The aim of these lesson plans is to provide a systematic means for building a foundation for understanding the nature and purpose of religion and humanity’s relationship with God. Recent world events have demonstrated that our lives literally depend on a unified understanding of the concepts of God and religion. A simple misinterpretation of these concepts, by only a few, can be devastating. Our children will not be able to live in peace until a majority of the people of the world adopt an all inclusive perspective of religion and spirituality. Much as the peoples and nations of the world have come to recognize and promote the fundamentals of universal human rights, so should they come to accept the essential oneness of God’s religions. These lessons are an attempt to promote this acceptance.

A curriculum defines the pattern of broad topics and learning objectives. Lesson plans “"operationalize"” these topics and learning objectives, in a hopefully easy-to-follow and semi-scripted fashion. Our lesson plans are materials that can be taken straight to the classroom and used for teaching the concepts and achieving the learning objectives that the curriculum sets forth.

Yes, each book covers the same basic topics, but at a different level. Childrens’ capacities to understand these concepts increase as they get older. Books 1 and 2 cover the concepts at a more simple level than books 3, 4, and 5. Additionally a myriad of concepts, stories, ideas are introduced through the framework of these lessons. For example the children will learn a great deal about the holy scriptures and sacred traditions as they move through these course. This training will provide them with the basis to continue an in depth study of the world's religions, and at the same time understand their relevance to their daily lives.

The lessons follow a sequence of learning objectives that build upon one another. Pulling certain sections or topics ahead or delaying others would lead to gaps that may confuse the students’ deeper or fuller understanding of the overall concepts.

One reason is that each lesson tries to convey a number of different objectives that are qualitatively different and appeal to different cognitive “senses and skills”. As such, they require different instructional methods. The various parts ensure that the topics and concepts are understood in complementary cognitive modes.

Each topic is based on multiple objectives that incrementally instruct the student. The topic is not completed until all of the objectives have been met. So, in some cases, while the difference between learning objectives seems slight, this slightly different vantage point can make-or-break a student’s fuller understanding of the topic.

There are a number of ways to catch up. The teacher can forward a copy of the lesson to the parent for completion at home. The teacher can also refer the parent to the web site for the missed lesson. Additionally, periodic review sessions will ensure that the students are regularly updated about the topics covered during that past several sessions. The review documents are available on the site, interspersed among the regular lessons for each book.

You can assign some sections that you missed as additional homework assignments. You will also have a brief opportunity to review each lesson during the subsequent session. At the end of each topic, you should also conduct a review session to ensure that all the students are fairly familiar with the concepts that have been covered. The review documents are available on the site, interspersed among the regular lessons for each book.

The lesson books on this site are under “active” development. The speed of progress is entirely dependant upon the number of volunteer collaborators that we have at any moment in time. Book 3 is currently available for full use. The first ten lessons of book 2 will be ready by the end of the summer of 2003. We are searching for collaborators for the other books.

Each book will contain approximately 30 lessons. This does not include the review sessions. This number should cover weekly class sessions for a nine month period.

Although many of the topics appear simple on the surface, their implications and application in daily life can be difficult to bring out in one session. These topics and concepts comprise the fundamental basis of religious, philosophical, and ethical thought throughout history. It would be unreasonable and unrealistic to expect that children will be able to immediately and completely absorb these topics including their vast implications after only one exposure.

The format seems to work well under most circumstances and conditions. If you feel compelled to change the format for some reason, you should, at least, remain within the guidelines of the stated learning objectives. We strongly discourage removing the direct use of the Sacred Writings from the lessons. We would be interested to hear from you if you find alternatively successful formats.

Of course. Alternate quotes, stories and activities that support the same learning objectives can only serve to enrich the lesson. The quotes, stories, and activities in the lessons represent a minimum set of materials, that conform with the stated learning objectives, that can be used to conduct a class session. If you have other materials, you should feel free to use them, provided that they too conform and support the stated learning objectives. If you find that these alternate materials worked well, please make sure to let us know by sending us an e-mail at feedback@spiritual-education.org or by filling in and sending the on-line form on the feedback page.

