values of love - keep learning

8/14/2019 Values of Love - Keep Learning

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Unit Nine

Keep Learning



Objectives

The main objective of this unit is to encourage curiosity and support the value of asking questions and exploring things by yourself.



Habits

I like to learn new things.

I learn from other people.

I must find a way out. I listen and think before I speak.

I learn, remember and can do!

Pictures to talk about

Study books - nature - art

Story

The Bad Boy Elephant

1.

Superbunny was reading a book, when he heard a loud noise. It was the Big Mama

Elephant. She was very upset and wanted to talk with Superbunny.

2.

‘What’s wrong?’ asked Superbunny. Big Mama Elephant took out some photos. She

said, ‘Look, it’s my son. He has become a bad boy. And he won’t listen to me.’

3.

Superbunny shook his head. ‘Let me see what I can do.’ He went to the library. Owl

was there and helped him find a book about ‘Real Elephants’.

4.Superbunny went to look for the Bad Boy Elephant. When he found him, he refused



to talk to him. ‘That’s okay,’ said Superbunny. ‘I have a book for you.’ The Bad Boy

Elephant first didn’t move.

5.But then he started to read: ‘Elephants live together. Yes that’s true! And then he read:

‘The Big Mama Loves All.’ That’s also true!’

6,

‘Elephants grow up.’ He read again. That’s true too. Look at me. I have really grown

up!’ Superbunny smiled. Elephant read, ‘Boy elephants leave their home.’ Yes that’s

true too. I left my home too!’

7.

‘And when they leave their homes, boy elephants help other animals make paths in

the jungle and find water. All the animals love the elephants.’ ‘Hmmm,’ said the Bad

Boy elephant. I didn’t know that. But I like it! I want to be good too.’

8.

Superbunny, thank you. Thank you for bringing this book. It helped me a lot’ ‘Don’t

mention,’ said Superbunny. I hope you’ll keep on reading good books. They can give

you good ideas!

Questions

1. The Bad Boy Elephant was angry, but changed. What made him change?

2. Have you ever gotten new ideas from books? (discuss some of the books you have

used with the children and what they might have learned from them)

3. What is your favorite book? Why? What did it teach you?

4. In the story, Bad Boy elephant did some things wrong. Do you think he was really

so bad? Did the Bad Boy Elephant want to be bad or was he ignorant of the right

way?

5. Do you think learning can help you do the right things?

6. What should you do if you don’t know what to do?

Ideas for Movements

The elephants in this story make it very suitable for rhythm and noise. Act out the



elephants actions by stamping your feet, tapping your belly, and making all sorts of

sounds.

Song

If there is something

You do not know

Ask somebody

To teach or show.

Cause if you do not know

how to do

You can’t help others too.

The man who wanted to know everythingTell this easy version of Dr Frankenstein’s monster and how he

wanted to know everything. Ask the children if it is possible to know

everything?

The Monster of Dr. FrankensteinDr. Frankenstein wanted to know everything. And he thought he

really did know everything, except for how to make a life.

So he collected the different body parts from the graveyard, sewed them together and

made a new body. Then he connected the body to some wires on a pole and waited for

lightning to strike the pole.



Two black clouds

Running through the sky

Lightning comes out as they pass by.

And when they meet each other They shake hands and thunder

How do you do (3x)

As lightning struck the pole, the body became alive and started to move. As it could

not speak well, he moaned ‘I’m hungry. I’m hungry.’

But the professor was scared and ran away.

The ugly monster got up, and stumbled through the streets. Everybody ran away. He

said, ‘I’m hungry. I’m hungry.’ But all thought that he wanted to eat them.

Finally he came to a forest where he stayed in a hut. There was a hole in the wall

through which he could look into his neighbor’s house. As the neighbor was a blind

man, and often would ask his son and daughter what this or that was, the monster

learned to speak.

One day the daughter and son stayed out for a long time and the old man got scared,

the monster went to comfort him.

He knocked on the door and said, ‘I know you, but you don’t know me.’

The old man was happy and asked him to come in.

‘I’m ugly.’ said the monster. ‘You will be scared.’

‘No, no.’ said the old man. ‘I think you are a good man. Please sit down.’

They had friendly chat, when the son and daughter came home. These two saw the

monster took their father on their shoulders and ran away.

The monster was sad, started to walk in the forest when he came near a river where he

saw a child crying for help in the middle of the water. He jumped in, and put the child

on the river bank. Just then his father came, saw a monster holding his child and shot

him with his gun.

The monster was hurt, but didn’t die. More painful was that he was good, but never

got the help or love he gave others. He cried, ‘I want a friend. I want a friend.’



From the Story: The Monster of Dr. Frankenstein



Then he decided to go to Professor Frankenstein and ask him to make a friend for him

just like himself. The Doctor didn’t want to see him. He said, ‘I made one mistake. I

don’t want to make two mistakes!’

