Group Orientation
PREPARATION
1. Read this session all the way through. Scripted language in highlighting is offered as guidance; feel free to deviate as you see fit.
2. Make copies of handouts:
Handout 1 has Agenda, Assumptions & Values, and Ground Rules on front; Communication Skills on back.
Handout 2 has the "Low Carbon Diet" reading and worksheet (3 pages, double-sided).
3. Decide whether you will deliver Rev. Hunt's sermon, or show the video by Barlow & Rev. Dowd. If the latter, arrange for the necessary viewing equipment.
4. Either print Rev. Hunt's sermon and rehearse its delivery, or do a trial run showing the video to resolve any technical difficulties in advance.
5. Five or six days before the Orientation session, send a reminder email to participants. Here is a template for your email.
6. Obtain nametags or nametag-making materials (including low-odor markers).
7. Bring 5x7 index cards—enough for two for each participant. (If you have colored cards—in two light colors, like pink & yellow—great. If you don't have colored cards, just take one set of white cards and put a yellow dot in an upper corner of each card, and take another set and put a pink dot in an upper corner of each card.)
8. Bring pens or pencils, in case participants don't have their own.
9. Create enough signage to help participants find the meeting space. With a wide marker, add arrows pointing left, right, or ahead as needed.
Welcome, introductions (10 minutes)
Arrive early enough to post signage.
As participants arrive, greet them individually and invite them to make a nametag.
To the assembled group, say: Welcome to DOVE—Demonstrating Our Values through Eating! This is the Orientation session, and here is the agenda for our time together [today/tonight]. Distribute Handout 1.
Let’s first do a round of introductions. I’ll go first, to model.
I’m _________ ,
one of my favorite foods is ___________ ,
and I’m participating in DOVE because __________________________ .
Facilitators should take this opportunity to describe any background, experience, qualifications that are relevant to the program.
Overview & expectations (5 minutes)
Next on the agenda is "Overview and Expectations." We want to give you a quick preview of what's to come.
A, the DOVE website. Who has taken a look already at it? If you haven't already, you will, because that's where you'll go to watch and read some of the supplemental material we'll be discussing. We won't be using much paper in DOVE.
But we will be having fun! That's the next point we want to make—B, Having fun is important. Because DOVE delves into serious topics—like global warming, corporate greed, animal suffering. But we also want DOVE to bring you joy, and lift your spirit. So it's very important that we have fun together.
C, our journeys are unique. Each of us has a different history with food, and different meanings we attach to food.
"Journey" is a good word for it, because how we relate to food has changed and will continue to change over time, along with changing interests, income, family structure, location, age, and other factors.
Read the following with your co-facilitator or another partner, taking alternate lines.
Some of us have experienced the hardship of hunger and food insecurity.
Some of us have struggled with an eating disorder.
Some of us must take in nourishment by way of a feeding tube.
Some of us observe religious dietary laws.
Some of us live with food allergies.
Some of us have dietary constraints because of surgery.
We come from different family traditions...
...different economic means...
and different cultures.
So if you find that a section of this curriculum does not speak to you,
try taking the anthropologist's approach:
use it as an opportunity to grow your understanding
of a perspective that differs from your own.
And if you can suggest ways to make the course more inclusive and accessible,
please gift us with your feedback.
D, exit ticket! What's an exit ticket? This just means that at the end of DOVE, there will be three questions:
#1, we want to know what was really great that you're going to remember,
#2, we want to know if you feel more aware and informed,
And #3, we want to know what next steps you're going to take, as a result of this course. Your next step could be something you do as an individual, or maybe we as a group decide to do something together. Either way, the authors of this curriculum ask that by the end of the course, we all commit to doing something related to eating that demonstrates our values.
Hopes and worries (10 minutes)
Now we want to give you a chance to think about, and share, what your hopes are for this course, and any worries you might have, too. I'm giving everyone two index cards. I'd like everyone to take the pink card [or the card with the pink dot] and write down, anonymously and legibly, any worries or fears you may have about this course. Anonymously means no names, and legibly so that we can read each others' cards. After you've recorded any worries on the pink card, I'd like you to think about your hopes for this course, and write those down on the yellow card—again, anonymously, and as legibly as you can. Take just three or four minutes to do this.
