A. Reciting and memorizing prayers

As you have surely noted, by starting each class with prayers, the children are gradually learning to begin every effort by beseeching the assistance of God.  Here is the prayer that we suggest you say to open the class today.

"O my Lord!  Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, and Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, and remembrance of Thee my companion, and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, and Thy habitation my home, and my dwelling-place the seat Thou hast sanctified from the limitations imposed upon them who are shut out as by a veil from Thee. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful."

After one or two students have also said some prayers, you can dedicate some time to helping the children memorize the prayer they began to learn in lesson 1. You should make sure that all of them can say it in its entirety.  ​

B. Songs (including a review of previous songs)

​The next activity starts by having the children sing the two songs they learned in the previous lessons.  When you feel they have learned these songs well, you may introduce today's song:

Love, Love, Love - Listen HERE
Love, love, love, love
Love your fellow man,
Love, love, love is
How the world began.  
God loved creation,
So He created thee to
Love, love, love Him
And humanity. 

Love, love, love the 
Everlasting good
Love, love, love the
Seed of brotherhood
Love all creation
For He created thee to
Love, love, love Him
And humanity

Love God's creatures
Be they near or far
See each human 
As a shining star
Love all creation
For He created thee to 
Love, love, love Him
And humanity.

[Alternative: Love for Baha'u'llah, sweet and wonderful; Love is something if you give it away - the magic penny song]

C. Memorizing quotations

​Before introducing the next quotation for memorization, you could ask some of the children to recite the two quotations they already know.  Then explain the following:

The love of God shines upon humanity like the rays of the sun.  The sun's rays fall on deserts and gardens alike.  Our love should be like the rays of the sun: we should love everyone, even those who mistreat us.  In order to help us love all of humanity, let us memorize this quotation of Baha'u'llah:

"O Friend! In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love..."
Put to music HERE.

Song from Badasht Vol.III HERE.

[In Maori: E TE HOA! I te māra o tō ngākau, kaua e whakatō mea kē atu i te rōhi o te aroha…]

D. Story

​The next activity is storytelling.  Remember that in order for the children to enjoy the story, you must read it carefully to yourself, thinking about the main theme and the details that will hold the children's attention.  

While 'Abdu'l-Baha was a prisoner in 'Akka, there was a man in that city who behaved very badly towards Him.  The man believed that he was following the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.  He thought that 'Abdu'l-Baha was not a good man and that God did not care how badly the Baha'is were bad.  In fact, he believed that he was showing love for God by showing hatred to the Baha'is.  He hated 'Abdu'l-Baha with all his heart.  That hate grew and festered inside him, sometimes spilling out of him the way water spills out of a broken pot. 

In the mosque, when people came to pray, this man would cry out against 'Abdu'l-Baha and say terrible things about Him.  When he passed 'Abdu'l-Baha on the street, he would cover his face with his robe so that he would not see HIm.  Now, this man was very poor and had neither enough to eat nor warm clothes to wear.  What do you think 'Abdu'l-Baha did about him?  He showed him kindness, and sent him food and clothes, and made sure he was being taken care of.  For example, once when this man became very ill, 'Abdu'l-Baha sent him a doctor, paid for his medicine and food, and also gave him some money.  He accepted the gifts from 'Abdu'l-Baha, but did not thank him.  In fact, he held out one hand to the doctor to take his pulse, and with the other hand, covered his face so that he would not have to look upon the countenance of 'Abdu'l-Baha.  And so it went on for many long years.  And then, one day, the man's heart finally changed.  He came to 'Abdu'l-Baha's house, fell at His feet and with a very heavy heart and tears flowing down his face like twin rivers, cried, "Forgive me, Sir!"For twenty-four years I have done evil to You.  For twenty-four years You have shown only goodness to me.  Now I know that I have been wrong.  Please forgive me!"  Thus did the great love of 'Abdu'l-Baha triumph over hatred. 

• ‘Abdu’l-Bahá speaks to Corinne True about love: “Mrs True, when you go back I want you to look at every human being and say to yourself, “you are a letter from my Beloved, and I must love you because of the Beloved Who wrote you. The letter may be torn, it may be blurred, but because the Beloved wrote the letter, you must love it.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, from the book, Corinne True)

Other art activities:

1. In My Heart Painting or Drawing 
   Cut large paper hearts and have the kids paint or draw pictures of things/people they love in their heart.
2. A world made of love posters 
   Cut out a large pile of various colored little hearts. Have the kids use all the little hearts to make collage pictures.
3. Growing Hearts 
   Have the kids paint or draw pictures of hearts growing like flowers in a garden.
   

