Story

A True Piligrim – Sant Eknath’s offering to a Donkey

Once upon a time a group of saints were carrying the pious water of the river Ganga from Prayag in north India, to offer to Lord Shiva at Rameshwaram in the South. It was a long and arduous journey.Saint Eknath was with them.When they were crossing a vast desert, they saw a donkey dying of thirst. Saint Eknath immediately offered his water to the donkey and saved his life.The other saints in the group were furious, and considered it an insult to the Lord Shiva, Since the water meant for offering to the God had been wasted on a donkey.Saint Eknath explained his act very calmly, “O wise men, you have read again and again in the holy books that God is everywhere.Then, why are you so upset? Any thing that is not utilized at the right moment is useless. The water that this dying donkey drank has reached straight to Lord Shiva in Rameshwaram!”

Story

Make someone happy

A 9 Year Boy went to an ICE CREAM shop .

Waiter :- What do you want?

Boy :- How much a CONE ICE CREAM costs ?

Waiter :- Rs.15/-

Then the BOY checked his pocket & asked cost of small cone ?

Irritated Waiter angrily said :- Rs.12/-

Boy ordered a small cone, had it, paid bill & left.

When the waiter came to pick the EMPTY PLATE tears rolled down from his eyes.

The boy had left Rs.3 as Tip for him.

“MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY WITH SOMETHING YOU HAVE”.

That’s Life

Game

The Good Samaritan- Mime game

• Make chits with phrases like
• I am shivering
• I am blind and want to cross the road
• I am hungry
• I am thirsty
• I am limping
• I have a headache
• Put these chits in a bowl. A child picks up one chit and acts that out.
• Another child whom the teacher selects has to become the Good Samaritan and mime how he will help
  the person in need

How can you be kind at home? Being respectful and helpful to your parents and elders, loving to your brothers and sisters,

You can be kind at school by being obedient, helpful and attentive to your teachers, by being friendly with your classmates.

You can be kind to animals and plants in many ways like petting and feeding animals, planting saplings and watering plants, making a bird bath and table to feed birds.

Story

The Prophet’s love

Every morning a spiteful woman used to throw garbage from her house on Prophet Mohammed as he passed by. The Prophet would go by without any reaction. She did this for many days.

One day, as he went past, the garbage did not come down on him as it usually did. He was worried about this. He went into the house from where the rubbish used to be thrown at him. He found a woman lying alone. She was very ill. He fetched a doctor at once. He helped her sit up and receive the doctor’s treatment. She bowed to him and wept, begging for forgiveness. His kindness to her in return for her daily insults changed her completely. This is the power of kindness. It can make a person your best friend.

Who are neighbours? Neighbours are those who live near you. Next to your family it is your neighbours who areclosest to you. Love your neighbours also.

Learn to love the children living nearby. Respect elders who are your neighbours. Be kind and helpful to neighbours.

Do not disturb elders. They need rest and quiet. Never write on your neighbours’ walls, throw things into their houses or pluck flowers from their garden. Remember they love their homes as much as you love yours.

Song

Love your neighbour (tune – old mcdonald had a farm… )

I live in a colony E I E I O
We Love all our neighbours E I E I O
With a love-love here, and a love-love there
Here a love, there a love, everywhere love-love
I live in a colony E I E I O
I love to play with all the kids E I E I O
With a play-play here, and a play-play there
Here a play, there a play, everywhere play-play
I live in a colony E I E I O
Proceed with the following:
I help everybody there
I respect the elders there
I share my things with everyone
I am kind to everyone
I care for everyone
I thank those who help me

Game

• Say your neighbour’s name with adjective

Does anyone like to be ill? A lot of illness and pain can be avoided if we practice a few simple things. Healthy living includes four main things – a clean body, good food, good habits, a clean mind

Game for clean body

Answer honestly Yes / No

• Do you brush your teeth as soon as you wake up? Even before you drink anything?
• Do you clean your ears and the back of your neck when you bathe every morning?
• Look at your nails. Are they short and clean?
• Do you wash your hands before each meal?
• Look at yourself now? Are your uniforms and shoes clean?
• Do you eat at least one fruit daily?
• Do you eat some fresh vegetables every day?
• Do you play outdoors for some time every day?
• Do you spend some time at home with your school books every day?
• Do you smile or laugh a lot?
• Do you pray at least once a day?
• Do you always try to speak truth?

