Sevikas: Nanda, Indira, Ruchi and Jacqueline. Many, many thanks to all the helper parents today!
Home Fun Work: Print out and color this page. Discuss with your child who this is a picture of and how he is important to us.
Morning Prayers:
• Om Saha Naavavatu (click here for text)
• Vakratunda Mahakaya (click here for text)
• Sarasvati Namastubhyam (click here for text)
• Shree KrishnaH (click here for text)
Quiet Time: 1 minute of absolute silence and excellent shell counting during our focus game − उत्तमम्!!!
Gita Chanting: Shlokas 1, 2, 3 4, 5, 6, and 7 (click here for audio, text and on-line registration.)
Likhita Japa
• ऊँ 21 times (click here for tracing sheet)
• राम 21 times (click here for tracing sheet)
Letter of the Week: Y is for Yagna
Story: The Enormous Turnip (Aunty did a very funny re-enactment of this story with the children)
Activity and Games: Sanskrit Learning (click here for our words this week)
• Reviewed our 5 colors (purple, red, blue, yellow and green)
• Reviewed our number identification in Devanagari (1-5)
• Introduced some animals
• Introduced you (masc. formal) and I/me
• KrishnaH vadati (we substituted animals' names for KrishnaH) (click here for complete text)
Comments: Our classes were combined again today — we will now continue to do this for the remainder of our Balavihar year. We have found that this is a much easier way for us to conduct class and do play practice. So, from now on please bring your children to the class nearest the front door.
We have to say that the children chanted their 7 shlokas today with tremendous confidence! We certainly hope that you have all registered them for the big day next weekend. Clearly these kids have been diligently practicing at home — उत्तमम् parents!!
After we did our prayers, quiet time, Geeta chanting and alphabet recap, we divided the class into two sections. A few of the aunties and all the helper parents took 1/2 of the children to the auditorium to do the play practice. The aunty posting this blog wasn't present, so unfortunately, she can't give you her first hand impression of the rehearsal, BUT word in the hallway is: "that things went EXTREMELY WELL on stage" Can't wait to see rehearsals at our next class ...
For the children who stayed in the classroom today, we focused our activities on some fun Sanskrit learning. We went over the numbers and colors that we have been learning. After our review we played a new game to help us learn some animals. Once we had a few animals "under our belt," so to speak, we then held up the picture of a color and a picture of the animal together — so that the children would start to create very simple sentences on their own. For example: a yellow bird, a green frog, a red cat, etc. We then tried a round of Charades using the animal pictures. The children are doing exceptionally well with remembering the games we have been playing. So, whenever we have to divide our rehearsals into two, we will be sure to bring out our game box for more learning. You can click here to view all the words we worked with today.
Our next play rehearsal and prop making session will be at the ashram on Saturday, May 1, 4-6 p.m. Please come and join us. The puppets are nearly finished! Next we will be working on the backdrop.
In the meantime, hope to see everyone on Sunday at the Geeta Chanting Competition. Have a super break and we'll meet back in class on Mother's Day, May 9th!
बहवः धन्यवादाः (bahavaH dhanyavaadaaH, many thanks) to all the parents who came to help with the practice today. We really appreciate your support and help with making this play a reality. We look forward to working with you again, and again, over the next several weeks!
Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda
