Imam of the Month Bonfire

In our Islamic Studies classes, we have an "Imam of the Month" board. Every month, we let an Imam pick us. We have all the Imams on slips of paper. As a group, we recite a Surah Ikhlas and gift it to all 12 Imams. We then ask one of the Imams to pick us so that we can better get to know him, and we choose one of the papers.

During the month of Muharram, we just happened to pick Imam Husayn (a), or rather, Imam Husayn (a) chose us. This was very exciting for the students.

To help us better get to know Imam Husayn (a), we had a bonfire. Each student had to come prepared with something to share about Imam Husayn (a): a story, a hadith, facts, a poem, a latmiyya, etc. We also prepared a story of why Imam Husayn (a) was named Husayn. In addition, we had materials for s'mores that students could make.

We turned off the lights and lit the candles. Students sat around and shared their contribution to the campfire as we roasted s'mores. It was a great activity that helped us get to know our Imam better in a fun way.

Kalimah: The Flag of Islam

Salam Alaykum!

It's been a while since I've posted, but I have some great new projects we've done recently!

In Kindergarten, we spent the past couple weeks on a very important topic: the Kalimah. We talked about how the Kalimah is like the flag of Islam because it represents our beliefs and compared it to other flags - like the US flag. We went line-by-line, learning the Arabic as well as the English and what it really means. Once all the students memorized the Kalimah in both Arabic and English, we made our own Kalimah Flags as a cumulative activity. Instead of words, we used pictures to represent each line.


These were very simple to make.

1. Use a sheet of construction paper to cut out a flag.

2. Print out the template for the Kalimah pictures here.

3. Students must cut out the pictures and glue them on the flag in order.

4. Tape on sticks or straws as the flagpole.



We also talked about how each picture represents each line:

1. La Ilaha ilAllah - There is no god except for Allah
We used the number 1 to show that there is only 1 God.

2. Muhammadur RasulAllah - Prophet Muhammad (S) is the Messenger of Allah
We used a messenger bird because these birds bring messages to people. Similarly, the Prophet (S) was a Messenger who brought the message of Allah (the Qur'an) to people.

3. Aliyun Waliyullah - Imam Ali (as) is the friend or chosen one of Allah
We use a picture of people holding hands because Allah (swt) chose Imam Ali (as), his trusted friend, to be the Prophet's successor

4. Wasiyu RasulAllah - Imam Ali (as) is the leader after Prophet Muhammad (s)
Here, I told them the story of Ghadir, and how the Prophet (S) chose Imam Ali (as), by the command of Allah, to lead the Muslims after him.

5. Wa Khalifatahu bila Fasl - Imam Ali (as) is the first khalifa
I explained how a Khalifa is like a King, and Imam Ali (As) was the first king, so we used a crown.



The first graders also reviewed the Kalimah and completed a Kalimah mobile project.

Similar to the Kindergarteners, they also went through the Kalimah, but since they had learned it last year, we quickly reviewed the Kalimah and what it means.

They made mobiles as their cumulative project. I gave each of them a CD disk. They tied a piece of string through the CD. I then gave them the template with the pictures (download here). They colored and cut out the pictures. They then spread rubber cement on the CDs and glued the pictures on in order.

They really enjoyed these projects, and it was a fun way for them to learn/review the foundation of their beliefs!

Du'a Before Starting Class

Salam Alaykum!

The way you start class is really important since it sets the tone for the rest of the day. I always try to begin the first class by having one of the students recite the Du'a for starting class from Mafatihul Jinan, but sometimes I forget. I've noticed that on the days where we do remember to recite the du'a, the class as a whole is a lot more beneficial. We tend to get more work then and have more fruitful discussions. It only takes 30 seconds, but it makes a big difference! You can download this du'a with the meanings from Duas.org and post it up in your class to help you remember!

Muharram Jeopardy

Which child doesn't love Jeopardy? As an adult, I still love a good game of Jeopardy. This is why Jeopardy is an awesome way for children to learn and have fun at the same time. If you throw in a competitive element, like a prize, that motivates them even more.

