Jan 23, 2022 - Grade 4 (Sunday PM)

Hari OM,

This week we started our class with opening prayers followed by:

• Lesson on Python as a teacher
• Story narration of Dhenukasura vadha
• Kahoot game
• Gita Chanting and recording for house points
• Krishnashtakam chanting

and concluded with Chinmaya pledge

 

Python as teacher:

In the story, Python as teacher, the kids learnt that like a python one should eat food that comes, as per prarabdha (destiny), without much struggle be it more or less, sweet or bitter. We eat through all our senses. A python does not fuss over the food it gets – small or big, consistently or intermittently, visibly pleasing or not, soft or hard to the tongue, fragrant aroma or not. The python is content with what it gets. Just like a python we should not fuss over what food we get because the Lord knows what to provide us as per destiny. Think of all the poor people who may not even get a decent meal. So, thank God for what we get and eat happily. Through eyes, we eat all beautiful things and beings; through nose we eat all fragrances; through skin we eat all soft touches; through ears, we eat all pleasant

sounds, music. Let us learn to be satisfied with what we get according our prarabdha.

 

Story narration of Dhenukasura vadha:

So far kids have learnt about various asuras – Bakasura, Aghasura, Vatsasura, Trinavarta etc, sent by Kamsa to kill Krishna and how krishna killed them. In this week’s class kids were narrated about Dhenukasura vadha – Killing of daemon called Dhenukasura. Krishna along with Balarama and other gopas were playing in a green pasture as the cows were grazing. There was a palm tree grove next to the pasture. The gopas wanted to go in and get some juicy fruit from the palm tree grove. They did not dare to pick the fruit because in the garden lived a ferocious herd of donkeys, headed by an asura named Dhenuka. Krishna and Balarama went to the garden to get some fruit for their friends. Balarama shook the tree to make the fruits fall. Dhenukasura was infuriated by Balarama’s actions.  He charged at Balarama and struck Balarama’s chest with his hind legs. Balarama seized the donkey’s hind legs and spinning it at whirlwind speed, hurled it against a tree. The asura hit the tree with such force that it crashed into another and a domino effect was created until a heap of trees lay on the ground. Krishna and Balarama killed other donkeys that were attacking them. From then on the garden was free for the romp and play of the children of Vrindavan.

 

Kahoot Game:

Kids played a kahoot game featuring questions about Chinmaya mission.

 

Gita Chanting and recording of verses:

Kids practiced chanting verses 39-41 in Chapter 2 of Bhagavat Gita. We recorded the chanting and it helps earning house points.

 

Krishnashtakam chanting:

Kids practiced chanting of the first two verses of the Krishnashtakam.

Story Telling Competition:

Please encourage all the kids to participate in the story telling competition to be held next Saturday from 4.30-6.30 over zoom. Stories can be of saints and sages or they can do any favorite story.

http://bit.ly/Storytelling22

 

Pranams,

Sun PM 4^th grade teachers

 

 

Oct 24, 2021 - Grade 4 (Sunday PM)

Hari Om Parents,

Last class involved multiple activities including chanting, story
narration from Krishna Krishna book and interactive exercises.

Bal Vihar class proceeded in the following order.

1)We started with opening prayers-Om Sahana Vavatu prayer.

2) Started the 4th chapter of the book Krishna, Krishna.

As Vasudeva walked towards the prison door, the locks fell off, and
Vasudeva walked out. Without looking at the guards who were fast
asleep, he walked away, uttering the name of the Lord, "Govinda,
Govinda, Govinda…"

It was the dead of night. The streets of Mathura were deserted. Not
even a dog barked. Vasudeva walked unmindful of the rain. He was not
even aware that a seven-headed serpent had opened its hoods over the
basket like an umbrella, shielding the child from the rain.

Vasudeva headed straight to the riverfront. Yamuna was swelling with
water. No one would dare cross the river which was rising by the
minute. Saying, "Govinda, Govinda…" Vasudeva stepped into the river.

As soon as he took a step forward, the river parted, making a path for
Vasudeva to cross over. Vasudeva walked, closely followed by the
seven-headed serpent with its hoods spread over the basket.

As soon as Vasudeva reached the other bank of the river, he started
walking towards Gokula. As he neared the house of his friend Nanda,
who was the Village Chief, he found the doors open. He walked through
the doors. At Nanda's house, his wife Yashoda had just given birth to
a girl child, who was none other than Devi Yogamaya. Under the spell
of Yogamaya, Yashoda was fast asleep. As Vasudeva lowered the basket,
baby Yogamaya smiled at the child in the basket.

Vasudeva placed his son next to the sleeping Yashoda. He picked up the
girl child and placed her in the basket. He placed the basket on his
head and left.

He did not even glance at the house next door where Rohini, his first
wife, was living with his seventh son. He began to walk towards the
river with the seven-headed serpent following him, spreading its hoods
over the child in the basket. As Vasudeva approached the Yamuna, the
river parted again, making a path for him to cross over.


3)The narration was followed by a Kahoot quiz on Lord Krishna.

4) Kids chanted the first 5 slokas from Govinda Damodara Stotram.
They also recited and learnt the fifth sloka from Govinda Damodara
Stotram.

5) We had an interactive activity with the kids based on 24 teachers
about one of the most important elements which Bhagwan provides to us
for free and what can be learnt from that element. The element is
"Air".

