Sr Alif blogs

We are so excited to interview Rania Shalaby, a mother of 3 who loves to be a part of her children’s education. She is a teacher for LA Public School for over 12 years. She has amazing ideas on educating her children’s non Muslim friends and teachers about her deen especially during the Eid season. Here she gives us ideas on how to involve your child’s teachers and classmates in the celebration of Eid.

“When my oldest child started Kindergarten, I started looking for ways to bring in our Islamic heritage into her school. For my daughter’s birthday, I donated the book My First Ramadan by Karen Katz to her class.

During the winter holiday season, I donated Eid decorations and crafts for the classroom. My daughter’s teacher was totally on board. Typically, schools celebrate the winter holidays (ie Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa) with a holiday performance of some kind. That year, the school’s performance was the Nutcracker, so I couldn’t exactly request an Eid song to be included. They were however decorating the school auditorium with wrapped gifts. So I went on www.silverenvelope.com and ordered Eid wrapping paper and wrapped as many empty boxes that I could find. I don’t know if anyone in the audience noticed but my daughter and I were sure proud of ourselves.”

When my daughter was in 1st grade. I wrote up something describing Eid Al-Adha to the teacher and donated pencils inscribed with “HAPPY EID! EID MUBARAK” that I ordered from www.orientaltrading.com to be passed out to the students. This is the letter I wrote to the teacher….

Dear Teacher,
This weekend our family celebrated Eid Ul-Adha. It is not a very well known holiday but it is one of two holidays Muslims celebrate each year around the world. We follow a lunar calendar so our holidays fall on different dates each year. Our family usually goes to prayers early in the morning then gets together with family and friends where children usually receive gifts or money.
During this holiday season, there are usually discussions in the classroom about different family traditions and students usually learn different holiday songs and/or do holiday crafts. There are 4 Muslim families that I know of in 1st grade this year, 3 of whom are in our class. I would greatly appreciate it if some effort is made to include our traditions in your holiday discussions.
I put an Eid song on a CD and have included the lyrics. I also have a picture book that discusses this Eid. Please use them if you’d like.
Thank You.

This is the link for the Eid song I gave her. The picture book I gave her was 4-3-2-1 Eid ul-adha is so much fun! by Amira Gadd and Mariam Saada.

I realized later that I should have requested to go in myself to the class to discuss the holiday because I found out from my daughter that she didn’t do much other than read the book and pass out the pencils. But again, my daughter felt proud and that was enough for me. During the school holiday performance that year, I listened to Christmas songs in English and Spanish, Hanukkah songs, Kwanzaa songs, and even a Hawaiian Christmas song. I must tell you that I can count the school’s African American and Hawaiian population all on one hand. So, I felt very underrepresented and vowed to take a bigger stand the next year.

When my daughter got to 2nd grade, I had enough courage to plainly request that an Eid song be a part of their holiday performance. This time I got smart, and got 3 other families to sign the letter with me. Here is what we wrote:

Dear 2nd Grade Teachers;

We would like to let you know of an important holiday coming up in Mid-November: Eid Ul-Adha. It is not a very well known holiday but it is one of two holidays Muslims celebrate each year around the world. We follow a lunar calendar so our holidays fall on different dates each year.
During this holiday season, there are usually discussions in the classroom about different family traditions and students usually learn different holiday songs and/or do holiday crafts. We are 4 Muslim families currently in your classes this year. We would greatly appreciate it if some effort is made to include our traditions in your holiday discussions. We would be delighted if you choose an Eid song to include in your holiday program. Here is a link where you can listen to a very easy Eid song and we have attached the music sheet for it. We also have a picture book that discusses this Eid if you wish to borrow it. http://www.nancymusic.com/Eidplay.htm
Thank You.

One of the 2nd grade teachers, the best teacher in the world in my eyes, responded to our letter and said that 2nd grade will sing this song as part of their winter performance. Here is a youtube of their performance…

This same wonderful teacher also told us that they will be doing a holiday rotation, where the 2nd grade students visit 4 different classrooms and learn about 4 different holidays: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Eid. We were so delighted. Here is what was planned for the 30 glorious minutes:
The room was decorated with some Eid decorations I found online.The teacher did her own research and created a short powerpoint.She read aloud the book My First Ramadan. Ahead of time, we had baked and decorated star and crescent shaped cookies for the students to enjoy. Students were given a hand cutout and brown markers and they colored in designs similar to henna. And as a goodie bag, students received a couple of dates and a pencil inscribed with “HAPPY EID! EID MUBARAK!”
It was such a great day. The best part is that my daughter now feels that Eid is on the same footing as Christmas and Hanukkah. Alhamdulilah!
I can’t wait to see what I’ll get the courage to ask for in 3rd grade!”

