Dear Fellow OWL Educators:
Below are links to the outlines we used the last time we taught K/1 OWL, including a summary we submitted to the UUA folks who are working on an update.
Because we felt the curriculum needed to be more developmentally appropriate for kindergarten and first-grade children, we read aloud more color picture books, held brief discussions rather than lectures, interspersed with games and movement activities. We also conducted a review discussion with children while they were eating lunch at the beginning of our sessions, to try to help them keep and process the new information. Very few parents actually did the home assignment with their children (unfortunately, although we reminded the children every time), so going over that was quick.
This approach kept the children highly engaged, relaxed, and behaving well for the most part. They loved reading the books, and individuals had their parents read favorites to them during the last class. We suggested families bring family favorite dishes (such as those that might be special to their cultural background) to share instead of having a birthday cake.
We
moved up the discussion on intercourse so that we could review it in another
session, and children would have time to think and ask questions about it, too.
We also added discussion of gay and lesbian relationships, using the book “And
Tango Makes Three” (see book list). Getting feedback from the parents using the
parent feedback form was quite helpful, also.
If
some of these plans are hard to understand, please feel free to ask about them:
email
Lay
Minister for Nurturing Families
Unitarian-Universalist
Fellowship of
Themes Activities Sheet for OWL Parents