Peace and Reflection Garden: Stop and Smell the Flowers
Involve students in creating a “peace garden” where they can both appreciate beauty and take time to smell the flowers. Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav encouraged people to pray in nature, to take some time every day to get away from the noise of life and spend some time along with nature. Called “Hitbodedut” this approach can be very meaningful for young children, consider researching this idea and encouraging aspects of this prayerful reflection with your students.
- Discuss with your school administrator the possibility of creating a “peace garden” on the school campus. Invite a horticulturist and/or local landscape architect to visit with your class.
- Help students create questions to learn more about what a horticulturist and landscape architect are responsible for doing.
Encourage students to discuss their visions for the garden.
- What would students like to see in their garden (e.g., butterflies, flowers, vegetables, a bench to sit on, large rocks, etc.)?
- Generate a discussion with the guest speaker on such topics as, “What do plants need to survive and thrive?”; “What types of plants will grow best in the area?”; “Which locations on the school grounds would best provide the best light/shade needed?”
- Work together to grow and care for your garden and your community.
- Discuss the responsibility of caring for a garden and the various “jobs” students can hold in terms of planting, watering, charting plant growth, etc. Create and display job chart which lists the title and job description of each. Periodically assign different students to them. Create additional job cards as needed.
- Invite parents and partners from local community organizations to help support this project with their time, talent, or with helping to provide the materials needed.
- Involve students in Acts of Loving Kindness-G’milut Hasadim. As flowers and/or vegetables mature, share them with members of the community. For example, bring flowers or bread made from the zucchini you grow to a local senior center!
Musical Narration of Ferdinand
Share with students this video that features a narration of the story by Seth Rogen with musical accompaniment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qfn0UIzrLo Identify the instruments and discuss with students how the music effects the story and the mood of the story.
Perceptions in a Venn Diagram
One of the critical aspects of this story is that Ferdinand does not give in to the perceptions that
the men have of him. He holds firm to his identity. His self-perceptions are fixed. How do students see themselves?
1. Perceptions About Ferdinand
Draw two intersecting large circles on the board. Have students brainstorm how Ferdinand sees himself (quiet, happy, etc.) and list these traits in one of the circle labeled “How Ferdinand Sees Himself. ” Then brainstorm and list in the second circle “How Other People See Ferdinand” including the men looking for brave bulls, the matador, and Ferdinand’s mother and friends. If any traits fit in both circles, place them in the area of the circles that intersect.
2. Children’s Own Self-Perceptions
Remind students that Ferdinand seems to know who he is and what he likes. Invite students to use
art to represent what they are like and what they enjoy as individuals. Students can use photos from home,
magazine clippings of their favorite foods or sports/activities they enjoy, and/or they can draw their favorite
items on their paper or poster board. Students may like to contrast their self-perceptions with Ferdinand’s
(loves life, friendly, content, likes the outdoors, peaceful, free, loves flowers, individual, strong, amazing, powerful, etc.)
Time Line
Ferdinand goes through a variety of experiences. The students can be asked to plot those
experiences on a timeline. Students might then interview family members to learn about
important events that have happened in their families and produce a timeline of their
own or their family’s special events. Students can add dates or ages to the events they
plot on their personal time lines. Then, have students share their special events and explain how these events make them content with all they have and grateful for what they have.
Yoga
Many find that exercise gives them a sense of contentment and well-being. With the assistance and support of your administration and parents, initiate “yoga in the classroom” or an “after school yoga” program.
Research has shown that students involved in yoga make significant gains in academic achievement, raising self-esteem, and behavior. Yoga nourishes their mind, body and spirit and paves the way for a life-long tradition of health and fitness. Yoga helps them find a “peaceful place.”
Invite a yoga instructor from the community to visit your class to give an introductory lesson on yoga as well as discuss safety issues. Invite parents to attend.
Alternatively, view and practice yoga videos with students. Here is one of many excellent options:
http://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga
How much is enough?
Enough?!
To further the conversation concerning being content with what we have, discuss the concept of
Dayeinu - it would have been enough for us. In the Passover Haggadah we read that as a people, we would have been satisfied if G-d had only done the one thing, or the next, etc.
Remind students the familiar melody by singing the refrain of the song;
“dai, dayeinu, day dayeinu, day dayeinu, dayeinu dayeinu!” Ask students what the word “Dayeinu” means in English then review the lyrics, in English or Hebrew as appropriate to your student’s understanding. The following verses are most common, full lyrics can be found online.
If G-d had fed us the manna, and had not give us the Shabbat- it would have been enough for us!
If G-d had given us the Shabbat, and had not brought us before Mount Sinai-it would have been enough for us!
If G-d had brought us before Mount Sinai, and had not given us the Torah-it would have been enough for us!
If G-d had given us the Torah, and had not brought us into the land of Israel- it would have been enough for us!