Middle+School+08-09

= = **Middle School Lesson Schedule: 2008-2009 Curriculum: Traditions with a Wink**

|| **Service Schedule** || **CHCCS Schedule** || **Lessons** || ** Goals ** ||
 * **Sundays**
 * 9/7 || Homecoming || School begins 8/25 ||  ||   ||
 * 9/14 ||  ||   || Lesson 1: Opening Sunday || Orient class members to the year, start learning names and faces. ||
 * 9/21 || IG Service ||  || IG Service ||   ||
 * 9/28 ||  ||   || Lesson 2: Hymn #38, //Morning Has Broken// || Learn about the hymn, #38 //Morning Has Broken//. ||
 * 10/5 ||  ||   || Lesson 6: Mistakes and Forgiveness. Rosh HaShana. || Learn the value of forgiveness and honesty. ||
 * 10/12 ||  ||   || Lesson 3: You! || Begin to learn about other class members. Understand that UUism tries to value each person. Start to understand how differently people see the world. ||
 * 10/19 ||  ||   || Lesson 4: Cyberspace Church Visit/Tour || Continue getting to know each other. Become familiar with the church building. Introduce the idea of sacred space. ||
 * 10/26 ||  ||   || Lesson 13: Isaiah, UN Sunday || Recognize the importance of Biblical references in our culture, specifically, the importance of the "Swords into Plowshares" quote that is in the plaza in front of the UN building. Hear the story of Isaiah. ||
 * 11/2 || Day of the Dead || Teacher workday 11/3-4 || Lesson 7: Memorial Services || To understand the importance of being together at memorial services. To understand that UU's believe it is good to live life to its fullest and that death is a natural part of existence. ||
 * 11/9 ||  ||   || Lesson 5: Visit Another UU Church or the Adult Service || Experience a different worship setting. ||
 * 11/16 ||  ||   || Lesson 8: Heresy Sunday ||   ||
 * 11/23 || Thanksgiving Feast ||  || Lesson 11: Introduction to the Bible || Understand that the Bible is a collection of stories, written long ago. UU's believe the Bible is to be read critically for its wisdom and teachings that can inspire us through the ages. Understand that "truth" can mean a story that is true for us in meaning but not necessarily historical fact. ||
 * 11/30 ||  || Thanksgiving 11/26-28 || Lesson 9: Hymn #118, //This Little Light of Mine// || Learn the hymn #118, //This Little Light of Mine.// ||
 * 12/7 ||  ||   || Lesson 15: Putting Love and Joy in the Season || To help emphasize the importance of giving the intangibles of peace, hope, and joy. ||
 * 12/14 || Pageant ||  || Pageant ||   ||
 * 12/21 ||  || Winter Break 12/22-1/2 || Lesson 16: Birth Legends || To place the story of the Birth of Jesus in the context of other legends surrounding religious figures. To understand the story as a conglomeration of several references in the Bible. ||
 * 12/28 ||  || Winter Break 12/22-1/2 || Lesson 17: Hanukkah: A Story from Billings, Montana || Learn about ways that Christmas and Hanukkah can be celebrated. Learn about the power of community action and support. ||
 * 1/4 ||  ||   || Lesson 18: Winter Solstice || Investigate the connections to earth-centered spirituality and scientific meaning of this winter holiday. ||
 * 1/11 || MLK Celebration ||  || Lesson 19: James Reeb || Reflect on a modern UU who died for what he believed. ||
 * 1/18 ||  || MLK Holiday 1/19-20 || Lesson 20: Hymn #169, //We Shall Overcome// || Understand the history of this protest song. ||
 * 1/25 ||  ||   || Lesson 21: Congregational Survey Predictions || To start to think about the diversity of beliefs in our faith. ||
 * 2/1 ||  ||   || Lesson 22: Congregational Survey Distribution || Discover the variety of beliefs in the congregation. ||
 * 2/8 || Special Pal ||  || Lesson 23: Meet a U. and a U. (G. DeBenneville / C. Barton) || Hear the story about two Universalists. Reflect on how difficult it was (or is) not to be allowed to choose your beliefs. ||
 * 2/15 ||  ||   || Lesson 24: Love and Equality || Discover and honor those Unitarian Universalist women who worked for equal rights. ||
 * 2/22 ||  ||   || Lesson 25: Abstract Sculpture || Consider our Purposes and Principles. Consider how we are the same as other faiths, and how we are different. ||
 * 3/1 ||  || Teacher Workday 2/27 || Lesson 26: UU Rosaries || Learn a simple way to remember the Principles. Learn about a rosary as a mnemonic device. ||
 * 3/8 ||  ||   || Lesson 27: Hymn #211 //Jacob's Ladder// and #212 //Sarah's Circle// || Consider how we honor both male and female ways of being in the world. ||
 * 3/15 ||  ||   || Lesson 28: Genesis and Evolution || To understand our faith as one which encourages the use of reason and that is comfortable with changing if our understandings change. To place the Genesis story in its poetic legendary context. ||
 * 3/22 ||  ||   || Lesson 29: The Black Box || Consider that our faith honors science and reason. Consider what it is like to live with mystery. ||
 * 3/29 ||  ||   || Lesson 31: Creating Worship || Begin learning tools for creating their service for the Coming of Age Celebration. Give class members a sense that they can create worship for each other and for others. ||
 * 4/5 ||  || Spring Break 4/6-10 || Lesson 32: Hymn #388 //Dona Nobis Pacem// || Become familiar with this traditional Latin canon. Begin to understand that songs are one part of the service that they will be helping to create for the Coming of Age Ceremony. ||
 * 4/12 || Easter || Teacher Workday 4/13 || Lesson 36: Spring Equinox || Learn more about the universal symbols of springtime, particularly the egg as used in earth-centered religions. ||
 * 4/19 || Earth Day ||  || Lesson 35: Jesus and Mary Magdalene (Easter) || Hear the story of the Resurrection from the Bible. Discuss their ideas about miracles. Open the possibility that "rebirth happens" in ways they might not be thinking of. ||
 * 4/26 || Family Retreat ||  || Lesson 37: Hymn #21 //For the Beauty of the Earth// || To learn about expressing praise and wonder. To become familiar with one of the favorite hymns in our denomination. ||
 * 5/3 ||  ||   || Lesson 33: The Golden Rule || Understand the origin of the Golden Rule by reading Bible verses. Understand the universality of the rule by reading similar rules in other cultures and religions. ||
 * 5/10 ||  ||   || Lesson 38: Mother's Day || Honor mothers (and/or other important family members). ||
 * 5/17 ||  ||   || Lesson 30/42: The Last Supper/Flower Communion || Understand the Biblical story of the Last Supper as the basis for the Eucharist, or communion. Understand the UU interpretation of communion as sharing in community. Introduce the idea of the Flower Communion.

To understand the origins of the Flower Communion. To learn more about our Partner Churches. ||
 * 5/24 ||  || Memorial Day Holiday 5/25 || Lesson 43: Weddings and Services of Union || To reflect on the unique nature of UU Weddings and Services of Union. To understand that UU's celebrate major life events with services, such as these, as well as dedications and Memorial Services. ||
 * 5/31 ||  ||   || Lesson 44: Closing Day || Finish the year and take home the decorations. Remember UU traditions. Reflect on the meaning of life-long learning. ||
 * 6/7 || Rising Up || Last day of school 6/10 ||  ||   ||