Arab American Month

K-2 Videos

Please preview videos to ensure they are appropriate for your family.

PBS Kids: Choose a video or two from the playlist to learn about Arab Americans we celebrate, inventions and music.

National Arab American Heritage Month for Kids: Learn about the origins of Arab American Heritage Month and its importance.

Iftah Ya Simsim: A pioneering Arabic-language children's television series focusing on Arab heritage, culture, and language, offering educational content through engaging storytelling.

K-2 Read Alouds

A touching story about a young girl embracing her heritage and introducing her classmates to Arabic culture.

A beautiful tale of a young girl navigating her first Ramadan at school after moving to the U.S.

A sweet story of a girl using cooking to connect with her new community while preserving cultural roots.

K-2 Activities

Arab American Flag Art

Watch: PBS Kids Playlist or National Arab American Heritage Month for Kids from above

Activity: Using construction paper and crayons/markers, have students design a flag that represents their own identity and includes inspiration from Arab cultures (e.g., geometric patterns, Arabic letters, stars, or crescents).

Extension: Practice writing their name in Arabic using simple Arabic alphabet visuals.

Reflection Drawing

Watch: Salma the Syrian Chef or Iftah Ya Simsim clips

Activity: Read a picture book (e.g., The Arabic Quilt or Lailah’s Lunchbox). Then, have students draw a scene that shows kindness, family, or cultural pride.

Ask: “What makes Salma/Lailah feel happy or proud?”

Arab American Food Exploration

Activity Steps:

Watch: A short clip from Salma the Syrian Chef or a video featuring Arab food preparation (parent-guided, such as hummus, pita, or tabbouleh).
Discussion Prompt:
- “What foods do you see in the video?”
- “Have you ever tried any of them?”
- “What food do you like to cook or eat at home?”
Hands-On: Make a Simple Dish Together
Choose something simple like:
- Hummus with pita
- Cucumber & yogurt dip (Laban)
- Dates with nut butter
  (Parental supervision required)

Recipes here

Craft Time: Make a “My Recipe Card”
- Fold a half-sheet of paper like a card.
- On the front, draw a picture of the dish they made or watched.
- Inside, write (or have a parent write):
  - Name of the dish
  - 3 ingredients
  - “I liked it because…”
Optional Extension: Create a little “Cultural Recipe Book” over time by adding more recipes from other cultures studied throughout the year.

3rd-5th Videos

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Ed Puzzle: A video about Arab American month with comprehension questions throughout.

Learning from Disney: A brief video celebrating Arab American Heritage Month, highlighting the diverse contributions of Arab Americans in various fields.

Arab American Month: Introducing multiple influential Arab Americans and their accomplishments.

3rd-5th Book List

Based on Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad’s story, it promotes pride in Muslim and Arab identity.

A poetic picture book about a girl visiting her Palestinian grandmother, blending cultures with warmth.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani (Note: not Arab, but can support broader conversations about identity and displacement)
Wishing Upon the Same Stars by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman
A novel about friendship and cultural differences between a Jewish girl and her new Palestinian American neighbor.
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi & Laura Shovan
A story about friendship between two girls of Pakistani and Jewish heritage working on a school project—and what they learn about each other and themselves.

3rd-5th Activities

'I Am' Identity Poem

Watch: Edpuzzle Lesson or Student Voices Video from above

Activity: Write an “I Am” poem from the perspective of a fictional or historical Arab American character.

Structure example:

I am...
I wonder...
I hear...
I want...
I am proud of...

Create a Cultural Heritage Poster

Activity: Create a poster or digital slide that includes:

A flag of an Arab country
Arabic words with translations
A famous Arab American figure
A recipe or traditional dish

Use resources from the NYC DOE or Edpuzzle video for research.

Interview and Elder or Parent

Prompt: “What is something from your culture or background that makes you proud?”

Activity: Ask 3–5 questions and create a short written or audio report.

6th-8th Videos

Please preview videos to ensure they are appropriate for your family.

How to Save Our Student Voices: Arab American Heritage Month celebrates and recognizes the rich culture, history and contributions of Arab people in our community with heritage from 22 Arabic-speaking countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

Why We Need Arab American Heritage Month: We’re kicking off Arab American Heritage Month by breaking down what it means to be Arab!

How Arabs Have Influenced American Music: Arab and Arab American culture has influenced popular music more than you might realize.

6th-8th Reading List

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
A moving novel-in-verse about a Syrian girl who must move to the U.S., navigating identity and belonging.
The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar (mature themes – pre-read recommended)
A powerful exploration of gender identity and Arab American heritage.
Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero by Saadia Faruqi
A novel that explores Islamophobia, post-9/11 prejudice, and Arab American life in a small town.
Everything Sad Is Untrue (A True Story) by Daniel Nayeri
A semi-autobiographical novel blending Persian storytelling with a refugee’s life in middle school.
Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye
A novel about a Palestinian American girl who moves to Jerusalem and discovers new layers of her identity.

6th-8th Activities

Write a Mini-Biography

Watch: Why We Need Arab American Heritage Month or Inclusive Voices Videos

Activity: Research and write a one-page biography of a notable Arab American (e.g., Kahlil Gibran, Rashida Tlaib, Ibtihaj Muhammad).

Include: Early life, accomplishments, how they represent Arab American identity.

Create a Podcast Clip

Activity: Using a phone or computer, record a 2–3 minute "podcast" episode where the student explains:

What Arab American Heritage Month is
One thing they learned from the videos
Why it's important to recognize different cultures

Compare and Contrast

Activity: Create a Venn diagram comparing the student’s background and traditions with what they learned about Arab American experiences.

Discussion prompt: “How are we different? How are we the same?”

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