Discovering Buddha For Teachers & Students

DISCOVERING BUDDHA
Lessons
for Primary
School
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
Lessons for
Primary School
Acknowledgements
Authors
Sue Erica Smith and Serena Seah
Published by
Buddhist Council of Victoria
PO Box 606, North Carlton Victoria 3054 Australia
Website: www.bcvic.org.au
Buddhist Council of Victoria 2008
ISBN 978-0-646-50211-3
With nancial support from the Victorian Multicultural Commission.
This manual may be photocopied for educational purposes.
Design and Illustration Carey Rohrlach, Caro Way

Cover Illustration David Bennett, Rolpa Graphic Design
Editor Judith Macdonald
Printing Kwik Kopy Printing Centre, St Kilda
II
For materials used:

The Buddhist Council of Victoria Buddhist Education in Schools Program acknowledges with
gratitude the following organizations and publications for use of material in this publication:
For worksheets and creative ideas: Buddhanet and the Buddha Dharma Education
Association: Buddhism for Primary Students. www.buddhanet.org
For worksheets and background information:
The Clear Vision Trust, Manchester. UK. www.clear-vision.org
Illustrator: Adiccabandhu
For Mountain Meditation: Jon Kabat-Zinn: Wherever You Go, There You Are:
Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Hyperion Press. New York. 1994.
Reference book for the life of the Buddha:
Jonathan Landaw and Janet Brooke: Prince Siddhartha. Wisdom Boston. 2003.
The modern versions of the Jataka Tales were adapted by Sue Erica Smith from
Cowell, E.B. (ed.) 1990. The Jataka or Stories of the Buddhas Former Births.
Vol. 1 and 2. Translated from Pali. Moltilal Banarsidas Publishers, Delhi.
Material originally developed by FPMT Education Department, FMPT Inc, www.fpmt.org
DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School
CONTENTS
Welcome
Introduction ............................................................................................ VII
How to Use This Resource: A Guide for Teachers ............................................ IX
Making Learning Fun: Strategies for Teaching Buddhist Religious Education ...... XI
Section
Introduction to
Buddhism
IB1.
IB2.
IB3.
IB4.
IB5.
IB6.
IB7.
IB8.
IB9.
Section
Page
1.0
Life Story of the Buddha .............................................. 1.1

Who is the Buddha? .................................................... 1.12
Why Does the Buddha Look Like That? ........................ 1.14
Mudras ...................................................................... 1.18
Where are Buddhists Found? ....................................... 1.22
What Buddhists Believe: The Four Noble Truths ............. 1.25
What Buddhists Believe: The Noble Eight-fold Path ........ 1.29
What Buddhists Believe: The Five Precepts.................... 1.33
What Buddhists Believe:
The Followers of the Buddha: The Sangha. .................... 1.41
Life of the
Buddha
Page
2.0
25 lesson plans based on the recommended text

Prince Siddhartha by Jonathan Landaw and Janet Brooke.
Wisdom Boston. 2003.
LB1.
LB2.
LB3.
LB4.
LB5.
LB6.
LB7.
LB8.
LB9.
LB10.
LB11.
LB12.
LB13.
A Fortunate Birth ........................................................... 2.1

The Wounded Swan ....................................................... 2.4
Love to All Creatures .................................................... 2.10
The Rose Apple Tree ..................................................... 2.14
The Marriage Contests ................................................. 2.16
The Pleasure Palaces .................................................... 2.18
A Fathers Concern ...................................................... 2.19
The Kings Order .......................................................... 2.21
The Four Sights ............................................................ 2.23
Revision of Lessons 5-9 ................................................ 2.29
The Decision to Renounce ............................................. 2.32
The Strings of the Lute ................................................. 2.34
The Easy Path, the Hard Path and the Middle Path ......... 2.37
III
LB14.
LB15.
LB16.
LB17.
LB18.
LB19.
LB20.
LB21.
LB22.
LB23.
LB24.
LB25.
Section
The Jataka Tales

and the Paramitas
JP1.
JP2.
JP3.
JP4.
JP5.
JP6.
JP7.
JP8.
JP9.
JP10.
JP11.
JP12.
JP13.
JP14.
JP15.
JP16.
JP17.
IV
Going to Extremes ....................................................... 2.41

Sujatas Offering: Breaking from the Peer Group ............. 2.44
The Great Battle .......................................................... 2.47
Awakened! .................................................................. 2.48
Under the Bodhi Tree and Enlightenment........................ 2.49
The First Teaching ........................................................ 2.50
A Rude Man ................................................................ 2.53
Words of Praise ........................................................... 2.55
The Power of Love ....................................................... 2.59
The Buddha Returns to His Family ................................. 2.60
The Tale of the Tree Spirit .............................................. 2.62
The Final Days: Be a Lamp Unto Yourself. ...................... 2.64
Page
3.0
Introduction to Teaching the Paramitas (virtue and

skilful action) through the Jataka Tales............................. 3.1
Telling a Story with a Virtuous or Moral Meaning .............. 3.4
The Wisdom Game ......................................................... 3.5
Loving Kindness: The Banyan Deer ................................. 3.7
Generosity:
The Duck with the Golden Plumage ..... 3.10
Honesty:
The Golden Bowl ............................... 3.13
Honesty:
The Ass in the Lions Skin ................... 3.16
Patience:
The Buffalo and the Monkey ............... 3.18
Equal Love:
The Deer Who Thought He Knew It All . 3.20
The Middle Way: The Tortoise Who Could Not
Leave Home...................................... 3.22
The Middle Way: The Talkative Tortoise ......................... 3.24
Effort:
Lesson from a Monkey ...................... 3.27
Effort and
Perseverance:
Prince Five Weapons .......................... 3.32
Effort and
Perseverance:
Have My Efforts been Worthwhile? ...... 3.36
Wisdom:
The Monkeys Water the Trees ............. 3.37
Wisdom:
The Good Doctor ............................... 3.39
Wisdom/Right
Conduct:
The Drunken Beetle ........................... 3.42
Section
More Virtuous
Qualities
Page
4.0
MV1. Developing a Good Heart: Loving Kindness to

People and Animals ................. 4.1
MV2. Developing a Good Heart: Happy, Peaceful and Kind......... 4.5
MV3. Developing a Good Heart: A Smile Snapshot .................... 4.7
MV4. Developing a Good Heart: The Good Deeds Book ........... 4.12
MV5. Friendship:
A Bush Turkey and
a False-Friend Falcon ............. 4.15
MV6. Co-operation and
Interdependence:
The Quails and the Net .......... 4.18
Section
Change and
Impermanence
CI1.
CI2.
CI3.
CI4.
CI5.
CI6.
5.0
Change in Myself .............................................................. 5.1

Observing Change Around Us ............................................ 5.3
Cycles of Change .............................................................. 5.5
Life Story of a Flower ........................................................ 5.6
The Parable of the Mustard Seed ....................................... 5.9
Samsara Dog ................................................................. 5.21
Section
Page
Page
Meditation
ME1.
ME2.
ME3.
ME4.
ME5.
ME6.
ME7.
ME8.
ME9.
ME10.
ME11.
ME12.
ME13.
ME14.
ME15.
6.0
Preparation for Meditation ............................................. 6.1

Using the Happiness Scale .............................................. 6.4
Initial Relaxation Exercise ............................................... 6.6
Shaking the Bottle Allowing the Mind to Settle ............... 6.8
Discovering the Clear Mind ........................................... 6.10
Four Mindfulness Meditation Exercises .......................... 6.11
Observing our Breath ................................................... 6.14
Blue Pool Meditation ................................................... 6.16
Mountain Meditation ................................................... 6.18
Loving Kindness Meditation .......................................... 6.20
Loving Kindness: The Flower Garden in Your Heart .......... 6.22
Loving Kindness: Metta Sutta ....................................... 6.25
Loving Kindness: Everyone is a Potential Friend .............. 6.27
A Chant of Loving Kindness and Compassion .................. 6.28
Joy Meditation ............................................................ 6.30
ME16.
ME17.
ME18.
ME19.
ME20.
Waterfall Relaxation Meditation .................................... 6.31

Managing Strong Emotions ........................................... 6.32
Reection on Change ................................................... 6.34
Meditation for a Friend ................................................ 6.36
Childrens Motivation and Dedication Verses .................. 6.37
Section
Page
Special Days
SD1.
SD2.
SD3.
SD4.
SD5.
SD6.
Wesak Festival (1): The Story of Wesak ............................. 7.1

Wesak Festival (2): Making a Lotus Flower ........................ 7.4
Wesak Festival (3): Making a Wesak Lantern ..................... 7.9
Wesak Festival (4): Wesak Day in Different Cultures ......... 7.11
Appreciating Special People ............................................ 7.14
End of Year Activity: A Buddhist Charade ......................... 7.21
Section
Page
Craft Activities
CA1.
CA2.
CA3.
CA4.
CA5.
Section
7.0
8.0
Making a Mandala .......................................................... 8.1

Making a Book Mark ....................................................... 8.3
Making a Name Tag ......................................................... 8.5
Making Buddha Bird ........................................................ 8.7
Growing our Bodhi Tree ................................................... 8.9
Extension Activities for