We recommend that you review the content of the lesson the day before the class so you can have time to prepare for the lessons and gather the necessary materials.

The lessons are designed to be entirely self-contained. However, on occasion you may need to make photocopies of certain pages for your students. Any other materials that the session may require (pens, paper, etc.) are listed at the beginning of the lesson. You will need to take a dictionary with you to the class sessions.

In most cases the lessons reinforce the learning objectives through a set of exploratory questions that are asked after completing an activity or reading a story. If your students find the lessons too easy or too hard, you may want to come up with different questions to illustrate the same points.

The lesson plans on this site contain a rich cross-section of notable accounts and stories from various Religious traditions, including the Baha’i Faith. So, in effect, children learn about the history of the Baha’i Faith alongside that of other major world religions. A supplemental set of lesson plans for Baha’i children is being developed, which can be taught in addition to these lessons plans.

All spiritual education must be built on the same foundation – the recognition and acceptance of the principle of oneness. The primary dictates and required characteristics of the education of ALL children (Baha’i or other) have been clearly and simply defined. According to Baha’u’llah, “That which is of paramount importance for the children, that which must precede all else, is to teach them the oneness of God…” Likewise, ‘Abdu’l-Baha states that “The method of instruction which ye have established, beginning with the proofs of the existence of God and the oneness of God, the mission of the Prophets and Messengers and Their teachings, and the wonders of the universe, is highly suitable. Keep on with this...”

"The face of him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul; power and authority sat on that ample brow.... No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed myself before one who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain!" Baha'u'llah was thus described by the well-known Cambridge University Orientalist Edward Granville Browne in 1890. Baha'u'llah had, at that time, been a prisoner and an exile for almost 40 years and His teachings were shrouded in obscurity; today He is recognized by millions of followers around the world as the Manifestation of God or Divine Teacher for this age. According to Baha'i belief, Manifestations of God, including Moses, Abraham, Christ, Muhammad, Krishna, and Buddha, have appeared at intervals throughout history to found the world's great religious systems. They have been sent by a loving Creator to enable us to know and to worship Him and to bring human civilization to ever higher levels of achievement. … Baha'u'llah's central message for humanity in this day is one of unity and justice. "The best beloved of all things in My sight is justice," He wrote, and "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens" in two often-quoted passages. He also stated, "The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established." This is the prescription of God, the divine and all-knowing Physician, for our ailing world.

excerpted from http://www.bahai.org/article-1-3-0-2.html

On November 29, 1921, ten thousand people – Jews, Christians, and Muslims from all persuasions and denominations – gathered on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land to mourn the passing of One who was eulogized as the essence of "Virtue and Wisdom, of Knowledge and Generosity." On that occasion, Abdu'l-Baha – Baha'u'llah's Son and chosen successor – was described by a Jewish leader as a "living example of self-sacrifice," by a Christian orator as One who led humanity to the "Way of Truth," and by a prominent Muslim leader as a "pillar of peace" and the embodiment of "glory and greatness." His funeral, according to a Western observer, brought together a great throng "sorrowing for His death, but rejoicing also for His life." Throughout the Occident and the Orient, Abdu'l-Baha was known as an ambassador of peace, a champion of justice, and the leading exponent of a new Faith. Through a series of epoch-making travels across North America and Europe, Abdu'l-Baha – by word and example – proclaimed with persuasiveness and force the essential principles of His Father's religion. Affirming that "Love is the most great law" that is the foundation of "true civilization," and that the "supreme need of humanity is cooperation and reciprocity" among all its peoples, Abdu'l-Baha reached out to leaders and the meek alike, to every soul who crossed His path.

excerpted from http://www.bahai.org/article-1-3-0-4.html