Sr Alif blogs

“Verily we have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’ân in order that you may understand” Surah Yusuf: 2

I am getting a lot of requests to share Arabic activities for our littlest readers, so here is one we play in Ramadan….

Arabic Sahoor/Fasting Game: DOWNLOAD GAME HERE: Arabic Game

• Shuffle cards and place them in any container that the cards can sit in.
• The first player takes a card, saying the Arabic letter card they pull out. Also, they can pretend to eat it.
• This player keeps taking cards until a ‘fasting time’ card appears (which really means, you miss your turn!) then the play moves to the next person. When all cards have been played, count your cards. The player with the most cards is the winner!

Sr Alif blogs

From ‘Aa’ishah, RA who said: “The Prophet SAW used to tighten his waist-wrapper (izaar) – (meaning detached himself from his wives in order to worship, and exerted himself in seeking Lailatul-Qadr), spend the night in worship, and wake the family in the last ten nights.”

(Bukhari, Muslim)

A night such as Lailatul Qadr is a special night, let’s not over look the idea of teaching our children about it! 

Points to remind the children about this special Night of Power: 

1. This was not granted to any other religious community (Ummah) before Muslims.

2. Allah gave us this one night to do as much worship as we can do because one night of worship is like worshipping for 1000 months!  And 1000 months equal more than 83 years of your life! Imagine if we can get all our Ibadah done in this one night? How lucky we would be when we have to face our scales on the Day of Judgement? 

3. It is the night in which the Qur’an’s first words were revealed to Muhammad (SAW).

4. It is the night when every matter of ordainment is decreed. 

5. Qadr means Power

Signs of Lailatul Qadr

Allah has kept this night a secret, but we know that it falls in the last 10 days of Ramadan. There are also some signs that reveal which night is Lailatul Qadr:

• The night will be peaceful, neither hot nor cold, with a clear moon shinning but with no rays.
• There will be no shooting stars in the night
• At sunrise the sun will rise as just a disc without and radiant beams of light.
• One companion of the Prophet reported that on Lailatul Qadr he tasted sea water and it was sweet.

Ayahs that talk about Lailatul Qadr in the Quran 

I love this site! It explains about the Tafseer of Suratul Alaq for children. 

You can also teach them the Surah Qadr. The Night of Power. Below is a powerful recitation by a child.

Here is a Quran recitation that can be repeated

Learning Hadith

Narrated ‘Aisha: “Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Search for the Night of Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.’” (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 32, Number 234)

Rasool SAW said: “Whoever stands in (Prayer) in Lailatul-Qadr out of Eemaan and seeking reward then his previous sins are forgiven.” (Bukhari)

‘Aa’ishah, RA said: “O Messenger of Allaah! What if I knew which night Lailatul-Qadr was, then what should I say in it?” He said: “Say: Allaahumma innaka ‘affuwwun tuhibbul ‘afwa fa’fu ‘annee.” (O Allaah you are the one who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon, so pardon me.) (at-Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

Islamic Story

The knowledge of Lailatul Qadr was removed from Prophet’s memory when he saw two Muslims arguing.

‘Ubaadah ibn as-Saamit, RA said: The Prophet SAW came out intending to tell us about Lailatul-Qadr, however two men were arguing and he said: “I came out to inform you about Lailatul-Qadr but so and so, and, so and so were arguing, so it was raised up, and perhaps that is better for you, so seek it on the (twenty) ninth and (twenty) seventh and the (twenty) fifth.” (Bukhari)

This story teaches the children that Muslims should not fight or even argue among themselves or we lose Barakah. Also, that we can never be sure when is Lailtul Qadr so it’s better to observe all of these nights in the hope of catching the real night. More Ibadah, more Thawab! 

Crafts and Activities

Set up a kids tent for Itikaaf. Equipped with sleeping bags, quran, dua book,  and snacks,  have them set up a little tent in the living room to observe Itikaaf.

Make A family Mobile  from TJ Ramadan - http://tj-ramadan.tripod.com/LastTenDaysMobile.pdf

Make a Cave Hira Painting: Have your child mix sand and brown paint, and paint Cave-Hira. Paint the sky navy blue or black. Add the first Ayat of Suratul Alaq in English. Here is a sample. Write The Night of Power! Lailatul-Qadr in Arabic with glitter. You can also add glitter inside the cave.

Sr Alif blogs

Lesson #1  

Narrated by Aisha, Ummul Mu’minin: When the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) arrived after the expedition to Tabuk or Khaybar (the narrator is unsure), the draught raised an end of a curtain which was hung in front of her store-room, revealing some dolls which belonged to her.

He asked: What is this? She replied: My dolls. Among them he saw a horse with wings made of rags, and asked: What is this I see among them? She replied: A horse. He asked: What is this that it has on it? She replied: Two wings. He asked: A horse with two wings? She replied: Have you not heard that Solomon had horses with wings? She said: Thereupon the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) laughed so heartily that I could see his molar teeth.