Upper Primary
Page
9.0
EA1. The Wheel of Life: Introduction and Background

for Teachers ................................................................... 9.1
EA2. The Wheel of Life: Cycles of Change .................................. 9.5
EA3. The Wheel of Life: The Pig ................................................ 9.6
EA4. The Wheel of Life: The Rooster .......................................... 9.8
EA5. The Wheel of Life: The Snake ............................................ 9.9
EA6. The Wheel of Life: The Light Path and the Dark Path ......... 9.10
EA7. The Wheel of Life: Six Symbolic Places ............................. 9.11
EA8. The Wheel of Life: A Play ............................................... 9.13
EA9. Links to Other Useful Resources ...................................... 9.17
EA10. List of Plays Included in This Resource ............................. 9.18
EA11. Word Games and Other Puzzles ..................................... 9.19
EA12. Record and Planner ....................................................... 9.22
VI
Welcome
Welcome
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
Lessons for
Primary School
2706-3 BCV BEVS DIBU Dividers p5.indd 1
6/11/08 08:24:20
Welcome
Key to Icons
Text
Activity
Creative Work
Meditation
6/11/08 08:24:20
Introduction
his resource book of ideas and inspirations for volunteer

Buddhist Religious Education teachers is relevant to todays
primary age students and to mainstream teachers.
Based on the teachings of the Buddha, it provides practical, everyday

applications of wise and skilful action. The reective and inclusive
approach is complementary to current Australian educational practices
and values and will provide a signicant addition to the revised Victorian
Essential Learning Standards (VELS), especially in the domains of Thinking
Processes, Personal Development and Inter-Personal Learning.
Buddhist Religious Education classes have been offered in a small number of Victorian
primary schools since 2004. The program was founded on collaboration with a crosssection of Buddhist communities and traditions under the umbrella of the Buddhist
Council of Victoria (BCV). The ideas and lesson plans in this collection are a result of
teachers experiences, trialling of different approaches and feedback from both staff
and students. Curriculum development days for the volunteer teachers of Buddhism
have been a fruitful means of reviewing and consolidating the curriculum and resources.
This resource book would not have been possible without the hard work and
commitment of the small team of past and present Buddhist RE teachers: they
are the heartwood of the program and this book is a special gift to them. In
addition we are grateful to the schools which have welcomed the Buddhist RE
program, and the class teachers for their willingness to open to this possibility.
The BCV and its Education Committee, along with the spiritual advisors to the
Buddhist Education Program, have provided on-going support and encouragement.
The organisation Religions for Peace provides an invaluable bridge for minority
faiths to the mainstream Victorian education system and we thank them for that.
The Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) has made it possible to bring
a dream to reality. We acknowledge with gratitude the nancial contribution
of the VMC to this publication and join with them in celebrating the rich
diversity of faiths and communities that make up the State of Victoria.
May this book inspire, interest and ll with hope, all those who turn
to it with that question: What shall I do in class tomorrow?
VII
VIII
How to Use This Resource:

A Guide for Teachers
his is a resource to support a journey of learning that you will

engage in with your students. It is not a textbook where you might
start at page one and nish at the end of the year. Rather it is
a compendium of lesson plans, resource materials and notes for
teachers suitable for teaching to students in Grades 3-6.
It is not, however, a course about Buddhism. It is a course where the Dhamma/

Dharma is presented in ways that encourage children to think, reect, explore,
act and create so that mindfulness and loving-kindness may develop within
each child because he or she can see for themselves some direct benets.
This manual is divided into nine sections: Introduction to Buddhism,
Life of the Buddha, the Jataka Tales, More Virtuous Qualities, Change
and Impermanence, Meditation, Special Days, Craft Activities and
an extension activity on Cause and Effect for older students.
Section 1: Introduction to Buddhism: The starting point for any Buddhist class in
our program is to introduce children to where Buddhism ts in the world where
and how Buddhism originated, where Buddhist people live today and some basic
Buddhist principles and practices. In this section there is a choice of lessons,
including a brief version of the life of the Buddha, because you may well nd that
some children in your class are new, and some would have attended before.
Section 2:The Life of the Buddha: After some introductory lessons, each class
will learn in more depth about the Buddhas life story. The lessons are based
on chapters in the recommended text Prince Siddhartha (Landaw and Brooke.
Wisdom Boston. 2003) which is provided to every Buddhist RE teacher.
This epic tale exemplies the important teachings of Buddhism and could take more
than one year to work through. Included is a short version to give an overview,
followed by detailed lessons from which you as a teacher may choose particular
parts to focus on. For example, younger children might enjoy lessons around Prince
Siddharthas birth while older children may be quite excited by the years of asceticism.
You do not have to teach every event in the one year. You will notice though, that
the lessons that accompany this story, and the other stories in this manual, go
beyond comprehension and lead the children towards personal experience.
Sections 3 and 4:The Jataka Tales, the Paramitas and More Virtuous Qualities are
included for you to dip into as the need or occasion arises in your classroom. These
stories with their suggested activities can be included at anytime and in any order.
Section 5: Change and Impermanence: You may choose to make this a
special theme for a semester and work through all the lessons, or just choose
one or two to include in your overall program. The choice is up to you.
IX
Section 6: Meditation: This is an essential part of every Buddhist RE lesson. The

meditations included have been selected because teachers who have pioneered this
program have found them to be the most effective. There are many different meditations
and too much variety can confuse children. We aim for a calm, stable routine where
children develop concentration and loving-kindness and are allowed the opportunity to
imagine and feel their own potential and the value in contributing to a better world.
Section 7 and 8: Special Days and Craft Activities: Variety too is most important, and this
manual provides many choices. You may wish to suspend the Buddhas story, to respond to
a classroom or topical issue, have some fun with a play, make a beautiful lotus or do some
eld work. Here the teacher has the liberty to delve into the other sections in this book.
Section 9: Extension Activities for Upper Primary:
Buddhist RE classes have been offered for more than four years in some Victorian
primary schools. Many students have studied Buddhism for all that time and in Years 5
and 6 are looking for more challenging content and ideas. The Wheel of Life section is
intended only for those who have already studied some Buddhism and meditation and
attempts to introduce the deeper concepts of cause and effect and interconnectedness.
Teachers Note: Located within the lesson plan, these notes are advice to the
teacher (teaching tips) or a warning that this lesson contains sensitive material.
Background Information Sheet: These pages are intended to provide more depth for
the teacher. It is not recommended that the notes be read to the students although
teachers may share the extra information with the students in the course of the lesson.
Homework is not part of the regular routine for these weekly classes but may be
set occasionally. By maintaining your weekly records you will easily be able to review
the previous weeks lesson with your class and provide continuity in learning.
At the back of this manual is a Record and Planner sheet (EA12 p9.22) where you
can enter the lessons that you teach to each grade in your school. This will provide a
valuable record for you, and information for any teacher who might come into the school
after you. In this way teachers will easily know if, for example, students in one year have
done the play of The Wounded Swan then it need not be repeated the following year.
Relevance to current education practice: This course ts appropriately with the

Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS). Religious instruction is an addition to
schools curricula but the contents of this manual are consistent with, and supplement
students formal learning in the VELS areas of: Interpersonal Development, Personal
Learning, English, the Humanities and most signicantly the Thinking Processes that span
all disciplines. Our meditations and the excitement of moral imagination through stories
provide fresh approaches to cognitive, affective, meta-cognitive and reective ways of
thinking. Teachers in your school may be interested in this program and at times you
may have the opportunity to share our teaching methods and content with them.
The Dhamma/Dharma is a precious jewel to promote peace, joy and happiness. If
you become familiar with the contents of this manual, you will nd a treasury of
stories, plays, games, quizzes and opportunities to have fun with your students.
Making Learning Fun:

Strategies for Teaching
Buddhist Religious Education
ll teachers seek to engage their students in whatever activity they are

presenting. Planning class-work that includes different kinds of learning
styles (mental, physical, creative, visual, aural (hearing), kinaesthetic
(movement), intuitive and emotional is one way of achieving this.
Most teaching is done through the visual and aural senses but many
children learn just as well, and sometimes better, through other approaches.
Different learning approaches are also useful for students who are active and easily
distracted, or for a tired and lethargic class. A change of pace and activity can give a
lift from text- based work in the classroom. Fun learning wakes the students up.
In this section a number of different strategies are suggested, such as different
ways to run a class quiz, or the more ambitious but very engaging, putting
on a class play or organizing a charade. There are also craft activities and
creative drawing and design: plenty of scope for everyone! So be courageous,
try out these different approaches and watch how your class responds!
How to Apply these Strategies