Extra activities: Draw a garden of flowers - and the sun; what will it look like if the sun shines on all of the flowers?  Will the sun help the flowers grow?  What happens if we show to love everyone v. just some people?

You may begin today's class with the following prayer:

Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope!  Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire!  Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God!  Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquillity on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!

Bahá’u’lláh

[to read a reflection on this prayer]

Once some of the children have also said prayers, you may review with them the prayer they have been memorizing in the last three classes.  Since they will begin to learn a new prayer in today's lesson, you should make sure they can say the first one well.  

As you introduce the new prayer for memorization, remember that is should be explained word by word. Where words are difficult, concrete examples should be given to illustrate their meaning.  The children can spend five classes learning this prayer. Therefore, you can divide it into parts, helping them to gradually commit it to memory.  By the fifth class, they all should be able to say the entire prayer.

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.

[an activity I've done quite a few times for this prayer, is to have big exaggerated actions for each phrase or part-phrase in the prayer.  That way you can go through the whole prayer each lesson, and just becomes easier each week, as the children also begin to do it more independently.]

Listen HERE (children can clap along with the clapping) or HERE (same version as in the video below).

Moving on to the next activity, the children can learn to sing the following song and review the songs they have learned in previous lessons:

Truthful Words
A mirror that's covered up in dust
Cannot reflect the sun's bright light
A bird with wings all full of mud
Is unable to take flight

Chorus:
When all of our words are truthful
Our souls are able to progress
The foundation of all human virtues
We know is truthfulness

A ship cannot catch the wind 
If it is using a torn sail
Eyes can't see the path ahead.  

If they are covered up in veils

Repeat Chorus. 

Alternative Song:
Truthfulness is brighter than the light of the sun. x2
With truthfulness, O people, beautify your tongues. x2
Honesty adorns the soul of everyone. x2
Honesty is brighter than the light of the [G]sun. x2

It is suggested that you explain the new quotation for the children to memorize in the following manner:

Truthfulness is one of the most essential spiritual qualities.  We should never tell even the smallest lie.  Why do people tell lies? Sometimes it is because they are afraid to tell the truth.   Yet we all know that God is aware of all our actions and we cannot hide anything from Him.  If we are not truthful, it will be very difficult for us to develop other virtues, and we will not attain nearness to God.  Let us memorize the following quotation of Baha'u'llah:

"Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues."
Put to music HERE.
Related rap HERE.

Below are some sentences that will help you to explain the meaning of the words in the above quotation which the children may find difficult.

Truthfulness
1. Sanjay dropped a glass and broke it.  When his mother asked him what had happened, he told her the truth and did not lie. Sanjay showed the virtue of truthfulness.
2. A friend wanted to play with Gita and went to her house to find her.  Gita had homework and could not come out to play.  Her brother said he would tell the friend that she was not home, but Gita did not want her brother to lie.  Gita went outside and explained to her friend that she could not play because she had homework.  Gita showed the virtue of truthfulness. 

Foundation
1. Alok's father was building a house.  Before putting up the walls, he placed rocks and cement under the place where the walls would go.  The rocks and cement form the foundation of the house.  
2. Before you learn to read and write you have to know the sounds of the letters.  learning the sounds of the letters is a foundation for learning to read and write.

Virtues
1. Aurora is friendly, kind and joyful.  Aurora possesses many virtues. 
2. Mrs. Patel teaches the children about justice, generosity, humility, and honesty.  These are some of the virtues that everyone should have.

[Quotations from other religions:
Buddhism: In whom are truth, virtue, harmlessness, restraint and control, that wise man who is purged of impurities, is, indeed, called an Elder. Dhammatthavagga
Judaism: [He that] speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness: Proverbs 12:17]

[Discuss: What truthfulness mean. Examples of how the children see truthfulness practiced in their daily lives. How truthfulness is practiced in your class. What various situations would look like without truthfulness. Why truthfulness is important.]

As the next activity, you can tell the following story that will help them think about the quality of truthfulness.

