18 replies to this topic

[Sarah Barrow]

It's Diwali and Eid soon, and in my new school, we have a high proportion of 'Asian' children and so the festivals are really relevant to them and I want to make the most of the opportunities. I have covered these festivals before in my last school with older children but am not sure what to do with my reception class (and can't really remember what I've done before!)

I'm very keen to get my facts straight, and also to have some good activities. I've invited some parents to come in and talk to the children about what they do at home for their festivals but want some good activities for children to do and card templates and things to make... I've searched the web but not come up with any ideas as yet.

I really don't want to offend anyone, or to get things wrong and make myself look stupid!

Any ideas please...?

[jambo]

I have (despite numerous protests) introduced festivals into our long term plan. Next week we are making salt dough tea light holders and painting them (age 2-3 dept) and cooking divali sweets (3-4 dept) I will post the details this Friday afternoon as I am away in Leeds tomorrow, and my folders are at work for the team to access.

I also have a simple Divali story (from practical preschool) which I will attempt to type and post too.

Jan

[Harricroft]

We looked at some Rangoli patterns and talked (in simple terms about symmetry). I showed them some really simple symmetrical patterns and we looked for swirls and loops in each corner etc. At my previous school we had square paving blocks and each child had their own square to decorate using chalk. Not many managed to make them symmetrical, but they all loved the experience and were very proud of their lovely work. I wonder whether you could do something like this on the computer, maybe if you have a program with a horizontal and vertical line of symmetry - I'm sure I've seen one somewhere. Can any of you ICT buffs out there help us out???

Harricroft

[Zim]

Have you seen the link to festivals somewhere on this site? I too would like some ideas for Eid. Website's I've come accross so far don't have many practical ideas. We acted out the story of Rama and Sita for Divali last year. Made monkey masks and crowns but we have no Hindu or Muslim chn in the class, if we did I might have been more conscious of 'getting it wrong' in front of parents. Its graet that they can help you though. Good luck and let us know what you do

[Inge]

This has been discussed recently with many ideas here

Would like the story though ours are all very long.
Inge

[leo]

dear jambo
we are waiting for your diwali sotry please post it and any another ideas you have
Cheers

[apple]

Are you there Jambo?
I'd love the simplified version of the story too :)

We make our own version of Divali sweets: nice and simple and no nuts in for allergies
Cooking chocolate
Mini marshmallows
Dried fruit (apricots or sultanas)

Melt chocolate (mmmm)
Mix in the above and pop into little cake cases
Hey Presto!

[Ladybug]

Hi everyone,

Eid is really big in my school (99.8% asian!) So next week we are preparing for Eid (Ramadan is the daylight hours fast which is happening in preparation at the moment).

We have planned to - dress up in special 'celebration' clothes, make Eid cards - hence we are opening a 'post office' to send them. Plus make wrapping paper for parcels with symmetrical patterns.

I also took the lead from my children from an observation of two little girls playing with the playdough making 'Chippatis' last week with such 'precision' (patting them from side to side to make them thinner) that we are going to make real chippatis to eat!

[leo]

The story is that many years ago there was a prince called Rama. His stepmother wanted her son to inherit the throne and asked for Rama to be banished to the forest for 14 years. his father owes mum a wish and so sends rama away ( and dies soon after of a broken heart ) Now rama leaves wiht his wife sita and his brother Lakshamana. While in the forest a demon king ravana (who had 10 heads and could transform himslef to any form) takes a fancy to sita. He distracts rama away from the hut and then diguises himslef as a priest and kidnaps sita back to his kingdom of lanka (modern day srilanka). Rama manages to track sita down and with the help of the moneky people- hanuman being his main ally kills ravanan and rescues sita. It just so happns that it is the smae time as the 14 yers being up and they retun to the kingdom. people cleebrate the retun of theri king by lighting diyas (lights in clay pots) and fireworks. In india there are public firwrok diplays where a very large effigy of ravana is set alight(similar to guy fawkes)
So diwali is the return of rama back to his kingodm.

Stories like these are like all stories- taken with a pinch of salt. the occasion is now more of meeting family and celebrating the day together.

owever does anyone have monkey masks and pictures of rama and sita? I wonder if making stick puppets and a shadow play would wrk?

[Sue R]

Thanks for that Leo, I always go into far too much detail, that was brilliant!
I'm sure I've got templates for monkey masks, and rama and sita pix. And yes, the shadowplay/stick puppet thing works brilliantly - you can use the shadow distortion brilliantly to make ravana really 'evil' - then explain it, Knowledge &understanding.......

Sue :D

[leo]

hi sue
could you post templates please.

I am planning to do diwali a week on monday- when the ofsted are at school. I thought i could sit the chidlren around in a circle and talk about how we celebrated it over the weekend- on saturday and show them photos of the lamps being lit , he new clothes we wore and the rangoli that we did. and then the fireworkds and food that we had. I thought that could lead to us making chpaits and haivng that at snack time and looking at patterns on the saris etc.
does that sound ok for ofsted- i thought i could mak it personal to me

Never mind that we don't buy new clothes-can't be bothered and food is just waht we usually eat and i've never done a rangoli in my life it'll be what my daughter used to call- just pretend!!!!!!!

[Sue R]

I'll do my best, will need to ask colleague to bring my files home for me - I'm off for a while due to an unfortunate incident on Monday, concerning my hip and a chair. I was just sitting in it, but that's a dangerous business, apparently!!!

Sounds perfect for the big 'O' - they won't know and we won't tell them!! The one we had was big on 'modelling', so the fact that you'll be talking about 'your' Divali should be a plus!!

Sue :D

[kate]

How does one put on a sari??????????????????

Kate

[leo]

well you need 6 yards of fabric.
You will need to tuck the top end of the fabric around your waist so a trouser or skirt that is fairly well fitting shoudl do. Now let me go through it first in my mind
1. hold one end of fabric at waist height with your left hand-end of fabric facing right hand direction (does that make sense) Tuck the top edge into wasit band.
2. wrap the fabric once around the lower half of body to meet at the front. Tuck the top edge into waist band.
3. Make 7-8 pleats witht he fabric . Each pleat will be about a hand width. Tuck hese in together into the waist band. these pleats enable you to kick the fabric out while walking. (otherwise you will end up face down on the floor!!!)
4. Wrap the remaining length of fabric around yur body and take over your chest and left shoulder.Pin at shoulder .

Does this make sense.

or use the link to see it done.

My Webpagehttp://www.angelfire...drapeasari.html