1. For most of these interactive teaching strategies, guidelines have to be set to describe what
is acceptable behaviour. For example, the waiting group must keep quiet while the active
group is performing or answering a question, though some level of noise is acceptable
since the students are all excited and involved. So whilst learning with these approaches
may be a variation on their everyday activities, regular classroom standards still apply.
2. To have competition or co-operation that is the question! Obviously a little
competition is a good way to raise the energy and have fun, especially if everyone
is in a win-win situation and the opportunity is used to share joy with others. In the
end, it is the group effort that needs to be applauded and not just the winners. All
are winners because they have demonstrated that they have learnt something.
3. Co-operative and group learning are important features of primary school
classrooms and are qualities to be encouraged and practised in the RE class
as well. Many Buddhist virtues can be fostered and highlighted through
opportunities such as working together, helping one another and sharing skills
and resources. All of the lessons in this book include group activities.
4. Spontaneously including one of these activities in your lesson can lift a tired class or
calm an over-stimulated one (eg. quiet drawing or colouring for a few minutes).
XI
Story-telling
Whether you are a gifted dramatist or simply enjoy reading aloud to children, storytelling should be a regular activity. In this book there are many stories to choose from
the Jataka Tales, the Life of the Buddha and other stories, poems and verses.
Here are some points to think about as you prepare a story for your class:
A picture is worth a thousand words. Use visuals wherever you can to bring the story alive.
Use props such as puppets, dolls, masks or special clothing eg. put on a special shawl
when you are telling a story or whatever you can think of to animate the story.
Use simple words and FEWER of them. Dont confuse the children with too many words.
Draw out the childrens knowledge and experiences with open-ended questions
(eg. NOT yes or no answers). Instead use questions such as: What do you
know about the gure in this picture? Rather than Do you know who this is?
For further ideas on story-telling, see Section 3: Jatakas and
Paramitas JP2. Telling a Story with a Virtuous Meaning, p3.4.
Making Revision Fun

Re-capping and revising is not only a useful teaching strategy but essential
in the RE classroom where students only attend once a week. So, always
recap on the previous weeks theme, new words and concepts etc.
Here are some ideas to get you started with quick revision exercises for each lesson:
1. Revising Stories:
Re-arranging text
Students arrange jumbled sentences of a story into the correct order on the board or on
pieces of card.
Students arrange jumbled parts of a sentence into the correct order.
Picture sequencing
Students arrange jumbled pictures of a story into the correct
order. They can then retell the story in their own words.
Matching text to pictures
Students match pictures to text and then read the story as a whole.
Re-telling the story
Go around the circle with each student adding the next part of
the story. The teacher asks: And what happened next?
XII
2. Word Games for reinforcing new words, terms and concepts:

New terms such as impermanence, wisdom, loving kindness and
compassion, can be easily reinforced through word games such as:
Matching
Students match concepts to the meaning of the words written on the board, or
on card. Easily made into a pair game on the lines of Snap! or Pelmanism.
Fill in the Gaps
Students are given a text where words are missing. It is helpful to
provide a text box of words that students choose from.
Missing letters
Students could be asked to learn the spelling of words and given
a worksheet with letters missing from each word.
Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles reinforce meaning and spelling of new words.
www.buddhanet.org has some examples but making your own specially
suited to a recent topic and to the level of your students is always best.
Word Searches
Word searches help students learn the spelling of words as they have to look for
the words in a sea of letters. See section 9: Extension Activities EA11, p9.19)
Making Who Am I? Riddles
The teacher gives three clues about a person or a place from Buddhist history and the
students have to guess who or what it is.
eg.
I have only one son.
I am a queen.
I died young and my sister took care of my son.
Answer: Queen Maya
3. Other Games and Activities:

Many well-known board games can be adapted for use in the Buddhist
RE classroom. Snakes and Ladders or Q&A Ludo are just two.
The Wisdom Game (see Section 3: Jatakas and Paramitas JP3 p3.5)
using knowledge from the Jataka Tales has been designed specially for
this program and could be adapted for every Jataka Tale lesson.
XIII
Games and Performing Activities

1. Charades:
This is a fun activity for an end-of-term/year party.
Create a list of words or story titles.
Cut out small pieces of paper. Write a word on each piece of paper and fold in half.
Put all the folded papers into a container.
Divide the class into 2 groups. One group plays at a time.
The playing group sends one representative who selects a piece of paper from
the container. Without making any sound, the representative has to act out
the word for the rest of the group to guess. If the group guesses the correct
word within a set period (eg. 30 secs) then the group scores a point.
The other group then gets a turn and then it comes back to the rst group.
This time a different student chooses the word and acts it out.
Continue until all students in both groups have had their turn.
2. Passing Whispers:
Students are divided into two groups and form a line one behind the other.
The teacher stands a distance away from the two lines and asks
the rst student of each line to come forward.
The teacher whispers a sentence into the ears of those two students who run
back to their own line and whisper into the ear of the second student, who
whispers into the ear of the third student, and on and on it goes.
The last student goes to the board and writes down what was whispered to him/her.
The group with the most accurate sentence gets one point. It is possible to
give both groups points. It would be great if they get them right!
Example of sentences could be, One way of describing
impermanence is nothing stays the same forever.
The last student then comes up to the front of the line to become the rst
student. This way all students have a turn to write on the board.
The object of this game is to encourage the students to think of ways to remember
what they hear and to pass on the right message. This is a useful way for students to
understand something, as the message has to make sense for them to remember it.
XIV
3. Quizzes:
Students could be divided into two groups and run up
to the board to write the correct answer.
Students could be divided into two groups and the students take turns to be
standing at the board to answer questions and to write the answer down.
Students could be seated in groups and given paper to write down answers
and to show their answers. This way the group can discuss their answers.
Students could form two lines as in Passing Whispers and the teacher whispers
the question into the ears of the rst student. The question is then whispered
down the line and any student who knows the answer would whisper the
answer too. The last student will write the question and answer on the board.
The last student then comes up to the front to become the rst student.
4. Plays and Poems:

All classes enjoy performing a play, either just amongst themselves or for an
audience. Several plays are included in this resource book (see Gotami and the
Mustard Seed p5.18, The Wounded Swan p2.8 and several others) but as you grow
in condence, writing your own plays for the class will evolve naturally for you.
Though plays may take up many lessons, they are interactive and
require the student to understand the signicance of the story and to
act it out appropriately. Shy students can be involved in making props
or improvisation. Others can provide sound and lighting support.
Props can be simple and imaginative eg. a crown to represent a king or
queen, a large green cloth held up to symbolize a forest, a cardboard
cut-out for the wounded swan and so on. In fact, the simpler and
more creative the props, the more fun the students will have.
Once the play is well rehearsed, it can be presented to their mainstream
class, parents, invited guests or at school assemblies. Make sure you ask
permission of the class teacher, deputy principal and inform the Buddhist
Education Program Co-ordinator if letters etc are to go home to parents.
Poems are lovely to hear aloud and students enjoy reciting in groups or individually
line by line (see More Virtuous Qualities MV2: Happy, Peaceful and Kind p4.6).
Encourage your students to write their own poems about a new concept.
Recitation of Verses: Students could learn to recite verses of motivation
and dedication. The older students could write their own dedication
and take turns to lead the dedication at the end of the class.
XV
Craft and Drawing

Craft
Making things by hand caters to students who learn by doing. It also requires
concentration which is good practice for mindfulness. Make sure your instructions are
clear and simple and that you have all the materials needed. Creating the item yourself
is the best way to ensure you know how to do it and it provides a model for the class
to follow. The fruits of their labour could be used as gifts for someone deserving.
Section 8 contains several ideas for craft lessons.
Cartoons and Drawings

Cartooning and drawing are also good activities to make students think of the gist and
signicance of a story. Students can update a Jataka Tale by using a modern context to
illustrate a point in the story and retell it with speech bubbles or cartoon squares or as a
story-board. These can be shared with younger students in other classes or given as little gifts.
Making a Class Bodhi Tree
This activity can be an on-going class activity encompassing both craft
work in making the tree itself and the leaves but more importantly
playing a role in reinforcing positive and helpful behaviour.
For a full description of this activity, see CA5. Growing our Bodhi Tree p8.9.
Bringing the Outside World into the Buddhist RE Class

Integrating the Buddhas teachings with everyday life is the ultimate challenge
for us all. Doing this in the Buddhist RE classroom can be refreshing and
stimulating, especially for older students. Newspaper stories and popular lms
(eg. The Lion King, The Matrix) can provide the opportunity to do this.
For younger children, bringing in objects of both special and mundane signicance (a feather,
a Buddha image, a special stone, an elephant statue, a beautiful piece of cloth or a ower)
can transform the atmosphere and point children towards the spiritual in everyday life.
XVI
Arranging a Class Visit by a member of the

ordained Sangha (Buddhist monk or nun)
Teachers could organize a visit by a member of the Sangha. Be mindful to invite a monk
or nun who speaks English, or ensure that there is a translator present. The school as
well as the program co-ordinator or hub leader should be informed of the proposed
visit. A note could be sent home so that parents are also aware of the visit.
It is helpful if the teacher explains to the class in advance about the poverty
vows of some traditions and that giving something simple and useful is a good
opportunity to practice generosity (eg. a travel card, toiletries or stamps).
When inviting the Sangha member be sure to ask about travel arrangements
and the most convenient time of the day for the visit to take place. Also
make sure that they are aware of the age and size of the class.
Visits by the Sangha are very interesting for the students. Make sure they are well prepared
in how to behave and to speak to and welcome their guest respectfully (eg. with the anjali
mudra). Questions could be prepared in advance. Many unusual but interesting questions
always arise and you will be surprised at the depth and curiosity of your students.
Festivals and Special Days

Buddhist festival days are an excellent time to celebrate Buddhism and to share this with
the rest of the school or class. Many schools now acknowledge the different religious festival
days, so enquire as to whether your school does this. It may be a notice at assembly or in
the newsletter that it is the Wesak Festival for instance with a short description of what it is.
Section 7 provides several lessons for observing Wesak. It is also a time when different cultures
can express their particular way of celebrating this special time in the Buddhist calendar.
XVII
Introduction to
Buddhism
1. Introduction
to Buddhism
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
Lessons for
Primary School
6/11/08 08:24:20
Key to Icons
Activity
Creative Work
Meditation
1. Introduction
to Buddhism
Text
6/11/08 08:24:21
INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM:
IB1. Life Story of the Buddha

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
2-3
1. Theme:
Life Story of the Buddha.
2. Topic:
Introduction to the life story of the Buddha.
3. Values:
Respect and awareness of the importance of

great teachers and an ethical life
4. Aims:
To teach about the life story of the Buddha.

