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Lessons Plans & Materials

Lessons includes all lesson plans, lesson materials, handouts, and assignments gathered by MWE and our contributors.

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Lunch Rituals

January 9, 2024
This lunch ritual is loosely based on ōryōki, a Zen monastic eating meditation that places an emphasis on service, generosity, and appreciation. It was developed by Noa Jones and Catherine Fordham for the Middle Way School of the Hudson Valley. Shared mealtime is an opportunity to foster a healthy relationship to food, enjoy each other’s company, and create a harmonious environment at the table. Creating a consistent mealtime practice can help children feel more focussed and be more present with their food.

Mala Bag Sewing Project

April 18, 2023
Students sew drawstring bags using a simple backstitch in preparation for the mala they will string in a future class. This lesson was created by Noa Jones at the Middle Way School for third grade students preparing for Rites of Passage. 

The Four Types of Harmonious Speech

March 13, 2023
Students are introduced to the concept of harmonious speech from the Buddhist tradition and explore how it arises in their own lives. The lesson includes group work, pair sharing, charting, and discussion.

Origami Buddha on a Lotus

February 10, 2023
This lesson plan includes everything you need to help children make an origami representation of the Buddha sitting on a lotus. Students will learn about and reflect on their significance and set intentions to make them as offerings.

Tea Parties

December 13, 2022
Hosting tea parties is a fun way to engage children in the practice of serving and being served. This role-playing activity does require quite a bit of preparation and a minimum of 2 teachers/guides.

The Three Ways Of Listening

October 14, 2022
This simple lesson about the three ways of listening, based upon the classic "Three Defects of the Pot" teaching can be adapted for students of many ages as a playful way of exploring the connections between attitude and learning.

Family Sundays: Measure Me

October 26, 2021
From the Rubin Museum: An art project aimed at measuring your own existence and reflecting on how you define yourself

Family Sundays: Mandala Lab

October 26, 2021
From the Rubin Museum: An engaging art project in mandala making with the aim of exploring our emotions

Art-Making: Hybrid Animals

October 20, 2021
From the Rubin Museum: An art project aimed at exploring hybrid creatures and deities.
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