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Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

THE NATURE OF PRAYER Grade 2 Lesson 1

RUHI BOOK 3 GRADE 2  WELCOME
WELCOME

Welcome to Lesson 1: The nature of prayer.  Abdu’l-Baha tells us that prayer is a “conversation with God”. 

We already mentioned that when we pray, we speak to God.  When we love another, our greatest wish is to be close to the one we love and to express the love he feels. 

To understand the nature of prayer and why we pray, we would need to also look at the effects of prayer. We can ask God for things that we want, and He will answer our prayers in accordance with Divine wisdom.

We can pray for things related to the specific circumstances of our lives and for the development of spiritual qualities, both in ourselves and in others.

We must understand that prayer is not just a time for us to make requests of God. Remember that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us, “In the highest prayer, men pray only for the love of God, not because they fear Him or hell, or hope for bounty or heaven. . . .”

What are some of the things we pray for?

WHO IS ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ?

We will be using many stories to help us understand the virtues and concepts we are learning. Many of the stories will be about Abdu’l-Bahá. Let us learn a little about him.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá is the Son of Bahá’u’lláh. He is the Centre of Bahá’u’lláh’s Covenant, the unerring Interpreter of His Writings, and the Perfect Exemplar of His Teachings. He was given many titles during His lifetime, including “The Master”; the one He preferred and took for Himself, however, was ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

Meaning of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
  • Abdu’l means Servant
  • Baha means Splendor or Glory. Baha is one of the names of Bahá’u’lláh

Abdu’l-Baha means “Servant of Bahá”—Servant of Bahá’u’lláh.

EACH SET HAS PRAYERS TO MEMORIZE

For the next 3 classes, we will memorize the following prayer 

O Lord! I am a child; enable me to grow beneath the shadow of Thy loving kindness. I am a tender plant; cause me to be nurtured through the outpourings of the clouds of Thy bounty. I am a sapling of the garden of love; make me into a fruitful tree. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful, and Thou art the All-Loving, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá
Would Anyone Like To Say A Prayer?
Send A Prayer To A Family Near You!
O Lord! I am a child
Memorization Aid

Download and print the memorization aid. Use it as part of a lapbook or glue it into your class notebook.

Download Filling the blank Memorization Aid here

Download the Prayer the Print Glue to your class notebook here

Songs for grade 2
STRIVE THAT DAY BY DAY
BOUNDLESS LOVE
I Want To Be Happy
I Want To Br Happy
Quote for class to memorize
Remember that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us that prayer is “Conversation With God”

Through our prayers, we speak to God of our love for Him. We love God and our greatest wish is to be close to God and to express the love we feel. We know that even though God knows what is in our hearts, still we want to tell Him of our love for Him and thank Him for the bounties that He has showered upon us.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá lived in a state of prayer. His heart was always turned towards God. He often mentioned that there is nothing sweeter in life than prayer. When we converse with God each day, our love for Him grows stronger, and we feel closer to Him. Our hearts are opened, and enkindled with His love, and our souls become joyful. God loves us more than we can possibly imagine. So it is that we constantly receive His bounties as we pray to Him to guide us, protect us, and help us become worthy of His love. To aid us in our efforts to live our lives in a state of prayer, with our hearts always turned towards God, let us memorize the following quotation:

Listen to the Quote
Meaning of the words in the quote
INTONE

She stood before the meeting with her head bowed and her eyes closed. Silence filled the room.  Then she lifted her head and began to intone the verses of God in a melodious voice.

Bahereh taught her children to intone beautiful prayers at the beginning of each new day and in the evening before they slept.

WHO WANTS TO PRACTICE INTONING THEIR NAME? (have a few kids do this)
Kindle

The grass in the field was very dry.  In the intense heat of the summer, the dry grass kindled, and the fire spread to the edge of town.
After reading a few passages from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, Florence felt the love of God kindled in her heart.

Attract

We enjoy looking at flowers because they are beautiful. We are attracted to their beauty.  

When we feel God’s love, we want to be near Him.  Our hearts are attracted to God by the power of His love.

WORKSHEET TO MEMORIZE PRAYER

DOWNLOAD IT HERE

STORY RELATED TO LESSON
STORY OF RÚHU”LLÁH

When Ruhu’llah was about seven years old, he travelled with his father to the Holy Land.  There he had the great privilege of meeting Baha’u’llah, Who had brought to humanity God’s message for this day.  Ruhu’llah’s heart became filled with love for Baha’u’llah, and he wanted nothing more than to serve Him.  Upon returning home to Persia, he spent his time sharing with others news of Baha’u’llah’s coming. Ruhu’llah was truthful, honest, courteous and kind, and his words had great effect on all who heard him.  He rose at every dawn to pray and, with his heart turned towards God, passed each day in servitude to Him.

One day, Ruhu’llah was summoned to appear before an official.  At that time, many people were fearful of the new message that was being spread throughout the land.  They clung to beliefs of the past, and the followers of the new Faith often became victims of harsh punishments.  For this reason, Ruhu’llah’s father was in great danger.  As proof that he had raised his sons in this new Faith, Ruhu’llah was asked to say a prayer in the presence of the official.  This, it was hoped, would be enough to convince the official to condemn his father.  Calmly, Ruhu’llah prepared his heart to offer supplication to God.  Then, in a melodious voice, he chanted a Baha’i prayer with exquisite beauty.  The official was deeply moved.  He dismissed the matter immediately, saying he would not condemn a man who had raised a child so wonderful.  And so Ruhu’llah’s father was saved.