To recognize the knowledge some children may
already have about the story of the Buddha.
5. Outcome:
6. Preparation:
Children will be able to match the text and

pictures of the life story of the Buddha.
Print copies of the appropriate worksheet(s)
Have copies of the short version of the Life of
the Buddha (Clear Vision www.clear-vision-org)
7. Lesson 1:
Ask the students what they already know

about the life story of the Buddha.
Write key words on the board.
Read or tell the story.
8. Lesson 2:
Do a quick revision of previous lesson. Eg. a quiz.

Arrange students in groups of 3-4, mixing the
different ages and backgrounds.
Ask the children to paste in the texts to the matching pictures.
Children who did Activity B to read their created
texts and other groups check for accuracy.
Repeat the steps for Activity A.
Teachers Note
Students who are not familiar with the life story of the Buddha
can do Activity A. Those who are can do Activity B.
1.1
IB1. Activity A. Life Story of the Buddha

Name
1.
2.
3.
4.
Date
Cut out the 4 speech bubbles and 2 picture panels below.

Match and glue each speech bubble to the corresponding picture on page 2.
Match and glue each picture to the corresponding text on page 2.
Read the texts in the correct order.
One day, Prince Siddhartha went into the city with

Channa, his chariot driver. On the rst day, he saw an
old man, on the second day he saw a sick man, on the
third a dead man and on the fourth day a holy man.
Siddhartha washed in the river and ate some food.

Then he sat down to meditate and vowed not to get
up until he had found the truth. At last he awakened
to the Truth. I am a Buddha, I am Enlightened. He went
on to teach the Truth to anyone willing to learn.
A long time ago, in India, a Prince called

Siddhartha was born. A wise sage foretold that
he would either be a great king or a great holy
man. King Suddhodana wanted to make sure
that his son would become a great king.
Based on material originally developed by The Clear

Vision Trust, Clear Vision www.clear-vision.org
The night Prince Siddhartha decided to leave the

palace, he kissed his sleeping wife and son. I
must go and nd an end to suffering for us all.
For 6 years, he wandered in the jungle and lived
as an ascetic. He decided to seek another way.
1.2
Page 1 of 2
IB1. Activity A. Life Story of the Buddha

Name
Page 2 of 2
Date
His faithful friend, Ananda, made a bed for him

between two sal trees. The Buddha lay down
on his side. His friends gathered round. All
things change he said Keep up your effort.
Then he closed his eyes and died peacefully.

From that day on, only young and beautiful people

were allowed in the palace. The young prince was
brought up to be a king. He learned to shoot
with bow and arrow, to ride a horse and hunt.
1.3
IB1. Activity B. Life Story of the Buddha

Name
Page 1 of 2
Date

1. Number or cut out and arrange the pictures below in the

correct order according to the life of Buddha.
2. In the space provided below each picture on page 2, write texts to explain the pictures.
3. Read your texts to the class.
1.4
2
Life of the Buddha
2. Life of the Buddha
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
Lessons for
Primary School
6/11/08 08:24:21
Key to Icons
Activity
Creative Work
Meditation
2. Life of the Buddha
Text
6/11/08 08:24:21
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA:
LB1. A Fortunate Birth

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
1. Theme:
Life of the Buddha
2. Topic:
Birth and naming
3. Values:
Celebration of a precious human life, respect.
4. Aims:
To introduce children to the story of the birth

and naming of Prince Siddhartha.
Teachers Note:
Many versions of the story relate a miraculous conception and birth.
This part of the story, if included in your classes, should be approached
with sensitivity, in order to include all approaches to the story.
5. Preparation:
6. Lesson 1:
Recommended text:
Prince Siddhartha. Jonathan Landaw and Janet Brooke.
Wisdom Boston. 2003. See pp414.
Chapters: A Fortunate Birth and A Wise Mans Visit.
OR
Abridged version. See: IB1. Activity C. Life of the Buddha p1.6.
This lesson could be preceded by a meditation
ME15. Joy Meditation p6.30.
Ask the children about the feelings around the birth of a new baby.
Activity:
Read the story of the birth of Prince Siddhartha and the naming,
while writing the names of people and places on the board.
Optional Homework Activity:
A possible homework activity would be for the students
to ask their parents about the circumstances of their own
births eg. in Australia? Which hospital? Any difculties?
Who was present at the birth? What time was it?
2.1
7. Lesson 2:
Theme:
Life of the Buddha.
Topic:
Birth and naming.
Values:
Celebration of a precious human life, respect.
Aims:
To revise with the class the previous lessons story of

the birth and naming of Prince Siddhartha.
Preparation:
Copies of birth certicate worksheet.
Activity:
Start the class with the meditation

ME15. Joy Meditation (see previous lesson).
Revise with class the story from the previous lesson.
This is a good opportunity to play a game, quiz, lucky
questions etc with the children. (For further ideas, see
Welcome section: Making Learning Fun pXI).
Check the homework responses, making sure that every
child has the chance to talk about their own birth.
Fill in Birth Certicate worksheet.
2.2
LB1. Activity. Modern Version of Prince

Siddharthas Birth Certicate
Birth Certicate
1. Child
Registration No:
Surname
Given Name
Sex
Date of Birth
2. Mother
Surname
Maiden Surname
Given Name
Occupation
Age
Place of Birth
3. Father
Surname
Maiden Surname
Given Name
Occupation
Age
Place of Birth
4. Marriage
of Parents
Date of Marriage
Place of Marriage
5. Previous
Children of
Relationship
6. Registration
Ofcer
2.3
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA:
LB2. The Wounded Swan

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
6-8
1. Theme:
Loving Kindness
2. Topic:
The Wounded Swan
3. Values:
Loving kindness, tolerance, wisdom and respect
4. Aims:
For the children to experience the Buddhist value of loving kindness

To participate in a play for parents and the rest of the class
5. Preparation:
There are many different activities for this lesson. You may
choose to do all, some or just one. You will need:
Recommended text: Landaw and Brooke. pp1526.
Copies of worksheets.
Scissors, paste and small sheets of folding paper.
For the play several copies of the play
LB2. Activity D. The Wounded Swan p2.8.
6. Lesson:
From the recommended text, read the story of The Wounded Swan.
Students and teacher list the characters in the story on the board.
Students recount the story and teacher
creates a summary on the board.
Do a jigsaw exercise where the story is jumbled up and the
students work either in pairs or individually to re-arrange
the story (see LB2. Activity A. The Wounded Swan p2.5).
Discuss what the actions/thoughts of the main characters
show about their character (see LB2. Activity B. What
Kind of Person/Swan are They? p2.6), OR
In groups, students write the script for the story, OR
Use the script provided for the students to read through and
practice a play
Students gather and make props for play, OR
Teacher supplies props eg. cut-out cardboard swan, crown for the king
etc. (For further ideas, see section Welcome: Making Learning Fun pXV)
Students perform the play for parents/other classes. OR
Make a folded version of a swan (see LB2. Activity C. Making

a Paper Swan p2.7).
Tips and Feedback:

This activity worked really well. It required a lot of work with
the children practising during recess and on their own at lunch
time. The Grade 3-6 group performed superbly and everyone
beneted from the experience. (RE teacher. Mountview PS)
2.4
LB2. Activity A. The Wounded Swan

Name
Date
1. Cut out the 9 text panels below and sort them into the right order.
2. Paste them in the right order on a piece of paper.
Devadatta saw the arrow Siddhartha had pulled out of my wing and
saw me peeking out of the silk shirt. He tried to snatch me away and
I was really frightened of what he would do to me.
That was how I became famous!
Soon, another boy came running, waving his bow in the air.
He was shouting, Siddhartha, did you see me? I hit the swan with
my rst shot!
I saw it drop somewhere here.
I landed with a loud thud and woke up to a soothing voice telling me
not to be afraid. The boy was cleaning my wound and dressing me up
with his own shirt. I felt warm and safe.
Just then a very old man walked in and after he was told the story,
he said, Everyone values his or her life more than anything else. So
the swan should belong to the person who tried to save it and not
the one who tried to take its life away. What a wise man, indeed.
However, Siddhartha refused to give me up because I was injured.
Since both boys could not agree, they decided to take me to
court so that the King and his wise ministers could sort it out.
Prince Siddhartha took good care of me and when I was well, he let
me go to join my family.
The court looked huge and there were many men talking. Some
ministers said, Devadatta should have me because he shot me
down. Others decided that Siddhartha found me so I should stay
with him. Why was it that no one asked me what I wanted?
It was a beautiful day and I was ying with my family. Suddenly I felt
a sharp pain on my right wing. I looked down and saw an arrow
sticking out. I fainted from the sight of my blood.
2.5
LB2. Activity B. What Kind of Person/Swan are They?