Ask for one volunteer to collect the pink cards, another to collect the yellow cards.
Ask each volunteer to shuffle the cards and redistribute them, so each participant has someone else's card.
Let's go around the circle, and would each of you read out loud the worries or fears on the pink card you have? Thank the participants, and ask for any thoughts.
Let's go around the circle a second time, and hear the hopes from the yellow cards. Thank the participants again, and ask for any thoughts.
Have the participants pass the cards back to you.
When you're home, if you have the time/inclination to type up the hopes & worries and email them to DOVEcurriculum at gmail.com, or email photos of the cards (if the writing can be made out in a photo), that would be much appreciated. The curriculum authors would like to know what fears and hopes participants are bringing to this course.
Course assumptions and values (5 minutes)
We recommend you watch this short video (4:45) by the Rev. Naomi King, and watch this TED talk (17:52) by Kathryn Schulz to prepare for discussion of the course assumptions.
Looking once again at Handout 1, you see that DOVE is based on the following set of assumptions. Could I have a volunteer read number 1? Volunteer reads #1. Who can explain what that means? "Revelation is unfolding, not sealed"?
Make sure to explain that this is one of the big ideas that distinguishes liberal religious thinking from fundamentalist religious thinking. Some people believe that revelation is sealed—in other words, that all divine wisdom has already been recorded in their holy scripture. When you declare that "revelation is not sealed," you are declaring an openness to new wisdom.
Let's have three more volunteers read numbers 2, 3, and 4. Volunteers read. How do you feel about these assumptions and values? Give participants time to think and respond. If no response, you can ask, Is there something you would change?
Ground rules and communication skills (10 minutes)
Next item: ground rules [or group covenant]. Since the topic of food can bring up strong feelings and opinions, let us agree to make DOVE a space that is safe for learning.
Let us:
be gentle with one another,
share what we know,
and stay humble, too (since we can always learn more).
Are there other things you'd like to add to this list, that will help make our time together safe and productive for everyone? Record additions.
If you turn your handout over, you'll see the back is about communication skills. Can I get a volunteer to read that first paragraph, beginning with "Seek first"? Volunteer reads. Thank you. How would you explain what that means? Can someone explain, or give an example?
Who will read the second paragraph? Volunteer reads. Thank you. And would someone like to read the comic strip next to that paragraph? Volunteer reads. That's a good illustration of counter-productive communication, isn't it!
Will someone read the third paragraph out loud for us? Volunteer reads. Thank you. So to illustrate that point, we've got some examples listed below. With your co-facilitator or partner, read each pair of statements—you read the first statement in the pair, your partner reads the second. Pause, then go on to the next pair. Read all five pairs.
Is anyone here familiar with Nonviolent Communication, or NVC? NVC is one method of teaching effective communication techniques like these. If you are not familiar with NVC and want to learn more, there is a link at the DOVE website at the bottom of the Orientation page which will take you to an online video of Marshall Rosenberg's 'The Basics of Nonviolent Communication' workshop.
Sermon or video (10 - 30 minutes)
For sermon option: Before we dive into climate change, let's have everyone take a moment to stand up and stretch. Now would be a good time for a bathroom break if anyone needs one. (short break)
This sermon was delivered in March of 2014 by the Rev. Douglas Hunt, who was guest preaching at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Pottstown. Rev. Hunt is part of the Interfaith Power and Light network, a nationwide religious response to climate change. Now at this point, you may be wondering, why bring up climate change in a food curriculum? Don't worry, we are going to get to that. Read the sermon. Skip to ***.
For video option: Next we're going to watch the video, which is 30 minutes, so while we're setting it up, let's have everyone take a moment to stand up and stretch. Now would be a good time for a bathroom break if anyone needs one. (short break)
Introduce the video by saying, This video was created by Connie Barlow and the Rev. Michael Dowd in December 2012. Many Unitarian Universalists are familiar with Connie and Michael because of their ministry at the intersection of spirituality and science. They made this video in response to their own realization that climate change is an issue of intergenerational justice, and that action is needed now, before it's too late.
