Oct 20th, 2013 Jersey City Balavihar Class Journal

Next Class: 10/27/2013 @ 10am


Pre K

We started with covering the basic slokams:
Sahana Vavatu
Karagre Vasethe Lakshmi

Then we read from the CM Publications bool Little Yash is Happy Right Now. The kids learnt about how you can choose to be happy whether you are alone or with friends, at work or in play, etc. The book is a pop-up book and the younger students (age 2-3) especially enjoyed being able to participate by pointing out things they recognized (magician, slide, birthday cake, etc)

We did our set of yoga poses (tree, mouse, candle, lion, windmill)

Then we re-enacted our version of the Ramayana - complete with toy bow/arrow and gada! The kids are learning to say "Rama with the crown, Rama with the bow, Rama with the arrow" to help identify Lord Rama. If parents can point these characteristics out in pictures at home, this will help reinforce the message.

Afterwards, we talked a little bit about Diwali and its link to Rama's homecoming.

Next week will be "Fancy Indian Dress" day, but the week after we will be doing a sponge art activity with the kids. If any parents are interested in helping out the day of or by buying art supplies ahead of time, please reach out to Sandhya at jcbalavihar@gmail.com.

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K

Shanti Paath
Bhagvan Ganesha Prayer : Vakratunda Mahakaya
Saraswati Namstubhyam
Guru Prayer : Gururbrahma Grururvishnu
Daily Prayer : Karagre Vasate
Bhajan : Shree Ganaraya
Lesson : C for cleanliness: We learned why it is important to keep mind clean,how mind
                Gets dirty, how to clean it.
Sanskrit :  Color words रक्तः नीलः पीतः हरितःश्वेतः
                 Body parts  Netram ( eyes), Vadan ( mouth), Naasika ( nose)
                 Writing a.aa
                     
Yoga postures : Tree , windmill, bird, candle, mouse, lion, butterfly,
Activity : Coloring worksheet for the letter c
Home work : worksheet : Draw pictures or write how to keep surrounding ,body, mind clean.
Please buy Purple book : ABC balavihar Alphabets: So summary of the lesson can be glued.

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1st Grade

The update for the blog:
Our session covered the Dhyaana Shloka - Om Sahanavavatu (pg 9) followed by attendance and the daily prayers (Karaagre Vasate, Vakratunda, Saraswati Namastubhyam, Bramhaarpanam, Shubham Karoti, Kara Charana - pages 14-17 of the My Prayer Book). We had a new student Sai in our class. We also had Varun from the higher grade as a guest in our class and he assisted me with the activities.

We practiced the bhajan Rama Naama Thaarakam (pg 211). We also revised the Gruru Sthothram till verse 7 and learnt verse 8 (pg 85-86).

In Ramayana, we covered the chapters involving the great sage Valmiki coming to Ayodhya for help against the asuras disturbing his yagya. We discussed how Rama and his brothers were excellent sons and students. We learnt about how Rama and Lakshmana travelled with Valmiki through the Dandaka forest to the ashram of Valmiki and how the asuras Maricha (who will play an important role later) and Subahu were defeated. We also learnt about Ahalya. That led us to the next verse of the bhajan  Atma Nivasi Ram – Ahalyodharaka Ram (pg 209-210).
As a part of the day’s activity, we traced the footsteps of Valmiki, Rama and Lakshmana from Ayodhya to Valmiki’s Ashrama. Please bring this map of India to every class as we will continue to mark Lord Rama’s journey right upto the defeat of Ravana. We also discussed the story of Vamana Avatara. The significance here is that the place where Mahabali got immortality from Vamana is where Valmiki’s ashram was situated.
Varun helped answer some of the questions the kids had regarding these chapters. Next week, we will cover the chapter of Rama’s wedding to Sita. As this coincides with the fancy dress day, we decided to dress up as characters for the wedding. Varun made chits and the kids picked the characters from the chits. For those not present in the previous session, please pick any character from the Rama-Sita wedding excluding Rama, Lakshmana, Bharat, Shatrughna, Sita, Urmila, Kauhsalya, Kaikeyi and Dasharatha as these characters have all already been picked. It would be nice to see the kids from first grade be a part of the Ramayana J
I know this is short notice, so if you don’t find any appropriate costume/prop, please come dressed in traditional Indian wear.
We concluded the class with meditation followed by the closing prayer - Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaha (pg-19). We also learnt the meaning of this prayer.
Thank you Varun for helping out.
For their homework, please make sure the kids revise their vowels and the Gurusthothram upto verse 8. After the Diwali class, I plan to take a test of the vowels so that we can proceed with Sanskrit writing.

See you at the next class. Please remember to bring you folders.

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Oct 6th, 2013 Jersey City Balavihar Class Journal

1st grade

The last class followed the usual routine of the Dhyaana Shloka - Om Sahanavavatu (pg 9) followed by attendance and a quick revision of the daily prayers (Karaagre Vasate, Vakratunda, Saraswati Namastubhyam, Bramhaarpanam, Shubham Karoti, Kara Charana - pages 14-17 of the My Prayer Book).

We practiced the bhajan Rama Naama Thaarakam (pg 211) and revised the first 3 verses of the bhajan - Atma Nivasi Ram (pg 209-210). We also revised the Gruru Sthothram till verse 7 (pg 85-86).

Since it was the class scheduled for celebrating Navaratri, we discussed the significance of the festival. We spoke about how the first three days are for worshipping Goddess Durga, the next three days for Goddess Lakshmi and the last three days for Goddess Sarasawati. The kids discussed how they celebrate Navaratri in their homes. All different aspects from fasting moms, to Dandiya Ras and Golu were shared. We also spoke about how kanchakas are worshipped and Prasad (halwa puris) are distributed in some homes while in others Sundals are distributed as prasadam and the women and girls are called for haldi kumkum and given gifts.

Then we related it to Ramayana by discussing how Ravana was killed on Vijaya Dashami. We got to know about Ram Leela and how processions and jhankis are carried out India comprised of characters from Ramayana and how someone dressed as Rama gets to shoot a fire arrow at the Ravana effigy which burns amidst much fanfare and fireworks depicting the end of war between Lord Rama and Ravana.

In keeping with the Navaratri theme, the kids drew, colored and decorated a picture of Goddess Durga. Finally, we concluded the class with meditation followed by the closing prayer - Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaha (pg-19).

For their homework, please make sure the kids revise their vowels and the Gurusthothram upto verse 7.

See you at the next class. Please remember to bring you folders.

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2nd - 3rd Grade

We started the class with Lord Ganesha's prayer Vakratunda ( pg 37 my prayers book) and Godess Saraswathi's prayer Saraswathi namastubhyam ( pg 15 my prayers book). Following this we introduced ourselves as I was new to kids.
We revised the story behind Hanuman's birth. Who is Hanuman? Why was he born? What are the qualities of Hanuman and why are we studying Hanuman? After revision we continued Hanuman's story with his childhood anecdotes like the one where he tries to grabs the sun thinking it is a red fruit.We also learnt how Maruti got the name Hanuman and how he got various boons from the Devatas.I was impressed that the children knew most of the things and how they related some aspects of the story to their everyday life. For craft the kids colored a picture of Hanuman flying to get the Sanjeevani mountain.The kids also tried to draw Hanuman's family tree.We had some funny moments when the kids tried to discuss about their family tree.We ended the class with Dhyaana shloka Om Sahanvavatu (pg 9 my prayers book).