Swan
What did the Swan do/say
Character Virtues
Prince Siddhartha
What did he do/say
Character Virtues
Devadatta
What did he do/say
2.6
Character Virtues
LB2. Activity C. Making a Paper Swan

Name
Date
1. Have a square of coloured paper.

2. Follow the diagrams, folding as shown. Handy Tip: Steps 1-6 folds
are usually to the middle point of the panel indicated.
Make creases and return

it to the shape in 4
Fold it inward along the lines
Make the beak by rst

making mountain fold A
and then valley fold B
Do the same on the opposite side
10
Finished
2.7
LB2. Activity D. The Wounded Swan A Play

Characters: Narrator or Chorus, Prince Siddhartha, Prince Devadatta,
King Rajah Suddhodana, Wise Person 1, Wise Person 2, Old Man.
Narrator:
The swans are happily ying in the sky.
Narrator:
Enter Prince Siddhartha who is walking in the garden.

He looks up in the sky to see the swans.
Siddhartha:
The swans are migrating south again. How beautiful they look.
Narrator:
Enter Prince Devadatta, cousin of Prince Siddhartha.
Devadatta:
Im so excited today! This is my rst bird hunt. I nally

get to put all the archery lessons to good use.
Ah, there are some swans ying over there.
He shoots an arrow and hits a swan. The swan
falls to the ground near Prince Siddhartha.
Siddhartha:
Oh dear! What happened to you? Are you badly hurt? Let

me pull this arrow out from you. (He nurses the swan).
(Devadatta comes running in, searching for the swan. Prince
Siddhartha quickly blocks the swan from view)
Devadatta:
Hello Siddhartha. Did you see my swan? My prize for my good

archery? You should come and join me next time, it was good fun.
Wait a minute!
Whats that on your hands?
Blood?
Wheres my swan?
Siddhartha:
No, you cant have it. You will kill it to keep it. It is wounded now
and I want to nurse it and let it go. It deserves to be free and happy.
Devadatta:
No, give it back. I shot it and it is my prize.
Siddhartha:
No, I wont do that.

They continue to argue
2.8
Siddhartha:
OK. If you wont let me keep it then we should go

and ask the King what he thinks we should do. He
is wise and fair and will give us good advice.
Narrator:
They decide to go to the court where King Suddhodana is

having a meeting with all his wise men over state matters.
LIFE OF THE BUDDHA:
LB10. Revision of Lessons 5-9

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
1. Theme:
Life of the Buddha
2. Topic:
Revision of Siddharthas life in the palaces and The Four Sights.
3. Aim:
To revise the lessons on the contest for Princess Yasodhara,

The Pleasure Palaces they lived in and The Four Sights.
4. Preparation:
Photocopy cut-outs of charade words and worksheet

(see LB10. Activity A. Revision: Charades).
A basket/container for folded charade words.
5. Lesson:
Charade preparation: Divide the class into 2 groups and

give each group a charade word eg. Prince Siddhartha,
impermanence. Explain the purpose of the game to guess
the action, person or idea/concept which is being acted out.
One group plays at a time. Ask one student from the rst
group to start by choosing a word from the container.
The student reads the word and silently acts out the
meaning. The rest of the group has to guess the meaning.
Make sure that some ground rules are set. Such as the following:
1) The playing group has 1 minute to act
out as many words as possible.
2) There is a time keeper from the other group.
3) The playing group can call out.
4) The waiting group has to keep quiet.
Play the charade, making sure each group has equal time.
Ask the students to organize the charade answers into 3
groups and give a title to each group. Ask the students
to explain how they organized their answers. Write
the words on the board under the headings.
Complete the worksheet LB10. Activity B. Revision: Prince
Siddharthas Life in The Pleasure Palaces and The Four Sights.
2.29
LB10. Activity A. Revision: Charades

Charade Words Cut-Outs
2.30
Archery
Swordsmanship
Horsemanship
Winter Palace
Rainy Season
Palace
Suffering
Strength
Old Man
Sick Man
Holy Man
Compassion
Concentration
Youth
Beauty
Health
Agony
Impermanence
Change
Summer Palace
Dead Man
3
The Jataka Tales
and the Paramitas
3. The Jataka Tales

and the Paramitas
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
Lessons for
Primary School
6/11/08 08:24:21
Key to Icons
Activity
Creative Work
Meditation
3. The Jataka Tales

and the Paramitas
Text
6/11/08 08:24:22
JATAKA TALES AND THE PARAMITAS:
JP4. Loving Kindness

The Banyan Deer
Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
1-2
1. Theme:
Paramita of Loving Kindness and Compassion
2. Topic:
Jataka Tale: The Banyan Deer
3. Values:
Compassion
4. Aims:
For students to more fully understand loving kindness and compassion
5. Lesson 1:
Read the story through at least twice, making sure the

children understand any new vocabulary and concepts.
The following are some questions to get the class started
in a discussion on loving kindness and compassion.
6. Lesson 2:
Discussion questions:
Why did the doe and the fawn stay close to the Banyan Deer?
Why did the Banyan Deer offer his own life?
Why did the Banyan Deer ask the king to
spare the lives of other creatures?
Why did the king accept these requests?
Ask them what they think about this story. Do they like it, or not?
What are their reasons?
Are there any ways in which compassion is
different from loving kindness?
How can we live more compassionately?
Loving Kindness to People and Animals or Happy, Peaceful and
Kind would be suitable lessons to follow this Jataka Tale.
3.7
Paramita of Loving Kindness and Compassion:

JP4. The Banyan Deer (Nigrodhamiga - Jataka)
long, long time ago in ancient India, the Buddha, on his way to
becoming enlightened was born a deer. He was a big, beautiful
deer with a golden brown velvety coat, large antlers that shone
like silver and shiny hoofs that looked like patent leather.
He was a mighty creature and ruled a herd of ve hundred

deer in the banyan forest. He was known as Banyan Deer.
On the edge of the forest there was another herd of ve hundred and their
leader, just as magnicent as Banyan, went by the name of Branch Deer.
The deer forest was owned by the king of Benares (today the city is called Varanasi)
who loved to eat meat. He ate it three times a day. He also loved to hunt and would
go out hunting in his forests daily. He loved to hunt with a great throng of people and
commanded the people of Benares to go hunting with him. This meant that they could not
get on with their work and businesses and wanted the king to stop.
So they sowed a eld of juicy grass and provided water for the deer to
drink. Then the townspeople went into the forest and herded all the
deer to the grassland and promptly told the king.
The king went to inspect the herds. He saw
the two large beautiful deer with the golden
velvety coats and decided that he would not
eat them. The others however, looked quite
delicious. Each day the king would go to
the grassland and shoot a deer. Sometimes
his cook would go if the king was busy.
Sometimes the kill was swift, but other
times deer would be wounded and left to
die slowly. This made Banyan very sad.
Banyan Deer called a meeting with Branch Deer and suggested a solution,
Our herds are being killed in great numbers. We deer cannot avoid this,
but let us at least try to stop them from being unnecessarily wounded. How about we
agree that each day a deer is presented for the kill? One day a deer from your herd, the
next day a deer from mine. Let us have a place of execution with a chopping block. The
deer can lay their head on the block and at least this way can avoid being wounded.
Branch agreed, and the king and the cook were happy with the arrangement.
One day it was the turn of a lovely doe nearly ready to give birth. She did not want
her baby to have to die too. She went to Branch and begged that another take her
turn until after she had had the fawn. Branch was not prepared to bend the rules.
Feeling desperate she begged Banyan to change her turn.
Banyan felt great pity for her distress.
3.8
Go your own way, it is not your turn now, he soothed.

What the doe did not know was that the next day the great Banyan himself
went and laid his head on the block. When the cook arrived for the morning he
was amazed at the sight and ran to fetch the king. The king and all his followers
were also amazed to see the great deer with his head on the block.
What on earth are you doing here my friend? asked
the king, I have granted you immunity.
Oh king, Banyan stated simply, there was a doe near to giving
birth who begged not to have to come this day. I cannot let one
go only to make another pay, so I have come instead.
The king, the cook and the followers stood in stunned silence.
Eventually the king spoke, Banyan golden king of the deer, even among people
and royalty I have never witnessed so much kindness and compassion.
I will spare your life and that of the doe.
Although two are spared what will the rest of
the herds do, oh king? replied Banyan.
Their lives will be spared as well, granted the king.
And for all the other four-footed creatures, oh king?
Their lives too, I spare.
And what about the birds who y in the
air and the shes and creatures who swim
in water, oh king? asked Banyan.
Their lives must also be spared, decided the
king, for he had realised that all the creatures
did not want to suffer. They too wanted to live.
Banyan led his herd back to live in the forest. The king, the cook and his
followers planted crops and fruit and vegetables on the grassland.
The doe gave birth to a lovely fawn who grew up safely, staying close to the Banyan Deer.
3.9
JATAKA TALES AND THE PARAMITAS: GENEROSITY
JP5. The Duck With The

Golden Plumage
Lesson Plan
Years
Lesson
3-6
1. Theme:
Paramita of Generosity
2. Topic:
Generosity as an antidote for greed
3. Lesson:
Read JP5. The Duck with Golden Plumage.

