1. Warm-Up Brainstorm… take a few minutes to free write, list, or draw – however you think best. Who am I? What makes me important/special/unique? What are my favorite things? What are my favorite hobbies? What means more to me than anything else? If someone had to list three items or symbols to represent me, what would they be? Why? What colors represent me? Why? Who/what has influenced you? What are some of your life goals/hopes/dreams?

2. What is a Mandala? The term mandala is from the classical Indian language of Sanskrit and is loosely translated to mean "circle“ or “complete”. However, it is far more than a simple shape! A mandala is... an integrated structure organized around a unifying center.

3. The Mandala Describing both material and non-material realities, the mandala appears in all aspects of life: the celestial circles we call earth, sun, and moon, as well as conceptual circles of friends, family, and community. Mandalas occur frequently in nature, art, and architecture.

4. Catholic Church Rose Window, Sweden

5. Personal Mandala A personal mandala is a tool used for self observation, growth, or goal making. combines elements of an individual’s life, making a unique story based on the past, present and future. is made based on information regarding personal beliefs, relationship to nature, family, animals, and so on. is often created spontaneously and always unique to the individual - therefore no two are ever the same. can be used for individuals or groups - for particular themes and occasions- such as weddings, anniversaries, special birthdays and any celebration of new beginnings—the beginning of a new school year or semester.

6. Your Personal Mandala To celebrate a new school year, you are going to design your own personal mandala. Your personal mandala will represent you as a diverse and unique individual who is needed as part of our class dynamic. It will be displayed among the other students’ mandala designs to symbolize you as an important part of our class, thus illustrating the concept of part of a whole.

7. So how do I start? Go back to your warm-up. Try to pick out a few things that stand out as you think about who you are. How can you symbolize those things/ qualities/characteristics/ goals/achievements/hobbies/etc.? How can you use colors to further represent these things? Once you have decided on some symbols and colors, you will need to determine how to put them in a circular pattern to create a mandala. Often people suggest that the center of a mandala should represent you as a whole, while the quadrants should represent different parts/qualities. Use a template or create your own. But do a DRAFT first! How you do this is up to you…

8. Quick Review of Color Symbolism

18. Exit Slip What are 3 goals you have for this year? Goals should always be SMART: – Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Relevant – Time-Bound