Later, when Ruhu’llah was about twelve years old, he would once again set out with his father to visit the Holy Land.  This time, he would be blessed to pass his days in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Baha, who loved Ruhu’llah very much and especially enjoyed hearing him chant in his beautiful voice the many prayers he knew by heart.  Ruhu’llah would leave the Holy Land ablaze with Divine love, ready to sacrifice his all for the Cause of God.

Download all the extra resources here

BRILLIANT STAR MAGAZINE STORY HERE

GAMES FOR GRADE 2 TO PLAY

There are two types of activities related to drama in these lessons.  The first set of activities is concerned with the development of skills and abilities.

To acquire the discipline yet freedom of movement needed to participate in creative drama, the children must learn to control their actions within a defined space.  The following activities will contribute to the development of this ability.

  1. Have your children stand about two meters apart from one another.  Each child should imagine that he or she is standing in a square measuring about one and a half meters by one and a half meters.  Ask them to draw with their eyes the boundaries of their imaginary squares.  Then, have each of them walk along the border of his or her own square.  
  2. Next, tell them to imagine that there is a rope about half a meter above the ground stretching across the middle of each of their squares.  Ask them to jump over it, crawl under it, walk along it, hop along it, and go around it without leaving their squares.


The children also need to learn to cooperate and work together.  The following activities will help them develop some of the corresponding activities.

  1. Divide the youngsters into pairs.  Think of a very heavy object that is familiar to them and ask each pair to pretend that they are carrying it together.
  2. Then ask the pair to pretend they are digging a well together.  
  3. Now tell them to imagine that one of the children’s mother has invited a guest over, but the guest has arrived early before the mother has returned home from work.  One child in each pair is the guest.  The other child invites the guest in and offers him or her something refreshing to drink while they wait for the mother.


The second type of activity is related to the theme of the lesson, the state of prayer.  Tell the children that they are going to improvise a situation about the state of prayer.

  1. Begin by having the children return to their imaginary squares.  Once they are in position, explain to them that, although we pray to God with words, other things, or their very existence, we are asking for God’s blessings and bounties.  In this way, all created things are praying to God.  A plant, for example, needs rain to grow.  By its very existence, the plant prays, “O God! Send me rain!”
  2. Now, tell the children to pretend that they are in a field of corn or another crop with which they are familiar.  For some days there has been no rain on the field  How do they look?  Days pass, but there is not a could in the sky.  The plants droop more and more, day by day.  Silently, they are praying.  Then, suddenly, there is a clap of thunder in the distance which grows louder and louder.  You can use your hands or some instrument to make the clap of thunder.  Then start slowly tapping on something, pretending to be rain.  Gradually tap faster and faster.  The rain has come, and little by little, the plants raise their drooping leaves.
CRAFT IDEAS
ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS

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. 

Prayer Hand

To make the prayer hand you will need 

  1. Cardstock is about 6 in x 11in
  2. Pencil
  3. Scissors
  4. printed prayer or quote
  5. Child

Fold the paper in half so your paper is 6in x 5.5 in. Place the child’s hand on the fold. Use a pencil to trace the hand. The fingers can be together or apart. Try to get as much of the fold as part of the drawn hand as possible as this gives more space for the prayer to be stuck. Cut out hand shape. Open and glue the prayer to the hand. (alternative or addition is to write who you will pray for on the fingers.) Decorate

Call and talk to God

Decorate this phone and remember that prayer is a conversation with God

Download here

POPUP CARD
How to make the POPUP card
  • Download the template
  • cut out the base, there are 2 per page
  • cut out the cover
  • Print and cut out the prayer

When you are cutting out the pieces, the straight lines are cut lines and any dashed/dotted lines are to be folded. The folded lines are only on the card base in the middle.

Once the pieces are cut out, take the base and push the partially cut middle out. This is the only tricky part if you are not familiar with popups. take a look at the photo below.

Glue the quote and the cover. Done.

View the instruction on the blog post

Make A Door Hanger

Template # 1

Print and cut the round template.

The base can be cut from cardboard. to do this print the base and use it as a template to cut the cardboard.

The top part is decorated and stuck to the base.

A string is threaded through the hole and then the craft can be hung on a door.

Note that you can use a piece of ribbon and glue it in between the base and the top to form a loop and hang it on the door.

TEMPLATE #2 

Print and Cut the straight template or use the 9-pointed strar one below. Add your own message and decorate

9 pointed star tempalte

Decorate the Prayer

Decorate the frame of the prayer or use the blank template to write your prayer in the shape and decorate it.

You can also use any shape you like. My daughter and I did this activity years ago from Varga Magazine. We used the shape of a bird.