6) After the 24 teachers we learnt to chant Slokas 43 - 44 from
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2.
https://youtu.be/HCA0uDFICAQ?list=PLwv-WSJSokEORu2iEsVanXQhQHOoiiQIy

7) We concluded the class with Aarthi and Chinmaya pledge.

Pranams
Roopa Byrichetty

Oct 17, 2021 - Grade 4 (Sunday PM)

Hari Om Parents,

Last class involved multiple activities including chanting, story
narration from Krishna Krishna book and interactive exercises.

Bal Vihar class proceeded in the following order.

1)We started with opening prayers-Om Sahana Vavatu prayer.

2) Started the 3rd chapter of the book Krishna, Krishna.

Continuing from chapter 2nd which is the story of King Parikshiit and
the sage Rishi Sukhdevji guiding the king to liberate himself by
reading Bhagavatam and following its principles. King starts to read
Bhagavatam about mother Earth who is being harassed by Asuras. Mother
Earth approaches Lord Brahma, who along with Lord Shiva advises mother
Earth to plead to Lord Vishnu about her grief. She visits lord's abode
in the ocean and he promises to soon be born as Krishna to Devaki and
Vasudeva and free her from all the evils. Devaki and Vasudeva get
married and Devaki's brother the assura Kamsa rides them in a chariot
across jubilations on the streets when a voice thunders from heaven
about the eight child killing Kamsa. Shocked by this prophecy, Kamsa
wants to kill his sister Devaki when Vasudeva convinces him to not
kill her…

3)The narration was followed by an interactive activity with the kids
based on 24 teachers' books about mother Earth and what is her
significance. How selfless she is. She gives us so much without
expecting anything from us and still we take her for granted and abuse
her. Kids participated very enthusiastically.

4) Kids chanted the first 4 slokas from Govinda Damodara Stotram.
They also recited and learnt the fifth sloka from Govinda Damodara
Stotram.

5) Kids then joined a common zoom session and performed Saraswathi Pooja.

Pranaam!
Roopa

Oct 3, 2021 - Grade 4 (Sunday PM)

Hari Om Parents,

 

Last class involved multiple activities including chanting, story narration from Krishna Krishna book and interactive exercises. 

 

Bal Vihar class proceeded in the following order.

 

1)We started with opening prayers-Om Sahana Vavatu prayer. The meaning of this prayer was explained to the kids.

 

2) Started with the 2^nd chapter of the book Krishna, Krishna. The 2nd chapter is the story of King Parikshiit and the sage, whom he accidentally insults in a fit of rage and the importance of keeping our anger in check. King is cursed by the sage's son that he will die within seven days. Realizing his grave mistake, the king approaches Rishi Sukhdevji and he is shown the path to liberate himself by reading Bhagavatam and following its principles.

 

3)The narration was followed by an activity where certain important posters (Scenes from Bhagwatam) were shown to the kids which were covered in grade 3. Kids were asked to identify and briefly narrate each scene. All the kids were so enthusiastic and were able to explain each and every scene shown to them.  

 

4)  1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4th verses from the Damodara stotram were recited by each kid and the meaning of the verse was explained to them.

 

5) A brief introduction to 24 teachers with an exercise where kids were asked to imagine that there is no mentor in the class and what would happen. Kids participated actively  and had lots of fun. They concluded that it would lead to chaos. The purpose of this activity was to make the kids understand the need of a guru to lead us and guide us.

 

6) We learnt the Bhagavad Gita slokas(Chapter 2  : 41-42) from the link attached below.

https://youtu.be/HCA0uDFICAQ?list=PLwv-WSJSokEORu2iEsVanXQhQHOoiiQIy

 

7) We concluded with the Aarti and Chinmaya missions pledge.

 

Pranaam!

Roopa  

Sept 26, 2021 - Grade 4 (Sunday PM)

 

Hari Om Parents,

 

We had a fun filled and informative 2^nd Bala-Vihar session with the kids. Session proceeded in the below order.

 

1)We started with opening prayers-Om Sahana Vavatu prayer.

 

2) Started with the first chapter of the book Krishna, Krishna. The first chapter is about the advent of Kaliyuga and it's evils. The four yugas were introduced to the kids. Story about king Parikshiit  was narrated and there were several interesting questions asked by them.

 

3)The narration was followed by an activity named "Stopping the Kali" who is the evil character from which Kaliyuga began. The way Kali can be stopped is to do good deeds, build character, be respectful and so on. Each kid was asked to say some good and humble things to stop Kali!! Also the kids were asked to observe and make a note on how many times over the week they were able to stop the kali. 

 

4)  We practiced the first two verses of Govinda Damodara Stotram and learnt the 3rd  verse was recited by each kid and the meaning of that verse was explained to the kids.

  

5) We learnt the Bhagavad Gita slokas from the link attached below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d4EIe2V-Vc&list=PLwv-WSJSokEORu2iEsVanXQhQHOoiiQIy&index=2

After practicing all the kids got a chance to recite them as well. 

 

6) We concluded with Aarti and Chinmaya's pledge.

Thanks

Roopa Byrichetty

Welcome to Gr 4 - Sunday PM Session

Please look out for regular updates from 

the teachers 

soon after the session starts.