Curriculum - Rangoli Academy SF

Culture Studies: The Incredible India Discovery Series

This series is intended to instill a sense of identity, pride and global citizenship through a deep understanding of Indian heritage. This matters because they develop :
Emotional Intelligence: Understanding different traditions fosters empathy and respect for diversity.
Analytical Thinking: Comparing different states and historical eras builds a strong “big picture” worldview.
Confidence in Roots: Knowing the history of their names, languages, and festivals gives children a strong sense of belonging.
Holistic Learning: We connect history to geography, geography to clothing, and clothing to climate—making learning a connected web rather than isolated facts.

Fun Fact: We designed a Cultural Passport and as they completed each module, they will receive a ‘Heritage Stamp’ and work towards graduating as Junior Cultural Ambassadors!

Some of the examples of our culture studies curriculum include:

Theme	Topics	Core Topics & Learning Pillars	Activity/Project
Identity & Origins	1. India: The Great Map	Indian States, Capitals, and Geographic Diversity (Himalayas to Oceans).	The Giant Map: Creating a physical map of India.
	2. Voices of India	Introduction to Major Languages (Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, etc.) and Scripts.	Name in 5 Scripts: Learning to write their name in different Indian scripts.
	3. Pillars of Freedom	Historical Figures (Ashoka, Akbar) & Freedom Fighters (Bapu, Bose, Sarojini Naidu).	The Time Machine: Role-playing a famous speech from history.
The Performing Arts	4. Echoes of the Past	Classical Musical Instruments (Veena, Sitar, Tabla) and the concept of “Nada.”	Instrument Petting Zoo: Hearing and identifying sounds of some of the folk instruments.
	5. The Divine Dance	The 8 Classical Dance forms (Bharatanatyam, Kathak, etc.) & Mudras (Hand gestures).	Mudra Stories: Telling a whole story using only hand gestures.
	6. Rhythm of the Soil	Regional Folk Dances, Festive Music, and community drumming traditions.	Beat of the Drum: Learning a simple rhythm on a Dhol or Ghatam.
Living Traditions	7. The Festive Calendar	Meaning behind major festivals (Holi, Diwali, Eid, Onam, Pongal).	Festival Journal: Tracking the moon phases for Indian festivals and learning about each festival.
	8. Threads & Textures	Traditional Clothing (Sari, Dhoti, Pheran) and the history of Indian Textiles (Khadi, Silk).	The Fashion Show with Indian costumes from various states.
	9. Sacred Nature	Indian Sacred Trees (Peepal, Tulsi), Ayurveda basics, and the “Respect for Life.”	The Kitchen Pharmacy: Identifying 5 spices in a spice box.
Wisdom & Play	10. The Poet’s Corner	Legendary Poets (Kalidasa, Kabir, Tagore) and Modern Authors (R.K. Narayan)	Poetry Jam: Reading a “Doha” (couplet) or a short nature poem.
	11. The Artist’s Eye	Visionaries like Raja Ravi Varma & the philosophy of Indian Aesthetics	Gallery Walk: Analyzing a classical Indian painting for hidden symbols.
	12. The Indian Arena	Traditional Sports (Kabbadi, Kho-Kho) and ancient games (Chess, Snakes & Ladders)	Game Day: A tournament of traditional Indian board games.

Level	Category	Core Syllabus (Grammar & Vocabulary)	Practical & Cultural Integration
1	Introduction	The Basics: Introduction to Swar (vowels) and Vyanjan (consonants). Common nouns (Colors, Numbers 1-20, Animals, Fruits).	Songs & Rhymes: Learning simple children’s songs (e.g., Lakdi ki Kathi) to get used to the phonetics and rhythm of the language.
2	Beginner I	Sentences & Pronouns: I/You/He/She (Main, Tum, Aap, Yeh, Woh). Basic verbs (To eat, To go, To sit). Simple “A is B” sentences.	Greetings: Learning to introduce oneself, saying “Namaste,” and basic etiquette words (Thank you, Please, Sorry).
3	Beginner II	Everyday Life: Family relations, Parts of the body, Time, and Days of the week. Post-positions (In, On, To, From).	Social Interaction: Basic question words (Who, What, Where, Why). Learning to ask for directions or prices at a market.
4	Beginner+	The Present Tense: Masculine vs. Feminine word endings. Present continuous (I am doing) and Habitual (I do) actions.	Describing the World: Using adjectives to describe people and places. Learning a popular Bollywood chorus to understand sentence flow.
5	Intermediate I	Past & Future: Talking about what you did yesterday or plans for tomorrow. Expression of “Want” (Chahiye) and “Can” (Sakta).	Storytelling: Describing a short sequence of events or a movie plot. Role-playing common scenarios like “At a Restaurant” or “At the Airport.”
6	Intermediate II	Colloquial Speaking: Common sentences, idioms, and fillers used. Using “Ne” with past tense (the most vital colloquial hurdle).	Fluency & Discussion: Having a 5-minute conversation on a favorite hobby. Understanding lyrics of meaningful songs and debating simple “This or That” topics.

