Topic: All About Me Grade Level: Kindergarten

All About Me……Early Kindergarten Unit

TOPIC: ALL ABOUT ME GRADE LEVEL: KINDERGARTEN

INTRODUCTION:

This unit is intended to be used at the beginning of the School Year with Junior and Senior Kindergarten students. It’s purpose is many fold: to introduce students to basic Islamic concepts; to develop a strong sense of Islamic identity; and to introduce academic skills and concepts. The first part of the Major Unit is a mini-unit on Names. The other parts will be developed later, as time permits.

In addition to this unit, students will also be using the Jolly Phonics Program and the Mathematics program. Both of those programs have been modified to include Islamic concepts and to remove objectionable aspects. For this unit, in addition to number awareness, the development of graphing skills is a natural extension of the information taught. The graphing component is integrated into the Islamic topics taught.

Since the kindergarten children attend a full-day school program, some of the activities and lessons will be taught and reinforced through the Informal Curriculum. See Appendix 1

There will also be an opportunity for consolidation of Religious Knowledge and teaching with the Islamic Studies Teacher. The children have one half hour daily learning to read the Holy Qur’an – Arabic alphabets for JK or new SK; for those further advanced – the tashkeel and then sukoon. In addition to that time, the students have an additional ¾ hour daily for Islamic lecture, learning Kalimahs, Du’as and Surahs. On Fridays, they learn about the Sirah of Prophet Muhammad, and perform Zikr on tasbees that they made.

After that, they perform salat. In addition to this, the Islamic Studies Teacher is paired with the Kindergarten Teacher for the month of September for an additional 1 hour each morning. This is to facilitate the transition of new children into the School, and to give support to the Kindergarten Teacher during this challenging time. At this time, the Islamic Studies Teacher can support the learnings during Activity Time and during the structured lessons.

RATIONALE FOR THE TOPIC NAMES:

Names was selected as an entry point for the unit. At the kindergarten level, students are very interested in anything that has to do with themselves. I found that one of the ways to get them interested in print and language was to talk about their names.
Students take great pride in identifying their own names, and when other students can identify their names. They begin to take ownership of the letters - at least the first letter in the name. From there they look at other children's names and identify the same letter. We often talk about the "A team" or the "M team" or the "S team" etc. We look at each other's names (They are on their desks on name cards) and look for the same letter...for example in Jolly Phonics the first letter we study is "a", so we look for those with A at the first of their name, and then look for those with an "a" in their name... and write the names on the chart paper, circle the letter "aA" and make a big fuss over the letter.
We can do this easily because the JK and SK are together with about 12-15 children in the class. They sit in a horseshoe shape, so they can see each other's name cards, and they are used to looking and matching the names because the daily monitors have to match the student workbooks in Jolly Phonics to each child's name. A SK student is paired with a JK, so the SK "big brother/big sister" helps the JK identify the names.
The issue of whether someone has a non-muslim name can be accommodated by talking about why parents selected the name...perhaps they thought it was a beautiful name, they named the student for a relative or friend that they really liked, the liked the meaning of the name. We can do a computer search for the meaning of the name and talk about it as well. That way the child will not feel excluded from the group.
The children enjoy the rhyme "Higgety, Picketty" very much, especially if their name is the featured one selected. We cover everyone's name during the week. They are introduced to syllables incidentally when we clap the beats to their name. Because it is part of the rhyme, they do not get bogged down on it. I'll tell them that the word syllable is another word for beat, and we'll talk about how much fun it is to say that word, and move our mouth around it, and play with mouth expressions, and laugh.
The time spent on the names is well spent because it is not only about names, and their identity, it is about the English language, becoming familiar with the letters, developing a relationship with the letters, beginning to discriminate between the letters and is basically

a springboard into literacy.

ISLAMIC AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

The mini-unit on “Names” focuses on the following objectives: To provide opportunities for Muslim students to be introduced to the essentials of Islam and Islamic principles

To produce students with a sense of Islamic identity

The following are the informational concepts to be developed.

