Week Seven - The Panda Bear

Grades 4 - 6

 

Subject: Gratitude - The Panda Bear

This week’s lesson is all about saying thank you with our thinking mind - The Panda Bear.

Step One: The DIY Belly Buddy Crafting Project

Make your own Belly Buddy!

In order to get the most out of the Belly Buddy program, you will first need to make this week’s Belly Buddy. A Belly Buddy is an animal craft that relates to this week’s brain science lesson. You will need it for the lesson and the meditation practice. We recommend you make The Panda Bear Belly Buddy from a toilet paper roll. Make it as early in the week as you can, so you have time to use it during the week. Click here for toilet paper animal template.

When you are done, roll up an old sock and push it inside the toilet paper roll to give your Belly Buddy some weight and stability.

A Streamlined Option

Simply use a plush toy or place a hand on the belly while practicing the bedtime lesson and meditation.

Step Two: Play The Panda Bear Lesson & Meditation - 8 minutes

When your Panda Bear Belly Buddy is complete, (or you may choose to use an existing plush toy or to simply place a hand on the belly in place of the Belly Buddy), listen to the Lesson and Meditation below, at bedtime. You can listen with your Parent/Guardian, or on your own. You can come back and listen to the lesson as often as you like. Your Parents/Guardians also have their own Lesson to listen to. Ask them if they plan to take their Mindfulness lesson this week!

Step Three: Meditation Reflection

Please consider these questions on your own or discuss with a Parent/Guardian.  There are no wrong answers.

  1. What did you say thank you for with your thinking mind?

  2. How did your body feel when you practiced being thankful?

  3. Was there a spot in your body where you could notice more feelings/sensations when you practiced being thankful (for example, triggered a smile on your face, tingling in your chest)?

Step Four: Do you remember your Mindful Challenge for this week?

Each morning choose three small things you are thankful for and then close your eyes and picture these things close to you in your mind as you lie in your bed.  Say thank you for these special things with your thinking mind and notice how your body, mind and heart feel.

Step Five: Listen to this Meditation at Bedtime - 6 minutes

Every night, at bedtime, practice the Gratitude Meditation before you go to sleep.

Step Six: Journal Exercise

It may not be hard to be thankful for the happy and positive things in our lives, but what about a difficult or ‘bad’ experience?  Perhaps one that you did not have a lot of control over.  

Write about a challenging or difficult experience that you are now thankful for.  Consider how this experience helped you to learn an important lesson or grow stronger in a valuable way.

Congratulations! You have completed Week Seven!

Did your Parent/Guardian complete their Week Seven?