​​Yearly Curriculum Overview

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Learning Circle

Body: 

Contemplative Movement: Eurythmy, Bothmar Gymnastic, Charya dance (mudra dance)

Bean bags exercises

Rod exercises

Clapping games

Rhythm games - body percussion

 

Speech:

Speech exercises and recitation: metres and rhythmic poetry, poetry, verses recitation 

Singing and Music: Recorder and lyre (string instrument)

Poetry recitation 

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Mind: 

Mental Maths: fractions and four processes; multiplication table; 

Spelling and grammar

Review and recall

Sharing and news

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During this time and throughout the day the children are nurtured to develop in speaking and listening: the ability to express needs and explain actions.This also includes the ability to obtain information from what is said by adults and peers; Declamation: The ability to recite in company or unsupported. The emphasis is on poems, plays and reciting verses is a daily activity. There is a continuum from "speech" into "singing". 

 

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The Contemplative Circle

The content in our meditation (Mind in Body) and contemplative (Abide) curriculum is divided into three areas: 

• awareness and mindfulness, 

• loving kindness and compassion

• developing heart understanding or wisdom with a focus on loving kindness and compassion. 

 

Mind in Body:

A moment of offerings and reverence. Mindfulness and Awareness Meditation Games.

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Abide:

Focusing on loving kindness and compassion contemplations.

The contemplative circles artistically and through expressive arts explore themes, such as,

loving kindness, compassion, bodhichitta all encompassing compassion, impermanence or

everything in change, interdependence, and awareness. This include opportunities to nurture awe and reverence and practice appreciation and gratitude to nature and the great mystery. 

 

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Art and Craft

Arts and Crafts Activities

Handwork 

Painting/Drawing 

Clay Modelling

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Main Lesson Thematic Learning Blocks 

Harvest Block Themes

Week 1-2:

Botany and the View of Interdependence

We lay a foundation for teaching the science curriculum by introducing to the children basic concepts of contemplative worldview. We link Botany with the understanding of the law cause and effect. We also teach this theme from the view of interdependence and impermanence (subtle momentary continuous changes and gross change). Observing various phenomena that are related to causes and conditions for something to happen, not happen or for certain changes to occur as relates to the study of plants. 

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Week 3-5:

Local Geography and Sense of Place

• From Abide Centre to the local sacred places and locations as landmarks and the history related to it and other local history. 

• Map skills

•  Observing the sun as a way of recognising the four compass directions;

• The rising and setting motions of a few constellations around the North Star, and the movements of the moon

• Historical events and legends illustrating the development of the locality.

• The different ways the local soils are tilled, local industry, workplaces and infrastructure are examined. 

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Autumn Block Theme

Week 6-8:

World History and Literature 

We connect this theme with the view of interdependence, universal ethics and truths

• Introduction to the study of history and ancient civilisations

• Ancient India: Ancient India as background to the environment were great initiates were born. 

       Das Avatar. 

       The four stages of life according to the Veda  

       The childhood of Krishna; Krishna and Arjuna 

       Mahabharata  

• Ancient Persia:

       The development of sedentary communities

       Beginnings of farming and animal husbandry

       The life of Zarathustra 

• History is viewed from contemplative epistemology (multiple, impermanence, and interdependent), the law of causality, and universal ethics (i.e., non-harming)

 

Week 9-11:

The Human Being and the Animal World: An Introduction to Contemplative Zoology

• The Human Being and the Animal World:  comparative study of human beings and other animals;

• The polarity of the human head and limbs with the mediating form of the trunk;

• A small selection of familiar and unfamiliar animals to use as the basis of the characterisation and relationship referred above. Examples: the cow, mouse and lion illustrate diverse tendencies as do the octopus, snail and sea urchin from quite a different world;​

• Different animal limbs illustrate the theme described above concerning the human hand, etc.;

• The human arm and hand as a picture of human freedom (not the physiology of joints and bones, but the gesture and practical reality of their movement. Similarly, the human foot, femur and spine in relation to uprightness, leading to the theme of uniqueness of human life. Relate this to precious human life;

