Planning a School Based Unit
Thanks again to Jill Bull
An Oriental Day
(An introduction to Buddhism)
Time
People
RE / Literacy / Music Coordinators
February links with Chinese New
Year, Japanese Spring Festival etc.
Chinese parents / local contacts
Local Chinese restaurant
I cross-curricular day
+ 5 follow-up RE lessons
China People Promotions do
excellent schools workshops with
musicians, dancers, storytellers etc
(www,chinesemusic.co.uk)
Place
Hall
Classrooms
Kitchen
Playground
Encounter
With
Buddhism
Resources
Curricular Links
Festivals DVD
(childseyemedia.com
0161 374 5509)
Espresso
Art / Technology
Food technology
Music
Dance & Drama
RE
Literacy
Quality and Standards
Investigating.
Interpreting
Open-mindedness
Respect
Teaching and
Learning
Special Books
Rules for living.
Expression of Worship.
Music & Literacy learning
objectives.
RE Suggestions
Chinese New Year is a good starting point, especially for younger children, with lots of scope for learning
about Chinese culture.
Curricular Links
Chinese New Year: tell & act out the story of the 12 animals (Chinese New Year) How did the gods solve the dispute
between the animals? HowRE
can we
- solve arguments & disputes?
Learn how Chinese families celebrate New Year in their home e.g. cleaning the house, preparing special food, lucky
Music – Listen to Hindu Music; Play a
money envelopes, dragon & lion parades. Link to art & cross-curricular ideas below.
range of Hindu Musical Instruments (Rahi
Buddhism: (For use in follow up lessons)
Bains)
Use a picture / statue of the Buddha to introduce his life story. Tell & discuss the story of Buddha's enlightenment.
What would be a modern equivalent of the 4 sights?
Make a collage of newspaper articles/ pictures showing suffering, (or an annotated collage of happiness &
Literacy – Hindu Stories, Retelling Stories,
Unhappiness.) Why is there suffering in the world? How did Buddha answer this?
Invite a practising BuddhistDiva
to talk Acrostic
about how they
live their life.
Look at the 8-fold path, how could you apply it today?
Poems,
Drama.
Role play modern dilemmas that need ‘rules for living.’
Use 3 baskets to introduce the Buddhist holy books. (Tipitaka or ‘3 baskets’ represent the 3 main types of holy books
& the palm leaves they were
originally written-on.) Read & discuss the story of Kisagotami & the mustard seeds; what
Technology
does it teach about how Buddhists should treat other people? (LCP RE Resource file Y 5 & 6) or www. XXX
Food –Tasting (Local Supermarket)
Further ideas:
-Fashion - Indian fashion show (Demi
• Meditation is an important aspect of Buddhism; paint or colour in Mandalas & use them to introduce the idea of
Ladwa)
meditation (trace the patterns, lose yourself in the mandala; What thoughts did you have? How did it feel? Nb – this
should be an exercise in sitting
& thinking,
not the sameDiva
as Buddhist
meditation)
Art quietly
– Rangoli
Patterns,
Lamps,
Mehndi Patterns, Paisley Pattern – based
• Or look at the idea of puja – Buddhist shrines usually have candles to show that the Buddhist teachings light up the
world & flowers to remind them
that nothingShape,
lasts for ever – ask the class to sit quietly & think about these ideas, then
on Mango
write down & share their responses.
•Write a haiku poem to celebrate an aspect of nature.
Cross Curricular Links
Music – Listen to Chinese Music; Play a range of Chinese Musical Instruments ( e.g.
Curricular Links
www.chinesemusic.co.uk)
REStories,
Literacy – Buddhist
Chinese New Year stories (The twelve animals, the
monster Nian ) TheMusic
Willow–Pattern
(paintMusic;
their version
Listen story
to Hindu
Play on
a paper plates), Haiku
Poems, Drama. range of Hindu Musical Instruments (Rahi
Bains)
Food –Tasting (Local Chinese restaurant / Chinese parents to cook stir fry / children
to try noodles etc), practise eating with chopsticks, set up a Chinese restaurant for
Literacy – Hindu Stories, Retelling Stories,
role play
Diva Acrostic Poems, Drama.