Quiz on vegetables and fruits

• Name a fruit that starts with A, red in colour & white inside – Apple
• Name a long thin fruit that starts with B – Banana
• Name a long thin vegetable that starts with C – Carrot
• Name a vegetable that is green on the outside and white inside (used in salads) starts with C –cucumber
• Name a sweet fruit that grows in bunches in vines. It starts with G – grapes
• Name a sour yellow fruit that starts with L –lemon
• Name a tiny ,round,green vegetable . it starts with P – peas
• Name a vegetable that is brown outside and white inside. It grows underground and liked by children – Potato
• Name a sweet red fruit. It starts with S – strawberry
• Name a soft red fruit. It is used like a vegetable. It starts with T – tomato

All habits relating to health.

Sloka

Food Prayer

Harir data Harir Bhoktaa, harir annam Prajapathi
Harir vipra Sharirasthu, bhoonkte bhojayate Hari.

Story

Veggie vengeance

There once lived a small princess but she was a fussy eater. “I hate vegetables so I won’t eat them!” she cried out every time salads and vegetables were served in her plate and she pushed the plate away. Her mother tried to change her food habits but could not succeed.

One night the princess slept but cauliflower could not. He was a big, healthy vegetable with large green leaves adorning his head and he lived in the larder of the palace kitchen. That night he was seething!

“I hate the princess! She always complains about us! I’ve got to teach her a lesson!” he cried out angrily.

Cauliflower found Bean beside him and nudged him awake. “Hey, Green Bean get up!” he shouted. Lean Bean jumped up with a start. “What’s up”, he murmured sleepily. “Go wake the other vegetables up!” ordered Cauliflower. We have some important work to do!” Bean briskly went about his task and found Potato in a basket and he woke him up along with White radish, his neighbour.

“Get up! Get up, sleepy heads! Yelled Green Bean and the noise woke Lady’s Finger and Spinach up. “What are you shouting for? Go away! Screamed Spinach but Bean appeased him by saying, “You have got to get up, friends. We will all run away.!”

Suddenly there was a flutter and a little fairy came flying into the kitchen through the open window.

“I can help you veggies,” said the little fairy and she took out a glistening scarf and turned it around thrice. And lo! The vegetables got a pair of wings each and they flew out of the palace towards a faraway mountain. They got into a cave and hid themselves.

The next morning the princess came down for breakfast and was surprised to see only rotis. There was no salad and vegetables in her plate. “I’m so happy there are no vegetables on my plate today. How come you haven’t given me any, mother?” she asked.

But there aren’t any vegetables in the larder. They’ve all disappeared sighed the queen. During lunch and dinner, the princess did not eat vegetables either and this continued for many more days until one morning the princess fell ill.

“What’s wrong with me?” she cried out in bewilderment.

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong!” said the mother, “You are becoming weak because you’re not eating vegetables! They are good sources of nutrients for your body.”

“I want to eat them mother!” moaned the princess. “Where are they?”

“I’m afraid they’ve all run away!” sighed the queen.

“Then call them back, mother, please!”cried the princess.

“But how?” asked the queen.

Suddenly there was a flutter of wings and the little fairy flew in through the window and whispered, “Relish your vegetables princess, and they will surely return! They all understand the language of love!”

“I’ll certainly do that for I now know how important they are for me. I’ll never curse them again. It’s a promise.”

The fairy took out her scarf and turned it around thrice. And lo! The vegetables came flying back into the palace and got into the larder never to go out again.

“Thank you veggies, you truly are important for me, for without you all, how can I ever grow up to become a queen?”

And from that day on, many healthy vegetables found themselves on the princess’s plate and were eaten by her with great regard and relish.

Song

on fruit and vegetable (tune – old Mcdonald had a farm..)

Vegetables are good for me EEIEEIO
And so I eat them happily EEIEEIO
With a carrot here, and a carrot there
Here a carrot , there a carrot
Everywhere a carrot, carrot
Vegetables are good for me EEIEEIO
(children can take turns with veg)
Apples are good for me
Yum Yum Yum Yum Yum
(children can take turns with fruits)

Silent Sitting

• Thank you God for the food that you have given me. I have learnt that food is God-Annam Brahma. From today I promise you that I will not waste food. I will eat the healthy food that my mother prepares for me.

