Junior Youth Groups and Brilliant Star - Walking the Straight Path

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Activities to Complement JY Groups
V2.1.1.PE (May 2012)

Kids ages 11–15 around the globe develop their characters through the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (JYSEP). With the help of a trained “animator” or tutor, they enhance their powers of expression, initiate services projects to help their communities, explore Bahá’í teachings about universal values, and have fun. Walking the Straight Path (by DL Publicaciones) is one workbook used in the program. It presents 20 stories from various cultures that illustrate themes of good character. Each lesson includes related exercises, a discussion question, and a quotation to memorize.

The Universal House of Justice, the international guiding council of the Bahá’í Faith, notes that the program encourages in junior youth “altruism, an acute sense of justice, eagerness to learn about the universe and a desire to contribute to the construction of a better world … At an age when burgeoning intellectual, spiritual and physical powers become accessible to them, they are being given the tools needed to combat the forces that would rob them of their true identity as noble beings and to work for the common good.”

This list of activities, songs, and stories from Brilliant Star magazine can be used to complement the key themes in the book.

We’d love to know how you’re using Brilliant Star materials with your junior youth groups and what other materials you’d find helpful. E-mail us at brilliant@usbnc.org or share your ideas in our Facebook group, the Brilliant Star Idea Exchange.

 

> Lesson 1: The wise are not fooled by flattery

Story: Fox flatters crow so crow will drop the cheese to sing and fox grabs the cheese.
Quote: “Protect yourselves with utmost vigilance, lest you be entrapped in the snare of deception and fraud.”

Maya’s Mysteries: Be Real - A quiz about being your true self
Vol. 39 No. 6, p. 4

The Magic of You – Connect letters to discover words about being yourself
Vol. 42 No. 3, p. 2

Back from the Brink, by Donna Price – A fiction story about resisting peer pressure
Vol. 42 No. 4, pp. 22-23

 

> Lesson 2: Loking for faults in others is a dangerous habit

Story: A boy thinks he’s better than those who fell asleep during prayers in a beautiful garden.
Quote: “Know ye not why We created you all from the same dust? That no one should exalt himself over the other. Ponder at all times in your hearts how ye were created.”

Putting Out the Gossip Fire - Word unscramble about resisting gossip in a camp scene
Vol. 42 No. 3, p. 27

Gossip Stoppers - Find hidden words about how to stop gossip, especially cyber-bullying
Vol. 40 No. 4, p. 7

Stopping the Gossip - Quiz yourself on how to stop gossip
Vol. 39 No. 6, p. 17

 

> Lesson 3: We have a duty to take care of Earth

Story: The king questions an old man planting trees for the next generation.
Quote: “Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator.”

Maya’s Mysteries: How Earth Heats Up - Experiment about the greenhouse effect
Vol. 45 No. 1, p. 7

An Urgent Message - Unscramble words to discover facts about plastic water bottles
Vol. 45 No. 1, p. 18

Climate Change: Myth or Fact - Quiz about the science facts of climate change
Vol. 45 No. 1, p. 8

Stuart & Gabriella’s Earth Challenge - Challenge friends to earth-friendly tasks
Vol. 45 No. 1, p. 5

What Shade of Green Are You? - Quiz to find your style of helping the earth
Vol. 43 No. 3, p. 17

 

> Lesson 4: We can be moderate and wise about the things we want

Story: A dog with a bone sees his reflection in a river and tries to get the second (reflection of the) bone, which causes him to drop the first one.
Quote: “Concern yourselves with the things that benefit mankind, and not with your corrupt and selfish desires.”

Nur’s Nook: Magical Money - Make a wallet and think about wants and needs
Vol. 43 No. 4, p. 9

Need It or Want It? - Word unscramble about wants and needs
Vol. 45 No. 6, p. 4

 

> Lesson 5: Persevere in seeking your goals

Story: The turtle and the hare race—and turtle wins.
Quote: “The main thing is to remain staunch and firmly rooted, and persevere to the end.”

Treble Chef’s Music Café: Perseverance, by Red Grammer and Pamela Phillips Oland
Vol. 42 No. 4, p. 20

Maya’s Mysteries: Striving for Success - Quiz yourself on staying positive and determined about reaching goals
Vol. 39 No. 4, p. 24

Power of Perseverance - Quiz yourself on how well you stick to challenging goals
Vol. 42 No. 4, p. 6

 

> Lesson 6: Making consistent effort

Story: Two frogs fall into a  bowl of cream. One gives up, but the other swims until the cream turns to butter and he hops out.
Quote: “Absolute repose does not exist in nature. All things either make progress or lose ground.”

