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Resources for Humanist Children’s Groups.

    This comprehensive list was developed by the Humanists of Georgia with the support of the American Humanist Association. The complete list can be found at http://www.geocities.com/gahumanists/childresources.htm.  The following is a partial listing of the resources:

Humanist Children's Affirmations (adapted from Free Inquiry)

  • Our moral standard is based on the Golden Rule and requires personal responsibility.
  • We use our minds, logic and science to understand the world, not supernatural explanations.
  • We believe in and commit to working for human and civil rights and are opposed to discrimination and intolerance.
  • We think that religion should stay out of government and vice versa.
  • We work toward resolving differences with others using peaceful methods.
  • We are devoted to Mother Earth as our home and pledge to protect her.
  • We do not accept the existence of an afterlife and understand that we must live THIS life to its fullest
  • We have as a personal goal to develop our human potential in a way that contributes to society.
  • We respect the right to privacy.
  • We are cultivating our skepticism and are critical of untested claims, yet retain an open mind toward new ideas.
  • We are proud to be Humanists and believe in the power of Humanism to improve the lot of humankind.
  • We will set an example for other children to follow, and be the best that we can be!

Morality

  • Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong: A Guide for Young Thinkers by Dan Barker. 76 pp., Ages 7-12, Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.
  • It's Up To You... What Do You Do? by Sandra McLeod Humphrey. 115 pp., Ages 6 & up, Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.
  • If You Had to Choose, What Would You Do? by Sandra McLeod Humphrey. 115 pp., Ages 6-12, Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.

Racial Tolerance/Civil Rights

  • Anti-Bias Curriculum- Tools for Empowering Young Children by L. Derman-Sparks & the A.B.C. Task Force.  National Assocaition for the Education of Young Children
  • 40 Ways to Raise a Nonracist Child, by B. Mathias & M.A. French, Harper Perennial.
  • All the Colors That We Are/Todos los Colores de Nuestra Piel, by Katie Kissinger.
  • Friends from the Other Side (Amigos del Otro Lado, by G. Anzaldúa.  Ages 4-12. Children's Book Press.
  • From Slave Ship to Freedom Road by J. Lester, R. Brown.  Ages 8-teen.  Scholastic.
  • Teaching Tolerance, a quarterly magazine of teaching for racial justice published by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
  • Human Rights for Children.  A curriculum for Teaching Human Rights to Children Ages 3-12.
    Hunter House Inc., Publishers.
  • Worth and Dignity of All People. By Marjory Donn.Ages: 6-13: Grades 1 to 8 (4 age levels)
    Publisher: Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church -- 3215 Powder Mill Road Adelphi, MD 20783-1097.  URL: http://www.pbuuc.org. Five sessions for 1st through 8th grades, with suggestions for preschool, senior high, adults and an intergenerational service. Sessions on building a caring classroom, understanding people with disabilities and anti-racism at all age levels; sexism, ageism and homophobia dealt with at some age levels. Cassette tape of songs is included.

Religious Tolerance

  • Religions Explained- A Beginner's Guide to World Faiths by A. Ganeri.  Your World Explained Series, Henry Holt & Co.
  • The Crucible by Arthur Miller. For older children.
  • The Story of the Salem Witch Trials by Z. Kent.  For ages 6-12. Cornerstones of Freedom series, Children's Press.
  • Mrs. Katz and Tush, by P. Polacco.  Ages 4-12. Picture Yearling Books. Points out commonalities between oppression of Jews and blacks in the context of a young African-American boy meeting his neighbor from Poland.

Science vs. Religion

  • Starry Messenger by Peter Sís.  Ages 5-12.  Farrar, Strauss & Giroux. Tells the story of Galileo and his persecution by the Church for saying that the Earth revolves around the Sun and not vice versa.
  • The National Academy Press has a variety of materials explaining the nature of science and how it differs from religion as a way of explaining the world.

Comparative Religion

  • What About Gods? by Chris Brockman. 31 pp., Ages 5 & up. Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.
  • Religions Explained:  A Beginner's Guide to World Faiths by Anita Ganeri,1997.  69 pp., Ages 7-12.Henry Holt, NY

Critical Thinking

  • Gullible's Travels by Steve Allen.  60 min audiotape .  Ages 8-15.  Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.
  • Maybe Yes, Maybe No: A Guide for Young Skeptics by Dan Barker. 80 pp. Ages 9 & up.Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY.

Coping with Death and Tragedy

  • Why Did it Happen? by Janice Cohn. Ages 7-12.  Morrow Junior Books.  A teaching tool to help children understand and cope "when bad things happen to good people".
  • Why Do Bad Things Happen? Curriculum supplement by Barbara Shelton and Cathy Cartwright. For
    10- to 13-year-olds. East Shore Unitarian Church Attn: Curriculum Supplement 12700 SE 32nd St Bellevue WA 98005. (URL: http://home.gzinc.com/eshore/Curriculum_Supplement.htm )  Includes 25 lesson plans.

Social Action

  • The Best of Everything Social Action Resource. For all age groups.Compiled by Beth Brownfield.
    107 W. Rustic Lodge Ave, Minneapolis, MN. 55409. ( bethbrownf@aol.com). This resource, developed for the Pacific Northwest District Spring retreat "RE for the REal World", is a collection of successful social action and social justice projects for children and youth. It also includes information on a "Random Act of Kindness" program.

Evolution

  • Evolution by Eyewitness Science.  Ages 8-16.  Dorling Kindersley.  Part of a series of books and videos that give a simple and highly accurate view of science and how the scientific explanations of origins and life differ from, and refute, Judeo-Christian explanations.
  • The Tree of Life: The Wonders of Evolution by Ellen Jackson. 38 pp., Ages 4 9. Prometheus Books, Amherst, NY. 
  • The National Center for Science Education provides a list of children's books on evolution.
  • Eyewitness Video Series are movies about 30 minutes long that provide a fascinating lesson on topics related to evolutionary theory including animals' adaptations to different habitats and physical science/geology lessons that provide information on how the Earth has changed over time, providing different habitats at different stages in Earth's history.(www.sargentwelch.com/eyewitness-video-series-biomes/p/IG0041583/,/eyewitness-video-series-biomes.../WL6209-27_EA)
  • Note: An additional list of resources on evolution is provided with a brief description of the resource and its potential use.

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