Song

Be careful little eyes, what you see, what you see, be careful little eyes what you see
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little eyes what you see.
Be careful little ears, what you hear, what you hear, be careful little ears, what you hear
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little ears what you hear.
Be careful little mouth, what you speak, how you eat, be careful little mouth what you speak
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little mouth what you speak
Be careful little hands, what you do, how you do, be careful little hands what you do
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little hands what you do
Be careful little feet, where you go, where you go, be careful little feet where you go
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little feet where you go.
Be careful little mind, what you think, what you think, be careful little mind what you think
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little mind what you think.
Be careful little heart, what you feel, what you feel, be careful little heart what you feel
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little heart what you feel.
Be careful little children, what you do, what you do, be careful little children what you do
There is god watching you, he is always watching you, be careful little children what you do.

Activity

God has created me

School can be a fun-filled place. Be a good student – how can you be a good student? Your teachers work hard. They spend time with you. They help you to learn and grow up to be a fine person. Behave well in class. Listen to what teacher say. Obey them. It will make them happy. That is how you show your love to your teachers. Being a good student is not just getting good marks. No! It means dong your best in everything in school. To be a good student you also have to….

Come to school on time
Do your homework
Wear a neat and clean uniform

Be a good friend and make your schoolmates happy

Always be cheerful. When you are full of fun and cheer, you make your classmates happy too. When you look at each other smile. Never quarrel or fight over little things. Don’t hit each other or get angry. Ask your teacher for help. Whenever you feel angry with a friend tell yourself, “we love one another”. Can you be angry with someone you love? Now look at one another and say, “we love one another”. Feel happy when your friends do well in something. If there is a running race, everyone cannot win. You will win in something else. So when your friends win, you must clap and cheer. Being with friends make everyone happy. A good way to show your love to your friends is to help each other. If your friend is doing some-thing wrong you must correct him. Remember you can do more together than when you are alone.

Story

The True Fiends

Once there were two friends – a squirrel and a puppy. They used to live and play together. The squirrel was very sporty and always won the game. The puppy used to feel bad and thought that it was of no use.One day, it started raining heavily. The squirrel was in high spirits. He started doing antics but suddenly, lost his balance and fell in the rain water. He called his friend, the puppy for help. The puppy came to his rescue. The squirrel climbed on its back and reached a safe place. He thanked his friend for saving his life.

Activity

• Draw a flower with petals love, help, peace, share,give,care,truth,smile.

Animals help us in many ways. Guide dogs help blind people. They show them the way. Police dogs help policemen to find thieves. Elephants pull heavy logs of wood. Bullocks, horses, camels and donkeys carry things and pull carts. We can learn many good things from animals.

Song

ईश सृष्टि मे सब कुछ सुंदर जीव शिखावे सेवासर
सबमे परम प्रभू का दर्शन करलो बारबार
ये है जीवों का संसार , इनमे भी है अच्छी बात
हिलते फिरते सि खलाते हैं हमको जग का सुंदर सार

बिल्ली खुशी से गाती है जब वो मुंह को धोती है (म्यां म्यां )
जो नहीं मुंह को धोता है गंदा बच्चा होता है
बोलो बोलो बच्चों हमें दि न में कि तनी बार दांत साफ करना है ?
एक बार , दो दि न में एक बार या दि न में दो बार ?

काली कोयल पर सबको प्या र वो जाने वाणी का सार ( कू कू )
मीठी बोली उसका राज ,वश में हो जा ये संसार
बोलो बोलो बच्चों हमरी बोल कैसी होनी चाहिए
speak softly, speak sweetly and speak truth

कुत्ता रहे सजग होशियार कुत्ता घर का है रख़वाल (बौ बौ)
कोई घर में घुस न जाए लेकर मन में चोर विच ार
हमें बुरे विच ारों से बचकर रहना चाहिए
अच्छे विच ोरों और लोगों को स्वा गत करना चाहिए

मुर्गा ख़ुशी से गाता है जब वो बांग लगता है (कोकरको)
जो भी जल्दी उठता है अच्छे स्वा स्थ्य को पाता है
बोलो बोलो बच्चों हमें कि तने बजे उठना चाहिए

कौआ जब भी रोटी पाए लेता सबको पास बुलाए (कां कां )
हम भी जब कुछ पा जाए हिल मि ल बांट के खा जाए
मछली का है निर्म ल प्या र पानी उसका प्राण धार (साफ साफ)
बिना प्रभु के जीवन भी प्या रे बच्चों है बेकार

“Train your children from their earliest days to be infinitely tender and loving to animals.”

