With the mid-winter solstice fast approaching, Class 3 had the fantastic opportunity to experience the way the Jewish culture celebrates at this time of the year.  We had a visit from Mateo’s dad, who told us the story of the Maccabees and the way the courage of people in a time of great darkness provided hope for the future.  It has been lovely to speak the Hebrew verse and light the Hanukkah candles for 8 days to celebrate this festival as a part of the Class 3 Ancient Hebrew Stories theme.

The Homes and Shelters main lesson in Class 3 is full of interesting facts and amazing creativity.  People from all over the earth found ways of using the natural materials of their local environment to build shelters and homes for themselves. 

We learned about how plants, reeds and grasses can be used by weaving, plaiting and bundling.  In some places they are a plentiful material for making houses, round and square, floating on water or steady on stilts.  Moveable homes such as Noongar Mia-mias, Inuit igloos, Native American tipi and Bedouin tents suit those with a nomadic lifestyle.

Mud, clay, earth and even cow dung can be used to make effective shelters and even whole villages.  Stone can be hollowed out to make caves or collected and fitted together to make homes as big as castles that last for thousands of years.

We have found out the importance of having a home and that many places in the world do not have bathrooms, taps and electricity.  This has been especially relevant this week as we acknowledge World Refugee Day.

We begin each day’s work with the following meditation;

Our Home

The earth is the home of all

Its ceiling the blue sky above.

Its floor is the ground on which we walk

A foundation of self love.

The sun warms our home in the daytime,

The moon and the stars light the night,

And over it all is a great wisdom

That helps us live in ways that are right.

And fashioned by great grace

From water, fire, air and earth,

A body becomes a house for each soul

To dwell in from time of birth.

The heart is the sun which warms our house

The stars are the lights in our mind,

And when in our deeds there is warmth and light

Spirit finds a home in humankind.