Jeopardy in teams is sometimes tricky with kids, since it's always one person who seems to give all the answers. Therefore, individual Jeopardy is a better alternative for children.

We played  Muharram Jeopardy during one of the children's programs during the first 10 nights of Muharram. We said we would give prizes to the winners, but we decided that everyone is a winner, and everyone received a great prize: Ya Husayn/Ya Abbas/Ya Zaynab pins. They wore their pins with pride for the rest of the 10 days!

You can download the PPT for the Jeopardy over here. You can download the template for individual answer sheets here. Remember to have enough pencils for each child!

Happy learning! :)

Salah Sequence Game

Games are a fun way to teach students different concepts, especially for those concepts that are essential, such as salah.

For the 2nd and 3rd graders, a great way to help them learn the names of the actions of salah, as well as the order, we created a salah sequence game.

We created cards with the different actions of salah and students had to put them in order. To add in a competitive element, students competed to see who could do it the quickest. You can download the template for the cards here.

You will need to print out the cards, laminate them, and then cut them so they are all the same size. As an option, you could put magnets on the back of each card so that students can put them in order on the whiteboard.

Materials:

• Salah action cards (template here)
• 8.5x11" Laminating pouches
• Laminator
• Magnet tape (optional)

Book Review: "The Thirst of Sakina"

Salam Alaykum,

As a Shia teacher, the one thing I wish we had more of were great children's books with age-appropriate language and proper English, as well as eye-catching graphics.

One book we recently ordered for our Islamic Studies classroom is "The Thirst of Sakina (sa)."

I really enjoyed this books for several reasons. For one, the language and text was great for a variety of grades. I read it to both the Kindergarten and 2nd graders. Although I didn't read it to the 3rd graders, this was one of our featured books during the first 10 days of Muharram, and I noticed many browsing through it during free time.

One of my favorite parts of this book is the illustrations. These were actually done by orphans who are part of The Zahra Trust, and all profits from this book go to support this foundation and other aid projects. I enjoyed telling this to the students, especially since we recently learned about orphans, and this made it that much more special for them. Another bonus was that they weren't too graphic, which can be disturbing for some students.

I would highly recommend this book for parents and teachers alike.

Imam Husayn (a): The Ark of Salvation

Building lessonplans and activities around ahadith is a great way to make sure your lessons have a solid message behind them.

Another Muharram activity we did at school was based on the following hadith by Rasul Allah (saw):

"Verily, Husayn (as) is the lantern of guidance and the ark of salvation (simplified: boat of rescue)."
"Innal Husain Misbah al-Huda wa Safinat an-Najah"
(Bihar Al-Anwar, V. 36, Pg. 204)

After narrating this hadith to the kids, I asked them what they think it means when the Prophet (s) calls Imam Husayn the "boat of rescue." They had some great answers. We talked about how the purpose of a boat is to transport you to a destination, and the boat of Imam Husayn (a) transports you to heaven. We also talked about how a boat keeps you from drowning in the water, and similarly, the boat of Imam Husayn (a) keeps you afloat and prevents you from drowning in this dunya. Finally, we talked about how we can make sure we embark upon this boat by doing good deeds and obeying Allah, the masoomen, our parents, and teachers.

The kids then made these awesome origami boats and decorated them by writing "Ya Husayn" as well as the hadith. The instructions for making these boats can be found here.  11x17 size paper works best for this project.

As a follow-up to this project, you could also focus on the first part of the hadith (misbah al-huda/lantern of guidance) and make cool lanterns.

Muharram Spiritual Scavenger Hunt

Salam Alaykum,

Another great Muharram activity. I did this activity with all my students in grades 1-4. For grades 1 & 2, it works better if you do it as a group.

I printed out and constructed a dice. Each side of the dice had one of the members of the Ahlul Bayt + Hadhrat Zaynab (sa) (Template Available Here).


I then prepared six 5x7 manila envelopes by putting labels on the front with each member of the Ahlul Bayt. For each member, we came up with an activity that the student must do that's related to that member, typed up the instructions, and put the paper in the corresponding envelope, along with any items necessary to complete that activity (Template for activities). I stuck these all over the hallway.