List events in the story under two headings:
Generosity and Greed.
When the list is complete ask children what might be an
antidote to greed eg. giving toys away, sharing ones lunch.
Play the JP3. Wisdom Game p3.5 or use one of the other
strategies suggested in JP2. Telling a Story with a Virtuous
Meaning p3.4.
3.10
More Virtuous Qualities
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
4. More Virtuous
Qualities
Lessons for
Primary School
6/11/08 08:24:22
Key to Icons
Activity
Creative Work
Meditation
4. More Virtuous
Qualities
Text
6/11/08 08:24:22
MORE VIRTUOUS QUALITIES:

DEVELOPING A GOOD HEART:
MV1. Loving Kindness to

People and Animals
Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
4-5
1. Theme:
Loving kindness
2. Topic:
Loving kindness to people and animals
3. Values:
Cultivation of loving kindness
4. Aims:
To encourage children to cultivate loving

kindness to people close to them
To encourage children to cultivate loving kindness
to animals and people not so close to them
To cultivate empathy in children
5. Outcomes:
To identify people and animals they feel loving kindness for

To think of how some animals suffer and to
cultivate loving kindness towards them.
6. Preparation:
7. Lesson 1:
Photocopy worksheets.
Meditation: Lead the students in a loving kindness meditation.

Discussion:
Ask students to talk about the people they love and why they
love them. Try to extend from family to friends to animals.
Ask students to write in the heart the names
of people and animals they love.
Ask about people who they might not love so much.
Why do we have to cultivate loving kindness towards
them. Would they want to add them to their heart?
Talk about animals or pests that they may not love very
much, like mosquitoes, spiders. What can they do to
remove them from their homes without harming these animals?
Complete the rest of the worksheet and discuss the responses.
8. Lesson 2:
Use the MV1. Activity C. Loving Kindness to Siblings visualisation

as a guided visualisation to lead in the next session.
Follow up discussion:
1. How did it feel for the younger brother? What can he do next time?
2. Think of how it looks from the older brothers
perspective. What did it look like?
3. Tell the story from the big brothers perspective.
4.1
MV1. Activity A. Loving Kindness
Page 1 of 2
Name
Date
1. Draw a big heart. Start from the dot and end at the dot.
2. Write the names of people and animals that you love/like in the heart.
Start
here
People I love
Animals I Love
End
here
4.2
MV1. Activity B. Loving Kindness
Page 2 of 2
1. Why do you love them?
2. How do you feel if they are hurt or sick?
3. Write down 5 ways you can show loving kindness to people and animals.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
4.3
MV1. Activity C. Loving Kindness to Siblings
magine yourself as a three year old. You are small. Everything in the house
looks big to you. The chairs are high, you need extra effort to climb them.
Then you look across the table to see your older brother. He is
big and strong and he moves quickly. You want to be like him!
You adore him very much and copy everything he does.
You call him so that you can show him what you can do, but he is
talking and he ignores you. You call him more loudly and he still
ignores you. You start shouting and he tells you to shoosh.
You start crying to get his attention and he screams at you to shut up. Then your
mum gets upset and scolds your big brother. He starts saying that you are annoying
him and you are crying for no reason! You feel so upset! All you wanted was to be
the same as him, so you cry even more loudly. He starts screaming at you. Why?
What can I do next time to get his attention?
How would kindness change the situation?
4.4
MORE VIRTUOUS QUALITIES:

DEVELOPING A GOOD HEART
MV2. Happy, Peaceful and Kind

Lesson Plan
Years
Lesson
3-6
1. Theme:
Loving kindness
2. Topic:
Loving kindness song
3. Values:
Loving kindness
4. Aims:
To sing the celebration of happiness, peacefulness and kindness
5. Lesson:
Introduce the topic by talking about how you can express

happiness, peacefulness and kindness with hand gestures.
These gestures will become the hand actions for the song.
Read through the lyrics of song, Happy, Peaceful and Kind.
Sing to the tune, If youre happy and you know it
4.5
MORE VIRTUOUS QUALITIES: CO-OPERATION

AND INTERDEPENDENCE
MV6. The Quails and the Net

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
2-6
1. Theme:
Interdependence
2. Topic:
A Jataka Tale: The Quails and the Net
3. Aims:
Students will appreciate the connections that

we have to other people and places
Students will appreciate that all material comforts
come from the efforts of others
4. Preparation:
Class set of the story

Class set of the worksheet
5. Lesson 1:
Distribute copies of the story to students and read

aloud, inviting students to take turns reading the story.
Discussion:
How does working together improve our lives?
At school? At home? Playing sport?
Ask the students to think of as many examples
as possible. Write them on the board.
6. Lesson 2:
Revise the last lesson and the values of the story.

As a group, investigate how many people it takes to
bring an apple (or a chocolate biscuit) to your hand.
Construct a mind map copy and distribute the worksheet

MV6. Activity B linking as many people as possible to the
food. Some prompts may be cocoa farmers, biologists, pickers,
packers, drivers, truck-makers, road-makers. They all wear clothes
and eat food so include cotton-growers, food producers etc.
Make it as extensive as possible.
4.18
MV6. Activity A. The Quails and

the Net (Ammadamana Jataka)
long time ago in ancient India, the Wise One on the path
of gaining wisdom was born a quail. He lived in a forest as
the head of a ock of many thousands of quail.
There was also a fowler who made a good living by catching and selling quail.
Each day the fowler would come to the forest and make little quail
sounds in the undergrowth until the quails ocked together. Then he would
swiftly ing a net over the assembled birds, draw it in on all sides, bundle
the net lled with birds into a basket and make off to the market.
The losses to the ock were heavy.

The head quail, who was already on the path of wisdom and
kindness, addressed the ock with an idea.
This fowler is causing much grief in our community, he began,
yet I believe we have the power to avoid this trouble.
All we have to do is work together. Tomorrow when he comes into the forest, the
very moment he throws the net over you, each one of you must put your head
through a hole in the mesh, then all of you together must y up carrying the
net. Put the net down on a thicket of thorns and from there you can escape.
The ock agreed that this was an excellent idea.
The next day the plan worked beautifully. The fowler spent the rest of the
day untangling the net and went home that evening empty-handed.
Day after day the quails stuck to their plan, and day after day the fowler would
work until sunset untangling the net and return home empty-handed.
His wife got cross. What are you doing every day? she demanded,
Are you keeping a second home? Where is all the money?
No my darling, replied the fowler, I have no home other than with you my love. Its those
quail. They have learned to work together now. Each day the moment I throw my net over
them, they grab the net and y together to a thorn thicket, drop the net there and escape.
Mind you, I dont expect that they will keep this up for long. They wont
live in unity always. As soon as they start bickering amongst themselves,
I will be there with my net and bag plenty for you, my lovely.
Then he spoke in verse:
With co-operation the birds will ee
When quarrels arise they will fall prey to me.
4.19
One day, not long after this conversation the quails were feeding.
One little bird accidentally trod on anothers head.
Get off my head you idiot, grumbled the quail.
I am really sorry, I didnt mean to, dont be angry with me, apologised the other.
But the other one did not leave it there, and soon the two started bickering.
Others joined in.
You say that you can lift the net by yourself.
Do not. You do.
You do!
No, you do!
And so it went. The quail leader was saddened by the display.
There is no safety here with this quarrelsome group. Soon they will no longer
lift the net together, and then the fowler will catch his quarry. I can stay here
no longer. With that the quail leader left with a loyal band of followers.
Sure enough the fowler came back a few days later, made the little quail
noises in the undergrowth, gathered the quails and spread his net.
Heres your big chance Muscles, lift the net!
No, youre the expert, show us how it is done!
And with retorts being bandied around the group, the fowler swept up the net
and bagged the lot of them. That evening with money in his pocket and a bag
of juicy quail for dinner he returned home to be greeted by a happy wife.
4.20
More Virtuous Qualities: Co-operation

and Interdependence
MV6. Activity B. The Quails and the Net Mind Map
Name
Date
As a group, investigate how many people it takes to bring an apple (or a chocolate
biscuit) to your hand. The rst one Orchardist has been done already.
Orchardist
(grows seeds)
Apple
4.21
5. Change and
Impermanence
5
Change and
Impermanence
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
Lessons for
Primary School
6/11/08 08:24:22
5. Change and
Impermanence
Key to Icons
Text
Activity
Creative Work
Meditation
6/11/08 08:24:23
CHANGE AND IMPERMANENCE:
CI1. Change in Myself

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
1. Theme:
Impermanence
2. Topic:
Change
3. Values:
Awareness of the impermanence of all things
4. Aims:
To encourage the children to observe change

To see that everything is impermanent
5. Outcomes:
To arrange a pictorial story of a child
6. Preparation:
Photos of either your own or other children from birth to the

present time, extra sets of pictures for children who forget.
7. Lesson 1:
In the previous lesson, ask the students to bring in photos of

themselves at one-year intervals from birth to the present.
Teacher shows his/her photos to the class and
they arrange them into chronological order.
Ask students how they know which photo comes rst.
Make a list on the board of the physical changes
that take place in a child over the years.
Ask the students if the same thing happened to them.
Does the same process happen to everyone?
8. Lesson 2:
Students arrange their own photos and

tell their story to the class.
Ask them to include landmark questions such as :
When did you learn to walk?
When did you learn to swim?
When did you learn to dress yourself?
When did you learn to ride a bicycle?
Explore with the class what other emotional, social, and
behavioural changes have happened to them over the years.
Explore with the class how everything changes.
We all grow older and change.
5.1
Change and Impermanence:

CI1. Activity. The Changes I See/Feel in Myself
Name
Date
1. When were you born?