In a country far away, some time ago, there lived a young shepherd, who, while his father worked in the fields and his mother kept up the home, had the task of taking care of the family's sheep.  One day, the boy felt very bored and decided to play a trick on his neighbours. Suddenly he started crying out, "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is eating the sheep!" All of his friends came running to help chase away the wolf, but when they got there, they found the young shepherd laughing at them because they had received such a fright and really there was no wolf anywhere to be found.  His friends went back to their work saying that the boy had behaved very badly.  

The following day, the boy repeated his foolery.  "Wolf! Wolf! Help me! Help me!" Some of the neighbours came running again to help, only to find the young shepherd laughing at them, because this time too it was a lie that a wolf was near. The third day, when they heard the boy call "Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is eating the sheep! Please come help!" no one paid any attention because they thought it was just another lie.  That day, the wolf did come and eat the sheep! The young shepherd was very sad, but he had learned a good lesson. If we tell lies, the day will come when neither our parents, our brothers and sisters, nor out friends will believe what we say, even when it is the truth!

After telling the story above, you can have the children play the game "Touch Telephone" as the next activity of the day.  Ask the children to stand in a line. They should all face in the same direction, with the last child looking at a piece of paper hanging on a wall or tree, if available, at a blackboard.  More than one line can be organized, if necessary.  Using your finger, draw something on the first child's back. He, in turn, draws it on the back of the second child.  The second child draws it on the back of the third child, and so on, until the last child is reached who draws it on the paper/blackboard.  Then you should draw next to it what you had drawn on the first child's back.  The drawings should be simple so that all the children can do them.

[An addition/alternative to this
 - "telephone game" (i.e. "Chinese Whispers - but losing the racist title).  By tying the concept into truthfulness, you can say the more we repeat things without checking what the true story is, it's easy for the truth to be changed and to become not truthful.
 - "two truths and a lie"
 - "Truthfulness is the foundation Marshmallow Tower": Use new JUMBO size Kraft marshmallows and Food writers. Write letters T-R-U-T-H on Five marshmallows - use as foundation. Write virtue words on other marshmallows and stack on top. After the class has worked together on the tower they can have the marshmallows for a snack.]

You can end the class with prayers after the children have coloured Drawing 4.

Extra activity idea (from the Wairarapa Childrens Class): 
 - To make various virtue blocks (Truthfulness being a solid block type shape), the others being triangles and tubes etc. 
 - two puppets
 - puppet A is tired of people not telling the truth and begins to built a sculpture out of virtue blocks, with truthfulness as the foundation.
 - puppet B walks past, and questions whether truthfulness is or isn't the best foundation upon which to build the virtue sculpture.  He tries a few alternatives, but none of them give the same stability to the structure.  
 - They both end up building the sculpture together and the friend is convinced, while we need all those other virtues too – truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues.

From original link HERE and HERE.

It is suggested that you begin the class today by reciting the following 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."

At the conclusion of the prayer, one or two children should be asked to say a prayer they already know.  You may then help them review the prayer they began to memorize during the previous class.  

Alternative prayer: "Say O God!  Attire mine head with the crown of Justice, and my temple with the ornament of equity.  Thou, very, art the Possessor of all gifts and bounties." - especially if they all already know O God guide me...

In the activity that follows the children then sing two songs - the one introduced in the last lesson and the new one below.

A Noble Way mp3 HERE
Justice is a noble way
Justice brings a brighter day
A light to those in need
Shining through good deeds
Oh, justice is the way.

We know 'Abdu'l-Baha would share
Showing love and showing care
He was content with less
In order to bring happiness
He was content with less

To be just we have to give,
Share our love and joy to live
Sharing blessing we receive
A better world we will achieve
Oh, justice is the way.  

After the songs, the children may memorize a quotation from the Writings of Baha'u'llah.  You could explain it the following way:

God loves justice.  He is pleased with us when He sees us treating other people with fairness and justice.  We must respect the rights of every human being and make sure we do not take away from anyone what they deserve.  In order to help us be just, let us memorize this quotation of Baha'u'llah:

"Tread ye the path of justice, for this, verily, is the straight path."
Put to music HERE.

It will be important to ensure that the children have a basic understanding of the above quotation before they begin to memorize it.  A few sentences are provided below to help you explain the meaning of words that might be new to them.

Tread
1. Many leaves have fallen from the trees in the forest, covering the path.  Fumiko walks through the forest.  She treads the leaf-covered path.
2. Pedro like 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
1. Carlos was given crayons to hand out during class.  There were ten crayons and five children.  Carlos gave two crayons to each child.  Carlos was acting with justice in handing out the crayons.  
2. Anna has lots of water in the well in her yard, but sometimes her neighbour's well runs dry.  Anna never allows this neighbour to suffer and always makes her feel welcome to take water.  Anna loves justice.  