Nur’s Nook: Try and Fly Again - Make and test a paper airplane 
Vol. 42 No. 6, p. 8

Nur’s Nook: Leap into Action - Make an origami frog that jumps
Vol. 41 No. 6, p. 9

Make the Leap - Find words in a frog pond about how to adjust to change
Vol. 41. No. 3, p. 8

 

> Lesson 7: Being grateful and patient in times of difficulty

Story: The servant doesn’t complain to the king about the bitter watermelon, since it is nothing in comparison to the sweetness of the king’s justice and compassion.
Quote: “To express his gratitude for the favors of God man must show praiseworthy actions.”

__________’s Gratitude Board – Illustrated version of the watermelon story above, with space to write things that you’re grateful for
Vol. 44 No. 5, p. 27

Nur’s Nook: Terrific Teachers - Make a thank-you card
Vol. 44 No. 5, p. 6

A-maize-ing Escapade, by Donna Price – A fiction story about thankfulness
Vol. 44 No. 5, pp. 20-21

 

> Lesson 8: Community life is an essential part of our existence

Story: An estranged member of the community is compared to a piece of burning wood that is moved apart from the fire and dies down.
Quote: “Shut your eyes to estrangement, then fix your gaze upon unity.”

Nur’s Nook: Your Cool Community - Build your own village craft
Vol. 44 No. 6, p. 6

A Bumpy Ride - Unscramble words in tips about adjusting to new situations (includes the quote above)
Vol. 38 No. 3, p. 5

Riley’s Rainforest: A Big Helping of Unity - Food builds unity in every culture (includes a hummus recipe)
Vol. 38 No. 3, p. 12

 

> Lesson 9: Using the spiritual force of kindness

Story: Androcles, a Roman slave, helps a lion, who later doesn’t eat him in the arena. Both are freed.
Quote: “Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path.”

Maya’s Mysteries: Drops of One Ocean - Matching activity to replace unkind thoughts with kind ones
Vol. 38 No. 3, p. 17

Chain Reaction - Put good deeds in chronological order
Vol. 44 No. 2, p. 19

Golden Rules for the Global School – Complete the teachings from six religions
Vol. 40 No. 5, p. 25

 

> Lesson 10: Making positive choices

Story: An eagle raised as chicken learns his nobility.
Quote: “Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created.”

Prayer for Guidance - “Grant thine infinite bestowals” prayer with vocabulary words and definitions to match
Vol. 38 No. 4, p. 19

Choosing Positive Paths - Match negative thoughts to positive thoughts to replace them
Vol. 43 No. 4, p. 16

What Do You Say? – Practice thinking for yourself under peer pressure
Vol. 38 No. 4, p. 9

 

> Lesson 11: Helping others can bring us joy

Story: Two sisters help a woman and realize they don’t need a reward, but can be grateful for the opportunity to serve.
Quote: “Unto them that are rid of all attachments a deed is, verily, its own reward.”

Maya’s Mysteries: Growing Love – A list of ideas for kind acts of love and service
Vol. 46 No. 1, p. 16

Riley’s Rainforest: Living with Loss - Advice and tips about losing a loved one
Vol. 43. No. 1, p. 8

 

> Lesson 12: Take care that a goal does not become an obsession.

Story: A man obsessed with hunting a bird becomes hunted by a wolf.
Quote: “In all matters moderation is desirable. If a thing is carried to excess, it will prove a source of evil.”

Maya’s Mysteries: Control Your Volcano – Create an erupting volcano model and learn about keeping anger in check
Vol. 42 No. 3, p. 8

Making Sweet Choices - Math activity about moderation in a land of chocolate
Vol. 44 No. 4, p. 27

 

> Lesson 13: Being detached as joy and sorrow come and go

Story: King gets a magic ring that says “This, too, shall pass.”  It reminds him to be content and patient in all circumstances, happy and sad. 
Quote: “Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more.”