DOWNLOAD BIRD SHAPE HERE

LAPBOOK General Information

As mentioned in the welcome lesson for Grade 2. We will be making a lapbook for each lesson. The pieces we put into a lapbook are called mini books. Lapbooks help to keep information organized and help the kids memorize. Plus they a typically lots of fun to put together. You can choose to use all the suggested mini-books for a lesson or you can just combine lessons into one lapbook

For each lapbook you will need a file folder and any of the mini-books that are suggested . For information on Lapbooks take a look at this short  video below (not my viedo)

Lapbook for lesson 1

There are 2 versions of lesson 1 here. Both have elements for lessons 1 to 3 in one lapbook. The first one has small images and mini-books. the second is simplified, larger and fewer pieces

Print, cut out and decorate the pieces. You can finish the lapbook over a period of days or all at once. OR Choose to do one or two items from each of the 3 lessons and assemble them into one lapbook 

Please note that you don’t have to create the lapbook. You can use the mini books and glue them into a notebook or just keep them as they are.

Download all the elements for the lapbook here

SIMPLE lapbook

This is what Burlington is using this year (2022). Larger and fewer pieces. Note that we created a flap so that there is space under the LESSON 1 flap to house lessons 2 and 3.

Here is a video to show how easier it is to create a flap (5:58 timestamp)

All pieces can be found here

A Closer Look

This video takes a closer look at the lesson 1 files for simple lapbook

ruhi book 3 grade 2 resources
Recommend a resource: leave us a comment

LESSON 2 HERE

ALL GRADE 2 HERE

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Baha'i Children class Free Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

Happy Is The Faithful One Lesson 22 Grade 1

Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness

Faithfulness

  • What is Faithfulness?
  • How are we Faithful?
  • Why should we practice the virtue of Faithfulness?
  • When do we practice the virtue of Faithfulness? 

VISIT MORE LESSONS HERE

L9G1 Prayer
Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness

In the next 3 lessons, we will memorize the prayer “O Thou kind Lord! I am a little child…”

“O Thou kind Lord! I am a little child, exalt me by admitting me to the kingdom. I am earthly, make me heavenly; I am of the world below, let me belong to the realm above; gloomy, suffer me to become radiant; material, make me spiritual, and grant that I may manifest Thine infinite bounties.

“Thou art the Powerful, the All-Loving.”

View Here

Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness

A faithful soul never forgets all the bounties that God has bestowed on it; it never ceases to love God. It is out of our faithfulness to Him that we always try our very best to follow His teachings and obey His laws, even when it becomes difficult. So it is that we work hard to serve others and to do worthy deeds, with no other thought than to attain His good pleasure. For the faithful soul, there is no greater joy than striving to please God. Let us memorize this quotation of Bahá’u’lláh:

Happy is the faithful one who is attired with the vesture of high endeavor and hath arisen to serve this Cause.

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh

View Here On YouTube

Meaning Of Words

Attired

  1. Mae has a good dress that she only wears on special occasions. She put on her dress for the community gathering. Mae was attired in her special dress.
  2. For the ceremony, the King put on his velvet robe. He was attired in his finest clothes.

Vesture

  1. In some places, judges must wear a white wig and a long black robe in a court of law. They must wear the full vesture of judges.
  2. Before leaving the palace, the prince puts on his sash and crown. He puts on his royal vesture.

Endeavor

  1. The students decided to plant trees around the school. The community supported their endeavor by providing seedlings and soil.
  2. Pierre and Arlene decided that they would climb to the top of the mountain. They knew that this would be a difficult endeavor, but they were determined to try.

Send A Postcard

Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness
Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness

Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness

Story About Faithfulness

When ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was a young boy, His family, which was part of the nobility of Persia, had a servant by the name of Iṣfandíyár. He was very loyal to the family, and they trusted him a great deal. When the authorities, out of prejudice and ignorance, had ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s beloved Father, Bahá’u’lláh, arrested, all of the family’s possessions were taken away. They were left with nothing, and anyone close to Bahá’u’lláh was in danger. Still, Iṣfandíyár continued to look after the family. Knowing that many officers would be looking for Iṣfandíyár, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s mother urged him to leave the city. But Iṣfandíyár would not leave.

“I cannot go,” he said, explaining that he owed money to many shopkeepers for items he had purchased. “How can I go?” he asked. “They will say that the servant of Bahá’u’lláh has bought and consumed the goods and supplies of the storekeepers without paying for them. Unless I pay all these obligations, I cannot go. But if they take me, never mind. If they punish me, there is no harm in that. If they kill me, do not be grieved. But to go away is impossible. I must remain until I pay all I owe.”

For one month Iṣfandíyár went about in the streets and bazaars, selling small things he owed. When he had paid every last debt, he went to the family and said goodbye, for he knew he could stay with them no longer. A minister agreed to take him in and protect and shelter him during this dangerous time.

Many months later, Bahá’u’lláh was released from prison, and He and His family were exiled from Persia by the authorities. They went to Baghdád, a city in the neighboring country. Iṣfandíyár, ever faithful to Bahá’u’lláh, journeyed to Baghdád to ask whether he could once again serve in His household. Bahá’u’lláh said to him, “When you left us, there was a Persian minister who gave you a place to stay when no one else could give you protection. Because he gave you shelter and protected you, you must be faithful to him. If he is satisfied to have you go, then come to us; but if he does not want you to go, do not leave him.”

