Just Us Crafting

The lesson this week is about justice

What is Justice?

How do we know that we are acting with Justice?
How can we tell if someone is using Justice when dealing with us?

As we learn the quote this week, listen to the songs and story let us see if we can answer some of these questions.

We will continue to memorize the prayer “O God Guide Me..”

The quote this week is “Tread Ye the path of Justice”

ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A PRAYER?

Suggested Prayer:

O God! Rear this little babe in the bosom of Thy love and give it milk from the breast of Thy Providence. Cultivate this fresh plant in the rose garden of Thy love and aid it to grow through the showers of Thy bounty. Make it a child of the kingdom, and lead it to Thy heavenly realm. Thou art powerful and kind, and Thou art the Bestower, the Generous, the Lord of surpassing bounty.

O God Rear this little babe

REMEMBER, WE ARE MEMORIZING THE PRAYER “O GOD GUIDE ME”

LISTEN AND VIEW ON YOUTUBE

Los Nice Guys:

Memorization aid: IMAGES HERE

Radiant Heart Sung By Earl Gaston Master

A Nobel Way

Tread ye the path of justice, for this, verily, is the straight path.
Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Listen and View on Youtube

Meaning of Words in This Quote:

Tread

Many leaves have fallen from the trees in the forest, covering the path. Fumiko walks through the forest. She treads the leaf-covered path.
Pedro likes to help all his friends play happily together. Pedro and his friends are very unified. Pedro treads the path of unity.

Path

1. Luis has a donkey. He took it to graze in a meadow and left it alone. The donkey found the path home by itself.

2. There are two ways to go to school. Millie always likes to take the path that goes by her grandmother’s house.

Justice

Carlos was given crayons to hand out during class. There were ten crayons and five children. Carlos gave two crayons to each child. Carlos acted with justice in handing out the crayons.
Anna has lots of water in the well in her yard, but sometimes her neighbor’s well runs dry. Anna never allows this neighbor to suffer and always makes her feel welcome to take water. Anna loves justice.

Memorization aids

Spiritual Cookies #2 Justice

The following story about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá illustrates how just He was. In recounting the story, you can emphasize the actions of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá that show His concern for justice and help the children see how they could follow His example. As always, if you keep the different parts of the story clearly in mind and tell it with joy and sincerity, the children will understand it better.

One day, ‘Abdu’l-Baha wanted to go from ‘Akka to Haifa. He went to take an inexpensive seat in a regular coach. The driver was surprised and must have asked himself why ‘Abdu’l-Baha was so frugal as to ride in this cheap coach. “Surely, Your Excellency would prefer to travel in a private carriage,” he exclaimed. “No,” replied the Master and He traveled in the crowded coach all the way to Haifa. As He stepped down from the coach in Haifa, a distressed fisherwoman came to Him and asked for His help. All day she had caught nothing and now had to return home to her hungry family. ‘Abdu’l-Baha gave her a good sum of money, turned to the driver, and said, “Why should I ride in luxury while so many are starving?

Video this story

OBSTACLE COURSE

The goal is to show that the straight path is the better path to take.

Create an obstacle course but as a path going in circles all over the place. The aim is for the children to get from point A to point B. Make it as convoluted as your space allows.

Make a second path with no obstacles, make it straight from point A to point B

Let the children see who can get to the end of their path first.

Below is an example of an obstacle course.

GAME SUGGESTIONS:

Just or Not Just

Making little signs that say “just” and “not just” on either side. You can tell the children a story, or just give them scenarios – and they have to hold up their sign and tell if it’s “just!” or “not just”. The children can give their own examples. E.g.: – (J) Sharing crayons with others
– (J) Following the rules when playing a game.
– Taking away someone’s toy without asking to use it.
– (J) Making sure everyone gets a slice of cake.
– Cutting in front of others in line without permission.
– (J) Taking equal turns on the swing.
– (J) Finding a game everyone can enjoy.
– Taking someone’s candy if they were mean to you.

The “Sharing” game

One good way to do this activity is to have a sheet that all of the children stand on. Fold the sheet in half for the second attempt. And keep folding the sheet in half, and see how small you can get it with everyone still being able to fit on it.

MAKE A PUZZLE WITH WORDS FROM THE QUOTE

Justice Puzzles

Material Needed

PDF template PRINTED OR pre-cut jigsaw puzzle (from the dollar store)
Pencil colors
Imagination

Instructions

Each child gets a pre-cut jigsaw puzzle to draw their interpretation of the path of justice or
The picture to color and cut out

Make a Path of Justice

Materials

Get a long piece of paper
Pencil

Instructions:

Draw a straight pathway on the paper
Children then trace their feet walking on the pathway and make footprints along the ‘Class Justice Path’.
Once they have done this they can decorate the outside of the pathway with many flowers & leaves from the garden that grows abundantly when there is justice.