Anyway it was his marriage day. But the monster didn’t give him peace. The weddingwent into the living room. But who knocked on the window? The monster! And he

cried, ‘I want a friend. Dr. Frankenstein, I want a friend.’

They went into the kitchen but who knocked on the kitchen window? The monster!

And he cried, ‘I want a friend. Dr. Frankenstein, I want a friend.’ They went into the

bedroom. But who knocked on the bedroom window? The monster! And he cried, ‘I

want a friend. Dr. Frankenstein, I want a friend.’

Wherever the professor went, the monster followed him. Till one day the doctor said,

‘All right. I will make you a friend.’

Again he went to the graveyard and collected legs and arms, fingers and toes, ears and

eyes, and all the other parts to make a body. Then put it together. It was to be a girl

monster. He put her on the table, connected the wires, and waited.

Then one day…

Two black clouds

Were running through the sky.

Lightning came out

As they passed by and ….

The doctor pulled out the wires just as the girl monster was to become alive. The boy

monster cried, ‘Dr. Frankenstein, what are you doing?’ The professor shook his head,

‘I made one mistake, I can not make two mistakes.’ And walked away.

The monster took the body of his friend to be, and took her to the sea, where he left

her in the waters. Then he cried. He cried for seven days. He didn’t eat. He didn’t

sleep, He didn’t talk. He only cried, with his head on his knees. He cried till all his

tears were gone, and still he cried more.

And then he went to look for Dr. Frankenstein. Wherever he went, boom, boom,

boom, boom. Who followed him? The monster! In the mountains, boom, boom,

boom, boom. In the deserts, boom, boom, boom, boom. In the plains, boom, boom,

boom, boom. The monster followed the doctor wherever he went. Till one day the

doctor went to the north pole. There he crossed some ice, thick enough to carry him.

But when the monster crossed, he sank through the ice and fell into the deep coldwaters where he died.



Discuss this story:

The professor wanted to know everything. But do you think he really knew

everything?

Who was really good in this story? How about the doctor? How was his heart?

What does this story teach us?

Can you grow your heart just as much as you can grow your brain?

Make a thinker statue

The thinker is a famous statue by the French artist Auguste Rodin.

Many people have tried to imitate or copy the idea of a thinker.

This is another statue inspired by the thinker.

Can you make your own version

of the statue from clay?

Listen to other people’s ideas

How can we make good decisions?

Do you want to listen to everybody’s ideas or do it by yourself?

Listen to this story:



The elephant and seven blind men.

Seven blind people were on the way when they found a

very big thing on the road. They sat down to describe it:

The first one touched the ears and said: it is soft like a

blanket.

The second one was touching the back and said: it is

round it must be a balloon.

The third one held the tail and said: I think it is a long

piece of rope.

The fourth one held one leg and said: I feel it must be a

lot of wood.

The fifth one held its belly and said: It is soft and must be

a bag full of meat.

The sixth one held a nail and said: All of you are wrong. It

is like a piece of glass.

The seventh, who held a tusk, said: It is sharp like a

knife. It must be a soldier! As none of them could put allideas together, they started to fight and never talked to



each other again.



The Late BloomerDo you know any class mates who are a bit slower or do not always understand the

point of the class so well? We call them Late Bloomers, they take more time then

others to grow. But success can come late in life! Some examples:

Do you know KFC? Colonel Sanders started this franchise when he was in his

sixties!

Mary Wesley got her first kids books success when she was in her seventies.

Grandma Moses started to paint in her seventies and became a world famous

artist.

There are authors who started their first books in their seventies and continued

into their 100th year.

The Ugly Duckling (tell the story) didn’t become a beautiful swan until after one year

or so. Caterpillars also take time to turn into butterflies. Everybody has his own time

to blossom (show how flowers open at different times). People also need their time to

shine and find their own beauty.

Make a poster

Make a butterfly with melted crayon Write: Change – A step to Greatness! Under the

butterfly.

Real Learning means: Common Sense

Learning is not for showing off. It is to understand oneself and how to live. This we

call ‘common sense’

Listen to this story.

Four friends and a Lion

Once there were four friends, who grew up together. When they

were ready to go to school, three of them had the chance to study.

The fourth came from a poor family and had to help his father in the

farm. After many years they met up again and decided to go for a

walk and talk about the good old times.On the way they saw some lion bones.



The first said, ‘I have learned how to put these bones together.’

The second said, ‘I know how to put flesh around these bones

again.’

The third said that he could bring the lion back to life.

The fourth looked on as the other three started rubbing their hands

and smiling, thinking of the fame they would get for their feats.

Then he said, ‘Well, if that is what you want to do, let me first find a

safe place to hide.’