• Prophet Muhammad (saw) - Recite a 2 rakat salah 
• Turbahs
• Imam Ali (a) - Write a letter to an orphan
• Paper & Pencils
• Hadhrat Zahra (sa) - Recite tasbih-e-Zahra
• Tasbih
• Imam Hasan (a) - Give money in sadaqah
• Quarters
• Imam Husayn (a) - Recite his salam 3 times
• Hadhrat Zaynab (sa) - Pick up 5 pieces of trash

For 3rd and 4th graders, they simply rolled the dice, and whichever name they landed on, they had to go find that envelope, read the instructions for the task inside, and complete the activity. They would come tell me when they were done, and I would mark them off on the large chart we had in class. They would then roll the dice again. Students who complete all 6 activities received a small candy as a prize.

For 1st and 2nd graders, each student took turns rolling the dice once and finding the envelope. They then brought the instructions paper back and read it to the others. The class completed each task as a group, so we did all 6 tasks together.

Overall, students really enjoyed this scavenger hunt, and it allowed them to complete spiritual activities while connecting to the members of the Ahlul Bayt.

Helping Hands: Hadhrat Abbas Activity

Salam Alaykum!

Muharram at school has been a bit hectic! We have been having many great discussions and doing some great projects. Here is a project I did recently with the 2nd graders.

We spoke about Hadhrat Abbas and how he went to get water for his beloved niece Sakina (sa), as well as the other children, but that he was unable to get them water because the enemies cut off his hands. The children were very touched by the story, and many already knew it, but they enjoyed hearing it again.

We talked about how Hadhrat Abbas sacrificed his life and lost his hands for the sake of his Imam (a), and how we should also try to serve our Imam, as this will help us to please Allah (swt). We talked about how we can use our hands in the way of Allah (swt) and did this activity.

Materials:

• Black Cardstock
• Pastels or chalk
• Silver/gold sharpies
• Caption Template (Available Here)
• Glue sticks

Procedure:

1.  On the whiteboard, brainstorm a list of actions you can do with your hands that will help Islam. Some ideas: washing the dishes, helping parents, cleaning the masjid, giving sadaqah, praying salah, feeding the needy, reciting qur'an
2. Hand each student a black cardstock. Have them glue the caption on top so that they know how much room they have for their hand. For older kids, they can write the caption.
3. In pencil, have them trace their hand and write their name in the center. Then, on each finger, they can write how they can use their hands to serve Islam.
4. Have them trace their hand in pastel/chalk.
5. Have them trace their name and their 5 deeds in gold or silver sharpie.

Allah is Al-Khaliq: Collage

In Kindergarten, we began discussing Allah and his attributes. I knew it would be difficult for them to understand what an "attribute" is, so we went around in a circle and I identified an attribute of each student (e.g., "One of Noor's attributes is that she is very friendly."). I then asked the students to use context clues to figure out what they think the word attribute means. They were easily able to determine that an attribute is a word that describes someone's traits.

We talked about how Allah (swt) has many attributes, and one is that he is Al-Khaliq: The Creator. Again, we went around in a circle, and each student stated his/her favorite color, as well as something Allah created that is that color (e.g., "My favorite color is purple. Allah created grapes, which are purple.").

Then, we sang a nasheed together called "Allah the Creator." This is available here on YouTube and you can find the lyrics here. They loved this nasheed since it's very catchy and were singing it the entire class period.

Finally, we created a collage. I gave them pages from National Geographic magazine. Any nature, animal, or food magazines work for this project. They cut out pictures of things Allah created (e.g., trees, spiders, birds, mountains, etc.). They then spread glue all over a piece of cardstock and stuck on the pictures to make a collage. I printed out captions that say "Allah is Al-Khaliq, the Creator. He made everything!". You can download the template for the captions here.

We put these up on our bulletin board, and I printed out these great Allah Created... bulletin borders from Islamic Bulletin Boards.

Tasbih of Hadhrat Zahra (sa) Magnets

Salam Alaykum!