When Trouble Troubles You – Memorize a prayer for strength and match words with their meanings 
Vol. 42 No. 4, p. 5

Nur’s Nook: Songs in Space - Make a harmonica to improve your mood
Vol. 44 No. 3, p. 16

Maya’s Mysteries: Staying Afloat - Bubble experiment: which ones last longest? And how to cope with challenges when your "bubble bursts"
Vol. 44 No. 3, p. 8

Maya’s Mysteries: Find the Center - Find balance in life and with this cool experiment about the center of gravity
Vol. 44 No. 4, p. 8

 

> Lesson 14: Be mindful and think clearly

Story: A man searching for a special pebble got into such a habit of throwing the pebbles away that he accidently threw the valuable one away.
Quote: “Be ye on your guard and ever wakeful! Quick-witted and keen of intellect are the faithful, and firm and steadfast are the assured.”

Are You a Shopping Zombie? - Find items related to smart shopping
Vol. 45 No. 1, p. 17

Are You Curious? - Quiz yourself on your thirst for knowledge 
Vol. 44 No. 3, p. 5

You Be the Judge! - Game about solving tricky dilemmas, like unsupervised parties and bullying.
Vol. 38 No. 4, p. 11

 

> Lesson 15: Make truthful choices

Story: A boy is honest about his seeds that didn’t grow, and he is royally rewarded.
Quote: “Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues. Without truthfulness progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are impossible for any soul.”

Li and the Emperor’s Seeds - Illustrated seed story from the lesson, set in China
Vol. 39 No. 4, p. 4

Truthful Talk - Practice truthfulness by unscrambling words in a mall scene
Vol. 43 No. 4, p. 7

 

> Lesson 16: Even God’s smallest creatures are important

Story: A lion learns to value the friendship of a mouse.
Quote: “One must see in every human being only that which is worthy of praise. When this is done, one can be a friend to the whole human race.”

Treble Chef’s Music Café: Stand with Me, by Dean Jones - Solidarity song about standing with every little person
Vol. 45 No. 2, p. 13

Maya’s Mysteries: Colors of Humanity - Think about human diversity during this rainbow experiment
Vol. 42 No. 2, p. 23

Riley’s Rainforest: The Spice of Life – How food reflects unity and diversity (includes guacamole recipe)
Vol. 42 No. 2, p. 21

 

> Lesson 17: Justice and compassion

Story: A family who made the grandfather eat alone learned compassion from the grandson.
Quote: “For the attributes of the people of faith are justice, and fair-mindedness; forbearance and compassion and generosity; consideration for others; candor, trustworthiness, and loyalty; love and loving kindness; devotion and determination and humanity.”

Crossing the Creek - Story about seeing things from your friend’s point of view
Vol. 46 No. 2, p. 24

Share the Magic - Find hidden pictures about helping seniors with tech issues
Vol. 44 No. 2, p. 18

 

> Lesson 18: Give things up to be free

Story: A monkey who would not give up his nuts to free himself is captured.
Quote: “No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth.”

Riley’s Rainforest: Can Money Buy Happiness? - True wealth comes from things like good relationships
Vol. 44 No. 4, p. 4

What Do You Say? – Respond to conflicts about spending money
Vol. 44 No. 4, p. 9

 

> Lesson 19: Forgiving others will lighten our burdens

Story: A teacher makes kids carry sacks with a potato for every grudge they hold.
Quote: “But if he who has been struck pardons and forgives, he shows the greatest mercy. This is worthy of admiration.”

Sincerely Sorry - Practice how to say you’re sorry in two scenes
Vol. 45 No. 5, p. 24

Mild as Milk - Practice calming conversations as you unscramble words
Vol. 44 No. 1, p. 17

Two Ears, One Mouth – Complete these tips about good listening skills
Vol. 44 No. 1, p. 6

 

> Lesson 20: Universal participation and cooperation

Story: To be effective, a typewriter needs all the keys to be working. Even one broken key makes a difference.  
Quote: “So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth.”

Your Actions Add UP! - Do the math about recycling to see how you make a difference
Vol. 45 No. 1, p. 21

Are You a Team Player? – Take this quiz to see how you score on family unity
Vol. 45 No. 4, p. 9

Unity Challenge - Challenge your friends to complete this list of unity tips
Vol. 45 No. 2, p. 21

 

For more information about the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program, see www.ruhi.org.

 

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Updated on 2.12.15