The others laughed at him and said he didn’t know anything and

started to put the lion together again. The fourth one didn’t dare to

look even, but soon heard a ferocious roar and the

screams of his friends. When everything had quieted

down, he came down from his tree and found his

friends dead in the grass.

Then he went back to the village and told them this



tale. Knowledge is good, said the people, but common sense is

better.



The Proud Professor and the boat man Another story about the dangers of vanity of the learned:

Once there was a professor who had read many books and also had written his own. He had to go

to a meeting with other professors to get a price.

On the way he had to cross a river. He asked a boatman to ferry him to the other side.

As they were sitting in the boat, the professor started to ask the boatman:

-Have you studied math?

The boat man said he hadn’t.

-Well, said the professor proudly, then you have wasted half your life. And then went

on to talk about the beauty of math.

A little later he asked the boatman proudly:

-And have you studied English?

The boatman said he hadn’t.

-Well said the professor again proudly, then you have wasted more than half of your

life.

Just then the wind started to suddenly sweep over the river. Waves were forming and

the boat was shaking badly, while talking water. Rain and storm winds made it all

worse.

The professor was shaking.

The boatman, asked:

-Professor, have you learned swimming?

He said he hadn’t.

Well, said the boatman than you have wasted all of your life. Because we are going to

sink any time!

The proud professor cried like a child, but the boat sank and as the boatman hardly

could save himself the professor drowned in the wild river waters!

Head, hands or HeartEverybody has some special skill. Sort the following jobs according to working with

your hands and working with your head.

Mechanic, doctor, nurse, painter, carpenter, mail carrier, coach, teacher, …

Real learning means, you work with your heart.



Everybody has different qualities ‘The Cracked Pot’

A long time ago people had to carry water in pots from the

river. One water carrier had two pots, which he carried witha stick across his neck. One pot was perfect. The other pot

had a crack

From the river to the house, was a long way. The perfect

pot was always full. The cracked pot lost much water and

was only half full.

The perfect pot was very proud that it could carry so much water. The cracked pot was

always ashamed. It too wanted to be full all the time.

After two years, the cracked pot spoke to the water bearer,

"I am ashamed of myself and I want to say sorry to you." "Why?" asked the bearer.

"What are you ashamed of?"

"For these past two years, I could only help you carry a little water. Because of my

crack, you have to do all of this work.” the pot said.



The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and said, "On the way to our

house, I want you to look at the beautiful flowers along the path."

As they went up the hill, the old cracked pot saw the beautiful wild flowers on theside of the path, and was cheered somewhat. But at the end of the path it still felt the

old shame because it was only half full, and so again the pot said sorry to the bearer.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you not see that there were flowers only on your side

of the path, and not on the other pot's side? I have always known about your crack, so

I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we've walked

back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick

these beautiful flowers to put on my table. Without you being just the way you are, we

would not have this beauty in our house."

Discussion

Can everybody study equally well?

Does study depend on talent?

But can everybody try equally hard?

People say: Hard work beats talent when talent

doesn’t work hard. Do you agree?

Make a poster

We have the right to learn, but the responsibility to come to school prepared.

What are the things you need to bring to school?

Draw the things you need to bring to school. (Don’t forget to draw yourself!)



I’m Smart!

I’m smart (3x), I know.

Books, yes they are fun

But it takes me time

To finish even one.

But, I’m smart, …..

If you gonn’a ask me questions

I’ll have to check again

Because I forget so often

All the bookish tings, oh man.

But, I’m smart, I’m smart….

If you want me too hit a nail

Or cut some wood Fix a bike,

Or cook some food,

I can do that very well.

Cause, I’m smart, I know.

But my head won’t tell.

It’s my hands that show!



I must find a way out.Review the habits:

I like to learn new things.

I learn from other people. I must find a way out.

I listen and think before I speak.

I learn, remember and do!

Which of these habits does the donkey in the following story

discover?

Donkey and the farmerOne day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal

cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to

do. Finally he decided the animal was old, hat the well needed to

be covered anyway and that it just wasn't worth retrieving the

donkey. So he invited all his neighbors to come over and help

him.

They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey

realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he

cooled down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and

was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey

was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the

farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off

and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over

the edge of the well and trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well

is to shake it off and take a step up.

Your Dream school

Learning in different parts of the world is different. Indian boys will invariably stay

with their mother until they are ten years old and then leave their mothers teepee to

move in with their fathers, learn the way of life of the men and then become men.

In Africa a boy will become a man when he can kill a lion.

In India, children used to live with a guru, a teacher or holy man, for a few years.



There they would learn the scriptures. After they got that foundation they would

move back to their families and learn to the ways of the world and follow in their

parents footsteps.