Of course, Iṣfandíyár was so upright, so trustworthy, and loyal, that the minister did not want him to go. “O Iṣfandíyár!” he exclaimed, “I am not willing that you should go, yet, if you wish to go, let it be according to your own will.” But Iṣfandíyár remembered Bahá’u’lláh’s words. He remained in the minister’s service until, sometime later, the minister passed away and Iṣfandíyár once again returned to the family he so loved, serving ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the end of his days. 

Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness

Who Is Knocking at My Door

Blindfold one of the children, who should be seated on a bench with his or her back to the rest of the class. Now point to another child. He or she should go up to the blindfolded child and knock on the bench. The child who is seated says, “Who is knocking at my door?” The other, trying to disguise his or her voice, responds, “It’s me!” The seated child tries to guess who is knocking. The blindfolded child has three guesses, and then another child is given a turn.

Lesson 22 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Faithfulness

Use the quote in any of the crafts below

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Baha'i Children class Kids Can Do Ruhi Book 3

Enable Us To Be Radiant Lesson 21 Grade 1

Lesson 21 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Radiance

Radiance

  • What is Radiance?
  • How are we Radiant?
  • Why should we practice the virtue of Radiance?
  • When do we practice the virtue of Radiance? 

VISIT MORE LESSONS HERE

L9G1 Prayer
Lesson 21 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Radiance

The next 4 lessons we will memorize the prayer “O Thou kind Lord! I am a little child…”

“O Thou kind Lord! I am a little child, exalt me by admitting me to the kingdom. I am earthly, make me heavenly; I am of the world below, let me belong to the realm above; gloomy, suffer me to become radiant; material, make me spiritual, and grant that I may manifest Thine infinite bounties.

“Thou art the Powerful, the All-Loving.”

View Here

O Thou Kind Lord
O Thou Kind Lord!
O Thou Kind Lord!
Lesson 21 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Radiance

The light of the love of God never ceases to illumine our hearts. As this light grows brighter and brighter, our hearts become radiant with His love. The light of the knowledge of God—the knowledge of His greatness, of His glory—brightens our eyes. And, through our generous deeds and kind words, the light of love and knowledge shines forth. Those around us are touched by the radiance of our joy. To help us remember the importance of the quality of radiance, let us memorize the following quotation:

O Son of Being! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me.

The Hidden Words of Bahá’u’lláh
Full Quote to music

Meaning Of Words

Radiance

  1. Sometimes, when we leave a dark room and go outside, we have to cover our eyes until they get used to the bright light. We have to shield our eyes from the radiance of the sun.
  2. Mrs. Santos loves everyone like her own family. She is always generous, kind and helpful towards others. The love in her heart is felt by all the people she meets, bringing them joy. Everyone is touched by her radiance.

Seek

  1. When a baby bird hatches, the mother will look for food to feed it. The mother bird will seek food for the new chick.
  2. The school invited all the students on a special outing. In order to attend, they needed their parents’ permission. All the students were asked to seek approval from their parents to go on the outing.

Send A Postcard

Radiance
Lesson 21 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Radiance

Radiance
Radiant Heart
Lesson 21 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Radiance

Story About Radiance

Dorothy Baker, about whom you will probably learn more one day, had the honor of meeting ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as a young girl. It was Dorothy’s grandmother who took her to meet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His travels in the West. Arriving at a house that she had never visited before, Dorothy entered a crowded room. Many people were talking quietly and reverently while waiting for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to speak. The Master smiled as Dorothy and her grandmother came in and motioned to the young girl to sit near Him. Eager, but with some trepidation, she made her way across the room. Without looking up from the floor, she carefully walked past all the other guests to reach the footstool near His feet.

As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá began to speak, Dorothy sat with her eyes cast down, staring at her black shoes. She did not have the courage to look at Him. But soon her fear was gone. She felt attracted to the warmth of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s loving presence. His radiance was magnetic. Without even realizing that she had moved, Dorothy found herself turned in His direction, with her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, gazing up at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s luminous face.

Dorothy could never remember what ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke about that day. All she could remember was His kind face, His melodious voice, and the warmth of His presence. His loving eyes seemed to tell her of the spiritual worlds of God. In time, the love of God that had been ignited in her heart grew so strong that she decided to write to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. She begged Him that she might be allowed to serve Him and the Cause of His Father, Bahá’u’lláh. In His answer to Dorothy, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá praised her goal, assured her of God’s bounties, and expressed the hope that she would succeed in her desire. And, indeed, Dorothy dedicated her entire life to serving God and humanity.

Lesson 21 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Radiance

Two-Way Copy

Divide the children into pairs, each child facing his or her partner. Now ask one child in each pair to begin making simple physical movements, which the other child should try to mirror. After a few minutes, the partners can switch roles. You can also have them mirror facial expressions rather than movements. Next, have one child in each pair stand behind the other. As the one in the front moves, the one behind should shadow his or her movements.

Lesson 21 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Radiance

Make a lantern and use the downloaded quote

HGTV: Jar Lantern

Todays Parent: Northern lantern

Kitchen Fun: Fairy Lantern Mason Jar

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Baha'i Children class Kids Can Do Paper Ruhi Book 3

Enkindled By The Love of God. Lesson 20 Grade 1

Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement

Enkindlement

  • What is Enkindlement?
  • How are we Enkindled?
  • Why should we practice the virtue of Enkindlement?
  • When do we practice the virtue of Enkindlement? 