Now at this point, you may be wondering, why bring up climate change in a food curriculum? Don't worry, we are going to get to that. First, let's hear from Michael and Connie. We are not going to view the entire video, just the first 30 minutes, but you can see the rest on your own—the video is viewable from the DOVE website.
Watch video; stop at 29:04.
The reason DOVE includes this [sermon/video] is not to bring you down, but to heighten our collective awareness of our moral obligation to future generations. Does anyone want to share your reaction to this? Let participants share reactions, but also move on to next point as quickly as you can.
So what does food have to do with climate? Well, as some of you probably already know, it turns out that some food choices are a lot 'cooler' for the planet than others. This is actually very hopeful news. Why? See if anyone can suggest reasons why. Make sure the following points are made:
- Cooler food choices don't depend on expensive technological changes.
- Also, food is something we buy all the time—it's not a major purchase that happens every five or ten years (like a car or major appliance).
- Which means that cooler food choices can be implemented right now, by everyone.
Make no mistake, infrastructure changes are needed too. They will require time and money to implement. Meanwhile, we can all take action the next time we go grocery-shopping.
Reading & worksheet (15 minutes)
Pass out Handout 2. Here's an article that explains why food choices matter so much to the climate. I[we] want you to break up into twos or threes, and work together to answer the questions on the worksheet, which is on the back. You'll have ten minutes to do this, so please begin now.
After ten minutes, or when all groups seem to finished the worksheets, say, Let's come back together now. What are your comments about this reading? Did you learn anything? Who would like to share their answer to question 10? Let participants share and discuss for a few minutes.
This diet-climate connection is one reason why DOVE's recipes are plant-based recipes. Another reason is the fact that people already have plenty of meat-based recipes.
Next session preview & check-out (5 minutes)
Before we end our session tonight, let me remind you that our next meeting will be [date, time] and we will be watching the documentary Food Stamped.
Let's conclude now with a brief check-out, which we will do at the end of each DOVE session. How was this session for you? Any positives (things you especially liked)? Any deltas (things you would change)?
Take note of feedback, and thank participants for coming.
1. Read this session all the way through. Scripted language in highlighting is offered as guidance; feel free to deviate as you see fit.
2. Make copies of handouts:
Handout 1 has Agenda, Assumptions & Values, and Ground Rules on front; Communication Skills on back.
Handout 2 has the "Low Carbon Diet" reading and worksheet (3 pages, double-sided).
3. Decide whether you will deliver Rev. Hunt's sermon, or show the video by Barlow & Rev. Dowd. If the latter, arrange for the necessary viewing equipment.
4. Either print Rev. Hunt's sermon and rehearse its delivery, or do a trial run showing the video to resolve any technical difficulties in advance.
5. Five or six days before the Orientation session, send a reminder email to participants. Here is a template for your email.
6. Obtain nametags or nametag-making materials (including low-odor markers).
7. Bring 5x7 index cards—enough for two for each participant. (If you have colored cards—in two light colors, like pink & yellow—great. If you don't have colored cards, just take one set of white cards and put a yellow dot in an upper corner of each card, and take another set and put a pink dot in an upper corner of each card.)
8. Bring pens or pencils, in case participants don't have their own.
9. Create enough signage to help participants find the meeting space. With a wide marker, add arrows pointing left, right, or ahead as needed.
Arrive early enough to post signage.
As participants arrive, greet them individually and invite them to make a nametag.
To the assembled group, say: Welcome to DOVE—Demonstrating Our Values through Eating! This is the Orientation session, and here is the agenda for our time together [today/tonight]. Distribute Handout 1.
Let’s first do a round of introductions. I’ll go first, to model.
I’m _________ ,
one of my favorite foods is ___________ ,
and I’m participating in DOVE because __________________________ .
