Giving & Receiving!
“Giving & Receiving” Unit: Living in Gratitude
LESSON PURPOSE:
MATERIALS: A ball or watercolors. Learning toys that promote give + take action, teamwork.
BOOKS: In Out Roundabout
SONG IDEAS: This Little Light of Mine / Put A Little Love In Your Heart / Giving Makes You Happy / Happiness is Something If You Give It Away
AS CHILDREN ARRIVE: Choose 1 Sensory Activity:
Activities where children work together- giving and receiving- to create something like:
Puzzles
Building blocks
Board Games, Matching
SCRIPTURE: Display the weekly scripture reading, have an older child read it or use it in the lesson as you like.
"When you establish your give and take with God's universal love, He comes down to live within you. When God dwells within you, you experience perfection.” -Sun Myung Moon
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” -Acts 20:35
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.“ -2 Corinthians 9:7
“ Electricity is produced through the give and take action between positive electrical charges and negative electrical charges, which causes electrical action. All plants multiply through the give and take action between the stamen and pistil. Animals maintain their existence and multiply through the give and take action between male and female. Between the animal kingdom and the plant kingdom, co-existence is made possible through give and take action. Plants give oxygen to animals and animals return carbon dioxide to plants. Flowers offer nectar to bees and bees pollinate flowers. When we study the heavenly bodies, we find that the solar system exists through the give and take action between the sun and the planets. The earth and moon are also able to maintain their orbital movements through give and take action. The human body maintains its life through the give and take action between arteries and veins, inhalation and exhalation, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. An individual is able to achieve his purpose of existence through the give and take action between mind and body. There is give and take action between husband and wife in a home, among individuals in a society, between government and people in a nation, and among nations in the world. Give and take action governs all relationships within man and all relationships among men.” -Sun Myung Moon
INTRODUCE the Lesson:
WELCOME: SONG, PRAYER, TP Greeting
SONG IDEAS: This Little Light of Mine / Put A Little Love In Your Heart / Giving Makes You Happy / Happiness is Something If You Give It Away
REVIEW & TRANSITION:
Last week we learned all about having peace within our hearts and peace in the World. Once we can find peace inside ourselves- we want to do something with it, right? Peace comes about through action. Give & Take Action.
ATTENTION GRABBER: choose 1
Ball play- Show children a ball. Pass it between your hands, bounce it around. Say oh this is fun. After a while, say hmm I’m getting bored playing all by myself. Maybe if I play together with someone it’ll be more fun! Then take turns passing the ball (giving) to the children and have them catch it (receive), bounce it together in a circle. Play ball together. Share that having a ball all to myself can be a little enjoyable but having someone to share with- giving (throwing) + receiving (catching) is so much better!
Painting- On an easel add a stroke of water color paint. Say to the children- isn’t it beautiful? Then say that I’m going to "give” you this paintbrush and you will “receive” it. Let’s see what happens! Give children the paintbrush one at a time and let them dip it in a color and add a stroke to the painting. Thank you for receiving my paintbrush when I gave it to you! What do you think- was the painting more beautiful when I did it alone or when I shared by paintbrush with all of you? When we did it together!
INTRO: Today We Will learn all about the value of giving + Receiving!
CHOOSE 1 OR 2: READ A STORY, SING A SONG OR POEM, WATCH A VIDEO:
VIDEOS: click on the link for educational, sing along or dance videos
*Giving is Better- A Little Arrow Story- Animated Story
The Giving Tree Animated Story
READ ALOUD STORY:
In Out Roundabout by Steve Honey
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
SONG OR POEM:
Giving Makes You Happy Song Animation
Giving Is Better- “Giving is Better, far better than getting. I know it may not seem true. But just try it once and you’ll find what you’re missing. That giving is better for me and for you.”
*TEACH the Lesson:
TEACHING POINT 1: I can Give & Receive Love
TEACHING WITH DISCUSSION:
We can give & receive! What we give to others and receive back is love! When your parents give you a big hug in the morning when you wake up they are giving you love. How does a hug feel? (Nice, comforting, safe, warm, happy in my heart.) That’s right because when your mom or dad gives you a hug- you are receiving their love through their hug! If we are by ourselves all day long- life is not as interesting. But when we give and receive with others- our parents, siblings, friends, teachers- we experience true joy! When we give to someone they become so happy and then we feel happy from giving. And if someone wants to give us something- we can receive it with a smile and gratitude in our hearts. It creates an unending circle of energy! What are some other ways we can give and receive?
