Bodhi Day

Status: MODERATED

Grade Level: High School

Objectives:

The students will know the significance of Bodhi Day

Materials:

• Bodhi Leave form.

• Butcher paper (or another paper, at least 3 x 3 feet

• Gold paper (not gold leaf)

• Scissors

• Pen

• Dark poster board (black works well)

Preparation:

1. Make copies of the Bodhi Leaves form

Method:

1. Opening Gassho

2. Intro - Ask about the meaning of Bodhi Day?

3. Pass out the worksheet and present the Bodhi Day presentation

4. Read out the Bodhi Day worksheet answers

5. Discuss what students think of this

6. Make the Gold Leaf collage

   1. Each student puts their "wish for the world" on the lines in the form.

   2. Using temporary tape (blue tape) put a gold paper on the back of the form so it covers the bodhi leaf.

   3. Using scissors, cut out the leaf along with the gold paper. You will be left with a white "leaf" and the identical gold leaf.

   4. Using a pen cap make the veins of the leaves in the gold leaf. Looking at a copy of a actual Bodhi leaf helps.

   5. Glue the tip of the gold leaf to the white leaf (so that you can "peel" the gold leaf and read the white one).

   6. Make smaller leaves that are different from the larger leaf.

   7. Arrange the leaves so that they form a larger Bodhi leaf together on a poster board.

   8. Put a message on the back summarizing the project and have some all the students sign it.

7. Evaluation/Summary

   1. Ask what was memorable about Bodhi Day

   2. Ask what they like best about Bodhi Day

8. Closing Gassho

Evaluation:

During the Evaluation stage.

Notes:

This most likely is a multi-day lesson. 

Author:

Mas Nishimura, nish221.at.gmail.com, San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, 2024