RTL: Fall Weather, Cooler Temperatures

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Book Title: Fall Weather: Cooler Temperatures
Author: Martha E.H. Rustad

Islamically Appropriate?: Yes

Genre:Non-Fiction

Book Format: Picture Book

Age Group: 5 years and older

Book Review: In this nicely illustrated non-fiction picture book children learn about how humans and animals prepare for the Autumn (Fall) weather. They also learn how the weather changes in the Fall and some of the signs Allaah has given us to know that Autumn is on the way.

The book (and others in this series but not all are Islaamically appropriate) fit easily into the curriculum and they are well organized. The presentation of the text is especially helpful for introducing children how to read non-fiction text. The book has a table of contents, a glossary, an index and a page that lists additional resources on the topic.

Fall Weather: Cooler Temperatures can be used to help children begin to recognize how non-fiction and fiction differ and how we approach and interact with each in a unique way. Another appealing aspect of this book (and others in the series) is that the illustrations are kid-friendly and engaging. This helps keep the children's interest on the text and the information insha'Allaah. At the end of the book there is a small activity that children can complete as well.

As you begin your curriculum planning for next year, you may wish to add Fall Weather: Cooler Temperatures to your list of books to purchase for your home or classroom library insha'Allaah.

Until the next read insha'Allaah....

Storytime: Bat Loves the Night

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Providing children with non-fiction during storytime is a task that sometimes requires a bit of research on the part of the teacher/parent-teacher. Depending on the age group you are reading to, finding engaging non-fiction is not always easy but alhamdulillaah, it is not impossible.

This book, Bat Loves The Night is a delightful non-fiction book that can be read aloud to toddlers, kindergarteners, and students in grades 1 and 2 insha'Allaah. The author, Nicola Davies, not only manages to skillfully place a large amount of information in the book (as was the case in Surprising Sharks), she also writes in a style that is easy for children to enjoy and comprehend.

Bat Loves The Night is also a book that teachers/parent-teachers may enjoy reading aloud to their students/children for the simple fact that the story is calm but has an air of mystery about it. As you read the story your voice changes, at times being suspenseful and then dropping to become full of intrigue and mystery. The illustrations are beautiful and invite children to appreciate the beauty of bats as they learn factual information about these nocturnal creatures.

Alhamdulillaah, this storytime selection only required one word be omitted from the reading (pixie) because it usually refers to fairies or sprites.


When looking for engaging, eloquent non-fiction for your classroom or homeschool, consider Bat Loves The Night for your collection. You may also wish to have a look at these lesson plans that can be used with Bat Loves the Night:

1. Bats: Preschool Science Lesson (omit the singing part of the lesson plan)
2. Guided Writing Lesson Plan for small group instruction on the topic of bats.
3. Food for Bats: Children make bats and the types of food they eat with modeling clay **Remind children not to make facial features for their bats as this contradicts the Sunnah of the Prophet -sallallaahu alayhi wa salam.**

Insha'Allaah more books from this author will be reviewed...check back soon.

RTL: Fly Away Home

  السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Book Title: Fly Away Home
Author: Eve Bunting
Islamically Appropriate?: Yes
Genre: Fiction
Book Format: Picture Book
Age Group: 5-8
Book Review: This is a story that deals with a sensitive topic: homelessness. The author tells the story of a little boy whose mother passed away and somehow (we are not told how in the story), the little boy and his father have ended up homeless. The story is told in the little boy's voice and he tells of how he and his father live in the airport, how they avoid security and how they keep clean, etc. The little boy is almost at the age where he will be starting school and his father has told him that they will find a way to make sure he does not miss this. Toward the end of the story, the little boy sees a little bird that has flown into the airport and become trapped. The little boy watches the bird intently as it tries to escape and...I'll let you read for yourself insha'Allaah *smile*. This story may be one that can be read aloud when teaching empathy or to support a unit on sadaqa, zakat, the sahaba, helping others, or compassion. It touches on a delicate subject but does so very well. Grade 3 teachers/parents may find this lesson plan, that uses this book, helpful...waallaahu a'lam.

 Until the next read insha'Allaah....

