We started our fifth Mind Move Make class by reading the first part of
Zen Shorts, a book that won a Caldecott honor in 2006. Here is a great summary of
Zen Shorts from Teaching Children Philosophy. Before I read the book I asked the students to remember and report back all the kind actions they noticed in the story, which is about three siblings who befriend a wise panda bear. The students did an excellent job of identifying kind actions in the book, such as telling someone a story, making a friend a cake, drawing a picture of a friend, and giving a generous gift to a stranger. Most of these actions are things that the students can do in their own lives.
After that it was relaxation time. I asked the students if they brush their teeth every day. All of them raised their hands, and many said they brush their teeth at least twice a day. I explained that engaging in relaxation and meditation is similar to "brushing" your brain because it helps to clear the mind and bring a sense of peace.
Then it was time to move! One new movement I introduced was Gate Pose, or Parighasana. This pose is great for stretching the intercostal muscles that exist between the ribs and work together to help us breath. Many of the students also identified that they felt a stretch in their hamstrings while engaging in this pose.
Artistically we focused on watercolor painting. Several students continued to work with the different watercolor techniques we learned in the last class: salt, resist, pigment lift, dry brush, wet on wet, and wet on dry. They also began to layer brushstrokes and colors on top of one another. Some students decided to paint the hand drawings they created several classes ago. A couple students were ready to take the tape off of their paintings! In the end, we will layer the hand drawings on top of the paintings and the students will write their kindness action ideas onto the painting. I'm looking forward to seeing how these elements work together to create a finished piece of artwork!