[Quotes from other religions:Buddhism: He, who inquires into what is right and wrong is indeed just and wise. Dhammatthavagga: 256
Judaism: Execute true justice. Show mercy and compassion everyone to his brother. Zechariah 7:9
Islam: Be ever steadfast in your devotion to God, bearing witness to the truth in all equity; and never let hatred of any-one lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Quran 5:8 (Asad)]

After the children learn the quotation and you talk with them about its meaning, you can tell them the following story about 'Abdu'l-Baha that illustrates how just He was.  In recounting the story, you can emphasize the actions of 'Abdu'l-Baha 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 fisher woman 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?"

The activity that follows the story is a game called "Sharing".  Place a car tire or some other low object, on the ground. Then ask the children to see how many of them can stand on it at the same time.  [One thing I like to do for 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; team working this].  

[Alternative game: 

1. It's Fair to Share Game 
   On individual slips of paper write down the name of things or animals such as: bird, bunny, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, candy bar, TV remote, basketball, brush etc. Prepare a few more slips of paper then the number of children in the class. One child draws a slip out of a basket and reads it to them self and sets it aside without saying it out loud. If there are non readers in the class they can draw and a teacher can whisper what it says in their ear. The child pretends they have this imaginary thing for a few seconds and then pass it to the person next to them. For example if it said "bunny" they might cradle it in their arm gently, pet it a couple times and pass it to the next person carefully. If it said "hair brush" they might pretend to brush their hair a couple times and pass it to the next person. If it's a sandwich they might hold it like a sandwich, take a big bite and pass it to the next person. The item continues around the circle like that person to person. The only talking is when the object is handed from one person to the next the receiver says "Thanks for sharing" and the giver says "You're welcome". Everyone copies what the first child did even though they might not know what the object/animal is suppose to be. When the object has made it back to where it started everyone else in the group makes one guess as to what it was they think they all just shared. The person who started the round tells everyone what it actually was. Let everyone have a turn being the first.]

To end the class, each child is given a copy of Drawing 2 to colour, after which you recite a closing prayer or invite a few of the children to do so.  

[Alternative art activity: Straight Path of Justice drawing/painting]

God loves justice. Justice means that we must respect the rights of every human being and make sure we do not take away from anyone what they deserve, which would lead to oppression and tyranny. The purpose of justice is the appearance of unity among humankind. We show justice when we share with others and treat them with fairness and equally.

Extra activities:

1. Sorting stones - where there's a pile of items (stones, flowers, candies), and the children have to be just and work out how to distribute the candies evenly in a matter that is just.

2. Use a long piece of paper, get the children to paint their feet and walk along "the path of justice", leaving their footprints on it. 

3. We've made a trail - much like an obstacle course, where the children have to follow the trail in unity over seats and under tables whilst holding hands (or walking backwards, on one foot), to illustrate endeavouring to do what's right - even if there's challenges or obstacle in front of us.

4. For the art activity, we've had card shaped feet (they could even trace their own feet), which we decorated as "feet of justice", and writing the quote on them to take home.  

5. 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.  

6.  For memorization, the “step game“, in which children stand in a line and slowly advance one step at a time, each saying one word of a quote in sequence when they step ahead, continuing until they cross a finish line. We used bristol board to write out quotes and prayers in large print so that they can easily be seen from a distance.

7.  There was another activity I saw somewhere that actually involves building a carriage - a print out that you fold into a carriage, and has the quotation on it.  

"He who possesses character and discrimination, who is just, speaks the truth, and does what is his own business, him the world will hold dear." -Dhammapada 217

What is justice?
Practising justice is being fair in everything you do.  It is seeing with you own eyes and not judgin something or someone by what other people tell you.
Justice means that people receive what they deserve. Everyone gets his fair share. It is just for people to receive a consequence or punishment when they do something wrong, so they will remember to do things differently next time.  It is also just for people to be recognized when they are doing something right or making an improvement.
Being just is standing up for your rights and the rights of other people.  If someone is taking advantage of you, it is not just to allow them to continue doing it.  If someone is hurting you, it is just to stop them.  It is never just for strong people to hurt weaker people.  Justice means that every person's rights are protected.
When you practice being just, you treat each person as an individual.  You don't judge people or put them in categories.  You just see them one by one.

