Lower Elementary (Grades Pre-K, K, 1, 2)
We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This session introduces the second Principle, that all people should be treated fairly, and that through this teaching we learn what it means to forgive. Kindergarten and first grade children will have experienced some form of forgiveness, either in the forgiving or being forgiven when they have said or heard, “I’m sorry.”
Upper Elementary (Grades 3, 4, 5)
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. — Hebrew scripture, Leviticus 19:18
Commonly known as the Golden Rule, the ethic of reciprocity appears in some form in every major religion—Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam—as well as in many other traditions. We can consider the ethic of reciprocity a universal value on which people of diverse faiths can agree. This session explores how it guides us to cooperate, for the good of all.
Middles (Grades 6, 7, 8)
If you look closely at a tree you’ll notice its knots and dead branches, just like our bodies. What we learn is that beauty and imperfection go together wonderfully. — Matthew Fox, theologian
Humans are imperfect. We are each uniquely made and live our lives uniquely. Yet we often compare ourselves to others, finding a standard of perfection against which we undoubtedly fail. Lacking a skill or feature we wish we had, we may feel incompetent or inadequate. We forget to value our capacity to learn, grow, and contribute to our communities in our own unique ways.