Oriental Day: Introduction to Buddhism & Chinese Culture Unit for Schools

1. Planning an School Based UnitThanks again to Jill Bull An Oriental Day (An introduction to Buddhism)

2. Time February links with Chinese New Year, Japanese Spring Festival etc. I cross-curricular day + 5 follow-up RE lessons People RE / Literacy / Music Coordinators Chinese parents / local contacts Local Chinese restaurant China People Promotions do excellent schools workshops with musicians, dancers, storytellers etc (www,chinesemusic.co.uk) Encounter With Buddhism Quality and Standards Investigating. Interpreting Open-mindedness Respect Place Hall Classrooms Kitchen Playground Teaching and Learning Special Books Rules for living. Expression of Worship. Music & Literacy learning objectives. Resources Festivals DVD (childseyemedia.com 0161 374 5509) Espresso Curricular Links Art / Technology Food technology Music Dance & Drama RE Literacy

3. RE Suggestions • Chinese New Year is a good starting point, especially for younger children, with lots of scope for learning about Chinese culture. • 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? How can we solve arguments & disputes? • Learn how Chinese families celebrate New Year in their home e.g. cleaning the house, preparing special food, lucky money envelopes, dragon & lion parades. Link to art & cross-curricular ideas below. • Buddhism: (For use in follow up lessons) • 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 & Unhappiness.) Why is there suffering in the world? How did Buddha answer this? • Invite a practising Buddhist to talk about how they live their life. Look at the 8-fold path, how could you apply it today? 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 does it teach about how Buddhists should treat other people? (LCP RE Resource file Y 5 & 6) or www. XXX • Further ideas: • Meditation is an important aspect of Buddhism; paint or colour in Mandalas & use them to introduce the idea of 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 quietly & thinking, not the same as Buddhist meditation) • 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 nothing lasts for ever – ask the class to sit quietly & think about these ideas, then write down & share their responses. • Write a haiku poem to celebrate an aspect of nature. Curricular Links RE - Music – Listen to Hindu Music; Play a range of Hindu Musical Instruments (Rahi Bains) Literacy – Hindu Stories, Retelling Stories, Diva Acrostic Poems, Drama. Technology - Food –Tasting (Local Supermarket) -Fashion - Indian fashion show (Demi Ladwa) Art – Rangoli Patterns, Diva Lamps, Mehndi Patterns, Paisley Pattern – based on Mango Shape,

4. Cross Curricular Links Music – Listen to Chinese Music; Play a range of Chinese Musical Instruments ( e.g. www.chinesemusic.co.uk) Literacy – Buddhist Stories, Chinese New Year stories (The twelve animals, the monster Nian ) The Willow Pattern story (paint their version on paper plates), Haiku Poems, Drama. 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 role play Art – Paint / colour Mandalas, Chinese or Japanese calligraphy, make Chinese dragons / fans / lanterns / New Year cards, origami, Japanese kites, batik printing, artwork based on yin & yang patterns etc Languages – learn Chinese or Japanese greetings & numbers Numeracy – tangrams Dance – Chinese ribbon / fan dances, Tai Chi Curricular Links RE - Music – Listen to Hindu Music; Play a range of Hindu Musical Instruments (Rahi Bains) Literacy – Hindu Stories, Retelling Stories, Diva Acrostic Poems, Drama. Technology - Food –Tasting (Local Supermarket) -Fashion - Indian fashion show (Demi Ladwa) Art – Rangoli Patterns, Diva Lamps, Mehndi Patterns, Paisley Pattern – based on Mango Shape,

5. Art • Paint mandalas • Illustrate on IWB using Revelation Natural Art • Chinese dragons, lanterns, fans • Japanese kites • Chinese / Japanese calligraphy

6. Music • Learn how to play Chinese musical instruments • Listen to Chinese music • “Compose” Chinese music (using just the black notes on the keyboard)

7. 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

8. Dance • Learn Chinese fan dances or ribbon dances • Learn Tai Chi (Maybe do as ‘Wake’n’Shake’ for the whole school?)

9. 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 8-fold path. Expression of Worship: Puja, Mandalas Music, DT Literacy: learning objectives added by subject coordinators..

10. 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

11. Time Chinese cross-curricular day. The sessions were as follows: 9:00 – 9:30 Tai Chi in playground, followed by Registration 9:30 – 10:30 Session 1 10:30 – 10:45 Break 10.45 – 12:00 Session 2 12.00 – 1.00 Lunch 1.00 – 1.10 Registration 1.10 – 2.10 Session 3 2.10 – 3.10 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)

12. 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 12 Victoria Place, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 3BP 0117 9639089 Bristol Buddhist Centre 162 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 8NT 0117 9249991 Sakya Thubeten LingTibetan Buddhist center01202 538108167 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