Facilitators should take this opportunity to describe any background, experience, qualifications that are relevant to the program.
Overview & expectations (5 minutes)
Next on the agenda is "Overview and Expectations." We want to give you a quick preview of what's to come.
A, the DOVE website. Who has taken a look already at it? If you haven't already, you will, because that's where you'll go to watch and read some of the supplemental material we'll be discussing. We won't be using much paper in DOVE.
But we will be having fun! That's the next point we want to make—B, Having fun is important. Because DOVE delves into serious topics—like global warming, corporate greed, animal suffering. But we also want DOVE to bring you joy, and lift your spirit. So it's very important that we have fun together.
C, our journeys are unique. Each of us has a different history with food, and different meanings we attach to food.
"Journey" is a good word for it, because how we relate to food has changed and will continue to change over time, along with changing interests, income, family structure, location, age, and other factors.
Read the following with your co-facilitator or another partner, taking alternate lines.
Some of us have experienced the hardship of hunger and food insecurity.
Some of us have struggled with an eating disorder.
Some of us must take in nourishment by way of a feeding tube.
Some of us observe religious dietary laws.
Some of us live with food allergies.
Some of us have dietary constraints because of surgery.
We come from different family traditions...
...different economic means...
and different cultures.
So if you find that a section of this curriculum does not speak to you,
try taking the anthropologist's approach:
use it as an opportunity to grow your understanding
of a perspective that differs from your own.
And if you can suggest ways to make the course more inclusive and accessible,
please gift us with your feedback.
D, exit ticket! What's an exit ticket? This just means that at the end of DOVE, there will be three questions:
#1, we want to know what was really great that you're going to remember,
#2, we want to know if you feel more aware and informed,
And #3, we want to know what next steps you're going to take, as a result of this course. Your next step could be something you do as an individual, or maybe we as a group decide to do something together. Either way, the authors of this curriculum ask that by the end of the course, we all commit to doing something related to eating that demonstrates our values.
Hopes and worries (10 minutes)
Now we want to give you a chance to think about, and share, what your hopes are for this course, and any worries you might have, too. I'm giving everyone two index cards. I'd like everyone to take the pink card [or the card with the pink dot] and write down, anonymously and legibly, any worries or fears you may have about this course. Anonymously means no names, and legibly so that we can read each others' cards. After you've recorded any worries on the pink card, I'd like you to think about your hopes for this course, and write those down on the yellow card—again, anonymously, and as legibly as you can. Take just three or four minutes to do this.
Ask for one volunteer to collect the pink cards, another to collect the yellow cards.
Ask each volunteer to shuffle the cards and redistribute them, so each participant has someone else's card.
Let's go around the circle, and would each of you read out loud the worries or fears on the pink card you have? Thank the participants, and ask for any thoughts.
Let's go around the circle a second time, and hear the hopes from the yellow cards. Thank the participants again, and ask for any thoughts.
Have the participants pass the cards back to you.
When you're home, if you have the time/inclination to type up the hopes & worries and email them to DOVEcurriculum at gmail.com, or email photos of the cards (if the writing can be made out in a photo), that would be much appreciated. The curriculum authors would like to know what fears and hopes participants are bringing to this course.
Course assumptions and values (5 minutes)
We recommend you watch this short video (4:45) by the Rev. Naomi King, and watch this TED talk (17:52) by Kathryn Schulz to prepare for discussion of the course assumptions.
Looking once again at Handout 1, you see that DOVE is based on the following set of assumptions. Could I have a volunteer read number 1? Volunteer reads #1. Who can explain what that means? "Revelation is unfolding, not sealed"?
Make sure to explain that this is one of the big ideas that distinguishes liberal religious thinking from fundamentalist religious thinking. Some people believe that revelation is sealed—in other words, that all divine wisdom has already been recorded in their holy scripture. When you declare that "revelation is not sealed," you are declaring an openness to new wisdom.
Let's have three more volunteers read numbers 2, 3, and 4. Volunteers read. How do you feel about these assumptions and values? Give participants time to think and respond. If no response, you can ask, Is there something you would change?
