Posted: 23 Mar 2009 06:30 PM PDT
Adapting Ruhi lessons- an example lesson 7 book 3.
This term I have been working with the grade 1 lesson plans from book 3, but using these only as a basic building block for my lessons as they are grade 3-4 students.
One of the ways I have adapted the lessons is to extend the quote I draw from, pick a different quotation on the same theme, and vary the choice of stories. We also write the new words out on the board to learn to spell and say them.
Lesson 7 Steadfast (Ruhi book 3, lesson 7)
In this lesson I liked the story and thought it could do for any age but I read it over and over to adapt the telling style to the children I was sharing it with. This helped me to have the story firmly in my head.
***
There was 12 year old boy, Ruh'u'llah, who was just a bit younger than your older brother. He had the chance to meet 'Abdul-Baha. Imagine someone you have heard lots of stories about, and that they are very very kind.
What if you were going to meet Mahtma Ghandi (tell them who is if they don't know) or Mother Therese (tell them if they don't know who).
People often say upon meeting them they are inspired to do great things - like Steve Waugh (Australian Cricket Captain) meeting Mother Therese.
How would you feel if you were going to meet someone you know like this?
Could you sleep?
[Children: No we couldn't possibly sleep, we would be too excited]
So it was that Ruh'u'llah went with his father from Persia (Iran) to Akka to meet Abd'u'l-Baha. He loved being in his presence. It was just awesome. Ruh'u'llah said the prayers he knew by heart, and he learnt much in the presence of Abd'u'l-Baha.
Why is it important to learn prayers by heart?
[Children: Because you might not have a book all the time.
Teacher: Yes- remember that it's important for later in the story.]
Ruh'u'llah chanted beautiful prayers that he knew by heart. Ruhullah returned home and taught faith with his family through both deeds and words, both his mother and his father were kind and many people were attracted to listen and be with this family.
One day however both he and his father were imprisoned.
Life was very hard in the prison, they were both chained and the chains were very heavy – imagine those chains and such a little boy… he prayed, chanted, and made up poems of his love for Baha'u'llah.
[Children exclaimed about the chains: "and that's just so unjust."]
Cruelly his father was killed in front of him by a government official who asked even which he should kill first, Ruhullah's Father Varqa said "No take me first" and then the official tried to get Ruhullah not to be a Bahai any more
What do you think Ruh'u'llah did?
[Children: He stayed a Baha'i. Even if he dies he will be with his Father again and he will be a Baha'i and they can't hurt him anymore.]
Yes, that's true Ruh'u'llahremained true to his Faith, "no take my life – not my Faith." Ruhullah, although a child, gave his life for his Faith.
More questions (as teaching older children using theme from book 3)
Some questions
Do you know any more stories of steadfast Faith?
What about when Abdu'l-Baha's Father went into the mountains?
What about Tahirih?
How can you be steadfast?
What so far have we learnt is important about being a Baha'i?
[Examples raised by children, Joan of Arc]
[Examples raised by teacher, Buddha under the Bodhi tree, meditating and remaining steadfast, Ghandi in India steadfast in helping his people, the Wife of Baha'u'llah, Assiyih Khanum]
The discussion was very interesting and they then did some puzzles to learn quotations. We have a tanagram pack they work with- it is from Brilliant Star.
I am really enjoying adapting the lesson plans. The children have a memorization booklet which we mark when they attempt quotes and they are seeing how long it takes to remember each one. They are absorbing the quotes very well.
If you have adapted a lesson please share your reflection (:
——June
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