VISIT MORE LESSONS HERE

L9G1 Prayer
Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement

This is the last lesson for us to practice the prayer “Thy Name Is My Healing…”

Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

View Here

Thy Name Is My Healing
Luke Slott: Thy Name Is My Healing
Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement

Every human being was created to know God and to love Him, and we all have the spark of His love in our hearts. It is important for us to feed the flame of the love of God by praying to Him daily and by serving others, that it may grow stronger and stronger. As this flame burns ever brighter in our hearts, its warmth will be felt by all who cross our path. And their hearts, too, will be set aglow. When we are so enkindled, we become like burning candles that cannot help but to give light and warmth to those around us. Let us memorize the following quotation:

Be ye enkindled, O people, with the heat of the love of God, that ye may enkindle the hearts of others.

From a Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh

Meaning Of Words

Enkindle

  1. The house was cold, so Axel’s father decided to start a fire. He put large logs in the stove and lit some small twigs below. The wood soon became enkindled, and the fire warmed the room.
  2. A scientist came to the school and explained to the students’ many interesting things about the workings of the universe. They began to ask her various questions after the talk. She had enkindled in the students a desire to know more about the world.

Send A Postcard

Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement
Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement

Kindling the Fire of God’s Love
Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement

Story About Enkindlement

Thomas Breakwell was a young man who held an important position in a cotton mill in the southern United States and spent his vacations in Europe. On his way to Europe in the summer of 1901, he met a woman on a steamship and began talking with her about spiritual subjects. When they arrived in Paris, the woman took him along to meet a friend of hers who lived in an apartment in the city and who, she knew, had similar interests. The young woman welcomed them, and the three talked for some time. Before leaving, Breakwell asked his hostess whether he might return to speak further. He was invited to come back the next morning.

When he arrived the next day, the young woman noticed that his eyes were shining brightly and his voice was full of emotion. She asked him to be seated. Breakwell looked at her intently for a moment and then described for her a strange experience. After he had left her home the day before, he had walked along an avenue, alone, in the warm and heavy evening air. Not a leaf stirred around him. Then, all of a sudden, a great wind came that seemed to bring with it the glad tidings of a new message from God!

The young woman urged him to be calm. You see, she knew of the message to which Breakwell referred. During the next three days, over the course of many hours, she told him everything she could about the Bahá’í Faith—its history and its teachings— and about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the perfect Exemplar of those teachings, Who was living in the prison city of ‘Akká in the Holy Land.

By the end of three days, Breakwell’s heart was so filled with joy and hope that he wanted nothing other than to travel to ‘Akká and visit ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It happened that there was another young man who had already made plans to go to the Holy Land for this very purpose and who was most pleased to have Breakwell accompany him. So, a message was sent to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá requesting permission for him to come, and in a short time, they were on their way.

When the two men arrived at ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s home, they were taken into a room where several other men were gathered. Looking around, Breakwell became deeply troubled. There was no one in the room to whom his heart was drawn, and thinking that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá must be among those present, he feared that he had failed to recognize that Heavenly Being about Whom he had learned in Paris. He sat down in despair. At that moment, a door opened, and Breakwell looked up. He saw there a brilliant light, from which the figure of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá emerged. He immediately knew that his dearest wish had been fulfilled.

Breakwell spent two glorious days in the presence of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, during which the fire that had been enkindled in his heart grew stronger and stronger. When Breakwell told ‘Abdu’l-Bahá about his job at the cotton mill, where children were used as workers, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá advised him to resign from his post, which he did without hesitation. At the end of his visit, he returned to Paris, his spirit ablaze. For the rest of his short life, he burned like a bright candle, sharing the light enkindled in his heart with everyone he met. Upon his passing, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá revealed a Tablet in his honor, which includes the following verse: “O Breakwell, O my dear one! Thou hast lit a flame within the lamp of the Company on high, thou hast set foot in the Abhá Paradise, thou hast found a shelter in the shadow of the Blessed Tree, thou hast attained His meeting in the haven of Heaven.”

THE STRANGE STORY OF THOMAS BREAKWELL ON YOUTUBE

Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement

Help the Sick

Choose one child to pretend to be the “sick patient”. Now have two other children stand face to face, their hands clasped around one another’s forearms, in order to make a “chair”. Depending on the size and skill of the children, you could have them form a chair in another manner. In that case, have both children clasp their own right wrists with their left hands and the left wrists of one another with their right hands.

The other classmates should now help the “sick friend” into the chair. Select a tree or another spot as the “health center” and ask the two children forming the chair to carry the “sick” child there.

With a larger group, the children can be asked to form a “stretcher” instead of a chair by standing in two lines facing each other. They should bend their arms at the elbows, with each one grasping the forearms of the child across from him or her. The “sick” child should then lie on the stretcher to be carried to the “health center”. Remind the children that everyone will have to work together if they are to get the “patient” safely to the health center. “If we let the sick person fall,” you could say, “he or she will get hurt, and we will all feel sad. But if we arrive at the health center without any problems, we can feel happy and content because we will have helped our friend.”

Lesson 20 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Enkindlement

Based On The Story

From supporting the core activities

Download Photos and written content from the site above or download them here with the template of the book as seen below.