Storytime: 3,2,1 Go!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read 3, 2, 1, Go!: A Transportation Countdown (Counting Books)

The appealing aspect of this counting book is the illustrations; they are actual toys set against real backgrounds. Children may delight at the 10 toys school buses, the 9 toy ambulances, the 5 toy taxi cabs, and the (quite wonderful) 4 toy tug boats. All forms of transportation presented in the book are a great exploration activity for small minds. The toy tug boats rest on the shore with the real waves pushing up against them, the 9 toy ambulances sit in the parking lot of what appears to be a real hospital, and in this manner each picture is presented to the child. 

Accompanying each mode of transportation is a very brief sentence that describes/tells what that mode of transportation is used for. This book can be used as a way to help children connect new vocabulary words to the environment and to help children understand that print conveys meaning and describes our world.

This book can be used in conjunction with these transportation activities and children may also enjoy listening to these books whose main theme is transportation also...waallaahu a'lam.

Have a peek inside 3,2,1 Go! insha'Allaah and Enjoy!:

Storytime: Play With Me

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today we read Play with Me (Picture Puffins)

 

This is a very...innocent book. The simplicity is a welcome change from the usual picture books we are so used to - no computers and other technolgy based toys are present. Written in 1976, the story is about a little girl who, having no one to play with, goes to the meadow to find animals to play with. All of the animals are wild animals and none will play with her which makes her sad. In the end, her dilemma of having no one to play with is solved.

For children in older grades (i.e. middle Kindergarten to the end of grade 2), you may find this activity guide for the book helpful.

Thoughts on Muslim Homeschoolers Curricula

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Masha'Allah, as the new school year has started some sisters have kindly posted their long range plans/curricula. I have enjoyed reading sis Umm Maimoonah's and sis Umm Sara's (those are the only two I've read from Muslim sisters but I'd love to read more insha'Allaah).

As I read the two curricula I mentioned, I wondered if other Muslim homeschooling mothers have posted theirs for others to benefit from. I also wondered if their exists a forum for Muslim homeschoolers to come together and share ideas and support one another. Today's Tomorrow has a forum but, curiously, it appears to be inactive...I wonder why? Where do Muslim homeschooling parents go for support/help?

This year has certainly been a learning experience for me. I have come to have great respect for homeschooling parents. In the past, it was not that I had no respect for them *smile* it was that I was not aware of the expansive world of homeschooling and the talent of these dedicated parents. Recently, I even declared that I think homeschooling just might be more work than teaching in a classroom...lol. Teachers have a plethora of pre-prepared materials to select from and we have a pre-written curriculum to follow. We also get great goodies at professional development workshops alhamdulillah. I notice that homeschooling parents design much (if not all) of their material and it's so wonderful masha'Allah! Imagine the reward with Allaah!

Please continue to share what you do so that others may benefit and learn from you and may Allaah reward you!

Preschool/Kindergarten Lesson Plan for Nabi Musa

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Dear sisters, jazakillahu khayran for your patience with me as I took a bit of time uploading this lesson plan. But alhamdulillah, here it is (I remembered to include some geography but let me know if you had something different in mind *smile*). Here is the lesson plan for Nabi Musa - alayhi salam-:

Click here to download the lesson plan insha'Allah.

And here are pictures and explanations for some of the activities alhamdulillah:

Explanation/Instructions for activities insha'Allah (I think only two things need explaining but I'm reading the lesson plan quickly so tell me if I miss something *smile*:

1). The activity Musa watered sheep: You need a small square of construction paper for each child, 2-3 cotton balls, and markers or crayons and non-toxic glue (you may wish to put the small dot of glue on the paper for the child and allow them to place the cotton ball in the glue). After teaching about sheep, invite the child to make a scene of a sheep (sample pictured above). Please be sure to remind children that we do not draw facial features on animals or humans in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa salam).

2). The Harf Meem word reader (pictured above): Print this file, cut out the masjid and the cards. With an Xacto Knife, make two slits on each side of the masjid that is solid blue and has the meem on the right hand side. Be sure to measure before you cut the slits to make sure your cards have enough room and the entire word can be seen once the cards are inserted into the reader insha'Allah. Invite the child to insert the cards one at a time and read the word (the pictures should stay visible to aide in comprehension insha'Allah).

