CWM Notes

Who let Shana write the intro? Anyway: I've been throughing my notes around rather vigorously trying to find a way where everyone can read them. Here they are in all their unedited glory.

Tentpole- An event that all groups are able to witness. Usually involves a performance more than participation, though this is not always the case.

Major Tentpoles:
Shipwreck (Mon)
All the kids are gathered into the hallway by the kitchen. The hallway is covered in black fabric. The children are asked to close their eyes and the story of the shipwreck is told with sound effects. They are asked to play along.

Hatching (Mon)
Introduction to the island and its inhabitants. In keeping with the book and the general idea of journey, beginning with birth is a good idea (also establishes Dinos as cute, provided we don’t do Jurassic Park and hatch a raptor- that’s a creepy baby dino) This will also be our introduction to the doctor (who I really hope will not be named Kwas). Possibly to the sick Dino but we might want to save that for Tuesday.

Skybax sent from the great plains (Mon)
Skybax rider is sent on a quest until she finds something she can trust, until she can take to the skies without fear.

The Denison Expedition is planned (Mon)
Arthur, Orianna, Bix and Crabbe decide to seek the world beneath, Arthur is hoping to find technologies and things to help the dinotopians live better. Orianna is seeking some meaning to (a story shard? The origins of the parade?). Crabbe wants a way off the island and likes Arthur’s ideas. Bix just likes an adventure.

Dinosaur Olympics (Tuesday)
Competition that is not destructive. Cooperation in contest. Takes place in Treetown and is our first introduction to this local.

Sick Dino (Tuesday)
Baby Found ill at a location (treetown?), brought to the hatchery for help. Doctor is called. That mission begins.

Quarterstaff Duel (Wed?)
The doctor is taught to slow down and to be a bit more humble.

First Flight (Thur)
The Skybax rider takes her future partner for his first flight. She climbs the silk to achieve this.

The sunstone is lost (Fri)
The Denison expedition has come out of the world beneath. Denison has new perspective and Orianna discovered a reason to celebrate at the parade (familial connections ala book?). Crabbe discovered the sunstone and, though he earlier agreed he would not, has taken it from the world beneath and hopes it will be a source of power to either enslave the dinos or get him off the island or some other nefarious purpose. In the rainy basin, Crabbe’s greed and treachery is revealed. A rex attacks, the sunstone must be let go and left with the Rex if we are to escape alive. (Dad, if you read this think the end of "Pirates of God") Crabbe is chastened and the expedition realises that the sunstone was never a worthy goal, whereas a quest for knowledge and faith was. (Light metaphor?)

Healing (Fri)
The Doctor manages to mixes something to help the baby dino, he is fit enough to be in the parade.

Parade (Fri)
Yippee, I love a parade


Things that happen daily:
Hat Ceremony-
At the end of every day before closing prayer each group has their own hat ceremony. Each child is called up and given a charm or something to hang on their hat in honor of their good deeds for the day and then they hang up their hat.
Key Sayings-
There are sayings that are repeated by different characters that help drive home the ideas we want the kids to remember. For example: "Breath. Have Faith" It teaches the kids to take a moment and have faith in difficult moments. Bix says it during the T-Rex attack. Someone says it to Emily when she is afraid to climb to the top. Norah says it to Dr. Kwas when he is in a rush to grab the herbs.
Crafts-
Things for the parade on Friday-costumes, hats, wings, banners, noisemakers



Three major plotlines
-The Doctor-
Search for a cure is also a search for humility and love, without love there is no healing.
This trip will take him from the hatchery to waterfall city (recipe search) to treetown (quarterstaff duel), to the great plains (labyrinth) and then into the rainy basin (finding the medicinal leaves, rex attack?) to find the medicine he needs. Through this process he will learn the story of the peacemaker healing someone (lazarus?)

-Denison Expedition-
Four people (Orianna, Arthur Denison, Lee Crabbe, Bix the Protoceratops) will try to find the entrance to the world beneath and uncover a new perspective on the world. This will take them through Waterfall City (searching for Orianna and her key), through the rainy basin (facing a Rex attack, negotiating ruins), into the world beneath (seeing the stilagmite, discovering the sunstone, and the vision chamber?) and back again. Through this process they will learn the story of the Peacemaker’s resurrection.
"The golden age (i.e. the kingdom of heaven) is not a future goal, it is here and now and dwells in you, a current position of service and love."

-Skybax rider-
Must face her fear and trust in God in order to fly. This is embodied in her need to help her future skybax partner take his first flight. She must figure out a way to get high enough to show her fearlessness. Her journey will take her from the great plains to waterfall city (seeking her story) to treetown (skybax training) back to the great plains where she climbs the silks. Through the process she learns the story of the Peacemaker and his friend walking on water in the storm.

The major issue I'm dealing with is the lack of a single plot line. It would be helpful if we had all three linked some how and that the kids were aware (as in Rome or Egypt) of one major goal that they were working towards . So, ponder in your heads and I will see Jersey in a week.