Ground rules and communication skills (10 minutes)
Next item: ground rules [or group covenant]. Since the topic of food can bring up strong feelings and opinions, let us agree to make DOVE a space that is safe for learning.
Let us:
be gentle with one another,
share what we know,
and stay humble, too (since we can always learn more).
Are there other things you'd like to add to this list, that will help make our time together safe and productive for everyone? Record additions.
If you turn your handout over, you'll see the back is about communication skills. Can I get a volunteer to read that first paragraph, beginning with "Seek first"? Volunteer reads. Thank you. How would you explain what that means? Can someone explain, or give an example?
Who will read the second paragraph? Volunteer reads. Thank you. And would someone like to read the comic strip next to that paragraph? Volunteer reads. That's a good illustration of counter-productive communication, isn't it!
Will someone read the third paragraph out loud for us? Volunteer reads. Thank you. So to illustrate that point, we've got some examples listed below. With your co-facilitator or partner, read each pair of statements—you read the first statement in the pair, your partner reads the second. Pause, then go on to the next pair. Read all five pairs.
Is anyone here familiar with Nonviolent Communication, or NVC? NVC is one method of teaching effective communication techniques like these. If you are not familiar with NVC and want to learn more, there is a link at the DOVE website at the bottom of the Orientation page which will take you to an online video of Marshall Rosenberg's 'The Basics of Nonviolent Communication' workshop.
Sermon or video (10 - 30 minutes)
For sermon option: Before we dive into climate change, let's have everyone take a moment to stand up and stretch. Now would be a good time for a bathroom break if anyone needs one. (short break)
This sermon was delivered in March of 2014 by the Rev. Douglas Hunt, who was guest preaching at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Pottstown. Rev. Hunt is part of the Interfaith Power and Light network, a nationwide religious response to climate change. Now at this point, you may be wondering, why bring up climate change in a food curriculum? Don't worry, we are going to get to that. Read the sermon. Skip to ***.
For video option: Next we're going to watch the video, which is 30 minutes, so while we're setting it up, let's have everyone take a moment to stand up and stretch. Now would be a good time for a bathroom break if anyone needs one. (short break)
Now at this point, you may be wondering, why bring up climate change in a food curriculum? Don't worry, we are going to get to that. First, let's hear from Michael and Connie. We are not going to view the entire video, just the first 30 minutes, but you can see the rest on your own—the video is viewable from the DOVE website.
Watch video; stop at 29:04.
***
So what does food have to do with climate? Well, as some of you probably already know, it turns out that some food choices are a lot 'cooler' for the planet than others. This is actually very hopeful news. Why? See if anyone can suggest reasons why. Make sure the following points are made:
- Cooler food choices don't depend on expensive technological changes.
- Also, food is something we buy all the time—it's not a major purchase that happens every five or ten years (like a car or major appliance).
- Which means that cooler food choices can be implemented right now, by everyone.
Make no mistake, infrastructure changes are needed too. They will require time and money to implement. Meanwhile, we can all take action the next time we go grocery-shopping.
Reading & worksheet (15 minutes)
Pass out Handout 2. Here's an article that explains why food choices matter so much to the climate. I[we] want you to break up into twos or threes, and work together to answer the questions on the worksheet, which is on the back. You'll have ten minutes to do this, so please begin now.
After ten minutes, or when all groups seem to finished the worksheets, say, Let's come back together now. What are your comments about this reading? Did you learn anything? Who would like to share their answer to question 10? Let participants share and discuss for a few minutes.
This diet-climate connection is one reason why DOVE's recipes are plant-based recipes. Another reason is the fact that people already have plenty of meat-based recipes.
Next session preview & check-out (5 minutes)
Before we end our session tonight, let me remind you that our next meeting will be [date, time] and we will be watching the documentary Food Stamped.
Let's conclude now with a brief check-out, which we will do at the end of each DOVE session. How was this session for you? Any positives (things you especially liked)? Any deltas (things you would change)?
Take note of feedback, and thank participants for coming.
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