As Shias, we are very blessed to have 14 perfect role models who have provided us with many secrets to success. One of the greatest gifts of the Ahlul Bayt is the Tasbih of Hadhrat Zahra (sa). There are numerous ahadith that tell us about the importance and rewards that come with reciting this tasbih, especially after the wajib salaahs.

The 1st graders were talking about Hadhrat Zahra (sa) and how to recite her special tasbih. I gave each student a tasbih, and together, we recited the entire tasbih. They enjoyed it so much that they wanted to recite the tasbih another time!

To help us remember what to recite in the tasbih, we made magnets. On cardstock, I printed out a hadith from Imam Sadiq (a) about the value of this tasbih. The students wrote what we are supposed to say and decorated their magnets.

Then, we put the cards through a laminating machine. They really enjoyed watching this step and seeing it come out on the other side. They then stuck a magnet on the back and took these home to stick on their refrigerators as a reminder to themselves and their families about how to recite the tasbih!

Materials:

• Magnet Template (Available Here)
• Cardstock
• 8.5x11" Laminating Pouches
• Laminating Machine
• Markers

Usul-e-Deen/Furu-e-Deen Bingo

Salam Alaykum,

One of the most important parts of the religion is the tree of our faith. Just like a tree needs strong roots to grow, we also need to make sure our foundation is strong to help us grow as Muslims.

The 3rd graders were having a hard time remembering the names/meanings of the Usul-e-Deen and Furu-e-Deen, so we decided to play Bingo.

I found this great website where you can generate your own Bingo cards. I made Bingo cards that were 4 words by 3 words (since there are only 15 branches, 4x4 wouldn't work). I printed these out on cardstock and gave one to each student. I then gave each students some candies. M&Ms and Skittles work great for this kind of game.

The rules are the same as Bingo, with a slight difference. Instead of calling out the root/branch, I would say the definition. For example, if I pulled out the word "Salah," I would say, "This is the branch that means praying 5 times a day." Or, if I pulled out "Tawheed," I would say, "This is the root that means believing in one God." If they had the corresponding word on their card, they would cover it with a candy. Once they got 3 in a row, they had to shout out "Allahu Akbar!"

This game is great because it's a fun way to help them remember the meanings of the roots and branches. The 3rd graders loved this fun (and delicious) review game!

40 Days of Kulayni

On the 1st of Dhul Qa'dah, Prophet Musa (as) took his spiritual journey to Mt. Sinai. Originally, his journey was only supposed to be 30 days, but it ended up being a total of 40 days. When he came back down, he was spiritually fortified and brought with him the Taurat to guide his people.

According to our urafah, these 40 days are known as the "40 Days of Kulayni." They hold high spiritual significance, and it is greatly recommended to engage in a 40 day aamal during these days.

We explained this story to our students (in grades 3-7), and encourage each child to pick an aamal to help them build their "spiritual muscles." We reiterated that their aamaal of choice didn't have to be long or complicated and that sometimes it's actually better to pick something simple but to do it repeatedly.

The children were really excited to engage in these 40 days of spirituality and chattered amongst each other about which action they should pick.

Some students were ambitious and decided to recite Dua Tawassul or Surah Waqea for 40 days. Meanwhile, other students picked something as simple as Surah Fateha, tasbih of Hadhrat Zahra (sa), or 5 salawats. We encouraged them to set a realistic goal that would help them get closer to Allah (swt).

We made trackers with 40 squares (Download template here). Each morning, we would ask each student if he/she did their aamaal for the day and put a sticker on that day if they did. We also featured a large version of this tracker (download here, 8.5x14") and a list of potential aamaals outside (download here) our classrooms for teachers to join in on this feat.

This is a great way to instill the tradition of a'amal in children and introduce them to the importance of spiritual development in a simple way. It was also something we did as a group, which further increased the barakah of our actions.

Wudhu

Salam Alaykum!