Why practice justice?
Without justice, people who hurt or take advantage of others get away with it and keep on doing it.  Without justice the world can be a cruel and dangerous place. People are judged or treated differently because of their sex, race or religion.  Innocent people, like young children, suffer for no reason.  People with wealth and power get away with things that poor people cannot.  We need justice in order to protect the rights of everyone.
When justice is practised, people can expect to receive what they deserve.  If they work to earn money, they it.  If they are accused of something, they have a change to say what really happened and to be heard fairly.
When people are being just, they don't separate themselves from other human beings because they look or sound different or come from a different culture.  Everyone has a fair chance to be seen for who they are.
When there is justice, everyone receives a fair share. 

Hoe do you practice it?
Being just is investigating the truth for yourself, accepting what others say only as their opinion.  You see the facts with your own eyes and ears.  You think for yourself.
When you are just, you act without prejudice by seeing each person as an individual.  You don't decide things about them because of their race, colour, nationality, religion or sex, whether they are far or thin, rich or poor.
When you are just, you admit your own mistakes and accept the consequences.  You share with others - so everyone has a fair share.
When you are practising justice, you don't gossip or find fault behind someone's back.  It wouldn't be fair, because they aren't there to tell their side of things.  If you have a problem with someone, you go directly to that person and work things out.  
When you are being just, you stand up for yourself, and for others.  You don't accept it when someone acts like a bully, cheats, or lies.  Being a champion for justice takes courage.  Sometimes when you stand for justice, you stand alone.

What would justice look like if...

• You are with a group and they start to gossip?
• Everyone is teasing a child who looks different?
• Someone makes a remark to you about people of a different race?
• An older child starts to get rough with you?
• Something in your room is missing and you think your brother took it?
• You are cutting the cake at your birthday party?

Signs of Success

In order to attract Divine blessings and create a spiritual atmosphere, begin your class by reciting a prayer. The prayer suggested for this lesson is the following:

"O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden.  Let Thy rain fall upon them; let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love.  Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, and appear in the utmost beauty.  Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate."

It is expected that the children will learn at least a part of the prayer in the class.  Once this has been achieved, you may go on to the second activity, learning to sing the following song:

My First Counsel
O Son of Spirit! (x2)
My first counsel is this (x2)
Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart
That thine may be a sovereignty
Ancient, imperishable and everlasting
Ancient, imperishable.  
mp3 HERE

[alternative version HERE]

The next activity is to memorize a quotation from the Baha'i Holy Writings.  You could explain the quotation to the children in the following way:

Our hearts are like mirrors.  We should always keep them clean.  Hatred, envy and negative thoughts are like dust that stops the mirror from shining. When our hearts are pure, they reflect the light of God, and we become a cause of happiness to others.  TO help keep our hearts pure, let us memorize this quotation of Baha'u'llah:

"O Son of Spirit!  My first counsel is this:  Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart..." 

[In Maori: E TE TAMA A TE WAIRUA! Ko Tāku tohutohu tuatahi ko tēnei: Kia urutapu, kia aroha, kia hahana tō ngākau, kia riro i a koe te mana tawhito, kāore mō te turaki, kāore mō te ngaro.]

The children will find the quotation easier to memorize if they understand it well.  It is recommended, therefore, that you spend some time discussing the meaning of the words and phrases with them.  Here are some sentences that will assist you in doing so.

Counsel
1. One day Gerard and Mary were colouring 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 advise 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 posses 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.  [One activity we've done for this, is having the sentences, with the key words taken out, and the children have to work out (together), what word would best fit that gap].

When the children have memorized the quotation, you may tell them a story about 'Abdu'l-Baha that will demonstrate further the importance of purity of heart.  As discussed in Sections 5, 6, and 7 of the unit, it will help the children understand the story if you emphasize certain essential points, such as the central theme, the parts of the story that relate to it, and the conclusion.  It is suggested that you mentally review these questions before telling the story:  What is the central theme of the story?  What parts of the story relate directly to this theme?  What are some important details that make this story interesting?