Equipping Young Minds with Timeless Tools for Modern Life

Class Duration: 30 Minutes Weekly | Focus: Character Building & Emotional Intelligence

The “Values & Wisdom Lab” is designed to help children navigate the world with a strong internal compass. Using the “Mirror of Wisdom,” we explore ancient epics, modern literature, and Vedantic philosophy to transform “Information” into “Transformation.”

Curriculum Overview

Module	Core Value & Concept	The “Wisdom Snippet”	Story Anchor
I. The Hero Within	Bravery & Self-Belief	“Good people aren’t fearless; they are just brave for 10 minutes longer.”	Krishna & Kaaliya Snake / Harry Potter
II. The Art of Choice	Mind vs. Intellect	Choosing based on reason/logic (Intellect) rather than likes/dislikes (Mind).	Duryodhana’s Dilemma / The Lottery Ticket
III. The Happiness Lab	True vs. False Joy	“The Path of the Good” is difficult at first but rewarding in the end.	The Painter of Krishna & Kamsa / Ryan’s Well
IV. Relationship Magic	Love & Kindness	Love is understanding others as they are, not as we want them to be.	Krishna & Sudama / The Real Mother (Vikram-Betaal)
V. The Giving Tree	Law of Unselfishness	A life based on GIVING creates happiness; taking leads to suffering.	Bharat’s Sacrifice / Angad & Hanuman in Lanka
VI. Mental Mastery	Thought Power	“No one can destroy iron but its own rust. No one can destroy you but your own negative thoughts.”	Adi Shankaracharya / The Old Man’s Garden
VII. Success Mindset	Passion & Grit	Success requires doing the right thing at the right time with consistency.	Martin Luther King Jr. / The Bodyguard’s Sacrifice
VIII. Social Wisdom	Avoiding Herd Mentality	Think before you act; do not follow the crowd blindly.	Krishna’s Birth / Akbar & Birbal

“Wisdom in Action” (Sample Homework)

The Service Challenge: “Try to serve food to someone else in your family first, before putting it on your plate.”
The Anger Audit: “Try not to get irritated for 3 days. Remember: The world will be irritating, but I should not be irritated.”
The Quality Quest: “This week, follow the qualities of a hero: be brave, be helpful, and no back-answering.”

Why Vedanta for Kids?

“Vedanta means the Highest Knowledge—that which ends all sorrows.”

In our 30-minute weekly lab, we move beyond “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” We teach children to be the “Angels”—those who use their intellect to assess situations rightly and choose the Path of the Good over the Path of the Pleasant.

Fun theme examples	Suryanamaskar Goal examples	Animal Poses examples
The Little Seed	Learning the 12 steps of Sun Salutation as a slow-motion “story.”	Jungle Poses: Butterfly, Lion Breath, and Cobra.
The Tall Tree	Performing 3 rounds of Sun Salutation with “Super-Hero” breathing.	Balance Poses: Tree Pose (Vrikshasana) and Flamingo.
The Strong Warrior	Increasing to 6 rounds and holding the “Plank” (Mountain) position.	Strength Poses: Warrior I & II, and The Bridge.
The Flexible Cat	Doing Sun Salutations to the beat of music or a drum.	Flexibility Poses: Cat-Cow, Downward Dog, and Frog Jumps.
The Yoga Ninja	Performing 10 rounds of Sun Salutation and leading a “Quiet Time” (Savasana).	Confidence Poses: Airplane Pose and Bow Pose.