Note: the children can also draw in their notebooks the straight path and decorate around it. You can also print the quote and add it to the drawing.

Another activity for the Path Of Justice.

Thank you to Jaleh Sanii for sharing this craft!

Quote for justice: Tread Ye The Path Of Justice

The Materials Needed:

Markers
The quote “Tread Ye The Path Of Justice….”
The footsteps
The path (paper or cardstock or notebooks)

Instructions

Have the quote printed so that the children can copy it onto their sheets of paper. Option to have the quote ready for kids to stick on the paper.

Have footsteps cut out or have the children cut out the footsteps themselves and glue them to the paper.

Option to have the definition of the words written on the side.

Color page free from Teachers Pay Teachers

Download here

Unity and Justice coloring pages from Teachers Pay Teachers

Download Here

Other Lessons on Justice

The online platform has other resources and links to other blogs. Here is one of my favorites for the lesson on Justice

Download all lesson 1 material on Google Drive here

Lesson 1 Grade 1 Ruhi Bk 3 Purity of heart

Discussion: A Pure Kindly & Radiant Heart

How Do You Practice it?
You practice kindness by noticing when someone or something needs care. You have become sensitive to the world around you. Use your imagination to think of things that give others happiness – your parents, your friends, your teachers, your brothers and sisters, and even people you don’t know very well. Find out what habits harm or help the environment and choose kinder ways.
When tempted to be cruel, to criticize, or tease, you decide not to do it You accept people who are different or handicapped instead of ignoring them or teasing them. When you are practicing kindness, you take really good care of your pets.

What would kindness look like if:

A new child comes into your class and she looks lonely.
You start teasing your brother/ sister and they are getting upset?
Some kids you have been playing with start ridiculing a boy who has big ears.
Your pet got some dirt on them?
Your mother seems tired lately.

Signs of Success

Congratulations! You are practicing kindness when you…
Give tender attention to someone who is sad or needs help. Do things that give others happiness. Practice habits that help the earth (reduce, reuse, recycle) Resist the temptation to be cruel in your words and actions. Accept people who are different. Take good care of animals. Remember your connection to all creation.

Keep trying! You need more practice when you…
Always put yourself first. Don’t pay attention to the needs of others. Don’t think about how you can help the environment. Tease and play tricks on others. Ignore or ridicule someone who is different. Hurt animals. Neglect your pets. Forget that you are part of God’s creation and that all of it deserves to be cared for with kindness.

taken from this site

AFFIRMATION
I am kind. I look for ways to help others. I show kindness to any person or animal I see. I do all I can to take care of the earth. I remember my connection to all creation.

Note: All of the 24 lessons for grade 1 can be found here: Grade 1

Some of the activities may be around being clean and tidy in our life. This is not the main theme, (its PURITY OF HEART ) but general cleanliness can be used if the class is of mixed ages.

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT

Watch the video with the class or prepare your own demonstration for the class.

science experiment

THE WATER GOES FROM: Pure – Then impure – Then pure again (symbolizes purifying our heart. )

You need: 2 clear cups (one labeled “sin” and one labeled with a cross), food coloring, bleach, baking soda, and water

How you do it:

Fill one glass about 3/4 full of water
Stir in 1 tsp of baking soda
Add food coloring
Next pour about 1/4 cup of bleach into the colored water

To begin, let us attract divine blessings and create a spiritual atmosphere by reciting a prayer.

Prayer To Memorize

Here is a link with pictures to help memorize the prayer.

Listen to the prayer:

Want to send this prayer as a postcard? Print it from this link and post it to a neighbor or a friend!

There are so many lovely songs to choose from. Here are a few suggestions

O SON OF SPIRIT! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly, and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable, and everlasting.
Bahá’u’lláh

My First Counsel

MEANING OF WORDS

Counsel
1. One day Gerard and Mary were coloring in some drawings. Gerard needed the yellow crayon, but Mary did not want to give it to him. The teacher told Mary that she should share. The teacher gave Mary good counsel.
2. Patricia has to decide whether to spend her money on cookies or on a storybook. Her parents advised her to buy the storybook. Her parents give Patricia good counsel.

Possess
1. Tinaye likes to read prayers before going to sleep. She has a small prayer book to read from. Tinaye possesses a small prayer book.
2. There was a flood and many people lost everything they possessed, but friends came to their aid, and soon they had the things they needed again.

Pure heart
1. Cathy became angry and screamed at Susan. Susan was sad but quickly forgave Cathy. Susan possesses a pure heart.
2. Jorge likes to share his cookies with all the children, even with Gustavo, who throws stones at him. Jorge possesses a pure heart.

