sai spiritual education lesson plan … · web viewthe presence of god watches over me. wherever...

SAI SPIRITUAL EDUCATION----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SAI SPIRITUAL EDUCATION LESSON PLANCEILING ON DESIRES

ENERGY

GROUP: 2 VALUE: Truth SUBVALUE: Spirit of Inquiry

MATERIALS NEEDED: copy of handouts on global warming and song lyrics for each student, white board, black board or butcher black paper, markers

SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE (purpose of lesson): To understand how our activities contribute to global warming and learn what we can do.

QUOTE: “Today the world is losing its ecological balance as man, out of utter selfishness, is robbing the mother Earth of her resources like coal, petroleum, iron, etc. As a result, we find earthquakes, floods and such other devastating natural calamities.”

— Sathya Sai Baba

OPENING: THREE OMS / PRAYER / REPETITION OF GOD’S NAMEPrayer: “The light of God surrounds me

The love of God enfolds meThe power of God protectsThe presence of God watches over meWherever I am, God is and all is well.”

REVIEW LIFE APPLICATION FROM PREVIOUS LESSON INTRODUCE TODAY’S SUBVALUE AND DISCUSS QUOTE AFFIRMATION: “I protect the earth.”

SILENT SITTING / MEDITATION (Can relate to subvalue/spiritual principle.)

DEVOTIONAL GROUP SINGING: (Choose song to reinforce subvalue/spiritual principle.)“Mother Earth” – Neil Young

STORY-TELLING / LESSON (Relate the story to the subvalue/spiritual principle.)Story: Tore and the Town on Thin Ice

PRE-STORY QUESTION(S)1. What are the causes of global warming? (Note: see information at end of lesson plan)2. What are the reasons that global warming is bad?3. How do you think you contribute to global warming?(Teachers NOTE: write down answers to compare with answers given after story)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (These should relate to story, subvalue, and affirmation.)1. How come Tore was upset at the beginning of the story?2. Who visited Tore while he was asleep and what did she tell him to do?3. Who did Tore visit and what did they tell him?4. What are some of the changes that global warming will bring?


5. What did Sedna say contributed to global warming?6. What were some of the things that people could do to decrease global warming?7. What do you think you could do to decrease global warming? (bring out that consuming less

is one of the most important things students can do)

ACTIVITY (Design or choose, to provide an experience of the subvalue/spiritual principle.)1. Distribute handouts and have students discuss their personal impact on global warming, and

things they can do immediately and over time to decrease their contribution to global warming. Personal impact can include the distance traveled to school and after-school activities, the types and the number of cars in their households, the products they purchase, etc.

2. Discuss the following scenarios: Environmental responsibilities and conflicting values of citizens who come from different countries and cultures:a. In many countries people rely on wood for their cooking needs as well as for warmth.

This consumes valuable timber and produces harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This is bad, but uncooked food can lead to disease, and people die when there’s not enough heat. Which is worse? What is the answer?

b. Do you think there is a difference between the environmental damages from greenhouse gas emissions in a developed country versus the greenhouse gas emission in undeveloped countries? Explain the difference.

c. Which is more excusable: deforestation for agricultural/forestry production in a developed country or deforestation for/by farmers in a developing country that uses the land and trees for survival?

d. As developing countries continue to progress, vehicles, residences, and industries that rely on fossil fuels for heat and power contribute more and more greenhouse gases. Should they slow down their rate of progress? Should they be asked to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases?

e. Several models of fuel-efficient automobiles are available to the average consumer in the developed world. Why are there so few on the road? Should the government provide incentives to get more people to buy them?

LIFE APPLICATION (Assign for practice in the subvalue / spiritual principle during the week.) This week, put into practice one (or more) of the items from the handout. Write about what you did and share with class next week.


TORE AND THE TOWN ON THIN ICE

“We’re going to win….We’re going to win!” Tore yelled to his dogs as they sprinted across the frozen river toward the finish line. He had trained with the dogsled all winter, and this race was the last before the finals. But just as his sled was gliding toward the river bank, it crashed through the ice, dumping Tore into the shallow but freezing water.

