Picture Book of World Religion plus class page
Each regular class day has a different story as the core of the lesson. Following the story, teachers engage the children in discussion. Craft activities related to the story or the tradition we're studying or fellowship and play wrap up our time together. All the stories we've used are listed here with descriptions of the books from Amazon.com.
12 april "For Every Child"
In 1989 the United Nations formally adopted fifty-four principles that make up the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. For this breathtaking picture book the fourteen declarations that are most relevant to children's everyday lives have been retold by Caroline Castle in a simple, evocative text, each one interpreted in a stunning double-page illustration by a different artist from around the world. These well-known contributors include two Americans, both major award-winners: Jerry Pinkney and Rachel Isadora.
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29 march "friday nights of nana"
A beautifully illustrated, reassuring table of ritual and family bonding. Young Jennie has Friday off school to help her grandmother prepare for the family meal before the Sabbath. Jennie and Nana have their breakfast and then start work: polishing the candlesticks, ironing the tablecloth and braiding the dough for challah bread. Then they put on their pretty Sabbath dresses while the snow falls outside, and wait for Jennie's parents and baby brother to arrive with the rest of the family. Now Jennie's best time begins. Full of gorgeous colours and absorbing detail, this story portrays the rich pattern of love and tradition woven into the special relationship between a child and a grandparent.
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15 March "the Mountains of tibet"
A Tibetan woodcutter dreams of exploring the world, but is too busy with his life to ever leave his valley. After he dies, he is taken on a journey through the cosmos and all the places on Earth as he makes choices that lead him to a new life. First published as part of the debut list for Barefoot Books in 1993, this gentle and inspiring look at life after death is jut as relevant today.
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1 March "Buddha in the garden"
25 January "Martin's Big Words"
This picture-book biography is an excellent and accessible introduction for young readers to learn about one of the world's most influential leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Doreen Rappaport weaves the immortal words of Dr. King into a captivating narrative to tell the story of his life. With stunning art by acclaimed illustrator Bryan Collier, Martin's Big Words is an unforgettable portrait of a man whose dream changed America-and the world-forever.
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11 January Me & Dog
This endearing friendship story about a boy and his dog from a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer gently explores a timeless question: who’s really in charge?
Meet Sid. He’s an ordinary kid. He’s far from perfect. But to Murphy, Sid’s faithful dog, Sid is the whole world. Murphy thinks Sid is the absolute best—and that he’s in charge of everything. Sid loves Murphy right back, but he can’t help but wonder what Murphy would think if he realized the truth: Sid’s just a kid, and Murphy’s just a dog, and neither one can control the world. This deceptively simply picture book is the perfect start to a discussion about a subject seldom seen in children’s books—the nonthreatening feel of a world based on fact and reason, and not faith. |
28 December "story of the Three wise Kings"
16 nOVEMBER "fASTING AND dATES"
Books in the Festival Time series describe the activities of typical families as parents and children celebrate some of their culture’s major holidays. The simply yet delightfully told stories describe the festivities while giving children background information about holidays in many different cultures. A two-page spread at the back of each book contains information for parents, and includes suggestions on ways to communicate the holiday’s meaning to kids. A typical Muslim family celebrates the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the time of year for parents and older children to fast, give special praise to God, and be charitable to the poor and needy. The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr occurs on the day following the last day of Ramadan. Families welcome this festival with an elaborate meal attended by extended family and friends. Traditional foods are eaten, including dates and pomegranates.
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9 November "The Day of Ahmed's Secret"
As young Ahmed delivers butane gas to customers all over the city of Cairo, he thinks, I have a secret. All day long, as he maneuvers his donkey cart through streets crowded with cars and camels, down alleys filled with merchants' stalls, and past buildings a thousand years old, Ahmed keeps his secret safe inside. It is so special, so wonderful, that he can reveal it only to his family, only when he returns home, only at the end of the day.
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2 November "The Hundredth Name"
Salah and his camel, Qadiim, are daily companions: They work together, eat together, and sleep together. Salah is sad, however, because his camel always seems so downcast. But in middle of the night, he remember what his father had told him--that mankind knows only ninety-nine names for Allah, while there are actually one hundred. What if Qadiim could learn the hundredth name? Under the stars Salah prays, "to Allah with all his strength." The next day--a seeming miracle!--the camel carries his head high and has a most knowing look. This wonderful story, rich in the details of village life, is complimented by beautiful illustrations that portray the lush, verdant landscape of the banks of the Nile as well as luminous starlit nights.
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19 October Wampanoag Thanksgiving
5 October "lights for gita"
21 September "RAma and Sita"
In even the most remote villages of Bali you will hear, late into the night, the shimmering metallic music of the gamelan, a collection of gongs, chimes, flutes, drums, and cymbals whose music provides the accompaniment to the surpassingly beautiful dances that serve to entertain the Gods at the annual celebrations. Here, even the youngest children learn to dance, absorbing the delicate hand and arm movements of their parents and of the puppets whose characters and adventures the children recognize as readily as our children recognize television personalities. Among the stories learned by every child is the saga of Rama and Sita, a particularly beloved tale of intrigue, adventure, and mystery.
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14 September "Sacred Places"
An introduction to some of the most sacred places in the world--highlighting the five major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity). This book showcases the rich diversity of scale and style in the buildings built for worship and for the celebration of faith. Features twenty-six sacred sites, a world map and an extensive note to the reader on the basic tenets of five religions.
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