The 2014-2015 school year has begun, and we've been busy with Islamic Studies! Everyday, the students recite jama'at salah, but we noticed that many of them do not actually know how to pray or do wudhu, which is fine, since many of them are not yet baligh. However, practice makes perfect, and the best way to learn is through repetition, so we thought it was important to dedicate the first complete week of school to relearning wudhu and salah, with appropriate adjustments for each grade level.

This is one of those topics where you need to incorporate creative methods to really ingrain the procedure and order in the children's head. So, for the 3rd graders, who have a lot of energy, we decided to channel their energy into a fun activity that would help them remember the order of the steps of wudhu.

First, we wrote out each step of wudhu on a stick note (10 steps in total).

We then handed each student a sticky note. They had to arrange themselves in the correct order without speaking to each other while we timed them. It was interesting during this part to see how some students' leadership abilities shined through and they took it upon themselves to direct each classmate where to go.

Once they were satisfied with their order (it took them 1 minute and 43 seconds), each student went in order and explained his step.

They were a bit off the first time, so we had them do it again. This time, they were correct, but it took them more time, so we had them do it one last time in hopes of beating their record. This time, they got them all correct in 40 seconds.

The children had a lot of fun with this activity, and it really made them think about and internalize the different steps of wudhu and what order they should be in.

100th Day of School

Salam alaykum!

Well, the school year is more than halfway through. In fact, tomorrow is the 100th day of school! I have a full day of fun planned for my kinders, with activities related to math and language arts. I was just thinking about how I could tweak these activities to fit in the context of an Islamic school. Here is what I've come up with, and please share your ideas as well!

1. Starting the day off by reciting 100 salawats, preferably using a giant set of prayer beads!

2. I'm having my students make "trail mix," by picking 10 pieces of 10 different items (such as fruit loops, raisins, goldfish, etc.). Once they pick their items, they should sort them on a piece of paper, and then we will chorally count by 1s, 5s, and 10s (hitting those Math standards!). Of course the kids can eat them at the end. To adapt this for the Islamic context, one could use beads of different types, have students pick 10 groups of 10 (or perhaps 5 groups of 20 or a different combination depending on the grade), sort and count them as a class and then make a tasbeeh (prayer beads) out of them. They could also make some sort of pattern out of them on the tasbeeh, which is also math-related! I'm sure they would love using this tasbeeh even more if it's made from their own hands.

3. For writing, I am having my students use different art materials to make a picture of what they might look like at 100 years old (insha'Allah!). They will also write a list of things they hope to do before reaching 100 years. This could be adapted by creating a collective list of 100 good deeds we want to do before we die. The students can still make a picture of what they might look like if they reach 100, and then write down good deeds they want to do (either on one big poster as a class, or dividing the 100 up amongst the students).

4. Listing as a class 100 reasons why we love our school/friends/teachers/anything else!

5. Doing an art project with the names of Allah (swt). This could possibly be related to an Arabic lesson, if your school teaches Arabic. Or perhaps it could be a mini research project. For example, each name could be written on a square, the students would have to look up the meaning of the name (at home? at school?) and then share it with their classmates. All the pieces could be joined together to make a quilt.

6. And finally, to end with a bang, the students could  do 100 rakats of prayer before going home! Just kidding =)

Hopes and Dreams

Unfortunately, I am no longer teaching at an Islamic School (for now). Teaching at a public school has been a whole new experience for me, and has really made me miss Islamic school at times. One personality that our school has been focusing on this month is Martin Luther King, Jr. This has given me the opportunity to have a discussion with my students about our hopes and dreams: both for ourselves, and also our community. This is also a great way to integrate Social Studies with Islamic Studies in an Islamic school. One project I did with my first graders a couple years ago was talking to students about our communal hopes and dreams. My students had a lot of great ideas, and I had them use some of these to write an acrostic poem (an activity which, as you can tell, I love dearly).

One thing to keep in mind when working with little ones and poetry is that they need a lot of guidance. One way to help them come up with words for each letter is to do a bubble map as a class for each letter. This way, they can all contribute ideas, and also have some fallback options in case they are having trouble coming up with words.

Here are some examples from my old class (1st grade):

Let me know how this project goes for you!