does
not roll a double, his turn is over. Play until all prizes are claimed.
Now set a timer for 5 minutes and tell the players that in this round rolling a
double will let them take a prize from another person. End the game when the
timer goes off. Some kids will have more than one prize and others may have
none.
At the conclusion of the game, discuss with the children how it felt when
luck didn't go their way and whether they felt out of control. Ask them whether
it made them angry when they lost prizes or failed to roll a double. Find out if
anyone felt angry about the game and what they did to control the
anger.
Ask: How might anger be useful?
Elicit: It can help us identify when things are unjust.
Ask: What should we do when we get angry because things are unfair (unjust)?
Elicit: Figure out what we can do to help change things.
Ask: How could we change this game to make it more fair?
Work with the kids to devise a more fair way of playing a game with dice in which people get prizes.
Read more: Anger
Management Games for Kids | eHow http://www.ehow.com/way_5438526_anger-management-games-kids.html#ixzz2UcjPWXsj
One small,wrapped prize per person
Dice
Out of Control
Out of Control is a game for a group of four to 15 people, according to
Gamesforgroups.com. The game's purpose is to make the players live by rules they
have no control over and use the feelings they experience during the
game as a basis for discussion afterward. The game is intended for kids who tend
to get angry when things don't go as planned or as they want.
To play the game, wrap up several small, age-appropriate prizes in wrapping
paper. Get at least as many prizes as there are kids, and maybe a few extras.
You will also need a pair of dice.
The game will be played in two parts, but explain only the first part. Gather
the children in a circle and let them take turns rolling dice. When a child rolls a double,
he selects a prize (still wrapped) from the table and places it in front of him. If he does
not roll a double, his turn is over. Play until all prizes are claimed.
Now set a timer for 5 minutes and tell the players that in this round rolling a
double will let them take a prize from another person. End the game when the
timer goes off. Some kids will have more than one prize and others may have
none.
At the conclusion of the game, discuss with the children how it felt when
luck didn't go their way and whether they felt out of control. Ask them whether
it made them angry when they lost prizes or failed to roll a double. Find out if
anyone felt angry about the game and what they did to control the
anger.
Ask: How might anger be useful?
Elicit: It can help us identify when things are unjust.
Ask: What should we do when we get angry because things are unfair (unjust)?
Elicit: Figure out what we can do to help change things.
Ask: How could we change this game to make it more fair?
Work with the kids to devise a more fair way of playing a game with dice in which people get prizes.
Read more: Anger
Management Games for Kids | eHow http://www.ehow.com/way_5438526_anger-management-games-kids.html#ixzz2UcjPWXsj
I Feel This About That: Interpersonal and Visual Learners
Supplies:
Flash Cards with emoticons on them
Flash Cards with pictures of different experiences/situations on them
Have kids sit in a circle or around a table.
Show one of the emoticon flash cards and ask, "What emotion does this card show?"
Ask, "What makes you feel this emotion?"
Get kids to use the phrase, "I feel _______ when _______."
Example "I feel happy when I see a balloon."
"I feel sad when my ice cream falls on the ground."
The point is to get them to connect the action with the emotion.
After a few examples try adding
"I feel __________ when _________ because _________." "I feel sad when my ice cream falls because I'm afraid I won't get another one."
You can prompt with, "Why does that make you feel ______?"
or
"I feel __________ when _________ because and so I ___________" "I feel sad when my ask cream falls and so I ask for another one."
You can prompt with, "What do you do when you feel sad?"
Print, cut out, and paste the emoticons below onto 3x5 cards to make flash cards.
Flash Cards with emoticons on them
Flash Cards with pictures of different experiences/situations on them
Have kids sit in a circle or around a table.
Show one of the emoticon flash cards and ask, "What emotion does this card show?"
Ask, "What makes you feel this emotion?"
Get kids to use the phrase, "I feel _______ when _______."
Example "I feel happy when I see a balloon."
"I feel sad when my ice cream falls on the ground."
The point is to get them to connect the action with the emotion.
After a few examples try adding
"I feel __________ when _________ because _________." "I feel sad when my ice cream falls because I'm afraid I won't get another one."
You can prompt with, "Why does that make you feel ______?"
or
"I feel __________ when _________ because and so I ___________" "I feel sad when my ask cream falls and so I ask for another one."
You can prompt with, "What do you do when you feel sad?"
Print, cut out, and paste the emoticons below onto 3x5 cards to make flash cards.
Here are some pictures for the situation flash cards. Print them, cut them out and the
A Fierce Emotion Book: Visual, Interpersonal, and Mathematical Learners
Supplies:
White Paper
Markers
Crayons
Magazines
Scissors
Glue
Stapler
The point of this project is for each kid to make a book of images or words that describe when they feel fiercely compassionate. Younger kids will need to focus more on identifying things that make them feel fierce. Older kids should be able to focus on fierce compassion, which is the ability to take action to alleviate the situation that makes one feel fierce.
Look through the magazines and talk about things that look fierce. Ask questions of the kids like "what do you think this person is feeling?" "Why do you think they are feeling that way?" "Do you ever feel that way?" Encourage them to draw in their book about times when they felt that way.
Whenever a fierce emotion is identified, cut out the picture for someone to put in their book.
Look below for pictures of people showing fiercely compassionate emotions.
People in photos
Russell Means, anonymous, anonymous
Julia Butterfly Hill, Martin Luther King, Jr., anonymous
Delores Huerta, Sally Fields as Norma Rae, anonymous
White Paper
Markers
Crayons
Magazines
Scissors
Glue
Stapler
The point of this project is for each kid to make a book of images or words that describe when they feel fiercely compassionate. Younger kids will need to focus more on identifying things that make them feel fierce. Older kids should be able to focus on fierce compassion, which is the ability to take action to alleviate the situation that makes one feel fierce.
Look through the magazines and talk about things that look fierce. Ask questions of the kids like "what do you think this person is feeling?" "Why do you think they are feeling that way?" "Do you ever feel that way?" Encourage them to draw in their book about times when they felt that way.
Whenever a fierce emotion is identified, cut out the picture for someone to put in their book.
Look below for pictures of people showing fiercely compassionate emotions.
People in photos
Russell Means, anonymous, anonymous
Julia Butterfly Hill, Martin Luther King, Jr., anonymous
Delores Huerta, Sally Fields as Norma Rae, anonymous
Consider playing this song while doing on of the activities.