September 25th 2011 class review

Grade 1 Section 2 update:
Morning prayers is 3 ॐ (Om) followed by
Prayers:

* ॐ सहनाववतु - Om sahanaavavatu (My prayers, pg. 6)

* सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhayam (My prayers, pg. 44)
* करग्रे वसते लक्ष्मीः - karagre vasate lakshmi

Meditation: 5 minutes

Followed by Yoga and then

Bhajan : Atma Nivasi Ram bhajan (My prayers, pg. 63)

Story: The class learned about King Dasaratha's yagna and Rama's birth.

Activity: Colored 2 pages of the Ramayana coloring book.The children took the coloring books home and these will need to be brought back every class.


Grade 1 Section 1 updates:
Morning prayers is 3 ॐ (Om) followed by

Prayers:
* ॐ सहनाववतु - Om sahanaavavatu (My prayers, pg. 6)
* Akanda Mandalakaram (My prayers, pg. 9, 1st shloka of 'gurustotram')
* गुरुर्ब्रह्मा - gururbrahmaa (My prayers, pg. 9, 3rd shloka of 'gurustotram')


Meditation: 1 minute. The children were fantastic counting crayons dropped into a jar.

Story: Rishi Vishwamitra has troubles with demons Tataka and her son Maricha. He asks King Dasaratha to send Rama to protect his yagna. Dasartha reluctantly sends Rama and Lakshmana with the powerful rishi. Rama follows rishi Vishwamitra's directions and kills the woman cursed by sage Agastya with use of divine astras.

Likhita japa: Practice writing 'राम'

Activity: Colored Charan padukas and Sage Vishwamitra leading Rama and Lakshmana.


Game time: The Rama japa train went around the class chanting Rama Rama Rama.


End of class:
* Jai Jagadeesha hare and Chinmaya pledge

September 18th 2011 class

Pranaam,

             We started on the Bala Ramayanam today. 

                                            Ayodhya means where there is no fights  

             The children imagined Ayodhya of long long ago and came up the settings for the story. All the children actively participated and got engaged with the past. Ayodhya was place of harmony and happiness except for the King. King Dasaratha was unhappy as he had no children. 

             This lead us to discuss advice and help when we are lost or sad. All the children agreed that parents or teacher are a good source to seek when we are unhappy or need help. 

             Following his guru Vashista muni 's advice King Dasaratha performed a Putrakamesti yaga or fire ritual. The yajna purusa emerged with heavenly payasam which the King offered to the queens. In due course Queen Kausalya had Rama, Queen Kaikeyi had Bharatha and Queen Sumitra had Lakshmana and Shahtrugana. We went around the class chanting Rama, Rama to celebrate the birth of Rama.

            We learnt the first gurustrotram. Please refer to My Prayers page 9 verse 1.

                                       akhanda-mandalakaram

                                       vyaptam yena caracaram

                                       tatpadam darsitam yena

                                       tasmai sri-gurave namah

             The children started coloring their Ramayanam books. Please send a folder so we can send these books home. Please contact us if you have any questions

                                

                     Grade 1 sevikas

welcome to Grade 1 balavihar 2011-2012

Dear Grade 1 parents,
we are very excited to have your children in our grade 1 rooms. On September 11th, opening day we met your lovely children and assigned them to section 1 or section 2.We also discussed the curriculum for this year which is the same as last year. We will be teaching Bala Ramayanam. There is no textbook for the kids. The children will be getting a coloring book. They will need to bring their crayons, my prayer book and their individual coloring books to class everyday. We will be updating the blog with the daily activities and lessons. check often.

Pranam from grade 1 sevikas
Ruchi Malaviya & Lakshmi Annamalai (section 1)
Kalpana Dholakia & Kusuma a Janardhana (section 2)