3). The Story of Musa supplimentary reader is not intended to stand alone. Is meant to aide children in re-telling the story in the proper sequence insha'Allah. It has ayaat from the Quran - please destroy it by buring the book when done insha'Allah...jazakum Allahu khayr.

4). The links that are in the lesson plan can not be accessed through the PDF file (and some are not free). Here they are:
- For the Story of Musa and Al-Khidr Puzzles click here
- For the Names of Allah colouring sheets from Easel & Ink click here
- For Ordinal Numbers worksheets click here
- For Learning Roots click here
- For Game: Going Right, Going Left, click here

Here are the files to download insha'Allah:
Harf Meem Word Reader
Egypt Geography Activity
Sheep Puzzle
Story of Musa Supplementary Reader (this file is large, so it is in ZIP format)
Egypt Same and Different Math Worksheet

and....as usual, I forgot to make a transliteration chart for the Arabic words....subhana'Allah. Insha'Allah, tonight or tomorrow I will upload that.

Lesson Plan for the Story of Musa coming soon insha'Allah!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Insha'Allah, I hope to post the lesson plan (with activities) for the story of Musa - alayhi salam - some time this week. Check back insha'Allah!

Next book in the Prophets Sent by Allah Series: Musa (alayhi salam)

Assalamu alaikum,

The next book I'd like to do a lesson plan for in the Prophets sent by Allah Series is the book about Prophet Musa (alayhi salam).

Right now I'm introducing the Arabic alphabet but I know that many of your children are past this stage alhamdulillah so I wanted to collaborate with you all to see what you would like to see so I can possibly make the lesson plan multi-age appropriate insha'Allah.

Please leave a comment if there are certain aspects you'd like to see covered in this lesson plan insha'Allah, and/or you have ideas you'd like to share with others insha'Allah. I'll be sure to list where each idea came from insha'Allah (and link to your blog if you have one). I will also try to make as many of the activities (files) as I can, black and white *smile*.

Jazakum Allahu Khayran

Preschool Lesson Planning for Muslim Homeschoolers (Part 2) - The Lesson Plan

Assalamu alaikum,

I was asked to do a sample lesson plan that provides ideas of how to incorporate Islam throughout the curriculum for preschool age children insha'Allah. This lesson plan is a sample that is meant to provide an idea of how a day in preschool might look.

For this lesson plan I used the story of Prophet Hud (alayhi salam), published by Dar-us-Salam.

I designed just a few resources to illustrate certain parts of the lesson plan. I left the lesson plan somewhat general to give parents the choice to choose what they wish to teach if they use this guide insha'Allah. Here is a sample of some of the activities insha'Allah:

Pictured is a puzzle where children are invited to put Prophet Hud's name in the right order (spelling) and the back of the puzzle has a picture of a caravan when put together correctly. There are also cards that show sand dunes and children are invited to complete the pattern (i.e. which picture would come next in the pattern). Also pictured are camel number cards where children are invited to make a caravan by correctly lining up the camels from 1 to 10 insha'Allah. There are other activities that are not pictured and these are all provided to give you an idea of how you can bring this story to life in a preschool classroom insha'Allah.

Before continuing insha'Allah, I'd like to mention a few words about Circle Time, what is accomplished/ taught in circle time, its importance and benefits insha'Allah.

Circle Time: This is a time that has proven to be very effective in setting the mood for the day in a preschool setting. Circle time can be implemented in a homeschool setting to achieve the same goal. What does circle time accomplish? Circle time allows children to settle in to their day/routine and lets them know what their day will be like insha'Allah. From this vital few moments, children know what to expect in their day. For preschool aged children this knowledge is emotionally important for them. It contributes to their sense of security knowing that the events of the day, as much as humanly possible, are not going to be random and unpredictable insha'Allah. During Circle Time, there is a lot of learning taking place. This is the time when a parent/teacher teaches about weather, the passage of time (days of the week, the months of the year, etc.) and takes time to point out important events that may be forthcoming or have passed (i.e. Ramadan will be in x number of days insha'Allah). For Muslims, circle time can be a platform to teach adthkar as-saba (morning supplications), the dua that we say when we conclude a gathering, and the greeting of salam, for example. Circle time is also a time when parents/teachers can teach social values (i.e. taking turns, saying jazakum Allahu khayr, speaking good words, etc.) and help children learn how to deal with their emotions in an appropriate way insha'Allah. Short stories are also told that are directly related to the learning that will occur in class that day insha'Allah. Lastly, circle time is a time when parents/teachers teach children how to transition from one activity to another in an orderly, organized fashion insha'Allah.