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Baha'i Children class Free Ruhi Book 3

How To Be A Trustworthy Person. Lesson 19 Grade 1

Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness

  • What is Trustworthiness?
  • How are we Trustworthy?
  • Why should we practice the virtue of Trustworthiness?
  • When do we practice the virtue of Trustworthiness? 

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L9G1 Prayer
Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Trustworthiness

We will continue to memorize the prayer “Thy Name Is My Healing…”

Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy. Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion. Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come. Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

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Thy Name Is My Healing
Luke Slott: Thy Name Is My Healing
Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Trustworthiness

One of the greatest qualities in the sight of God is trustworthiness. A trustworthy person is truthful and honest and can be counted on to keep his or her word. We should not say one thing but do another. Our actions should always reflect our words. When we are trustworthy, others can be sure that we will do our best to fulfill our responsibilities and carry out our duties. In this way, people are able to work together in harmony, knowing that everyone will do his or her part. To help us remember the importance of trustworthiness, let us memorize the following quotation:

Trustworthiness is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquility and security of the people.

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas

Meaning Of Words

Trustworthiness

  1. Athos promised his mother that he would help her to prepare dinner. When his friends came to his house to invite him to play outside, Athos remembered the promise he had made to his mother and told his friends he would play with them another time. Athos showed the quality of trustworthiness.
  2. Sunita went to the store to pick up some things for her family, but she found she had not brought enough money to pay for everything they needed. She asked the store’s owner if she could bring the rest of the money the next day. The owner said this was fine because she knew Sunita was trustworthy and would pay for the items as promised.

Tranquility

  1. Whenever Emilio has to make an important decision, he tries to find a quiet place to think and meditate. He goes to a quiet garden nearby. In its tranquility, he is able to clear his mind and heart.
  2. Once the great storm had passed, everything became unusually quiet and still. Peace and tranquility followed the storm.

Security

  1. When a baby animal is frightened, it will often run back to its mother for safety. The mother provides security to her young ones.
  2. The hiker went off the trail and got lost in the woods. When he did not return, the guides from the village went out to look for him. He felt a sense of security when they found him, knowing that they would lead him back to safety.

Send A Postcard

Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3
Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Trustworthiness

Red Grammer Trust
Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Trustworthiness

Story About Trustworthiness

Years ago, in the early days of the Faith, there were only a small number of Bahá’ís, spread out over several countries. They faced many challenges and often wrote to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land with news and questions. Their letters traveled over long distances before reaching Him, and He would answer each one with great love and care. His words of encouragement strengthened them and cheered their hearts. And so it was crucial that this stream of communication not be disrupted.

Now, there lived in the area at the time a Bahá’í by the name of Muḥammad-Taqí. He had come from Persia many years earlier as a young man and had established a small business. Gradually he became known for his unwavering reliability. So dependable was he that all the mail for ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the Holy Land and the responses sent abroad passed through the home of Muḥammad-Taqí. Everyone knew that he could be trusted to make sure each piece of mail was delivered promptly and securely.

But, then, the enemies of the Faith rose up against ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. They became jealous of the love and respect people showed to Him. They hoped they could bring about His exile, or worse still, His execution. Spies were planted all around His house, and He was kept under constant watch. How pleased His enemies would have been if they could have stopped the flow of correspondence and broken the link between ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the devoted Bahá’ís in other countries; how much more if they could have stolen some document that could be used to mislead the authorities!

‘Abdu’l-Bahá, however, was not deterred. He could often be seen late into the night, writing by the light of His lamp; for He had ensured a secure means for the receipt and dispatch of mail. What do you think He did?

You see, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá knew His enemies recognized the important work Muḥammad- Taqí carried out. They would no doubt try to intercept the mail routed through him. So ‘Abdu’l-Bahá sent Muḥammad-Taqí to a nearby place in a neighboring country, where he was out of danger. Then others, whom His enemies did not suspect, carried in and out of the Holy Land all the mail to Muḥammad-Taqí. And, from this safe spot, he continued to faithfully receive and dispatch mail, never faltering in the trust ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had placed in him. So it was that, even in the most difficult times, communication with the Holy Land was never cut off and guidance continued to reach friends in the most remote places.

Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Trustworthiness

A Guide

Divide your students into pairs and ask them to hold hands with their partners. Blindfold one child in each pair and have the other child lead him or her around, making sure he or she does not stumble along the way. For an added challenge, the blindfolded child can be guided around obstacles such as tree trunks, ditches, rocks, and tires. Once a bond of trust has been established between partners in this way, the blindfolded child can be guided using verbal instructions alone. In that case, the guide should follow close behind in order to catch the child should he or she stumble.

As an alternative to the above game, all the children can be blindfolded and form a train, led by you or one of the students.

TOWER OF TRUST

If your mom asks you to pick up your toys, can she count on you to do it?

Can she count on you to pick up those toys, even if she isn’t looking

come up with examples of how we can build trust in each other 

what happens if we lie about one of those things: It has taken a long time to build your mum’s trust in you. But it doesn’t take long at all to destroy the tower of trust. What if you tell your mum you picked up all your toys, and she finds them under the rug? Will that help her trust you?  Every untrue thing you say takes away a little of the trust people have in you. 

Lesson 19 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Trustworthiness

Based On The Story

Importance of letters. Have you ever written a note or letter to anyone and got worried it might not arrive? As we read in the story, the Baha’is across the world were always worried about the security of the mail they sent to the Holy land.

