Helping Children Learn to Be Grateful for Allaah's Favours

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Abu Hurairah reported Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhe wa salam) as saying: Look at those who stand at a lower level than you but don't look at those who stand at a higher level than you, for this would make the favours (conferred upon you by Allah) insignificant (in your eyes). Abu Mu'awiya said: Upon you.{Sahih Muslim: Book Pertaining to Piety & Softening the Heart #7070}.

If you have a little one who is on the way to becoming an independent reader and you would like to teach him or her about the importance of being grateful and satisfied with the favours that Allaah has conferred upon us, The Foolish Tortoise is a book that you might want to use (after mentioning ayaat from the Quran and authentic ahadith). This book is appropriate for children who are able to read longer sentences independently (i.e. sentences longer than 2-3 words), can recognize and read most (if not all) sight words for KG-grade 2, and are ready to learn new, slightly more difficult vocabulary words than they are used to. The book can also be read aloud to children who are still working on becoming proficient readers. The rhyming text will appeal to children and will act as a prompt when children are trying to determine what the last word in each sentence might be.

In The Foolish Tortoise, the tortoise has a shell that is just right for him because Allaah has created everything in the best way. The tortoise, however, does not appreciate his shell and longs for what other animals have. Foolishly and ungratefully, the tortoise sheds his shell and soon regrets it. 

Before reading this story with children, you can mention that Allaah is الخالق و البارئ (the Creator and the Originator), and He is المصور (the Bestower of forms). You can mention/read to children the following verse from the Quran, "الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ {Surah al-A'laa: 2}" and you can mention to children (in grade level appropriate language) what Shaykh Abu Abdur-Rahman Nasir as-Sa'di (رحمه الله) said: [Allaah is] "the one who created all that is in existence and originated it, who made everything correct and in its place in accordance to the dictates of His wisdom, who shaped everything by virtue of His praise and wisdom" (Explanation to the Beautiful and Perfect Names of Allaah, 59-60). 

After mentioning the verse from the Quran, the applicable Names and Attributes of Allaah, and the explanation of those names by the noble Shaykh, you can read The Foolish Tortoise and have a small discussion about being grateful to Allaah for His countless favours. The discussion can end by reading the following ayaat to the children:

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

Therefore remember Me (by praying, glorifying), I will remember you, and be grateful to Me (for My countless favours on you) and never be ungrateful to Me. {Al-Baqarah: 152)

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And if you would count the favours of Allah, never could you be able to count them. Truly! Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. {An-Nahl: 18}

...ذِي الطَّوْلِ ۖ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ إِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ

...the Bestower (of favours). La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), to Him is the final return. {Ghafir: 3}

During your next trip to the library, check the shelf for The Foolish Tortoise and check it out!

What Islaamic stories do you use to teach children about being grateful for Allaah's countless favours? 

A Book to Help Children Learn About the Creation of Allaah

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Here is a book that your children/students might enjoy during storytime, and the book can be used when teaching about animal life cycles. Guess What Is Growing Inside This Egg has simple riddles that invite children to guess which animal is growing inside of each egg presented. The answers for each riddle are on the next page, but discerning children might notice that there are hints on each page with each egg. A part of the parent animal is drawn on each page with the egg to provide a clue. 

Along with teaching children what the eggs of different animals look like, the book also teaches children how certain animals care for their eggs and their young. Children will have the chance to explore the creation of Allaah and see His ayaat, and they will see that animals care for their young and work together to protect themselves and their children, like humans do. Allaah aza wa jal says,

وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ

There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.

{Al-An’aam: 38}

If you would like to see ways to teach this book, this lesson plan is a good place to start
in shaa' Allaah.

This book, Guess What Is Growing Inside This Egg, would make a nice addition to your class or home library (all of the text is appropriate alhamdulillaah). Or, during your next visit to the library, check it out!

Trapped!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Before Ramadan, we were exploring the One Small Square series, but we took a break to review The Lonely Scarecrow. Let's stay sidetracked for a little while longer. Have you read Trapped! A Whale's Rescue, yet? No, well head to your local library and search the shelves, because this is a really good book! Read this review from Booklist and you'll see what I mean. 

"Based on an event that took place near San Francisco in 2005, this picture book depicts a humpback whale swimming, diving, and feeding freely until she becomes entangled in abandoned, drifting nets. Her struggles draw the ropes tighter until, trapped, she stops and lies still. Boats bring rescuers to the scene. Five divers cut the lines, one by one, until the whale can swim again. "She moves among the cheering rescuers, softly nudging each one, as if saying thanks." The whale breaches and swims away. In Minor's beautifully composed gouache paintings, the whale is a silent but enormously empathetic character. Several appended pages offer more information about the actual event, whale rescues in general, and humpback whales in particular. Adults reading the book aloud may want to introduce words such as spyhop, lobtail, fluke, and krill before beginning, to avoid breaking the cadence of the writing once the story is underway. Like the stately illustrations, the precise prose has a dignity that is worthy of its subject and unusual in a picture book for preschool and primary-grade children. Although the episode of the whale's entrapment and release is short, it will linger in young listeners' minds long after the book is closed."
-Booklist

The prose and tone of this book very effectively take the reader under the water, and readers will very likely hold their breath, feel a burst of concern as the whale struggles, and cheer when the whale is freed. 

And the paintings...well...subhanallaah...they are just as strong and as captivating as the prose. Have a look (But you will really need to check this book out to appreciate its strength and beauty):

Source

Source

Young children will be able to see, easily, how large and stunning whales are. What an excellent opportunity to reinforce (or teach) how Great Allaah is! This is definitely a book to consider purchasing for your classroom//homeschool classroom. 

We will return to our review of the One Small Square series (maybe - if other great books keep coming to my attention, we may not make it back to One Small Square!) in the future in shaa' Allaah. 

**A note of caution: In the back of the book, there are pages that give more information about whales and, unfortunately, in the "Did You Know" section there is a sentence that is unislaamic; it is shirk, so children should not be allowed to read this section alone.

Until the next book in shaa' Allaah

The Lonley Scarecrow

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Today, we will take a break from our review of the One Small Square Series to review The Lonely Scarecrow in'shaa Allaah.

This book is a wonderful choice for read-aloud time because the story lends itself to discussions about treating others kindly. In this story, a scarecrow longs to be friends with the animals that live in the field in which he stands, but the animals are afraid to approach him because of his looks. They do not realize that the scarecrow is kind and even though he looks menacing and scary, he is not. 

There are so many concepts that this book can help children discuss and understand: compassion and tolerance are two, and you can also teach character analysis with this book.

Here is what Amzon.com has to say about The Lonely Scarecrow : A kindly scarecrow wants to be friends with the birds and animals that play at the edge of his wheat field, but they are afraid of him because of his clothing and "his beady eyes, his crooked nose, and his jagged metal mouth." Many animals watch him, but none dare to approach him. As winter arrives, the creatures run home to their burrows and nests. Then one night, snow falls and turns the scarecrow into a jolly snowman, and the animals play with him. Though he is happy now, he worries that when the snow melts, he will be alone again. But his fears are unfounded; the animals are surprised to learn his true identity, but they love him just the same.

How would you use this book in your home-classroom/ traditional classroom?

Until the next book in'shaa Allaah...

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....