Kindly heart
1. When people in need come to her house, Ming Ling always takes care of them. Ming Ling possesses a kindly heart.
2. Mr. Robertson is very old. Jimmy helps him carry his fruit harvest to the market. Jimmy possesses a kindly heart.

Radiant heart
1. When I feel sad, my mother always cheers me up and makes me happy. My mother possesses a radiant heart.
2. Obuya became ill and has to spend all his time in bed. He says many prayers, does not become sad, and continues to show forth happiness. Obuya possesses a radiant heart.

To memorize the quote, try taking out keywords in the sentence. Have the children have to work out together to find which word would best fit that gap.

MEMORIZATION AID

Access the word document memorization aid here

Before we leave the quote for today, here is one more short video from Spiritual Cookies to help with the meaning of the words

STORY OF ABDU’L-BAHA: LOVE OF CHILDREN

Story of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá – Purity Of Heart.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá could always tell what was in a person’s heart, and He greatly loved people whose hearts were pure and radiant. There was a lady who had the honor of being the guest of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at dinner. As she sat listening to His words of wisdom, she looked at a glass of water in front of her and thought, “Oh! If only ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would take my heart and empty it of every earthly desire and then refill it with divine love and understanding, just as you would do with this glass of water.”

This thought passed through her mind quickly, and she did not say anything about it, but soon something happened that made her realize ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had known what she was thinking. While He was in the middle of His talk, He paused to call a servant and said a few words to him in Persian. The servant quietly came to the lady’s place at the table, took her glass, emptied it, and put it back in front of her.

A little later, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, while continuing to talk, picked up a pitcher of water from the table, and in a most natural way, slowly refilled the lady’s empty glass. No one noticed what had happened, but the lady knew that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was answering her heart’s desire. She was filled with joy. Now she knew that hearts and minds were like open books to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who read them with great love and kindliness.

The online platform has more stories with video content. If you can’t access coach zippy, I do apologize: the site is having ongoing issues but I am slowly moving content here to the blog! Sign up here

ACT OUT THE SENTENCES

Use soap to clean your hands after coming home from outside, and before eating.
Make sure to cover your mouth and nose when sneezing (cough into your sleeve or a tissue).
Keep your distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing Activity Two
Clean your room or an area of the house where you spend time so that you can have a clean area to spend your time in. Cleanliness brings us closer to God.
Find a mirror in the house and clean one-half of it, then compare the difference between the clean side and the dirty side.

STORM OF KINDNESS

Explain that kids will make a “rainstorm” of kindness. Being kind is contagious (ask them what contagious means). It may start off with one small act of kindness, but soon that one act with spread to someone else, and so on and so on. It will lead to other acts of kindness, and when those all get added together, they create an amazing “storm” of kindness.

Have kids stand in a circle. Tell them to each do what the teacher does when he/she looks at them and nods. Don’t do it until the teacher looks and nods. Starting at one spot in the circle, the teachers will have the children:

Rub hands together (sounds like rain starting to drizzle)
Snap (or slap backs of hands, alternating) (bigger drops)
Clap out of rhythm (even bigger)
Slap thighs (heavy rain)
Stomp feet (very heavy rain/thunder)
Then reverse steps, slapping thighs, then clapping, then snapping, then rubbing hands.

EAST WIND BLOWS

Begin with all the children in a circle, on chairs or cushions (can also take off their shoes and use them as markers). Each round begins with the teacher, who is outside the circle, calling out the following phrase: “The west wind blows on everyone who…”, continuing by referring to some characteristic that more than one child shares, such as blue eyes, black hair, blue pants, and so on. All the children who share that characteristic must then get up and switch places with each other. Each child must find a different seat from the one he or she was occupying before the call.

Care should be taken so that children do not push or collide with each other when switching seats. The circle should be wide enough to give all the children space to move when they are called.

THE BURNING THIRST

Tie sticks to the children’s arms so they cannot bend their elbows, and then tell them to pretend that they are walking in a desert and are very, very thirsty. When they come upon water in cups, they have to find a way to drink it. They will discover that the only way is to help each other, being careful not to get each other wet.

There are many craft and activity suggestions for you to consider. When you choose what you would like to do with the class, make sure all the required supplies are available for the children.

Magnets

Use salt dough or premade dough to make fridge magnets. You can also use a material like felt, heave cardboard or even a small wooden heart and attach the quote.

THE ONLINE COACHZIPPY PLATFORM ALSO USES THESE CRAFTS AND OTHERS IN AN INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOK.

Here is the Google drive link with most of the activities, quotes etc

WEBSITE FOR A DIFFERENT LESSON

Here is a link to another blog for this lesson

Here is another site with lesson for grade 1