From Mud Walls to Masterpieces! 🎨

Our Visual Folk Arts curriculum is a year-long exploration of India’s soul. We move beyond standard drawing to teach children the ancient languages of dots, triangles, mirrors, and stamps. Each month, students “travel” to a new state, master a unique tribal technique, and create a gallery-worthy piece of heritage art.

Quarter	Month	Art Form	State	Key Skill for Children
Q1: The Magic of Lines	1	Warli Art	Maharashtra	Geometric Storytelling: Using triangles to draw people and movement.
	2	Chittara Art	Karnataka	Grid Mastery: Learning to draw intricate patterns on a square grid.
	3	Kolam	Tamil Nadu	Flow & Focus: Creating “infinite loops” through a series of dots.
Q2: Nature & Patterns	4	Madhubani	Bihar	Bold Outlining: Mastering the “double-line” technique and bright colors.
	5	Gond Art	Madhya Pradesh	Pattern Filling: Using dots and dashes to create “textures” inside animals.
	6	Kalamkari	Andhra Pradesh	Organic Motifs: Learning to draw the “Tree of Life” and floral vines.
Q3: Texture & 3D Art	7	Lippan Art	Gujarat	3D Geometry: Working with clay (or dough) and mirrors to create relief art.
	8	Rangoli (Sand Art)	North India	Color Blending: Learning how to shade and fill large areas with colored sand.
	9	Dot Rangoli	Pan-India	Math & Symmetry: Connecting dots to create perfect 6-point and 8-point stars.
Q4: Stamps & Stories	10	Bagru block printing	Rajasthan	Block Printing: Using “found objects” (potatoes/sponges) to create repeat patterns.
	11	Pattachitra	Odisha	Character Design: Learning to draw expressive eyes and traditional costumes.
	12	Phad Art	Rajasthan	The Grand Finale: Creating a mini “Story Scroll” on a long piece of paper.

Level	Group	Core Syllabus (Practical)	Musical Concepts & Focus
1	Beginner	Sarali Varisai, Janta Varisai, Upper Sthayi Varisai, Daattu Varisai, and Sapta Tala Alankarams with Akara Sadagams.	Focus on Shruti consistency, Swarasthana precision, and Laya (rhythm) across 3 speeds.
2	Beginner	All Pillar Geethams (at least 5-10), Beginner Swarajathis (e.g., Rara Venu), and Nottuswaras or Swara Pallavis.	Introduction to Sahitya (lyrics) pronunciation and basic Raga structures.
3	Beginner+	Advanced Swarajathis (e.g., Samba Shiva) and initial 4 Adi Tala Varnams in two speeds.	Development of Raga Bhava (expression) in popular ragas like Mohanam and Kalyani.
4	Beginner+	Total of 8 Adi Tala Varnams, 5 simple Kritis (Adi/Rupaka tala), and Semi-classical compositions (Bhajans/Abhangs).	Performance of fundamental lessons in Melakartha ragas other than Mayamalavagowla.
5	Intermediate	Introduction to Ata Tala Varnams (2), 20 total Kritis, and the first Thyagaraja Pancharatna.	Mastery of complex ragas like Keeravani, Sri Ranjani, and Poorvi Kalyani.
6	Intermediate	3 Ata Tala Varnams, 35 total Kritis, 2 Pancharatnas, and introductory Manodharmam (Brief Alapana & Swarakalpana).	Introduction to creative improvisation in basic ragas like Hindolam and Pantuvarali.
7	Intermediate	Adi Tala Varnams in 3 speeds, 50 total Kritis (including Chowka Kala), and expanded Alapana/Swarakalpana.	Focus on varied Talas (Misra Chapu, Khanda Chapu) and ragas like Sahana and Anandabhairavi.
8	Advanced	4 Thyagaraja Pancharatnas, 65 total Kritis (at least 4 in Chowka Kala), and Advanced Manodharmam with Neraval.	Identification of ragas and proficiency in complex rhythmic structures (Mukhtayis).
9	Advanced	Varnams in Tisra Nadai, Padams, Javalis, and Scholarly Kritis (Navavarna, Navagraha, Shyama Sastri Swarajathis).	Introduction to Ragam Tanam Pallavi (RTP) and scholarship in major ragas like Charukesi and Ranjani.
10	Graduate	Mastery of 100+ Kritis, Full RTP performance, Viruttams, Slokams, and Ragamalika Swaraprastharas.	Professional proficiency including Grahabhedam and concert-ready presentation style.