TeacherAide
A weekly teaching aide for student developers

Beneath The Surface 

SESSION 1

HANDS ON

     This “hands on” directly relates with the Convergence illustration at the beginning of the session. The name of this activity is Firmly Rooted. First, get a durable chair.  Get the group in a circle around the chair.  Interlock wrists in the circle.  When the leader says go, try to pull someone into the chair.  If the person touches it they are out, and if someone breaks wrists with someone, the person who lets go is out.  Keep going until there's only one person left. Close this activity by explaining to your students that the reason that people on the outside circle could keep the person inside the circle contained was because they were firmly rooted. Their interlocking arms acted just like roots and gave them stability and strength. There is also a type of spiritual stability and strength that we can have by being firmly rooted in Christ and His word.

ILLUSTRATING THE POINT

When most people think of roots they think of those wiry looking things that keep plants or trees in the ground, but roots actually do a lot more. Consider the following:

Roots are:

• Carbon pumps that feed soil organisms and contribute to soil organic matter
• Storage organs
• Chemical factories that may change soil pH, poison competitors, filter out toxins, concentrate rare elements, etc.
• A sensor network that helps regulate plant growth
• Absorptive network for limiting soil resources of water and nutrients
• Mechanical structures that support plants, strengthen soil, construct channels, break rocks, etc.
• Hydraulic conduits that redistribute soil water and nutrients

There is so much more to roots than just being an anchor. In fact more of the work of a plant or tree is done under the ground than above it. That is why it’s crucial to understand and appreciate what is beneath the surface.

I THOUGHT I HEARD YOU SAY

“All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted.”

Saint Teresa of Avila

“I think you can judge from somebody's actions a kind of a stability and sense of purpose perhaps created by strong religious roots. I mean, there's a certain patience, a certain discipline, I think, that religion helps you achieve.”

George W. Bush

There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings. 

Hodding Carter