In Europe for hundreds of years, children became apprentices, or students and

learned a skill. Then they would slowly get enough experience to become a

master too, and start to train their own students.

For much of human history there were no schools as we know them now. How do you

want to make your dream school and what would you want to learn there? Do you

want to learn like the Indians and memorize whole books? Or do you want to be like

the African boys who go out to kill a lion? Or do you like the school you go to now?

Draw your ideas and discuss with your classmates.

Stories of SaintsThere are many books that can teach us something to make us better people. The

stories about saints can help us love God more. .

Brigit and the magic coat

A long time ago, the poor people were many and the rich were very few. They would

have large pieces of land, while the poor had to work for them for little money. When

the harvests were not good or the prices went up, the poor suffered first.

Brigit loved the poor people and often would ask the landowners to help them. They

would often laugh at her and said, ‘Tell them to work harder, so they can get more

money!’

One time the people were again very hungry. She went to one landowner and asked,

‘The poor people have no food to eat. They are starving. What will you do for them?’

‘Let them work harder!’ he said.

After another week had passed, Brigit went again, ‘You have done nothing and now

the children are dying by the tens. You must give them land so that they can grow

their own food.’



The landowner didn’t laugh this time, but shook his head and turned his back.

The third time Brigit came, she scolded the landowner. ‘You eat while your people are

dying of hunger along the road side. You give them salaries with which they can not buy the food they grow for you. You say that they should work harder, but they don’t

have their own land! Now, I demand you give them land.’

The landowner, too polite to push Brigit away, but too selfish to really want to help,

looked into the earnest eyes of Brigit and said, ‘Take the coat you are wearing and

whatever land you can cover with that coat, will be for your poor farmers.

Brigit took her coat and called her three sisters. Each of them

took one corner of the coat and started to pull the coat into four

corners, step by step. The coat grew bigger and bigger. The

sisters didn’t stop walking till the whole land was covered with

their coat! The people by the side of the field were cheering.

This was amazing!

That afternoon when the landowner went to inspect his lands, he

couldn’t believe his eyes. The white of the coat of Brigit had covered the whole of the

land. First he felt upset at the loss of his land. Then he realized that this was an act of



God. So he called Brigit and said, ‘Brigit, call all these farmers. Today I will feed

them, and give them enough food for the whole year. And humbly he touched her feet

and folded his hands to his heart, realizing how blessed he was to see such a miracle

in his life.

Since that time people have always prayed to Saint Brigit to bring them wealth and

protection.

Do you think if you would read a story like this every day, you would be more

peaceful?

Mero’s Bride Learning can change people completely. In this story you will see what happened with

a group of fishermen who studied the path of compassion.

Once Kuan Yin took the shape of a fisherman’s daughter. She helped her parents by

selling fish in the market. She was loved by all who saw her, and many if not all the

fishermen longed to marry her.

It so happened that one of those secret admirers approached her as she was passing by,

and kneeled in front of her. Soon there were more than a hundred other men, kneeling

beside him, asking for her hand.

She told them, ‘I can’t marry all of you. Go study the Buddhist scripture and

memorize it. I will chose the one who has memorized it best after one month.’

The simple fishermen, all bought books and studied hard in the libraries and at home.

Never before had the village seen so many students of the spiritual books!

After one month, all recited the sutras flawlessly. The fisherman’s child then said,

‘But do you know how to explain all these beautiful words?’

None of the simple fishermen had had time to think much about the meaning. They

had merely learned to recite the words. So Kuan Yin told them to come back after one

month and discuss their meaning.

Again the fishermen went back, called on their teachers, elders and masters to explain

the sutras to them. But of all, Mero learned to explain the meaning of the sutras most.

SO when Kuan Yin met the fishermen again, it was he who was chosen to marry her.



She told him to meet her the next day in her parents house.

When he knocked on the old people’s door, the kind parents invited Mero and said,



From the Story: Mero’s Bride



‘We have been waiting for you.’ They asked him to enter Kuan Yin’s room. There he

saw the window open, two golden sandals on the floor and Kuan Yin gone.

But Miro at once knew, that the one he had loved, was none other than the goddess of compassion. Mero remained devoted to her, and became a great teacher himself,

sought for throughout the land by all who needed guidance and advice.

And after this time, there was never a more peaceful and forgiving village in the

whole land, as all the fishermen had learned the path of compassion.

==============================

MeditationValmiki is the name of a great poet who lived many years ago. He wrote many things

about Saints and God. When he finished his last book, he scolded himself and said, “I

have written so many things about God, but still could not really describe even a tiny

little bit of Him.”

In meditation we don’t try to talk about God, but feel Him deep in the heart. Books

give us good thoughts, but in meditation we try to forget all words and ideas and just

feel our real self.

Sit and chant: Love is everything, everything is Love.

values of love - keep learning

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