Earthcare For Children
Quaker Earthcare Witness’ Earthcare for Children curriculum is designed to help our children ages 5 – 12 walk gently over God’s Earth through interactive and fun activities. In the lessons, we will experience the Earth as our home, see how we share our home with God’s creatures, and learn how we can behave in caring ways for our world.
It is easy to inspire wonder and awe. Sharing the Earth with all of creation is a cause for joyous celebration. Many fine children’s books and teacher resources explore this theme from secular and/or religious perspectives. However, few spiritually based materials take children much farther than the discovery and celebration level.
We want to instill a sense of kinship with all life recognizing the interrelatedness of all Earth processes. We believe our children will come to see conservation practices as a joy and sacred responsibility, not merely a practical nicety.
Below you will find the curriculum divided into chapters for download as printable PDFs, or you can get the entire curriculum here:
We have planned and revised this course of study to help our children begin to walk gently over God’s Earth and teach others to do likewise. We want to instill a sense of kinship with all life recognizing the interrelatedness of all Earth processes.
APPRECIATING THE BEAUTY OF CREATION
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To sense God’s presence in the natural world
- To marvel at the beauty and complexity of the Earth
- To encourage observation
- To promote a sense of comfort with being apart of nature
EARTH IS OUR HOME
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To present the point of view that we are joint tenants of God’s creation, along with plants and animals
- To relate and promote love of home and love of the Earth
- To associate “Mother Earth” or “Mother Nature” with good family relationships
- To apply observation and discernment skills
- To accept responsibility for Earthcare globally as well as locally
SOIL IS HOME TOO
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To notice the abundance of life on Earth, especially in unlikely places
- To show the wonders of the soil
- To introduce the concept that the amount of life in a place can be increased, decreased, or can even be destroyed
- To experience that dirt is not “unclean” or “ungodly”
THE SEEDS OF LIFE
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To affirm the value of diversity in the seed gene pool
- To promote the positive value of variety in all life
- To witness the miracle of life that can emerge from a simple seed
- To recognize how peoples’ understanding of God’s creation of the world may be expressed in a variety of ways and may be seen as all starting with a seed
- To develop appreciation of seeds as symbolic of God’s gift of life
WE CIRCLE THE SUN
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To share an appreciation of the light and warmth that the Earth receives from the Sun
- To affirm humanity’s place in the cyclical nature of life on this planet
- To understand that Sun is the source of energy for Earth and all on it
- To see how plants and animals respond to light
- To see the power of sunlight
- To reflect [pun intended] on the metaphorical use of Light and Dark in Quaker practice
WATER, WATER, EVERYWHERE
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To show the significance of water and water sources
- To show the dangers of pollution and the importance of preventing water pollution
- To learn ways to keep water available to meet the needs of plants, animals, and people
- To recognize the significance of water ceremonies in our culture and others
AIR, WIND AND CLIMATE
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To become more alert to the global nature of air quality issues, particularly to the accumulation of greenhouse gases, methane and CO2
- To assert the value of all plants, and trees in particular, to the air cycle
- To know we are air and recognize our connection to atmosphere
- To recognize the mythic connection of air and breath with movement of the Holy Spirit
INTERCONNECTION: THE WEB OF LIFE
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To see the vast variety in the world as a reflection of God’s power, seeing value in the splendid diversity
- To become aware of the interdependence of all life
- To develop an attitude of brotherhood/ sisterhood with all life
SHARING OUR HOME AND PROTECTING EVERYONE’S NEEDS
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To develop awareness that the Earth has natural limits and introduce the concept of carrying capacity
- To become informed about ways in which the capacity to support life is reduced by human activities
- To explore what may happen when plant or animal populations have limited access to their habitat
- To promote the desire to nurture and protect life on Earth
- To recognize our responsibility for the changes we make in our environment
WHOSE JOB IS IT? TAKING RESPONSIBILITY
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To consider the spiritual and ethical dimensions of being responsible for the impacts of our behavior and choices
- To seek ways to take minimize the negative environmental impact of daily activities
- To minimize the production of waste
WORKING WITH OTHERS
This Lesson’s Goals:
- To find ways to walk gently over the Earth speaking to that of God in everyone and responding to that of God in everything
- To encourage ourselves and others to live simply
- To praise and affirm those who act in caring ways toward the Earth
- To remind ourselves of the many ways we can have a positive effect on the environment
- To share our discoveries with Friends, families, and community
How is this resource working for you and your community?
We are hoping for your feedback: comments, questions, and suggestions to help us make this the best resource it can be. Please send your responses to info@quakerearthcare.org.