The watching children laughed. Tore ran home, trying not to cry as his fists clenched in anger.

“But it’s ALWAYS frozen solid this time of year,” he complained to his parents, “It’s not fair!”

“You’re right,” said Tore’s mom, running a warm bath for him. “The ice is changing. We can’t rely on it as we used to. Even experienced hunters fall through now. So don’t be ashamed.” “But it’s not fair. I should have won,” Tore insisted. Tore’s dad, maddeningly calm as usual, said, “The question is, what are you going to do about it?” “I’m never going to sled again!” Tore thundered.

That night, after sleep had finally shut Tore’s eyes, he heard a voice. “You have a right to be angry, Tore. But use that anger to learn and see what you can do.”

Tore saw a woman with wrinkles like waves and hair twisted like seaweed. “I’m the one who created and cares for the sea creatures—whales and walruses, seals and fish. Some call me Sedna, the Mother of the Sea. But I can’t help the sea creatures or the people the way I used to, not alone.” “This thing is bigger than you know,” she continued. “Take your sled to find out more. I’ll send you guides.” “What can I do? I’m just a kid!” Tore answered. But Sedna vanished into the night.

The next morning, Tore harnessed his dogs and set out to learn. He noticed that patches of permafrost—earth that had always been frozen—were thawing, creating holes in the ground. “Sedna sent me,” someone startled him.

“Yes that’s me,” said a snowy owl high overhead. “I hear you had a little trouble yesterday.” “You’re supposed to tell me what’s going on around here, not remind me of my problems,” Tore sulked.

The owl swooped to the ground. “The ice melted on the river because the planet’s heating up. The last couple of decades have had the warmest years since people started taking weather measurements. The Poles—here in the Arctic and in Antarctica—are warming almost twice as fast as elsewhere.” “Then how am I supposed to race dogsleds?” “Sledding might not be your top worry,” said Snowy Owl. “Lots of things are changing, and fast. Some people who hunt for a living are already going hungry because a lot of seals and walruses are heading north. There isn’t enough sea ice left for them to float on here. All sorts of folks will have to find new ways of making a living.”

“It’s not just river ice and sea ice that’s going, by the way. Nearly all the world’s glaciers are melting. Even the great ice cap here in Greenland— mountains of snow and ice up to about 2-1/2 miles thick—is thawing. Until recently, nobody thought we would ever see that.”

“What are we supposed to do? This isn’t supposed to happen!” Tore yelled to the bird. But a rabbit had distracted Snowy Owl. “Lunchtime,” she said, taking flight. She pointed with her wing: “Polar Bear’s waiting for you.”

Tore aimed his sled toward the shore. “How’s the hunting?” he asked Polar Bear. “Not great,” he replied. “I’m hungry. I need to stand on sea ice to hunt seals—wait and catch them when they come up for breath. But there’s not enough ice when I need it. My sister got stranded on the shore last year when the ice went out to sea. She starved.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Tore. “You look a bit thin yourself.” “I know, and I need fat to make it through the winter. In fact I’m worried about my kind. It looks like within a century there won’t be any ice on the water at all in the summer…. We may not have much of a future.” “But polar bears have been here


forever,” said Tore. “That’s not fair at all!” “Anyway we’re not alone,” continued Polar Bear. Our friend the climate—the climate that animals and fish and everybody has depended on for thousands of years—is acting strangely nearly everywhere now. It looks like many, many animals and fish and birds will die out during your lifetime, partly because of changes in climate.” At a loss for words while this information sank in, Tore stared at Polar Bear. “But don’t you worry,” Polar Bear mumbled, shuffling away. “I’m sure you people will figure something out.”

Suddenly a great fountain of spray burst from the sea and a whale surfaced. Before the whale could speak, Tore snapped, “I know, I know. Sedna sent you.” “How’d you guess?” asked Whale.

“Listen, I’ve had all the bad news I can stand. Our world is melting. Polar bears are starving and all sorts of animals won’t survive. I don’t want to hear any more!” Tore cried. “That’s the spirit!” said Whale. “Get good and angry. You’ll need all that energy to make a difference. I swim around the planet—and I’ve seen you’re not the only folks looking at trouble.”