  1. Write a letter and post it to a friend, Your Local Spiritual Assembly, The National Spiritual Assembly, or even the Universal House of Justice
  2. Write a note to a family member This link has a cute template.
  3. Play a BINGO style game as seen here
  4. Use strips of paper for children to write a note. Join them up in a loop….this is from the story “the link between ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the devoted friends”

MAILBOX CRAFT

Make a mailbox and post letters and cards to each other.

A mini postbox can be made from a small box like a matchbox. Printable mini letters can be downloaded here

Trustworthy Friend KitCreate a “trustworthy friend kit”: Make a friendship kit to remind children of what it takes to be a trustworthy friend. Ask the students to label an envelope or ziplock baggie “Friendship Kit” and decorate it. Have them place the things on this list below inside the envelope. Cut out the list and put it in the friendship kit, too. Ask the children to take their friendship kit home and tell their family what each thing in the kit stands for. 

  • Tape- – Stick up for your friend. 
  • Bandage- Never let a friend do anything to harm himself or herself. 
  • Button- “Button your lips” and keep a secret for a friend. 
  • Candy Heart- Have the courage to do the right thing. 
  • Word Card: Truth- Remember to always speak the truth. Be honest and sincere with your friend. 
  • Eraser- Everyone makes mistakes. Forgive a friend’s mistakes. 
  • Mint- A trustworthy friend is worth a mint. 
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Baha'i Children class Ruhi Book 3

How To Practice Kindness Now! Lesson 16 Grade 1

Lesson 16 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Kindness

Kindness

  • What is Kindness?
  • How are we Kind?
  • Why should we practice the virtue of Kindness?
  • When do we practice the virtue of Kindness? 

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L9G1 Prayer
Lesson 16 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Kindness

We are Memorizing The Prayer: O Lord! Plant this tender seedling in the garden

O Lord! Plant this tender seedling in the garden of Thy manifold bounties, water it from the fountains of Thy loving-kindness and grant that it may grow into a goodly plant through the outpourings of Thy favor and grace. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

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Prayer Lesson 15 Grade 1 Kindness
Prayer Lesson 15 Grade 1 Kindness
Lesson 16 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Kindness

Memorize

God created all of humanity to live together as one family. If we are to do this, we cannot let differences come between us. Instead, we should mingle with people of every religion, nation, and background with love and kindness in our hearts. To help us remember this, let us memorize the following quotation of Bahá’u’lláh:

Blessed is he who mingleth with all men in a spirit of utmost kindliness and love.

Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh

Meaning Of Words

Mingle

  1. Egrets and cowbirds are two kinds of birds that live in the meadows. They are often seen together. These two kinds of birds mingle.
  2. In the devotional meeting, after the prayers were read, people stayed and mingled.

Send A Postcard To A Friend

LESSON 16 GRADE 1 RUHI BOOK 3 KINDNESS
Lesson 16 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Kindness

In Japan
Lesson 16 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Kindness

Story About Kindness

You know from some of our earlier stories that, when ‘Abdu’l-Bahá first arrived in ‘Akká, many of the people treated Him badly. They were cruel to the Bahá’ís and did not want to speak to them. Soon, however, they came to see that the Bahá’ís were loving and kind, and slowly most of the townspeople began to show them kindness in return. But there were a few who clung to their anger and hatred.

Now, one day, a man who still carried much hatred in his heart towards ‘Abdu’l- Bahá heard others praising His greatness and goodness. The man became outraged. He would show them, he said with anger, that this Person they all revered was not so wonderful after all. And off he went, his heart burning with anger. He knew that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá could be found praying in the mosque at that hour, and he rushed there, ready to lay violent hands upon the beloved Master. But ‘Abdu’l-Bahá looked at the man with serenity and dignity. Lovingly, He reminded him of the teachings of God that we are to be generous to all guests, even those that are different from us. At this, the man realized that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and the Bahá’ís were, indeed, like guests in ‘Akká, his home. And, like a generous host, he should welcome them with love and treat them with kindness.

Lesson 16 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Kindness

The Hidden Quality

Tell the children to form a circle, with their two hands cupped together in front of them. Stand in the middle of the circle, holding a small object like a pebble. The object will represent a quality, for instance, “kindness”. As you walk along the circle, pass your hand over the hands of each child and say, for example, “John is kind,” “Isabella is kind,” “Dervi is kind,” and so on. Each child should close his or her hands, acting as though you have given him or her the object. You should actually leave the item in the hands of one of the children. When you have gone around the entire circle, one child should try to guess who has the object by saying, for example, “Kenji is very kind.” Then Kenji should open his hands and show whether or not he has it. The child should be given three tries to guess who has the object, after which the game can be repeated using another quality. You should make sure that each child is given the object in at least one round.

Lesson 16 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Kindness

Kindness Jar 

Make a jar and fill it with ideas to be kind, or every time someone is kind to you, or you display the virtue of kindness, put a note in the jar.

Download here

Printable Kindness cards here

Need Some Ideas For Kindness? Download here

Teachers Pay Teachers

Many free kindness crafts to download

Also a game Kindness Bingo

Paint kindness rocks

Paint and decorate rocks with kind words on them. see the example on this blog.

