Activity 1: Sixth-Grade Sins
Activity time: 5 minutes
Materials for Activity
- Small slips of paper
- Fine-tipped markers or pencils
- The gift-wrapped box in your Conundrum Corner
Description of Activity
The group will create its own Pandora's box of daily evils.
Begin with words like these:
Sin or wrongdoing affects our lives often. Sometimes people do wrong against us, and sometimes we do wrong against others. The wrongs are not usually huge. Most of us do not kidnap anybody or start wars. However, sometimes I do things I should not do, you do things you should not do; all of us do things we should not do. Sometimes we do things that bother each other or hurt others. Sometimes we do things that hurt ourselves.
Ask the group to write down some of the daily sixth-grade wrongdoings that bug them the most. Suggest that they think of times that something they (or someone else) did was hurtful or harmful or had bad consequences. Maybe somebody lied to you; maybe you got mad at somebody who did not deserve it.
Distribute three or four index cards or slips of paper and a marker or pencil to each participant. Say they should each write one wrongdoing on each piece of paper. Then they should take the paper to the Conundrum Corner, lift the cover of the box, put the paper in, and replace the cover. Do not share what you wrote with other participants. Later, you will share with the group.
When all have done that, ask what the youth think is going on. "What is that box all about, and why have you just put all these wrongdoings in it?"
Somebody may remember the story of Pandora's box and guess what is happening. If not, accept a few guesses, then explain that they are making their own sixth-grade version of "Pandora's Box," a story they will now hear.
Including All Participants
If your group includes youth with limited mobility, you might deposit their cards or papers in the box for them. Alternatively, you might pass the box around so everybody can make his/her contributions while remaining seated. If youth appear to struggle with spelling, let them know that spelling is not important for this activity or offer to assist with spelling.