Tore turned to storm away. But Sedna’s face flashed through his mind, reminding him to keep calm and try to understand. “With all this ice melting,” Whale continued, “and warmer temperatures, the oceans are swelling. That means the sea level is rising and might drown major cities along the coasts. “Yikes,” said Tore. “Don’t a lot of people live on the coastline?” “Yes,” answered Whale. “Hundreds of millions in fact.”

“More hurricanes, tornadoes and other things you call ‘natural disasters’ are on their way, too—and they’re getting harsher. Meanwhile, parts of Africa and other places are getting so dry it’s hard to grow food.” “That’s not all. The ocean currents that swirl around the planet and carry heat with them could actually change direction. If they do, watch out! Great Britain could freeze while the United States bakes.” “I didn’t realize so much is going on,” said Tore softly. “Is there anything at all a kid like me can do?” “I thought you’d never ask,” replied Whale as he dipped back into the sea and out of sight.

Tore went to bed early that night, his head spinning with the news he’d heard. Soon Sedna appeared. “What’s happening, Sea Mother?” blurted Tore. “What can we do? And how can I help?” “That’s the spirit,” said Sedna. “You can be my strongest ally.” “Think for a moment: What makes the modern world possible? What runs cars and snowmobiles, makes electricity for computers and factories, heats houses and schools?” “Well, energy. Mostly oil and coal, I guess.”

“That’s right. They bring a lot of good things, but there’s a price. As fuel burns, it releases carbon dioxide. Clearing forests and burning wood—as people often do in poorer countries—also adds carbon. Carbon dioxide and other gases trap heat from the sun, like a huge blanket. So the planet warms up. Even a few degrees can make a big difference.”

“Rich countries use—and waste—an awful lot of energy. Huge cars. Too many cars instead of efficient trains and buses. Lights and machines that take more electricity than necessary. Heaters and air conditioners that run even when they’re not needed….”

“We use oil to make electricity with our generator,” said Tore. “We get around on snowmobiles that run on gasoline. Is that part of the problem?”

“A tiny part,” said Sedna. “But if you want to do something, you can start here. Some villages in the Arctic and lots of other places are now setting up solar panels to get electricity from the sun, and modern windmills to capture the energy of the wind.”

“If everybody used clean energy, we might be able to keep the climate from getting a lot worse.”

A week later, Tore and his dogs raced in the Junior Championship. He was determined to win. He had plans for the prize money. To Tore’s delight, his dogs led the sled smoothly around the final bend and past the finish line. Accepting his medal, Tore thanked the dogs, his parents, the animal guides—and of course, Sedna.


“I’m going to donate this money to buying solar panels and a windmill for our village,” he announced. “We can be a model for the region.” “I’ll keep racing to raise money for college,” he continued. “I want to learn how everyone can use solar and other clean energy—instead of just being angry that the climate is changing.” “Our beautiful Earth gives us everything we need as long as we do our part. I’m going to do mine.”


FIGHTING GLOBAL WARMING – ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE

1. CONSUME LESS! In America, we have grown used to an environment of plenty, with an enormous variety of consumer products always available and constant enticement to buy “more,” “new,” and “improved.” Energy is consumed in the manufacturing and transport of everything we buy, which means there are fossil-fuel emissions at every stage of production. A good way to reduce the amount of energy you use is simply to buy less. Before making a purchase, ask yourself if you really need it. Can you make do with what you already have? Can you borrow or rent? Can you find the item secondhand?

2. Buy things that last, repair rather than discard, and pass on items that are no longer needed to someone who can make use of them.

3. “Precycle” – reduce waste before you buy. Discarded packaging materials make up about 1/3 of the waste clogging our landfills. Vast amounts of natural resources and fossil fuels are consumed each year to produce the paper, plastic, aluminum, glass and Styrofoam that hold and wrap our purchases. Of course, some degree of packaging is necessary to transport and protect the products, but all too often manufacturers add extra wrappers over wrappers and layers of unnecessary plastic. Give preference to those products that use recycled packaging, or that don’t use excess packaging.