Gifts- Someone may give you a present, make a drawing for you or give you a flower! They are giving you love. You feel happy inside to receive it. (It’s good not to have expectations like oh I hope I get this toy I’ve been wanting, but to receive with a grateful and open heart.) People put a lot of thought into the gifts they give to someone and we should receive that love.
Playing- We can play together! Give + Receive by playing ball, making art together, playing dolls or cars together. By taking turns and sharing we are giving and receiving while we play!
Helping- We can offer to give a hand by helping others!
Pets- We can give pets food and love and they return joy to us!
Discussion:
How do you feel when you give to someone? Happy inside, excited to share with someone, proud of myself…
What makes a good giver? Giving out of love, being thoughtful and kind- not expecting something in return.
How do you feel when you receive? Loved, special, warm fuzzies in my heart, grateful, happy.
What makes a good “receiver”? Humility, Gratitude, no expectations, a smile and a thank you.
If you’re feeling sad or alone- what are some ways to become happy? Give to someone else!
TEACHING POINT 2: Give & Take Action is All Around Us! (Optional Extension)
TEACHING WITH DISCUSSION:
When we look at God’s beautiful Creation. There is something it all has in common. Everything God made experiences “Give + Take" (Giving + Receiving). For example, flowers give a sweet honey nectar to bees and the bees pollinate, help carry pollen from one flower to another! Trees give us oxygen (to help us breathe) and we give back carbon dioxide to the trees. There are so many other examples! Everything God made interacts with something else. Everything in Creation finds joy through relationship- through the energy of give + take. Giving and Receiving is not only something we can do- it’s something that’s all around us! Give and Take makes the world go round!
Video: Bees Like Flowers
Discussion:
What are some things in God’s Creation that practice Give + Take? Animals, bees + flowers, Trees + humans, the sun + planets, mommies + daddies etc
What or whom can you learn from about Giving + Receiving?
CONCLUSION:
Give & Take Action is all around us everywhere we go! All of nature & animals grow and live through give and take! Giving and Receiving creates a special energy, especially when it is the giving and receiving of love. God, our Heavenly Parent, also wants to give and receive love with each of you! We can practice giving and receiving with our friends and family every day. Giving and Receiving makes the world go round! Let’s be generous givers this week and grateful receivers!
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Parent, please help us to be generous givers and grateful receivers with our friends and family and you. We are so grateful for Your love Heavenly Parent and for the beautiful World you gave to us. All of Creation is giving and receiving and creating beautiful energy. Help us to be great examples of positive and loving give & take action! Amen. Aju!
APPLY the Lesson:
GROUP ACTIVITIES: choose 1
Play Ball- Keep up a ball with a parachute, Or a balloon with your hands, play a sport together and cheer each other on!
Assembly Line- Create an assembly line where each child has a role and takes turns adding something to make a robot or build a fort, create something neat together!
Treasure Hunt or Scavenger Hunt- Go on a hunt together have children work together to find clues and take turns, showing teamwork!
CRAFTS: choose 1
Give & Take Drawing: Have children draw a picture of what give & take looks like. Help them write a sentence about it. (Ideas: bee + flower, mommy + daddy, my friend and I playing etc)
Helping Hands Necklace: Trace each child’s hands and cut them out. Punch a hole & have the child put beads on a string with their hands in the middle. You can call them helping hands. Or write Giving on one hand & Receiving on the other hand.
For Older Children:
Helping Hands Wreath: Older children can trace their hands and cut them out on several sheets at a time to create lots of hands. On each hand write or draw how they can Give to others, be a helper and how they can practice receiving from others.
SNACK IDEAS:
Clementines- Provide a snack where children can help each other open the snack like the clementine.
Enjoy the lesson! Feel free to submit photos to lgavin@unification.org Love seeing lessons come to life and each community
Home Connection: coming soon!
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