'Abdu'l-Baha 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-Baha 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-Baha 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 though passed through her mind quickly, and she did not say anything about it, but soon something happened that made her realize 'Abdu'l-Baha 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-Baha, while continuing to talk, picked up a pitcher of water from the table, and in a most natural way, slowly filled the lady's empty glass.  No one noticed what happened, but eh lady knew that 'Abdu'l-Baha was answering her heart's desire.  She was filled with joy.  Now she knew that hearts were like open books to 'Abdu'l-Baha, Who read them with great love and kindliness.  

[It's always nice to act this story out with props - of course not acting out 'Abdu'l-Baha, but acting out the pouring of the water, pouring out a dirty cup of water, and refilling it with clean water; could even use the water examples explained below under "extra activities".  As for the theme - is it when we ask with sincerity - God can grant us that pure heart? or is when we have a pure heart, we will be of the Loved Ones of God - in a position to have our prayers answered that much more readily?]

The activity that follows the story is called "The Burning Thirst".  Tie sticks to children's arms so they cannot bend their elbows [The Frontiers of Learning Video has the most beautiful example of this game - under the Congo section.], 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 to help each other, being careful not to get each other wet.  

After the game, you can gather the children together and give them each a copy of drawing 1 to colour [It is good to print x2 images per A4 sheet if the children aren't too young].  At the conclusion of the class, two or three children can be asked to recite a quotation or prayer they know as a reward for praiseworthy behaviour, or you may say the closing prayer.  

Here are some magnets we made with the children one year - cutting heart shapes out before hand, and then creating our own "kindly", "pure" and "radiant" hearts to take home and put on our fridges. #bedazzled.  

Here was an activity we did with the class that was slightly older - writing out the words for the quotes before hand, and then having to reassemble the prayer as a memorization activity; repeating this several times with a timer :)

Extra activity ideas: 

1. use 2 clear drink bottles and fill with water.  Tell the children that they represent two hearts.  Fill one bottle with black food colouring, sand, saw-dust etc.  and explain that each substance represents a lie, hurting others, being disobedient, etc.  Fill the other with red food colouring, glitter, beads, flowers etc and explain that each one of these things represents being honest, caring, helpful, friendly, prayerful etc.  The children can then make their own bottles - with colourful food colouring, glitter, beads, flowers etc.

2. Cut out a heart in the middle of some card.  Stick clear or red cellophane over the hole and then get the children to add radiant stickers.  Write the quotation from the lesson onto it also.  It can be taped to the window as a stained glass of sorts.  

3. Movement: 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 them.
• 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. 

4. Hands-On: Play-Doh Activity

• Hand out a very small piece of play-doh to each kid. 
• Explain that there’s someone who needs a bowl that will hold _____ (something that would fit in a bowl made out of the whole amount of play-doh). That’s a pretty big problem for a group of people who only each have a small amount to give. 
• See if the kids can come up with a solution of putting all of their small pieces together to help this person in need. 
• Explain that you don’t have to have a lot in order to be generous, and that when we work together to be generous or add our small act of generosity to other people’s, we can help solve problems.

"Be ye sincerely kind, not in appearance only.  Let each one of God's loved ones centre his attention on this: to be the Lord's grace. Let him do some good to every person whose path he crosseth, and be of some benefit to him." - selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha

What is Kindness?
Kindness is being concerned about the welfare of others.  Kindness is showing you care about anyone or anything that crosses your path, knowing that everything is a part of God's creation. You can be kind to people, to animals, and to the environment.  Kindness means to care for others and the earth as much as or more than you care about yourself.
Kindness is shown in small gestures that bright people's lives, times you care for an animal, daily ways you show concern for the earth.  Kindness is showing love to someone who is sad or needs your help.  

Why Practice Kindness?
Without kindness no one would listen when people or animals need help.  Everyone would be looking out for herself.  The world is lonely without kindness.  When someone reaches out to another in an act of kindness, it helps them both.  Everything in the world God created is connected.  If we are unkind to any part of it, it affects us as well. 
People's selfishness and lack of kindness to the earth has caused damage to the air, the water, the land. This has brought suffering to people and animals too.  Being kind allows us to feel the connectedness we have with all other things.  Being kind makes things better for every one of us.

How Do You Practice it?
You practice kindness by noticing when someone or something needs care.  You have become senstive 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 (even with your own brothers and sisters!).  You accept people who are different or handicapped instead of ignoring them or teasing them.  When you are practising 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 and he is getting upset?
• Some kinds you have been playing with start ridiculing a boy who has big ears?
• Your cat has gotten some burrs in her fur?
• Your mother seems tired lately.  

Signs of Success