Islamic Identity: (SEPTEMBER)

Names:

Main concepts to be developed:

Names are carefully chosen by parents
Muslim names have significance/importance
Some students are named after the Prophets (A), Sahabi (R) or Sahibiyah (R ) or after good qualities
Learning the meaning of their names
Learning about the Prophets (A), famous Muslims (male/female) whom the children are named after

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Names :

Student can identify at least 2 reasons why Muslim parents select names for their children.
Student can identify at least two names of the Prophets (A).
Student can identify his/her name and write it.(JK)
Student can tell the meaning of at least two classmates names

ACADEMIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

To be introduced to the letters pertaining to their own names
To distinguish between letters
To begin to see directionality in reading – from left to right
To develop directed reading skills as they listen and respond to a variety of stories

(SEE APPENDIX 3 FOR OBJECTIVES OF THE MAJOR UNIT

SEE APPENDIX 4 FOR LONG RANGE TOPICS FOR THE YEAR)

Formal Lessons – Names

LESSON # 1: GETTING TO KNOWYOU– NAMES

Time Required: 10 mins for ball activity

20 mins for story and discussion

Objectives:

Islamic Objectives:

To develop comfort with one another
To get to know each other’s names
To greet one another using salaams
To learn about the importance of selecting a good name for a person

Academic Objectives:
To use gross motor skills
To develop listening skills
To follow a pattern
To develop guided reading skills-(make predictions regarding an unfamiliar text that is read by and with the teacher, using prior experience, knowledge of familiar texts, and general knowledge of the world around them

Materials:

2 balls
Story – Lester, Helen. A Porcupine Named Fluffy. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1986.

Procedure:

Form a circle. When we greet each other we say “Assalamu-alaikum” and then we reply “Wa’alaikum salam.” Have you ever heard anyone saying it before? What does that mean? When do you say it?
Today we are going to play a game. You say “Assalamu-alaikum” and then say the person’s name that you are going to throw the ball to. You can only choose someone who has not had a turn yet. It can not be the person beside you.
When you say the person’s name, you throw the ball to that person. That person has to catch the ball. Then that person says, “Wa’alaikum salam.” That person now has to throw the ball to someone else. Repeat the pattern.
After they have done that, they repeat the pattern of throwing to each other in the same sequence.

Children go to their seats. Now we’re going to have a story about someone’s name.

Directed Guided Reading:

Before Reading: Let’s look at the cover. What do you think the story is about? How can you tell? Who do you think will be the most important person in the story? How can you tell? Do you think this is a real story (non-fiction) or a make-believe story (Fiction)? How can you tell? Well let’s listen to the story and find out what’s going to happen.

During Reading:

Why did Fluffy’s parents choose the name Fluffy for him?

What was Fluffy’s problem?

Why did Fluffy put whipping cream all over himself?

What else did Fluffy do to become Fluffy?

How did Fluffy and Hippo became friends?

Was Fluffy a good name for him? Why?

After Reading:

Do you know someone who didn’t like his/her name? Tell us about it.

In Islam parents are told that they must give good names to their children. Why

do you think that is that important?

Consolidation:

Your homework tonight is to ask your parents why they chose your name.

LESSON #2 …WHY DID YOUR PARENTS SELECT YOUR NAME?

Objective:

To reinforce the importance of selecting a good name for a child.
To identify reasons each student’s name was chosen by parents.
To develop tally charts -collect objects or data and make representations of their observations, using concrete graphs (e.g., conduct simple surveys and use graphs to represent the data collected from questions posed; use a variety of graphs, such as graphs using people to represent things, bar graphs, pictographs; use tally charts)

Time Required: 10-15 mins for recording reasons, and tabulate

15 mins. If chart is prepared in advance, and pictograph symbols cut out in

advance.

Materials:

construction paperscissors

gluemarkers

chart paper

Procedure:

1.Ask each student to tell you why his/her parents selected his/her name.

2.Write reasons on chart paper, tabulate with names beside the reasons.

DAY 2 – Make a pictograph

1:1 correspondence
To analyze data

Procedure:

1. Use the information gathered from the tally chart.

2.Read the tally chart categories and count the number of people for those categories

3.Determine the categories to use for the reasons and set up a graph chart prior to the lesson.

4.Prior to the lesson -Cut out a pictograph symbol for the chart for each student.

5.Give each student a cut out shape representing him/her to add to the categories. Print the child’s name on the shape and have the JK students trace their name. SK print their own.

6.Complete the chart.

7. Analyze data on the chart. ie. Point to the reason with the most pictograph symbols? Count 1:1 correspondence. What do you think it is? Read to the children. …..

Point to the item on the chart that has the fewest symbols on it. Count 1:1 correspondence. Let’s find out what it is…Which reasons have almost the same number of people choosing them? Point to them…Count 1:1 correspondence.

Consolidation:

Have each child identify where their name is on the graph and tell you the reason why their parents’ chose their name.

Post the chart on the wall for the children and parents to see.

