Objective: Students will understand that enduring happiness is closely linked to our effort to be kind and good to ourselves and others.
Introduction
Good morning, everyone! We are soon approaching summer, a season blessed with yummy fruits like watermelons, peaches and grapes. Do you think it is easy to grow fruit? No, it takes a lot of hard work. Like a farmer who works hard to grow delicious fruits, we can grow happiness in our hearts by being kind and good to ourselves and others.
Reflection
What does a farmer do to grow fruits and vegetables? (Pause for responses.) Yes, a farmer plants seeds, waters them, takes care of the plants, and patiently waits for them to grow. The farmer will have delicious fruits and vegetables if they do all these things well.
Now, let’s think about ourselves. If we want to be happy, what do we need to do? We must plant seeds of kindness, water them with love, care for our hearts, and be patient. When we do this, we will be rewarded with a happy life.
Activity: Bowl of Kindness
(Resources needed: fruit template – class teaching team can cut up while you do the first part of the session and create a paper bowl on the class board)
Give each student a small paper fruit (see template). Ask them to write or draw something they think will make others happy. Each student can share what he/she wrote. Collect the fruit to create a ‘Bowl of Kindness’ on a bulletin board to remind them how much our behaviour affects others.
Video: Song
Kindness is a Muscle Official Music Video ft Aidan Prince, William Alexander, Universal Kids
Like in the video, when we use our kindness muscles daily, we can make ourselves and others happier and the world better.
Prayer
Dear God, help us to be like farmers, planting seeds of love and kindness in our hearts. Help us be patient, take care of ourselves and others, and, like that, grow happiness in our lives. Amen
Objective: Students will understand that enduring happiness is closely linked to the effort we invest in being kind and good to ourselves and others.
Introduction
Good morning, everyone! Today, we will talk about something very special: how the good things we do can lead to wonderful, happy lives. Just like a farmer who works hard to take care of his crops and then enjoys delicious fruits, we can also enjoy happiness if we care for our hearts and minds by being kind and good to ourselves and others.
Reflection
Think about a time when you did something kind for someone. Maybe you helped a friend, or you shared your toys. How did it make you feel? Like planting and watching a seed grow, our kind actions can grow into lasting happiness. Let’s close our eyes for a moment and think about one kind of thing someone told us that made us very happy. (For example, you feel appreciated when people say ‘thank you’; you feel loved when people say they love you or that you are important/special to them.
Activity: Bowl of Kindness
Resources needed: fruit template for each student (download and print)
Instructions: The class teaching team can cut up the fruit templates and a simple big bowl made from plain coloured cardboard while the animator does the first part of the session to create a paper bowl on the class board)
Give each student a small paper fruit (see template). Ask them to write something they can say to make others feel good and happy, then colour it in. Each student can share what he/she wrote. Collect the fruit to create a ‘Bowl of Kindness’ on a bulletin board to remind them how much our behaviour affects others.
Video: Story
Starfish Story (aka The Star Thrower)
Discussion of the following points:
Impact of Small Actions: What did you think about the boy’s actions? How did he make a difference? (Even though he did not save all the starfish, he made all the difference to those he did save).
Life’s lesson: Even though there were many starfish, how did the boy’s efforts show the importance of spreading kindness? (He showed that every little helps, no matter how small. If we all do a little together, it adds up to a lot).
Prayer
Dear God, thank you for teaching us how to become better Christians. Help us to understand that every small act of kindness makes a difference to the world around us. May our actions sow seeds of hope and joy. Amen
Objective: Expressing gratitude and showing readiness to share with others the positive outcomes of our hard work.
Introduction (2 min)
- The animator greets students and reminds them about the theme of Sowing Hope and the importance of being patient as we grow in faith, love, and hope.
- The animator leads students to quiet down, starting with the sign of the cross and a simple thanksgiving prayer.
Sharing (4 mins)
- The animator introduces the last theme, Reaping/Bearing the Fruit, which relates to the seed of hope we have been planting and the positive outcomes of our hard work.
- The animator asks students to look at a picture displaying the fruit of the Spirit and then on a piece of paper they write or draw something that symbolises the type of ‘fruit’ they have been experiencing this year.
- The animator invites students to share their experiences.
Video (3 mins)
- The animator states that according to Jesus, without Him we couldn’t bear any fruit and shows clip The True Vine (2:32 mins).
Reflection (4 mins)
- The animator summarises the main point from the (clip) ‘parable’ (that Jesus is the Vine and we the branches, see Jn 15:5) and suggests that the fruit is an external sign of our invisible relationship with Christ.
- The animator asks students to think about the verse about the pruning that Jesus mentions, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” (v. 3), and to share anything that may have inspired them from the themes of this past year.
- The animator shares one last quote, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (v. 7-8) and encourages students to pray for more fruit.
Prayer (7 mins)
- The animator invites students to share a prayer of thanksgiving for the fruit already enjoyed.
- The animator invites students to share a prayer of petition or intercession.
The animator closes the last session with a Christian song of hope like Eagle’s Wings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4KNJeojJuU .