Lisa Elliott
(508) 992-7081
DREFairhaven@aol.com

Unitarian Universalist
Society of Fairhaven

About our Curriculum

Infants through Kindergarten

Nursery Care for infants and toddlers – Our primary goal with our youngest children is to nurture their sense of trust and comfort in the people and places beyond their family and home. The church school community can provide that first step into the larger world. Your child will find loving care, first friendships, and a choice of toys appropriate to their varying ages, interests, learning abilities and emotional needs.

Pre-School (for children entering kindergarten in 2011 and 2012) – Celebrating Me and My World provides 2 and 3-year-olds with experiences and opportunities to grow in their sense of trust and caring and to develop their self-identity and their sense of connectedness with all of life. Their morning will include stories, activities, snack and free-play.

Pre-K and Kindergarten (for children entering kindergarten in 2009 and 2010) – We Are Many, We Are One is a curriculum based on the philosophy that young children learn about religion through relationships. What is a person? Who am I? How am I related to other people? What are my responsibilities? What kind of world do I live in? Each morning will include short opening worship, circle time, theme activity, story, snack and closing ritual.

Elementary and Intermediate Grades

Our year is divided into three seasons, each with a different theme: early fall – Unitarian Universalism; late fall – holidays; winter – World Religions; and spring – social or earth justice. (On alternate years, the winter term focuses on our Judeo-Christian heritage and Bible literacy.)

Early Fall - Unitarian Universalism

Grades 1 and 2 – Around the Church, Around the Year helps 6- and 7-year-olds learn about our Unitarian Universalist faith and feel part of their church community. After touring the buildings and meeting the employees and lay leaders, they will learn about the important activities that happen in their church. They will learn about the values and holidays the church celebrates throughout the seasons. They will learn about the flaming chalice, making one to take home and a mosaic banner to hang in their room. Interactive games and art projects will help them understand the first two principles of UUism.

Grades 3 and 4 – Spirit of Adventure is a new UU identity curriculum that uses unique and engaging activities—dissecting a computer, building cantilever architecture with graham crackers, interviewing a sports coach, using science to prepare food—to learn about our faith. Sports, medicine, food, science, building and exploring are the themes for learning about our history, famous UUs who have made notable contributions to our lives, and ways to incorporate our principles into our daily lives.

Grades 5 and 6 – Traditions With a Wink will introduce intermediate children to ways that UUs celebrate rites of passage—child blessings, coming of age, marriage, and death—and how these express our spiritual beliefs. They will also tour the church and meet congregational leaders. They will learn the history of our UU flaming chalice symbol and then make individual chalices, learning how the flame can express our deepest feelings of hope and gratitude.

Late Fall – Celebrating the Holidays
November 29 to December 13

Grades 1–6 will recognize the holidays with service projects and preparations for Intergenerational Christmas Worship service on December 20. There will be no church school for grades 1 -12 on December 27.

Winter – Religions of the World
January 3 to March 28

With age-appropriate content and activities, grades 1-2, 3–4 and 5–6 will learn about how people of different religions around the world celebrate holidays; recognize life passages; understand what is holy or transcendent; and how their faiths teach them about themselves and their interaction with other people and the earth.

Early Spring – a social-eco justice curriculum
April 11 to May 23

Grades 1–6 will learn how to make the world a better place and will participate in a justice activity that helps them act on their faith.

Late Spring and Summer – childcare and activities for young children

May 30 to June 27
August 1 – September 5

Although our formal curriculum ends on the Sunday before Memorial Day weekend, childcare for babies, toddlers and preschoolers continues to be available in the nurseries. Arts and outdoor activities are offered to primary children and older children are invited to attend church with their parents.

Youth Programs

Grades 7 and 8 – Our Whole Lives (full year curriculum) provides accurate, age-appropriate information, trained leaders and a safe environment for adolescents to understand and respond to the challenges facing them as they develop into mature human beings. Topics to be discussed will include sexual development, reproductive health, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy, body image and gender roles. Based firmly on the values of respect, responsibility, justice and inclusivity, this nenown curriculum will help 12–14-year-olds apply these values to their behavior and provide them with information and skills they can use throughout life. A comprehensive parent orientation, led by our trained teachers, will be offered in mid-October and will be required of all parents of youth enrolled in this class.

Grades 9 and 10 – The Coming of Age program is a full-year of activities, projects, reading, and discussion for youth who are interested in learning more about Unitarian Universalism and exploring and articulating their own religious beliefs. Each youth selects an adult mentor who will help in the completion of the monthly projects, most of which will be done as a group on Sunday morning. A Rite of Passage celebration will take place at the end of the year. Youth who complete the program may choose to become junior members of our church.

Grades 11 and 12 – Older teens may attend adult worship, sing in the choir, help teach church school or participate in Sunday morning youth group. Youth Group will include small group ministry for youth (worship and discussion on topics of personal spiritual growth), service projects, learning more about the UU faith.

Adult Programs

Consistent with our commitment to life-span faith development, programs will be offered throughout the year and announced in our church newsletter. These may include speakers and discussions, small group ministry, affinity groups, meditation circles, book discussions and curriculum series.

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