Art – Paint / colour Mandalas, Chinese or Japanese calligraphy, make Chinese
Technology
dragons / fans / lanterns
/ New Year
cards, origami, Japanese kites, batik printing,
artwork based on Food
yin & yang
patterns
etc Supermarket)
–Tasting
(Local
-Fashion - Indian fashion show (Demi
Languages – learn
Chinese or Japanese greetings & numbers
Ladwa)
Art – Rangoli Patterns, Diva Lamps,
Numeracy – tangrams
Mehndi Patterns, Paisley Pattern – based
Mango
Dance – Chinese on
ribbon
/ fan Shape,
dances, Tai Chi
Art
• Paint mandalas
• Illustrate on IWB
using Revelation
Natural Art
• Chinese dragons,
lanterns, fans
• Japanese kites
• Chinese / Japanese
calligraphy
Music
• Learn how to play
Chinese musical
instruments
• Listen to Chinese
music
• “Compose” Chinese
music (using just the black
notes on the keyboard)
Technology
Food tech –
• Cook and taste stir fry or
noodles
• Local Restaurants
(Community links/parents)
NB Check nut and food allergies
• Set up a “Chinese restaurant”
& practise using chopsticks.
Make Chinese dragons
visit scrapstore
(www,wiltsplay.org.uk) for
resources
Dance
• Learn Chinese fan dances or ribbon
dances
• Learn Tai Chi (Maybe do as ‘Wake’n’Shake’ for the whole
school?)
Responsible Citizens: Through learning about and experiencing
cultural diversity in the UK
Confident Individuals: Opportunities for Spiritual Moral Social and
Cultural development
Successful Learners : Through deep and immersive learning
experiences
Teaching and Learning in RE : Special Books. Rules for living: the 8fold path. Expression of Worship: Puja, Mandalas
Music, DT Literacy: learning objectives added by subject
coordinators..
RE
Skills: Investigating Interpreting
Attitudes: Open-mindedness Respect
Each Class teacher to add their own learning targets for the day
e.g: Year 3/4
AT 1 Level 2/3
Describe how Chinese families celebrate New Year
Identify what is wrong/ good /evil in the world today How did
Buddha answer the problem of suffering?
AT2 level 3
Make links with other solutions to the problem of suffering; express
their own thoughts about why there is suffering in the world.
Add learning targets for other subjects involved
Time
Chinese cross-curricular day.
The sessions were as follows:
9:00 – 9:30
9:30 – 10:30
10:30 – 10:45
10.45 – 12:00
12.00 – 1.00
1.00 – 1.10
1.10 – 2.10
2.10 – 3.10
Tai Chi in playground, followed by Registration
Session 1
Break
Session 2
Lunch
Registration
Session 3
Session 4
SESSIONS
The children were in 3 mixed KS1 & 3 mixed KS2 groups and each group did 4 of the 6 activities
Chinese dance in Hall
Music Y 6 classroom
Storyteller in Reception
Cookery in kitchen
Art in Y3 classroom
Literacy / Drama Y2 classroom
(Schools need to be aware that some parents (who are strongly committed to their faith) can be sensitive to
such a day, where participation in aspects of worship may be invited. In such circumstances, it is important
visiting speakers are adequately briefed on any invitation for children to participate)
Resources
China People Promotions (www.chinesemusic.co.uk)
They offer excellent schools workshops in Chinese music, dance, calligraphy, storytelling
etc. They are quite pricey, but have details of available grants.
Buddhist contacts
Lam Rim Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre
Sakya Thubeten Ling
12 Victoria Place, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 3BP
0117 9639089
162 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NT
0117 9249991
Tibetan Buddhist center
01202 538108
167 Shelbourne Road, Bournemouth BH8 8RD
Festivals DVD (Children’s eye) – Chinese New Year (Best for KS1)
DVD The Little Buddha.
Buddhism Artefacts: Prayer Flags, Prayer Wheels, Prayer beads, singing bowls (Try
Wiltshire library services)
Background for teachers
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/buddhism
www.dharmaforkids.com
www.buddhanet.net
www.reonline.co.uk Virtual tour of a Buddhist temple & monastery