Islam - What do Muslims believe about God?

Year 1 or Year 1/2 on a rolling programme.
Background Story/ Information - Muslims believe in the oneness of God (Allah). Allah has no equal or no partner. The aim of the Muslim believer is to submit to the will of Allah. Muslims believe that Allah is the Creator of the world (but separate from the world) and that he alone should be worshipped. Allah is known by many names, which describe his attributes e.g. Most Merciful, Protector, Provider.
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Cross Curricular Links
Literacy (including speaking and listening,), Art, Science, SMSC / Key Vocabulary
Allah , Creator, Creation, Paradise, Prophet Muhammad
Skills
Investigation
Analysis & Evaluation

Interpretation

/ Attitudes
Empathy, Open- Mindedness, Respect, Appreciation and Wonder
Key Questions
What do Muslims believe about Allah? What do I think about God? What questions do I have about the natural world? What can I learn from some Muslim stories?
Learning Objectives
Have the opportunity to respond to places of natural beauty, natural objects and to raise questions about these.
To know that Muslims believe Allah is the creator of a good and beautiful world.
To introduce children to a story about the Prophet Muhammad that explains the Prophets care for natural resources.
Have the opportunity to raise questions and suggest answers about what God might be like
Know some of the names given to Allah by Muslims
Recognize the characteristics of someone special to them.
Know the story that Muslims use to help them understand that Allah is wise. / Possible Teaching/Learning Activities
Lesson 1
Show the children some poster/pictures/Power Point presentation of beautiful places in the world.-children can contribute with their postcards/photographs of “beautiful places we have visited”, Ask the children to look in pairs at a picture of a beautiful place or use some natural objects e.g. shells/wasps nest etc- what do the children notice about the picture/objects? – What comments/questions do they have about these?
The children could create their own treasure chest of beautiful (natural) objects.
Lesson 2
Listen to the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) who lived long in the city of Ur. Ibrahim wanted to know all about God’ He looked at the starry sky at night and at a particularly bright star- “That must be God “said Ibrahim but then the star faded and he saw the moon casting a silvery shadow. That must be God said Ibrahim but when the bright hot sun rose Ibrahim realised that the moon had disappeared. “The sun must be God” thought Ibrahim because it is the biggest and hottest thing in the sky. But when the sun set Ibrahim realised that God must be a being far greater than the stars, the moon or the sun. A being that did not disappear, but which was always the same. He believed God was the Creator of everything, so Ibrahim told all his family and friends about his wonderful Creator God.
The children could write about their reactions to observing the night sky on a star shape and hang these from a mobile.
Lesson 3
Muslims believe that the world God created is a good and beautiful world for us to live in. It was like a beautiful garden called Paradise.
Create a 2D or 3D garden using craft materials or natural objects. Talk to the children about the garden they have made and how they would like others to treat it. Muslims believe that they must always try to look after the beautiful world Allah has made for us. Discuss with the children happy memories of gardens or parks- the teacher could scribe the ideas around the displays.
Lesson 4
Tell the story about the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] and his visit to the river. The Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] lived in a country where the weather was often very hot and water was precious. But water is precious to us too. Talk to the children about the importance of this story for Muslims and how it helps them to think about caring for the natural world.Ask the children to suggest ways in which they could try to save water especially in the hot Summer. 
Lesson 5
Talk to the children about their ideas of God and write these ideas down for the children to see. What questions do you have about God? –scribe the children’s questions.- Acknowledge that some questions about God are very difficult to answer.
Introduce a few names given to Allah by Muslims e.g. Mighty, Wise, Everlasting, Compassionate,and talk to the children about what these names mean – how do they help Muslims to understand what God is like. 
Think of someone who is very precious to you. What name(s) would you choose to describe the way they are (their character). Allow the children to create a poster with their chosen name(s) on it e.g. My Gran is
a comforter - decorate with colours. Patterns and glitter.
Tell the story of Mullah Nasruddin. Show the children the effect of a falling watermelon and walnut.
Mullah Nasaruddin was sitting under a walnut tree to shade from the hot sun. Mullah Nasruddin was a great thinker, always wanting to understand more about God. He happened to catch site of a patch of large water melons growing on the ground nearby and asked himself the question, “ If God is so wise why did he arrange for this huge tree to have such small fruits whilst the huge water melons grow on a small and straggly vine.” As he was thinking a. walnut fell on his head. “Now I know why God arranged it this way!’’he said. If I had arranged it I would have been hit on the head by a huge water melon.
Draw a picture of the story and after discussion write- Mullah Nasruddin decided that God was wise because-----
Summarise for the children what Muslims believe about God i.e. God is Creator, he is wise, and that Muslims have many names for God that describe his attributes. / Learning Outcomes
I can talk about places of natural beauty that I know about.
I can talk about what I think and feel when I look at the night sky and suggest why Ibrahim thought that God was a wonderful creator.
I can give views about how we can care for places of beauty.
I can retell a story about the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] and suggest how this story might help Muslims to think about stewardship of the natural world.
I can talk about my own views of God.
I can recognize some names given to Allah by Muslims and suggest why Muslims might wish to use these names.
I can recognize some aspects of the character and personality of someone I care about and what this means to me.
I can retell the story and talk about its significance for Muslims. / Resources
Pictures , natural objects
Computer images of the night sky
Materials for making gardens
The Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] was washing in a plentiful flowing river. He scooped up just a small bowlful in which to wash. His companions asked him why he did this as there was plenty of water in the river. He replied that even where there is plenty one should not waste anything.
Assessment Opportunities 
AT1 – Recognise special names and attributes of Allah.
Retell stories from the Qur’an, the Hadith and the life of the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] that help Muslims understand what God is like.
AT2 - Talk about their own ideas/questions aboutGod and the natural world.