• Example of how the limitations of the human body are balanced by technological and cultural achievements. From the spade to the aeroplane, human invention achieves what the instinctive behaviour of the badger and the birds achieve, with their specialised limbs; 

• Animals which reflect inner faculties: the eagle’s perspective from the heights; the bull’s power of the will; the balance of strength, lithe grace and fearlessness of the lion.​

• In teaching zoology we also integrate include the understanding of awareness, ability, will, love and compassion. ​

• In relating the human being and the animal world we lead an exploration of what is mind by including the five aggregates and the six consciousnesses from contemplative psychology: the body is the form and the other four are the mental factors that make a sense of self. 

• Introduce the preciousness of all living beings and the uniqueness of opportunity in having a human birth. However, the human being the same innate nature as all sentient beings.  

• All sentient beings are precious. Human Beings have the ability of self-awareness and link that with the preciousness of human life but the sentience of all living beings is as important.

• Aspiration to survive: the contemplative perspective, which scientists call the aspiration to survive; the aspiration to feel well rather than suffer. In a way it is a reflection of a deep basic goodness. This is compassionate ethics. 

 

Week 12:

Heritage and Just Being

Compassionate weeks, immersive nature based learning and local connecting with Scotland's rich heritage
 

Winter Block Theme 

Week 13-15:

World History, Literature and Cultural Studies

• History is viewed from contemplative epistemology (multiple, impermanence, and interdependent), the law of causality, and universal ethics (i.e., non-harming)

• Ancient Mesopotamia:

      The city cultures

      The Epic of Gilgamesh

       Cuneiform script. 

 

• Ancient Egypt:

       Motifs from ancient Egyptian mythology

      Examples of great achievements of Egyptian culture, such as, the pyramids, royal graves, irrigation 

       systems, hieroglyphs

       Establishment of a state system: how geography of the Nile Valley influenced the Egyptian feeling of           life and death.

      The book of the dead. 

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Week 16-18:

The Human Being and the Animal World: An Introduction to Contemplative Zoology

Bringing together contemplative traditions and science in Zoology. We introduce animal studies together with the preciousness of all lives- that animals have consciousness and they equally feel pain and have the same wish to be happy and to be free from suffering. Therefore, non-violence, compassion, karma, and reincarnation are an integral part of zoology studies.

 

When we explore ecosystem and eco diversity in relations to animals and their habitat we teach it from interdependence, perspective. We bring together a glimpse into the constant structure of human psychology and sense base science and scientific enquiry as we observe the five aggregates (form/matter Feeling/sensation; Perception/conception; Samskara/mental formations; Consciousness- consciousnesses/senses) manifestation in animals and human beings. We observe the similarities and differences to appreciate the precious human birth and our responsibility towards all sentient beings.

 

Spring Block Theme

Week 19-21:

World History, Literature and Cultural Studies

• Ancient Greece:

       A background of Greek mythology

      Greek history from Homer’s time (Iliad or Odyssey) up to its encounter with oriental culture at the time        of Alexander’s campaigns and the spread of Greek culture.

      Alexander’s generals and the Buddha’s teachings.

      The rise of the Greek polis (Sparta, Athens).

     The age of Pericles

• History is viewed from contemplative epistemology (multiple, impermanence, and interdependent), the law of causality, and universal ethics (i.e., non-harming)

 

Week 22-23​​

Cultural Studies and Geography

Geography of Scotland

Sense of place and reverence - map the sacred places in Scotland across time 

 

Spring Block Theme Cont.

Week 24-25

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Business Maths, Contemplative Ecology and Innate Goodness

 

Week 26-28

Cultural Studies and Geography

• Geography of the other countries that make United Kingdom: England, Wales and Northern Ireland  

• Geography of Europe: Introduction to history and geography of Europe through Greece (linked with history of Ancient Greece). 

 

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Summer Block Theme

Week 29-31: 

Botany, Contemplative Ecology and Sustainability 

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Week 32:

​​Form Drawing, Geometry and Just Being