.

Make a toy horse with wings to teach kids about this incident! My friend’s 4 year old daughter Ayeshah was quietly playing in the living  room, as I was chatting with her mother. I had to take a sneak peak to look at why she was so quiet. To my pleasant surprise she was not watching television or zoned on Leapster, but playing with a small toy horse. I exclaimed, “Oh Ayesha! That’s exactly what the Prophet’t wife used to play with. She had the same name like you too-Ayeshah. She played with a horse toy too…but her horse  had wings!” “Why did it have wings?” So I told her the hadith about the toy horse. “My horse does not have wings…I know!! I can make my OWN wings!” and then she left in a hurry to her room, and came back with two cut out paper wings and she asked me to help her color the wings as she add the finishing touches. And voila! 

Lesson #2   

Narrated Ar-Rubi’ bint Mu’awadh: The Prophet sent a messenger to the village of the Ansar in the morning of the day of ‘Ashura’ (10th of Muharram) to announce: ‘Whoever has eaten something should not eat but complete the fast, and whoever is observing the fast should complete it.’  She further said, “Since then we used to fast on that day regularly and also make our boys fast. We used to make toys of wool for the boys and if anyone of them cried for, he was given those toys till it was the time of the breaking of the fast.”

Get inspired and teach your children to get busy and creative while fasting- just as their little brothers did from generations ago! Here is a list to of ways to keep the kids occupied and relive our deen’s history from this hadith:

Make Muslim yarn dolls: Crafty? Get creative with Umm Abdul Basir’s Muslim Yarn Dolls. 

Make a Muslim doll : Not that crafty? Use Smart Ark’s simple Doll craft kit.

Make Muslim Paper dolls: Download these paper dolls! From A Muslim Child is Born blog.

Lesson #3 

 It’s so important to study and learn our history and deen directly from the Quran. It is rich in stories that we all can learn from. Teaching Quran may be challenging to some,  but an introduction to all the prophets’ stories is a great way to begin!  

Teaching Islamic Stories using Lego figurines: Older children will enjoy this project a lot. After reading through the many pages of the Quran in this fun and creative form, they will surely inspire to make their own. This is a very effective way to learn from the Quran. Why not make them study Surah Kahf on Friday and then get them to make their own Cave stories with their lego pieces? 

These are just ideas to interest your child in Islam by using the means that they enjoy the most.  If something worked for you and your child, we would love to hear from you and add it to this list! Write to us at jannahsteps@gmail.com

Sr Alif blogs

So many math concepts can be taught in the month of Ramadan! Here are some nifty ideas with masjid math connections! 

1. Here is a shape coloring page for kids to color during Tarawih time! DOWNLOAD HERE: masjid math #1

2. Build some Masajid from around the world using pattern blocks. Pattern blocks are a popular form of teaching geometry, symmetry, and patterns. This site offers an Islamic twist. Well worth printing the color downloads too: http://www.scribd.com/doc/21335679/pattern-blocks-masjids

3. Have fun making these 3-D Masjid using legos. What a great way to spend time with your child building masajid with legos! This clever Muslim mom made wonderful masajid with her child. Two models so far…would love to see some more!

4. Recycle containers can be made into 3-D mosques! This is quite a challenge if your kids are little, but it’s good pass time if you like to papermache and have the time to spend with them. I would recommend making a smaller masjid with the little ones, and tape the boxes together before the child adds the strips. Also, this is a great way to teach 3-D shapes i.e.cube, cylinder, dome, pyramid. This is a great project for the older ones to complete on their own! 

Sr Alif blogs

Kudos to these wonderful Muslim homeschoolers who share their awesome lessons on Ramadan. In the future, we will add links to our favorites. Insh-Allah. For now I’d like to mention some of the wonderful worksheets that they have contributed for the growing little Pre-K and Kindergarten Muslims for the month of Ramadan.

Go over the Alphabet with this special Ramadan themed alif, baa, taa from Handmade Beginnings!

http://handmadebeginnings.blogspot.com/2010/08/abc-of-ramadan-colouring-book.html

A Muslim Child is Born Blog came up with this Ramadan Activity themed Book. Colorful and bright to make children enjoy their math and reading skills during Ramadan!

http://amuslimchildisborn.blogspot.com/2011/07/ramadan-activity-book-for-kids.html

A whole Ramadan Kit with stories, downloads worksheets, and a certificate too from Mini Mumin Series. 

http://www.mini-mumin.com/RK.html

Ramadan Flashcards that has cutting edge graphics from Smart Ark!

http://www.smartark.com/Blog(1882517).htm

Talibideen Junior Ramadan has even got worksheets for Pre-K . You don’t forget a thing, sister TJ

http://talibiddeenjr.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/ramadan-kindergarten-readingcoloring-book/

My printer is cranking, and my ink is running out….but I can only be grateful! What a blessing for these easy ready-made downloads!

