Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Plants Feed Me: A Delightful Read Aloud

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

It is always a joy to find a book that helps teach children an important concept, is beautifully illustrated, and accompanies a story that captures children's interest and imagination. Plants Feed Me is one of those books.

 
This non-fiction picture book helps children understand how, by the Permission of Allaah, we get much of our food from plants. Children will encounter fruits and vegetables that they enjoy and consume each day, and they will learn from which part of the plant each of these foods come.

Alhamdulillaah, there are many ayaat in the Qur'aan which you can read to children prior to reading this book, to help children begin to understand the Mercy of Allaah and to help them understand that He is Al-Khaliq, and it is He who provides for His creation. A few ayaat that can be used to introduce this book are:


خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ۖ وَأَلْقَىٰ فِي الْأَرْضِ رَوَاسِيَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ ۚ وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ كَرِيمٍ



He has created the heavens without any pillars that you see, and has set on the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you. And He has scattered therein moving (living) creatures of all kinds. And We send down water (rain) from the sky, and We cause (plants) of every goodly kind to grow therein. {Luqman: 10}

وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ 

And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants). 
{At-Tariq: 12}

وَالْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَاهَا وَأَلْقَيْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ وَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ زَوْجٍ بَهِيجٍ

 
And the earth! We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and have produced therein every kind of lovely growth (plants). {Qaf: 7}

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism)! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allah, if it is indeed He Whom you worship. {Al-Baqarah: 172}

Please be aware that on the last page, there is a two-page spread of a farm and there are, on the left-hand side of the page, a pin with pigs in it. You can cover this part of the picture easily with a few small stickers alhamdulillaah. All other illustrations are delightful and wonderfully drawn.

This spring, if possible, plan to read Plants Feed Me in'shaa Allaah. 


Until the next book in'shaa Allaah....

Monday, May 18, 2015

Books Stduents Enjoyed this Year, Alhamdulillaah

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
 
Alhamdulillaah, during our study of Plants and Seeds, several books enhanced the unit and added to the learning experience (This unit study will be posted on A Muslim Child Grows Up some time soon ins'allaah).





The following books complimented our study of Plants and Seeds:


What Are Seeds? (Plants Close-Up) is a book that students in grades 1 and 2 may particularly enjoy because of the accessible language and bright, colourful pictures. In simple language, students learn about what seeds are and how Allaah has created them to contain everything needed for a new plant to grow, by His Permission. Also, alhamdulillaah, the pictures in the book are almost exclusively of seeds and plants.

How a Seed Grows shows students, step by softly illustrated step, the process of seed growth. The language is not as accessible as the language in What Are Seeds ,so this book may be better chosen for your read- aloud time and then placed in your classroom/homeschool library where, students can revisit the text and retell the story using their own words (which will be scaffolded by your read aloud in'shaa allaah).

How We Use Plants for Food is similar - language wise - to How a Seed Grows but it is packed with information about how Allaah has created plants to provide a variety of foods for human beings. Subhana'Alaah! Children will see, from yet another angle, the great and expansive Mercy of Allaah.

Seeds and Fruits is very much like How We Use Plants for Food and children will learn how different seeds and fruits not only provide food for humans, but animals as well.

Are there any books that your students/children enjoyed when studying seeds and plants?

Until the next book in'shaa allaah....