2. How old are you?
3. Look at some of your old photos at one-year apart to see how you have changed.
Make a list of how you have changed. The rst one has been done for you.
5.2
Physical Changes
Changes in My Behaviour
Changes in Feelings
1. Growing taller
1. Can open the

door by myself
1. Condent that I can

do things myself
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
4.
4.
4.
5.
5.
5.
6.
6.
6.
7.
7.
7.
CHANGE AND IMPERMANENCE:
CI2. Observing Change Around Us

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
3-6
1. Theme:
Impermanence
2. Topic:
Change
3. Values:
Awareness of the impermanence of all things
4. Aims:
5. Outcomes:
6. Lesson:
To allow the children to observe change around them.

To see that everything is impermanent.
To observe and collect evidence of change around them.
Ask class if they have noticed any changes in themselves over
the week? What about people around them? Have they been
sitting with the same classmate for the whole year? Could
it be changed next week? In 1 month? In 3 months?
What change have they noticed of someone in the classroom?
A new hair cut? Growing taller? Running
faster? Getting faster at times table?
What about change outside the classroom but within the
school? Does the tree outside the classroom drop its leaves?
Why do some trees drop their leaves as
the season turns colder?
Think of last nights dinner. What ingredients went into it?
Did they still look the same as when your mum rst
came home from the shops? What did she do to change
the ingredients to make that delicious dinner?
Think about a famous person whose fortune suddenly changed eg. a
footballer who was injured, Paris Hilton going to jail for drink driving.
Ask the students to ll in the table and
to share some of their entries.
Ask the students to think about change, whether it can happen
suddenly or slowly? Can we predict when change is going to
happen? What can we do to prepare ourselves for it?
5.3
Change and Impermanence:

CI2. Activity. Observing Change Around Us
Name
Where/Who
Date
Before
1. In the classroom
2. At school
3. In the kitchen
4. Someone famous
5. A sports person
5.4
After
6
Meditation
6. Meditation
DISCOVERING
BUDDHA
Lessons for
Primary School
6/11/08 08:24:23
Key to Icons
Activity
Creative Work
Meditation
6. Meditation
Text
6/11/08 08:24:23
MEDITATION
ME1. Preparation for Meditation

4 Ms in Buddhist Religious Education:
Meditation, Mindfulness, Morality and Metta
Here is a summary of approaches to meditation that have been working well
in our program:
1. Preparing students for meditation
2. Which meditations do we teach?
3. Making meditations accessible to children
4. Reasons for using the Happiness scale
5. Let the students record their experiences of meditation
6. The role of the teacher at the end of the meditation session
1.
Preparing students for meditation

Follow a regular routine (usually at the beginning of the class).
Have a regular greeting, motivational prayer and dedication. (See ME20 p6.37)
Do some stretching or relaxation yoga-type exercises if
they are particularly bouncy or lethargic.
Pay attention to correct posture.
If space permits, have the children sit in a circle on the oor. This
is best for harnessing group energy and attention.
Create a meditation space eg. a circle on the oor, place squares of coloured
cloth for students to sit on, use a bell or ower etc to focus attention.
Use special objects eg. a shaken bottle of muddy water, a ower,
stones, a Buddha image, as an object of attention.
We know there are many types of meditation, having different

purposes and using different mental skills.
2. Which meditations do we teach?

Following the breath developing concentration
Connecting to the body appreciating who we are
Walking meditation mindfulness with movement
Visualisation loving kindness
Meditation observing the mind acceptance of the present moment
Observing change it is everywhere
Observing interconnectedness and the implications
6.1
3. Making meditation accessible to children

Some classes have used the Happiness Scale and it has worked well.
4.
Reasons for using the Happiness scale

Helps children develop skill of observing their own minds
Helps children to observe thoughts and feelings
Helps children to observe changing nature of thoughts and feelings
Does not depend on children using language
Helps children to articulate thoughts and feelings
Creates a record whereby children can observe that their
happiness can be determined by their own minds
Helps children see the benets of meditation without perceiving benets
for themselves they will have little motivation to pursue meditation
Protects childrens privacy if they choose not to share feedback in class
An observing classroom teacher made this comment:

The reections on the Happiness Scale are powerful and treated seriously. They are becoming
far better at tuning out distractions; greater self-discipline. Students always approach
these sessions with such a positive mind-set. Self-reection is a large element, and has
huge implications across all aspects of life. The free owing of ideas is totally engaging!!
(Year 5-6 teacher 29/8/06).
5. Let the students record their experiences of meditation

These can be fun. It is also a way of getting to know the students
better and tuning into their needs. It can be an important part of the
meditation process. Younger students might like to draw.
Here are some comments from some Year 5-6 students:
Before meditation: Excited, got lots of exciting activities
happening today, bouncy and awake.
After meditation: Meditation helped me calm down. I stopped worrying about
things I did not want to do this week. My mind calmed and settled.
I feel so much clearer!!!
Before meditation I was tired and I am still tired but I feel more refreshed,
like I am ready to start the day. I feel happy and I dont know why
6.2
I feel very calm and happy but I feel like I wanna go to SLEEP!!
But I feel as if Ive just woken up in the morning too, so meditation
makes me feel like Ive started the day all over again!
Before meditation: very, very tired. After meditation: After
Im not as tired and now Im feeling well.
Before meditation: Pretty happy overall because of various reasons.
After meditation: The best meditation yet, it felt like 10 hours sleep.
Its a new thing. It cleared my mind. It sorts you out. I never knew
that my mind could do this. Its like when you are three and you
discover chocolate. You never knew it was possible before.
Teachers Note
The meditation classroom environment will be supportive, encouraging and respectful of
students privacy.
6. The role of the teacher at the end of the meditation session

The post-meditation debrief is really valuable. Students can share their
experiences. With that comes the opportunity to develop language
about thoughts and feelings eg. calm, tired, agitated, peaceful
etc. Time doesnt allow for everyones comments, and others will
prefer not to say anything. By going back to the Happiness Scale all
students are included and the awareness training is reinforced.
Some teachers choose to write brief comments of guidance or encouragement
in the childrens books every few weeks. From the comments that I have
seen I think it is quite an important part of the meditation process.
Before meditation I felt like it was going to be a really good
day. After meditation I felt really tired, then after I felt even
more tired and felt I had really heavy eyelids.
Teacher: Meditation will make you aware of the truth of how
you feelMeditation is hard work when you try.
Before meditation: I was tired but after I was feeling
a lot better because it served as sleep.
Teacher: Meditation is not sleep. It needs a focused mind.
Sometimes theres encouragement: Wow, Cool,Nice work.
A lot of things happen in meditation. Reection is a key element of the
Victorian schools curriculum and Buddhist RE has a lot to offer. With
our care, love and patience some wonderful things are happening
in our classrooms. The childrens comments attest to that!
6.3
MEDITATION
ME2. Using the Happiness Scale

Lesson Plan
Years
3-6
1. Theme:
Developing mental awareness
2. Topic:
Happiness scale
3. Aims:
4. Lesson:
6.4
Lessons
For use before and

after meditation
sessions
To help children develop the skill of observing their own minds

To help children observe thoughts and feelings
To help children observe the changing nature of thoughts and feelings
To help children record experience without dependence on language
To provide a basis from which to help children
articulate thoughts and feelings
To create a record whereby children can observe that their
happiness can be determined by their own minds
To help children see the benets of meditation
without perceiving benets for themselves they will
have little motivation to pursue meditation
To protect childrens privacy if they choose not to
share feedback in class debrief discussion
To provide a means of discreet teacher-student
communication and guidance
Prior to the meditation session ask the children to draw a
Happiness Scale in their books. Allow students to draw it
their own way, it is part of the personal internal focusing process.
They mark the date and give themselves a

personal rating before the meditation.
(This can be part of the classroom routine, done
while the roll is being marked.)
After the meditation you may invite some comments or the children
can return to their scales, record their post-meditation experience
by marking their scale and, if they choose, add comments.
Look at the students entries every couple of weeks and offer short
comments and answer questions where appropriate. There will be
no right or wrong responses but you will have the opportunity to
guide and encourage them. Enjoy the journey with your students!
Teachers Note
Some teachers have used the Happiness Scale as a tool for teaching mental
awareness. Children have enjoyed the exercise and through it have observed their
capacities to control their minds and afrm the calm, peaceful effects of meditation.
Students have also been able to see the effects of no effort and been supported
by their teacher to persevere and use their meditation time more skilfully.
This is not a one-off exercise, but a technique to be used as part of the
class routine. Over time children will see for themselves their meditation
journey, and as their teacher you can guide and encourage them.
Happiness is used because it is a term that students readily understand. Looking
this way they will discover other thoughts and feelings arising from their meditations.
The Happiness Scale is NOT used with the expectation that students are to feel
happier after meditation (although most times they will) and it is not to be used
as a basis for comparison between students. Student privacy is to be respected.
Using the Happiness Scale can later be used to develop empathy
and wisdom when applied to characters at different stages of a
story, and when applied to the Good Deeds Book.
Teaching meditation to children this way is not for everybody, but
if it is, please use according to these guidelines.
6.5
MEDITATION
ME3. Initial Relaxation Exercise