Kindness Flower

Will upload a template soon

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Baha'i Children class Ruhi Book 3

I am Learning How To Find Contentment! Lesson 15 Grade 1

Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment

Contentment

  • What is Contentment?
  • How are we Content?
  • Why should we practice the virtue of Contentment?
  • When do we practice the virtue of Contentment? 

VISIT MORE LESSONS HERE

L9G1 Prayer
Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment

We are Memorizing The Prayer: O Lord! Plant this tender seedling in the garden

O Lord! Plant this tender seedling in the garden of Thy manifold bounties, water it from the fountains of Thy loving-kindness and grant that it may grow into a goodly plant through the outpourings of Thy favor and grace. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

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Prayer Lesson 15 Grade 1
Prayer Lesson 15 Grade 1
Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment

Memorize

‘Abdu’l-Bahá was content with the Will of God under all conditions. He used to tell those around Him that it is easy to be content when everything is going well, when one is healthy and living in comfort. What is more difficult is to feel happy and content in times of trouble, in times of illness and hardship. In spite of all the suffering that filled His life, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá never became disheartened. Through the most grave and difficult times, He remained content and thankful to God. He was always cheerful and optimistic. Let us memorize the following quotation so that we will often be reminded of the value of contentment with the Will of God:

The source of all glory is acceptance of whatsoever the Lord hath bestowed, and contentment with that which God hath ordained.

Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas

Meaning Of Words

Glory

  1. After studying science at school, Poh Leng joined a group of scientists. They made many important discoveries. Her work brought glory to her family’s name.
  2. Swee loved to look at nature—at the mountains, the trees, and the sea. Whenever she saw the beauty of the world, she thought about the majesty and greatness of God, the Creator of all things. Looking at nature made Swee think of the glory of God.

Bestowed

  1. Paulo thanks God every day for his loving family, his good health, and for all the good things God has given him. Paulo is grateful for the many gifts that God has bestowed on him.
  2. Without the sun, the earth would be dark and cold, and nothing could live on it. The sun bestows light and warmth upon us.

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Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment
Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment
The Source Of All Glory Sung By Goleta Burriston
Sing His Praises
Bestow Upon Me My Portion

Bestow Upon Me My Portion

Chorus:
Bestow upon me my portion

O Lord, O Lord

Bestow upon me my portion

As it pleaseth Thee
It’s easy to be content

When things are going well
It’s easy to be content

When you’re feeling swell
But what is really more challenging
Is to be content when things go wrong
To be patient in times of difficulty

Perhaps even sing a song

Chorus

From the time He was a boy
The Master suffered indignities
From early in His life
He hardly had any comfort or ease
But He remained content and calm Never full of anxiety
He trusted in God and accepted His Will Continued on ever patiently

Chorus

Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment

Story About Contentment

Once upon a time in a far away country, there lived a farmer with his wife and son. They all worked together, taking care of their land and animals. Their farm was near the border with another country, which, unfortunately, was constantly at war with theirs.

One day the family’s mare did not return to the stable, and it was soon discovered that it had strayed into enemy territory. Some of the villagers came to the farmer, gave him the bad news and tried to console him. But the farmer did not seem to mind what had happened to his mare. He simply told them, “This could be a blessing.”

Several months later, the mare returned, not alone but with a fine steed of the breed for which the neighbouring country was famous. On hearing the news, the villagers came to see the farmer and congratulate him for becoming the owner of such a wonderful horse. But the farmer was not excited; he observed, “This could be a misfortune.”

The farmer’s son wanted to ride the new steed, and so he did. But the animal turned out to be wild and threw the young man violently to the ground. His hipbone was broken and for a long time he was unable to walk. Visitors came again to console the family for this tragic accident. But the farmer, as usual, remained calm and repeated the remark, “This could be a blessing.”

A few months went by. The enemy tribes invaded the country and the government recruited all the young able-bodied men into the army. By the end of the war, many of the young men in the village had been killed. The young man of our story, because of his broken hip, was not taken into the army, so he survived.
A misfortune had turned into a blessing, then into a misfortune, and finally into a blessing again.

Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment

Sculptor

Select one child in the class to be the “sculptor”. He or she chooses another child to come to the front of the group and take some kind of position, for example, bent over with arms stretched out. One by one, the other children are called to the front of the group and added to the sculpture, each in a different position, making one large unusual shape. When all the children have become part of the sculpture, the sculptor adds him or herself as the final piece

Lesson 15 Grade 1 Ruhi Book 3 Contentment

Bracelet or Make A Badge

Make a bracelet, this can be beaded with the letter spelling out the word CONTENTMENT on it or just a simple bracelet.

It can be made to play the following game during the week at home:

For this game the bracelet would serve as a reminder to “be content”, and the children would start the day out with the bracelets, but they would however be lost if the children complained over the course of the day.  If they could have a full day with no complaints, there was a family treat they would have e.g. going out for dinner.  

As being grateful is a big part of being content – a contentment acrostic poem could be done.

In addition to adding a virtue card to the virtue ring (as sometimes we spend two weeks on a lesson – the second week could have the acrostic poem on one side, and the virtue written with stickers on the other

Color Page

Download the page with the quote to color from teacher pay Teachers here

ANOTHER page to Color with quote Download here