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13 Ways to Use Brilliant Star Content in Schools and at Home
Kids love receiving their own copy of Brilliant Star in the mail. Our print and online content can be used in a multitude of ways to engage kids and families in the classroom and at home. Brilliant Star is a labor of love created by a team of artists, writers, and designers, with assistance from kid and adult and contributors around the world.
1. Spiritually Empower Kids and Junior Youth
Many teachers use Brilliant Star at seasonal schools and in children’s classes. Each issue has stories, activities, puzzles, and a craft that reinforce virtues, such as love, service, or truthfulness. Every issue also includes a story from the Life of Bahá’u’lláh, a profile of a Bahá’í from history, and an interview with an inspiring Bahá’í.
2. Explore a Treasury of Magazine Issues
Visit the Luminous Library to access over 40 full magazine issues instantly. Browse, read, download, or print the content. Each issue focuses on a timely theme, with activities that engage diverse learning styles.
3. Super Searching
Use the robust search feature to zero in on key topics. Access over 1,000 PDFs and hundreds of online articles. This is a great resource for teachers who volunteer at the last minute, or when you’re short on time.
—Cindy O.
4. Launch Dynamic Discussions
Each activity is the tip of the iceberg—it can be a starting point for in-depth dialogue in class or at home. The pages address issues that kids struggle with, such as racism, bullying, sibling rivalry, the environment, etc. Discussing these issues helps kids explore their own ideas and learn from others. Examples:
Maya’s Mysteries: Does Race Exist?
- Skin color is an adaptation that happened over time because of where our ancestors lived. Can you think of an example?
- Scientists say race is a social idea. What do you think that means?
- What are some ways that racism harms people?
- Racism has been used to give unfair privileges to some people. What are some of those privileges?
- Do you think it’s possible for people to change their own racist ideas?
5. Extend Activities in the Classroom
Each activity is a starting point for learning. Many can be turned into group activities, or can be used along with hands-on companion activities. Articles in the “Seasonal School and Classroom Resources” section of the Parents & Teachers website offer many ideas. Examples:
What Do You Say? - Turn into a role playing activity
Picture Find - Hide items or pictures of them around the room
Adapting and Extending Brilliant Star Activities in Class and at Home
Using Brilliant Star with Multiple Students
6. Adapt Activities for Any Age
Stories and activities can be simplified for younger kids or deepened for older kids. Articles in the “Seasonal School and Classroom Resources” section of the Parents & Teachers website offer ideas. Examples: Six Ways to Use Brilliant Star with Kids 4-7
7. Utilize Parents & Teachers Resources
The Parents & Teachers section of our website offers helpful articles on a wide array of topics, including teaching techniques, developing virtues, nurturing spirituality, and much more. Teachers and volunteers can turn to these resources for inspiration and ideas. Examples:
Gratitude Activities for the Classroom
Teaching Leadership Skills to Kids
8. Build Community and Joy in Intergenerational Spaces
Brilliant Star content includes games and crafts that can be used in intergenerational spaces, such as family sessions at seasonal schools, holy days, cluster meetings, and other events. Brilliant Star’s Treasure Box pages in The American Bahá’í and on our website are a great resource. Games and art aren’t just for kids—they’re beneficial for adults, too. In addition to being fun, they have a variety of community-building benefits.
- Break the ice to encourage open discussion;
- Strengthen relationships among participants, breaking down barriers and removing stereotypes;
- Inspire creative thinking and getting out of your comfort zone (which is also a skill needed to promote race unity);
- Encourage more participation from kids, who are more comfortable with hands-on activities than academic discussions;
- Cooperative art projects can develop capacity for collective action, since participants create a shared vision;
- Singing together actually synchronizes waves in our brains.
Power of Play: A Treasury of Games
Nur's Nook: Your Cool Community
9. Strengthen Family Bonds
Explore Brilliant Star with kids and use games, crafts, and activities as part of family time. If kids prefer reading the magazine on their own, when parents are familiar with the content, they can discuss the concepts with kids at dinner, on walks, and in other casual spaces. When families do crafts and play games together, kids get a chance to see their parents building capacity and getting out of their comfort zone, which are great skills to model.
Get to Know Each Other with Quizzes
10. Engage the Brilliant Star Community
Encourage kids and junior youth to participate in Brilliant Star. Families tell us that it’s exciting for kids, reinforces Bahá’í identity, and is an opportunity to share the Faith with others. There are lots of opportunities:
Radiant Stars (ages 7-14) - sign up online
Trailblazers (ages 7 and up) - sign up online
Share service projects, art, or videos
Write articles, stories, emails, or letters
Facebook: Brilliant Star Magazine
Facebook Group: Brilliant Star Idea Exchange
11. Explore Brilliant Star Online with Kids
Our website offers kids a safe, fun, and imaginative place to play and learn. With our “How to Draw” videos, kids can draw along with our artist, C. Aaron Kreader. We offer interactive quizzes that kids can complete online, with their results and more content about the quiz topic appear instantly. Kids can take polls, read stories, and find crafts. With the “Side Trips” sidebars and “Continue Your Journey” sections, they can easily access new pages and let their curiosity guide them through the website.
12. Request Complimentary Subscriptions for Teachers
Encourage teachers of children’s classes, animators of junior youth groups, and school teachers and counselors in the U.S. to request a complimentary subscription. A form for the request is available on the website.
13. Use Brilliant Star to share the Bahá’í Faith
Our content is designed to be accessible to people of all faiths. It can be shared friends, neighbors, teachers, and colleagues. When kids are published in “Radiant Stars,” they like to share the issue with friends and teachers. The “Space Ace” feature is fun to share, since it has answers to kids’ questions from NASA scientists and astronauts. The “We Are One” feature focuses on the environment and highlights scientists, animals, and places around the world. Gift subscriptions for friends can be ordered online.
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Brilliant Star's Parents & Teachers Newsletter!
Updated on 1.27.20