Lesson Plan
Years
1-6
1. Theme:
Meditation
2. Topic:
How to relax the body before meditation
3. Values:
A calm and relaxed body
4. Aims:
5. Lesson:
Lessons
To recognize restlessness.
To learn to calm down.
This is a guided meditation to relax the body. Every meditation

session should start with a short body relaxation exercise (or body
sweep). It is difcult to meditate if the body is tense or wound up.
To gain an indication of how the students are feeling
right now ask them to do this short exercise. You could
incorporate it in every meditation session.
Stress-Indicator:
Ask the students to clench their right st. Using the thumb as
an indicator, point the thumb upwards if they are feeling calm,
downwards if they are feeling either tired or unsettled, and point
the thumb sideways if they are just a little tired or unsettled.
Lead the students in the following guided relaxation exercise.
You may follow this with any one of the specic meditations, for
instance, ME7. Observing Our Breath p6.15 or ME10. Loving
Kindness p6.21.
6.6
ME3. Full body Relaxation Meditation
lose your eyes and take three deep breaths.
Slowly relax yourself from head to toe as you breathe out. Put your
attention on the head. Think of every thought you have in your head.
Identify each thought, recognise it and place it in a basket. You can
collect the thought after the meditation. Think of the next thought,
recognise it and place it in the basket. Search for one thought at a time until you
have cleared your head of any thoughts. Feel the emptiness of your mind.
Now concentrate on the muscles of your neck. Feel the tension in those
muscles. Let go of the tension in your neck as you slowly breathe out.
Next feel your shoulder muscles. Feel the tiredness there and
release the tiredness you feel when you breathe out.
Now feel your arms and the muscles that have been supporting your arms. Slowly
relax those muscles and feel your arms going soft as you breathe out.
Feel your ngers. Straighten your ngers and allow all the weight
of your ngers to rest on your thighs as you breathe out.
Now feel your spine, all the bones of your back. As you breathe out let go of any tension
you feel along your spine. Sit straight up and feel your head resting straight on top
of your spine. Make sure you are sitting straight and tall. Now feel your thighs. Feel
the contact between your leg and the chair (or carpet). Relax the muscles there as
you breathe out. Let all the weight sink into the chair (carpet) you are sitting on.
Now feel your breath going in and out slowly. Feel how your
body is totally relaxed as you breathe out.
6.7
MEDITATION
ME4. Shaking the Bottle

Allowing the Mind to Settle
Lesson Plan
Years
3-6
Lesson
A Case Study of a Meditation Class. This is a description of a lesson rather than a lesson plan.
Use it to inspire your teaching.
elen begins her class by drawing a Happiness scale on the board. From three
positions, an unhappy face, a neutral face and a happy face, the children
mentally note, or draw the scale in their books, noting their position on it.
The children are preparing for meditation. They are a bit restless.
Jump up, feet apart! she calls, Stretch up, arms straight, straight
elbows, stretch to the ceiling. Bob down and bounce like a frog one, two three.
Now we are ready to sit. Her voice is calm, Legs crossed. Backs straight. To get the mind
strong we rst have to get the body as strong and still as possible, sitting like a mountain.
The children know this routine and a child asks to shake the bottle. Helen
carries a bottle of muddy water with her to class. When shaken the water
is cloudy and turbulent. As the water settles it becomes clear.
This is like our minds, says the teacher, When our minds are lled
with many thoughts, darting here, there and all over the place its
like this muddy water. As it settles it becomes clear.
Led by the teacher, the children begin a breathing exercise, watching their breath draw
in and out. The atmosphere in the room is quiet and concentrated for seven minutes.
After being asked to draw their attention back into the room the children are asked
to again place themselves on the Happiness Scale. For the majority of children they
moved up on the scale. They see that the happiness they experienced is from their own
mind and not a product of some object or experience from outside of themselves.
These are children in a Buddhist Religious Education class in an inner-city state primary
school. The classroom teacher, who is present during these classes, has written her
observations of these Buddhist classes during the term, and has commented that the
children, even early in the term, went from a very talkative, chatty state to immediate calm
the moment the meditation commenced. She also recorded that she loved the way the
students are very ready to talk about how they are travelling on the Happiness Scale.
Most, but not all, of the children in this Year 5-6 class had begun practising
meditation in their Buddhist classes the year before, so they are familiar with
the process. A number of the students say that they meditate at home.
6.8
The Grade 5-6 teacher from the school also observed that the children bring to the
classes many personal anecdotes of their experiences with friends, family and associates
in relation to the meditation and healing (her word). Students have said that they feel
clean, refreshed. like youd started the day again. One child said that she and her
friend had nearly been hit by a car on the way to school and had arrived feeling very
shaken. She said that the meditation had calmed her down and she felt better. Another
student said that when he burnt his arm, he meditated to calm himself down.
With the class having only been conducted for a term, for half an
hour per week, the children already appear to be linking the quietude
they experience in meditation to how they relate with others.
These children were practising anapanasati, mindfulness of breathing, the basis
of Buddhist meditative practice that develops the link between the interiority of
understanding the mind with considered attitudes and activity in daily life.
6.9
MEDITATION:
ME5. Discovering the Clear Mind

Lesson Plan
Years
Lessons
4-6
1. Theme:
Meditation
2. Topic:
Re-enforcing the purpose of meditation
3. Values:
Awareness, following a process, concentration
4. Aims:
To present water in a bottle as a representation

of the minds clear nature
To allow the children to see a concrete
example of the effect of meditation
To motivate students to meditate
5. Outcomes:
To become more engaged in a meditation session

To develop condence in an essentially good and pure clear mind
6. Preparation:
7. Lesson:
Collect plastic bottles, a container of garden dirt and some water.

Ask students to place themselves on the ME2. Happiness Scale p6.4.
Show the children an example of a plastic bottle lled
with water, sand and mud. Ask the students to guess
what is going to happen if the bottle is shaken.
Ask students how they think the bottle shaker is made.
Ask students what they have to be careful
with when making the shaker.
Each student makes their own shaker. Ask students
the relevance of the shaker to meditation.
Time how long it takes for all the settlement to take
place (while they are making the bottle shaker).
Lead a familiar meditation and challenge the students to
meditate for as long it takes for their shaker to settle.
Talk about the benets of sitting, the clarity of
mind and the patience to practice that.
Feedback:
The lesson went well as the students were very interested in why we
needed plastic bottles. Of course many forgot to bring their own and
it was good that spare bottles were prepared. Even while we were
making it, I resisted the temptation to give in to their continual asking
about what it all meant. I started giving hints and the older students
were able to gure it out quite well. Three weeks after this lesson,
some of them are still keeping the bottles and giving the class updates
on the progress of settlement and what they can see in their bottles.
RE Teacher. Mountview PS.
6.10

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DISCOVERING BUDDHA

Design and Illustration Carey Rohrlach, Caro Way

For materials used:

Life Story of the Buddha .............................................. 1.1

25 lesson plans based on the recommended text

A Fortunate Birth ........................................................... 2.1

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

The Jataka Tales

Going to Extremes ....................................................... 2.41

Introduction to Teaching the Paramitas (virtue and

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

MV1. Developing a Good Heart: Loving Kindness to

Change in Myself .............................................................. 5.1

Preparation for Meditation ............................................. 6.1

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

Waterfall Relaxation Meditation .................................... 6.31

Wesak Festival (1): The Story of Wesak ............................. 7.1

Making a Mandala .......................................................... 8.1

Extension Activities for

EA1. The Wheel of Life: Introduction and Background

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

2706-3 BCV BEVS DIBU Dividers p5.indd 1

2706-3 BCV BEVS DIBU Dividers p5.indd 2

his resource book of ideas and inspirations for volunteer

Based on the teachings of the Buddha, it provides practical, everyday

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

How to Use This Resource:

his is a resource to support a journey of learning that you will

It is not, however, a course about Buddhism. It is a course where the Dhamma/

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

Section 6: Meditation: This is an essential part of every Buddhist RE lesson. The

Relevance to current education practice: This course ts appropriately with the

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

Making Learning Fun:

ll teachers seek to engage their students in whatever activity they are

How to Apply these Strategies

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

Making Revision Fun

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

2. Word Games for reinforcing new words, terms and concepts:

3. Other Games and Activities:

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

Games and Performing Activities

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

4. Plays and Poems:

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

Craft and Drawing

Cartoons and Drawings

Bringing the Outside World into the Buddhist RE Class

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

Arranging a Class Visit by a member of the

Festivals and Special Days

DISCOVERING BUDDHA: Lessons For Primary School

2706-3 BCV BEVS DIBU Dividers p5.indd 3

2706-3 BCV BEVS DIBU Dividers p5.indd 4

IB1. Life Story of the Buddha

Life Story of the Buddha.

Introduction to the life story of the Buddha.

Respect and awareness of the importance of