4. Bag your purchases in a reusable bag – or just don’t take a bag for your purchases. Get into the habit of carrying a bag when you go shopping.

5. Carry your own refillable bottle for water or other beverages. 24 billion gallons of bottled water are consumed annually and 65% of the bottles end up in landfills. It takes 1.5 million barrels of crude oil to produce these bottles. It’s much better to buy a reusable bottle and fill that with water. If you’re concerned about the taste or quality of tap water, consider using an inexpensive water purifier or filter.

6. Turn off appliances, heating and air conditioning when you’re not using them.

7. Computers and other electronics draw energy even when turned off—75% of the electricity used to power electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. So be sure to unplug them, too, or plug them into a surge protector and turn off the surge protector to really turn it off. A screen saver is not an energy saver. Unplugging these would reduce the machine's CO2 emissions by 83%.

8. Recycle papers, bottles and plastic whenever you can. Producing products from recycled materials requires much less energy compared to using new materials. Recycled paper uses 60% less energy than virgin paper. Producing one ton of paper from recycled pulp saves 17 trees, 390 gallons of oil, and conserves 4,200-kilowatt hours of energy – enough to heat a home for half a year; one tree has the capacity to filter up to 60 lbs. of pollutants from the air.

9. Use your consumer-power. Buying climate-friendly goods—such as energy-efficient light bulbs or electronics—can encourage manufacturers to go green. As noted above, choose items with less packaging – this also helps save energy.

10. Walk, bicycle or take a train or bus. Only drive in a car if you must. Cars add far more carbon per person to the air than public transport.

11. Minimize use of batteries, use rechargeable batteries.

12. Write to your political leaders. Petition for cleaner cars, better public transport or renewable energy.

13. Use recycled printer/copier paper and double-side whenever possible.


14. Use spell-check and grammar-check before you print out a draft. Use redline and strike-out functions to edit electronic drafts to avoid printing out and marking paper drafts.

15. Download reference materials and save and/or transmit them electronically; print out only the necessary pages.

16. Don’t make extra copies, or more copies than you need; save files and print them when needed.

17. Use the back of used computer paper for note pads and scratch paper; staple them together to make a note pad.

18. Reuse binders and folders.

19. Pack lunch in reusable plastic containers and reusable bags; wash and reuse ceramic/plastic/metal cups, mugs, plates, and cutlery to avoid disposable ones.

20. Eliminate use of Styrofoam cups and plates – they cannot be recycled. Biodegradable alternatives exist for plates, cups, bowls, cutlery etc. etc. etc. and prices are getting competitive.

21. Conserve hot water. Heating water is one of the major draws on household energy. You can cut energy use by taking showers instead of baths, taking shorter showers, and turning down the temperature of the hot water in the shower.

22. Plant and care for trees. Join or create an environmental club. You could do an energy ‘audit’ to explore how your school could save energy and how it might be able to use renewable energy.

23. Let others know. Share what you’ve learned with others. Tell your family, friends, classmates and teachers about climate change and what they can do to participate in the solution. Write a letter to the school newspaper, or even to your local newspaper.


WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

The sun’s energy enters the atmosphere in the form of light waves and heats up the earth. Some of that energy warms the earth and then it is re-radiated back into space in the form of infrared waves. Under normal conditions, a portion of the outgoing infrared radiation is naturally trapped by the atmosphere – and that is a good thing, because it keeps the temperature on earth within comfortable bounds. The problem we now face is that this thin layer of atmosphere is being thickened by huge quantities of human-caused carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. This increased carbon dioxide comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil, and clearing forests. As the atmosphere thickens, it traps a lot of the infrared radiation that would otherwise escape the atmosphere and continue out to the universe. As a result, the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere – and oceans – is getting dangerously warmer. WHAT ARE GREENHOUSE GASES?

Carbon dioxide is the most important, but there are others such as methane and nitrous oxides. What they all have in common is that they allow light from the sun to come into the atmosphere, but trap a portion of the outward-bound infrared radiation, and warm up the air. Having some amount of greenhouse gases is beneficial. Without them, the average temperature of the earth’s surface would be right around 0oF – not a very nice place to live! Greenhouse gases also keep the earth’s surface at a much more hospitable average temperature – almost 59o. But due to increasing concentrations of human-caused greenhouse gases in modern times, we are raising the planet’s average temperature and creating the dangerous changes in climate we see all around us.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE CHANGES?

Glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitats, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing. The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.

Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.

The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.

At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.

If the warming continues, we can expect catastrophic consequences. Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years—to 300,000 people a year.

Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide.

Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense. Droughts and wildfires will occur more often. The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050. More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050.


On the left is a photograph of Muir Glacier taken on August 13, 1941, by glaciologist William O. Field; on the right, a photograph taken from the same vantage on August 31, 2004, by geologist Bruce F. Molnia of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). (Image Credit: National Snow and Ice Data Center, W. O. Field, B. F. Molnia)

SOME FACTS AND FIGURES ON CLIMATE CHANGE

1. Earth’s temperature has varied naturally over thousands of years. We know this from studying coral reefs, fossils, growth rings of trees—and the air trapped in ancient ice deep down in Greenland and Antarctica. But the current warming appears to be caused mostly by humans and is unusually rapid.

2. The atmosphere now contains about 33 per cent more carbon dioxide, the major heat-trapping gas, than it did 150 years ago. It was then that people started using large amounts of energy to fuel the Industrial Revolution in Europe and North America.

3. Europe, Japan and North America burn the most fossil fuels and so have pumped the most carbon into the air. The U.S. alone produces about 25 per cent of the carbon dioxide added by humans.

4. The planet’s average surface temperature has risen nearly one degree Fahrenheit over the past 30 years, more in regions such as the Arctic. In Alaska, Canada and Russia, permafrost is melting. As frozen ground thaws and softens, roads, pipelines, and hundreds of buildings are being badly damaged.

5. Computer models show that over the next 100 years, temperatures will probably rise quite a bit more—as if the planet had a fever. Some places, such as Siberia in northern Russia, may get warmer and easier to farm. But North America’s ‘breadbasket’ will probably grow drier, disrupting farming there.

6. Climate change will hit the poorer countries hardest, even though they emit less carbon dioxide. For instance, people in Africa may face more droughts and related famines.

7. Sea levels are already rising and are expected to climb another 15 to 95 cm this century. If the enormous ice shelves of Greenland or Antarctica slide into the ocean, sea levels would jump nearly 610 cm (20 ft). Places that could disappear beneath the waves include island nations in the Pacific, much of Bangladesh, Shanghai in China, Lagos in Nigeria, New York in the U.S. and many other coastal cities.

8. People are now working to reduce the ‘fever’—mostly by using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels. Experts think that by 2030, renewable sources could produce all the electricity we need.

9. Today, about 2 million households harness solar energy for electricity to light their houses. Nearly 40 million households use the sun to heat water. Millions more get power from the wind, mostly in


Europe, the U.S. and India. Scotland is capturing the power of ocean waves. Iceland is developing hydrogen from water as a major energy source.

10. In Brazil, ethanol made from sugar cane has replaced 44 per cent of the country’s petrol. Ethanol is in use in China, India, and the U.S. as well. Drivers in many countries can choose to cruise in a car powered largely by battery.

11. From Vietnam to Australia, Kenya to Mexico, people are banding together to plant trees. Trees provide shade, wood, nuts, fruit and other products—and can slow climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide.

References:An Inconvenient Truth, by Al Gorewww.climatecrisis.net


Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) – Neil Young

Oh, Mother Earth,With your fields of greenOnce more laid downby the hungry handHow long can yougive and not receiveAnd feed this worldruled by greedAnd feed this worldruled by greed.

Oh, ball of fireIn the summer skyYour healing light,your parade of daysAre they betrayedby the men of powerWho hold this worldin their changing handsThey hold the worldin their changing hands.

Oh, freedom landCan you let this goDown to the streetswhere the numbers growRespect Mother Earthand her giving waysOr trade awayour children's daysOr trade awayour children's days.

Respect Mother Earthand her giving waysOr trade awayour children's days.

sai spiritual education lesson plan … · web viewthe presence of god watches over me. wherever...

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