The remainder of the lesson plan is straight forward and very familiar insha'Allah. Quran memorization is included, storytime (I suggested a few books that can be read each day that directly relate to the story of 'Aad, the people that Allah sent Prophet Hud to), math activities and some suggested literacy activities for the letter 'ha'.

For art activities (not listed in the lesson plan), you may wish to try the following ideas insha'Allah:

- Give children leaf cut outs and invite them to colour/paint/decorate them. Attached the completed leaves to a yarn vine around the classroom insha'Allah.
- Invite children to design a desert scene using paint, sandpaper (the sand), construction paper (for palm trees) and hang the completed pictures up for display insha'Allah.
- Invite children to use play-doe to make the letter 'ha' (this is excellent fine motor skill work).

If you have ideas that you would like to contribute to this lesson plan please do leave a comment and if you'd like to have the file of an activity you've done shared, please email me insha'Allah, as I would like that we share ideas that may be of benefit to each other insha'Allah. I wish I had more time to design different activities but insha'Allah, perhaps I may have an opportunity to update this post with other ideas before or after Ramadan.

Here are the files for this lesson plan (they are very simple activities for pre-school that can be easily done to your specifications but you are welcome to use these insha'Allah):

Prophet Hud Lesson Plan

Prophet Hud Activities

Prophet Hud Story Arabic Words Worksheets (pages 1 & 2) - these files are too large/heavy and I'm having trouble uploading them...please check back...jazakum Allahu khayran.

Prophet Hud Story Arabic Words Worksheets (pages 3 & 4) - these files are too large/heavy and I'm having trouble uploading them...please check back...jazakum Allahu khayran.

Literacy Activity Ideas for the Alphabet

Assalamu aliakum,

From my classroom resource library: here is a book that will help parents plan fun activities for the alphabet insha'Allah. This is a teacher resource that can make the transition to a homeschool with very little effort insha'Allah as the ideas can be used outside of circle time without taking away from the impact, fun, or goal of the activity. The activity ideas provided in Literacy Activities for Circle Time: Alphabet can easily be adjusted to the Arabic alphabet insha'Allah, and those who may not have access to purchase this book through the mail can purchase and download the ebook online insha'Allah!

As you begin planning your literacy curriculum for next year, this book may prove to be very helpful and take hours off of your lesson planning time insha'Allah. But I must tell you that there are some activities that suggest the use of food in a manner that is wasteful and thus not permissible in Islam. As always...skip those parts and benefit from the various other activities provided insha'Allah. 
 

Preschool Lesson Planning for Muslim Homeschoolers (Part 1)

Assalamu alaikum,

This is part one of a two part post that will look at writing effective, Islamic lesson plans for the preschool level.

There is an aspect of homeschooling that is critical to the direction a day of learning takes: a lesson plan. Admittedly, lesson plans are not quick, easy documents that you can whip up in a few minutes; they take time, consideration, research, and preparation. But without a lesson plan, the chances of the lesson ending in frustration (for teacher and child) increase drastically.

In my classroom, I cannot imagine arriving without a plan of what I hope to accomplish with the children, the manner in which I will present the information, the materials and resources I will need to insure that each student is successful at gaining understanding (and eventually mastery) of the material presented, and having a clear idea of how much time will be needed to present the lesson. On the rare occasions that I did not have a lesson plan, I did not feel that I was giving the students their rights. Islamically, the children in my class (and your children), are an amana (a trust). As a teacher, you must ensure that you have done all that you are capable of doing to make sure you have given the children their rights. Quality education is one of the rights of our children.