LESSON #3…MY NAME IS IMPORTANT

Objective:

To develop awareness about the shape and alphabet letters in a person’s name
To experience sensory activity

Time Required: 40 mins. For whole class to complete

Materials:

coloured sand or coloured macaroniglue

construction papernames pre-written on construction paper

Procedure:

Pre-print student’s names written in bubble letters on coloured construction paper.
Introduce the activity to the whole class and tell them that they’ll work on it during centre time.
While children are working at play centres call them over 2 at a time to work on the activity.
Use coloured sand, or coloured macaroni.
Students paint the inside of their name with glue and then sprinkle the sand or macaroni on it. Add glitter to the name.
Let dry and then post on walls in the classroom.

Consolidation:

Picking out their names on the wall.

Informal Curriculum – Walk around the walls….

Time required: 5 mins.

Game: I see a name that begins with a capital A. Whose name is that?

Students guess. Then the student becomes “it” and leads the game.

Play this game from time to time when you have a few minutes to spare during the day.

LESSON #4 –WHO IS NAMED AFTER A PROPHET(A)?

Objective:

To discover the origin of some names.
To learn about the names of the Prophets(A).
To match names – visual skill – pre-reading skill

Time Reqired: 20 mins.

Materials:

Chart with the names of the Prophets (A)
Names of children posted on their desks/tables.
2 sets of name cards with the names of the Prophets (A) printed on them.

Procedure:

Tell the children that you have a very special chart to show them. Raise your hand if you are able to read the title on the chart. Help children sound it out. Names of the Prophets of Allah.
Read the names of the Prophets and sound out the names of the Prophets when there are children with that name.
Only do the names of three of the Prophets (A).
Identify students with the names of Prophets.
Have the students find those names on the desk name tags.
Give each student a card with the name of a Prophet(A). Give out duplicates. JK and SK can be paired together as partners.
The students have to find the other student with the same name on their card. They run around and compare cards. Line up with their matching word and present to the class.
Repeat two or three times.

Extension (at another time ): Have each student have one name and they match it to the duplicate set of name cards placed on the table. 5 mins.

Consolidation:

Oral – Who in our class is named after a Prophet?

LESSON #6- WHO IS ALLAH

Objective:

To learn about Allah

Time Required : 15 mins.

Materials:

Salmah Umm Zainab. Who is Allah? New Delhi, India, Goodword Books, 2009.

Procedure:

Students have been talking about Prophets. The job of a Prophet is to teach the people how to follow Allah’s guidance, and to worship Allah.
What do they think Allah is?
Let’s read this book and find out about Allah.
Read book.

Consolidation:

Who is Allah? Allah is the Creator.
Read the story by Alta,C. Allah Created Everything. Seattle, Amica Publishing House.1994. (Not the same day!!!)

LESSON #7 – LEARNING ABOUT ALLAH’S PROPHETS

Objective:

To learn about the role of a Prophet (A).
To learn about the life of some of the Prophets (A).

Time Required: 20 minute intervals for the Prophets of Allah

10 minutes for Chart Sentence.

Continue this about 2 times a week until the stories are completed. This will be ongoing during the year. For this unit read about 3 prophets.

Materials:

Series Available:

The Prophets of Allah, Vol. #1-5. Chicago, IQRA International Educational Foundation, 1992-1996. (Simpler version)
The Prophets Stories for Children. (21 books in set) Alexandria, VA, Al-Saadawi Publications, 1992. (More detailed version – will need to be adapted to audience level when reading to Kindergarten children)
Other individual titles are also available

Procedure:

Review who in the class is named after a Prophets of Allah?
What is a Prophet? What job does a Prophet have to do?
Select a book about one of the Prophets that the children are named after. Read story.

Use the simpler version of the story – from IQRA or from Goodworks.

What did they learn about the Prophet.
Use Directed Reading Questions – See APPENDIX 5 FOR ORGANIZER

Consolidation:

Make a sentence chart story about the Prophet (A) studied.
Add to the chart with each prophet studied.
Use different colours of Markers for each prophet (A). Highlight the name of the Prophet (A).
Ie. Prophet Adam (A) was the first man and first Prophet.
Prophet Nuh (A) was commanded to build an arc to save the Muslims.
Prophet Nuh (A) obeyed Allah even if everyone made fun of him or laughed at him.
Prophet Hud (A) was commanded to take the Muslims away from the city to save them from the …., etc.
Prophet Ayub (A) was thankful to Allah even when he had many problems.
When the Pharoah did not let Prophet Musa (A) and the Isrealites leave, Allah punished the people of Egyptwith plagues – grasshoppers, frogs, drought, etc. until Prophet Musa (A) and the people of Isreal were allowed to leave.
Prophet Ibrahim (A) is known as the friend of Allah. He had many hard tests from Allah. He passed all the tests.

LESSON #8 – LEARNING ABOUT ALLAH’S PROPHETS