Preschoolers to 8th Graders learn best through story; concrete activities; and various forms of play.  On Sunday mornings, children of these ages enjoy classes centered on learning stories of many faith traditions, hands-on activities to facilitate a sense of wonder, and the exploration and reinforcement of spiritual practices. As children mature, special attention is given to moral and ethical development as it pertains to relevant issues of justice in our city and the world beyond.

 

This year, we are deepening our understanding of being Unitarian Universalist:

 

PreK – K: Our youngest faith formation class is exploring the Montessori-inspired Spirit Play curriculum this year. Through storytelling baskets, worship play, and responsive art, Spirit Play participants wonder deeply and discover more about our All Souls community, our 7 Principles (or Rainbow Promises), our six sources, and much more.

 

1st – 5rd Grades: During our first semester, our elementary class will use the Toolbox of Faith curriculum to explore analogies between the tools we use in everyday life, and the qualities within ourselves that serve as tools in spiritual growth and development, democratic community-building, and moving our world toward greater justice and unity. In the second semester, we’ll transition to Love Will Guide Us, which deepens our connections to the six sources that sustain our Unitarian Universalism through story, self-expression, and active learning.

 

6th – 8th Grades: Our fall curriculum, Amazing Grace, explores ethical concepts of right and wrong and empowers our middle schoolers to act based on their personal ethical code. Our purpose is to equip them for moving safely and productively through the middle- and high school years, when they will be continually tugged toward both ends of the ethics continuum. In the spring semester, students will use The Fifth Dimension to dive into ethics in a different way: through the work of Unitarian Rod Serling, who created the groundbreaking Twilight Zone series. Each week, the class will use an episode of the Twilight Zone as a springboard to explore and discuss the many diverse social issues Serling tackled on the show.