Today we are going to talk about kindness to animals. Have you a pet at home? How are you kind to your pet? How do you look after your pet? We need to make sure that our pet has food to eat, water to drink and a good place to sleep.

Some creatures are small and some are big, but we must be kind to them all. Some people do not understand that animals share the same feelings as we do. Animals get tired and need rest. They get thirsty and need water. They get hungry and need food.

They feel pain just like we do, yet some people beat animals. ‘Abdu’l-Baha said that it was worse to hurt animals than humans because the animals can’t cry out and they can’t complain. These are his words: “Show forth the utmost consideration to the animal, and . . . . be even kinder to him than to your fellow man. Train your children from their earliest days to be infinitely tender and loving to animals. If an animal is sick, let the children try to heal it, if it be hungry, let them feed it, if thirsty, let them quench its thirst, if weary, let them see that it rests.” 5

But we are warned to avoid harmful animals like wolves and snakes. This does not mean that we should harm them, but just let them go on their way. They too are God’s creation.

Activity

• GROUP A (youngest children)
• Let the children draw animals they know or animals of their own creation, for example monsters, fluffy creatures or dinosaurs.
• GROUPS B and C (older children) “Animal Consequences”

Sit the children in a circle, and give each child a strip of paper about 50X200 cm. and a pencil. Each child should draw an animal head and neck, at the top of their paper and fold the paper over so that only the neck shows. When all the children are finished tell them to pass the paper to the child on their left. Now draw a body attached to the neck and draw the tops of some legs. Fold the paper over so that only the legs show. Pass to the left. Draw some feet onto the legs and then pass to the left. Now all open the papers and see what funny animals you have drawn. If there is time, repeat, with children drawing differently from the first time.

• Give each child a piece of paper and suggest that they have been given a pet dog. Get the children to write down how would they look after it and draw pictures of their favourite animals.

Sloka

• Saraswati is the Vakshakti i.e the urge to express the Harmony, beauty and Melody in creation through the medium of language, music, dance art or sculpture. She is the Vidyashakti i.e. the Power to illumine the outer and inner universe of man.

To attain a full life, man must master two field of knowledge of the manifested universe and knowledge of the consciousness that pervades and validates the universe. One gives him the right and authority to engage in profession to earn a living, and the other teaches the mode and manner of right living. One confers the skill and intelligence, wealth status and position; the other impels man to dedicate these to the progress of other. Thus, we see that Saraswati promotes the Satwic Guna in an individual. Saraswati confers on the educated man, the power of discrimination. She converts the thoughts and words into speech. Thus, the child develops a healthy respect for his studies for his school and his teachers. He also becomes aware of the necessity for cleanliness, neatness and tidiness.

Yaa Kundendu Tushaara Haara Dhavala
Yaa Subhra Vastraavitaa
Yaa Veena Varadanda Manditakaraa
Yaa Shweta Padmasanaa
Yaa Brahmachyuta Shankara Prabhrutibhir
Devaih Sadaa Vandita
Saa maam paatu Saraswati Bhagavati
Nishesha jaadyaa pahaa

Song

Tune – Old MCDonald had a farm….

Goddess Sarawathy has a school E I E I O
In her school there’s lot of books E I E I O
English books here, Hindi books there,
Here a book, there a book, everywhere books and books E I E I O
Goddess Sarawathy has a school E I E I O
In her school there’s musical tools E I E I O
Tin Tin Veena, Dhim Dhim Tabla
Here a veena, There a Tabla, everywhere veena tabla E I E I O

Song

10 names of Saraswati as word search puzzle.

• Sarada, Vakdevi, Medha, Brahmi, Vani, Sweta, Kalavati,Malini,Bharati,Vidya