In a homeschooling environment, there exists a certain degree of flexibility that cannot and does not exist in a classroom setting (one of the perks of homeschooling *smile*). Your lesson plan must still be present but the ebb and flow of your homeschooling day will look very different than that of a classroom.

I would like to share some tips for writing an effective lesson plan for the preschool environment. Keep in mind that while this lesson plan is geared toward preschool, the general guidelines for writing the lesson plan apply to all grades. The lesson plan I will present after the guidelines for writing a lesson plan, is concerned with several factors: 1). Successfully integrating Islamic principles throughout the lesson/day 2). Meeting and/or exceeding your provincial (or state) standards that are outlined in the curriculum 3). Accurately assessing that the student (your child) has learned what you intended for him/her to learn in the lesson.

Following are some guidelines that will help in writing an effective lesson plan insha'Allah:

1. The first thing to remember and include when planning a lesson is to look at your provincial (or state) curriculum. Make sure that you understand what your province (or state) requires be covered in a school year. Some provinces/states require homeschooling families to maintain records that document that the child(ren) are learning what children at their age/grade level are expected to know.
2. Once you've decided your topic for a particular lesson, decide on your lesson objective. Simply put, what do you expect your child to be able to do by the end of the lesson. You will have in your mind certain tasks that, by the end of the lesson, you will ask your child(ren) to demonstrate in order to assess their proficiency with the task(s) insha'Allah. For example, if you are doing a lesson on Prophet Adam (alayhi salam), you may have objectives like 1). Student will be able to spell Prophet Adam's name correctly using Arabic letter pieces 2). Students will know that Adam is the first prophet that Allah sent to mankind and verbalize this when asked 3). Students will re-tell the story of how Adam was tricked by Shaytaan and made to leave jannah because of a mistake that shaytaan made him commit, etc. Try to make your objectives direct and clear. To help you do this, ask yourself the following questions: What will your child do in the lesson? How will he/she do this?
3. If your topic/lesson is not directly Islamic (i.e. salat, Ramadan, Hajj, etc.) decide how and where you can incorporate Islam in the lesson. If you're lesson is on trees, how will you connect tawheed to this lesson? How can you include ahadith in this lesson?
4. Decide/list and gather the materials you will need to teach the material. Make sure you have everything you need ahead of time insha'Allah. You do not wish to deflate a student's enthusiasm by discovering that, after getting the student excited about the topic, you do not have everything you need to do the activity.
5. The next step is deciding how you will introduce your lesson insha'Allah. Will you ask questions to draw on students' prior knowledge? Will you have a picture on the board/wall related to the lesson and ask students to describe what they see and lead into your lesson that way? Will you have an object that students will be asked to hold, smell, describe, etc. Your goal is to spark you child's interest. You want your child to wonder, imagine and want to know more about the topic insha'Allah.
6. Now comes the part of a lesson plan that is involved: writing the procedure. How are you going to teach the lesson? What will you do exactly? What techniques will you use to teach the material? Reading a picture book? An experiment? Learning centres with activities related to the lesson? Also, include ways that you will measure the students comprehension during the lesson. Will you walk around and peep over students shoulders? Will you mini-conference with students as they write in their journals to see how it's going? How will you know that a child is on the right track or not?
7. Decide how you will allow your child to practice what they've just learned. Will you use a review sheet? A quick game? Will you assign homework (at the preschool level I do not encourage this - every once in a while but use sparingly insha'Allah)?
8. Determine how you will close the lesson. How will you review the key points of the lesson with your child(ren). How will the child communicate to you what he/she took away from the lesson (i.e. learned from the lesson)?
9. Lastly, how will you assess that the child(ren) understood and successfully grasped what you intended to teach? This is an important aspect that is not to be left out insha'Allah. Here, a teacher sees where students struggled, where more teaching is needed or where more practice with the material may be helpful, etc.

In my next post insha'Allah, I will post a preschool lesson plan that incorporates the aspects listed above. I invite you all to submit a lesson plan that you feel is effective and well-written (past or present) so that others may benefit from the knowledge you have to share insha'Allah. Additionally, you may find this lesson planning guide helpful insha'Allah.