If you have any that you would like to share with us, leave a comment, we would love to add them! 

Sr Alif blogs

 Pre-K-teacher Sister Umayeshah Abdul-Jameel  created some Pre-K Lessons for Ramadan. It’s called “Five Senses of Ramadan”

InshAllah, this lesson plan and children’s e-book will be available on our Jannahsteps “official” website next year….

Here is a sneak peak of the free worksheet downloads and flashcard activities, including the parent connection information packet. 

.

 DOWNLOAD PARENT CONNECTION HERE: Parent Connection

.

. 

DOWNLOAD 5 SENSES RAMADAN JOURNAL HERE:  5 Senses Ramadan Journal

.

. 

DOWNLOAD 5 SENSES RAMADAN FLASHCARDS HERE: 5 senses cards

Sr Alif  blogs

Ramadan and Eid Songs or Nasheeds are always special. Here is one written by Sister Umfaheem Abdul-Jameel. A Jannahsteps original, not one…..but two!

DOWNLOAD HERE: New Moon Ramadan Song

If You See the New Moon!

(Sung to the tune of “If you’re happy and you know it”)

If you see the new moon, it’s Ramadan!

If you see the new moon, it’s Ramadan!

It’s the 9th month of the year

in Islamic Calendar!

If you see the new moon, it’s Ramadan!

This song can be used to teach other Islamic months as well!  Just change the month and the number of the month.

If you see the new moon, it’s  ____________!

If you see the new moon, it’s  ____________!

If you see the new moon, it’s  ____________!

It’s the ___th month of the year

in Islamic Calendar!

If you see the new moon, it’s  ____________!

DOWNLOAD HERE: Eid Day

Eid Day!

(Sung to the tune of B.I.N.G.O)

Today is the day to celebrate

For it’s the day of Eid!

Take a bubble bath!

Put on your best clothes!

Pray at the masjid!

Then have fun all day!  

Artsy Ummi blogs

Since our post on advent calendars received a lot of attention from the crafty Muslim moms who ask “Why BUY when you can DIY?” I thought of sharing some awesome handmade calendars. So if you’ve got the time, and you want to practice your art skills, why not make your own?

Here is a list of great Muslim Advent Calendar Crafts that my creative hands want to get messy with!! Bring out the glue, paint, and scrapbook papers. This is so inspirational! I hope to get to blog mine too one day! May Allah bless these creative sisters! (Click on the each image to take you to their respective blog)

Sr Alif blogs

Ramadan is a great time to introduce astronomy lessons into your child’s education and integrate these science concepts into the Holy Month. The Islamic concepts to focus on are:

• All Muslims follow the Lunar Calendar as the Islamic Calendar.
• There are 29 or 30 days  for each Lunar Month.
• Ramdan is the 9th Lunar Month.
• Muslims must start fasting when the New moon is sighted for Ramadan.
• Muslims must stop fasting when the new moon is sighted for Shawwal.

 

Buy a Telescope: You can buy a fairly good telescope for $30.00-$50.00 from any education stores such as Lakeshore Store or even toy stores such as Toys R Us. It’s a great educational tool to discuss the importance of  moonsighting and to observe the Islamic calendar. You can have your older children be in charge of sighting the moon and sharing their observations with the little ones in the family. 

Make a toy telescope: Have your child paint a paper towel roll, and decorate it with star stickers. Place a clear cellophane wrap  on one side of the opening and place it tight with a rubberband. Punch 2 holes on opposite sides, and tie a pipe clear , string, or ribbon from one end to the other. Voila! An instant telescope craft for your little ones. 

Record the Moon Sighting: Get your children to look through the telescope each evening or night and observe different lunar phases. Get them to draw what they see on a Moon Phase chart like the one below. Even young children can participate!

 DOWNLOAD MOON PHASE CHART: Moon Phases Chart

 Lunar Cycle  Lesson: This lesson is so simple, that anyone can do it. In class and at home. All you need is some aluminum foil, glue or clear tape, soccer ball, and a flashlight.

http://www.kidsgen.com/school_projects/moon_phases.htm

You can even make a poster with the phases. 

Visit your local Planetarium: Your child will never look at the sky the same way after seeing the simulated sky with narration of different constellations.  Here is a list of all the planetariums in the United States.

http://www.touristinformationdirectory.com/Planetarium/Science_Center_Observatory_planetariums_US.htm

Make a Moon Model: Use clay or paper mache to make a complete model of the moon with its craters and colors. 

Make Moon Phase Cookies: Even eating snacks can be a moon lesson with Oreos (and some milk).

http://tjramadan.talibiddeenjr.amanahwebs.com/05-recipes-ramadan-kids-ore-moon-phases.htm