islam_grade_5_2011_2012

Student Evaluation: May 20, 2012

• The primary focus for the year was Salah (Prayers) and its meaning. This was our #1 priority to get the students acquainted with details associated with one of the most important pillars of Islam. Throughout the year, we had been revisiting this topic. The idea was to make sure that the students are in touch with Salah and ingrain the concept in their minds.
• The results of this exercise have been mixed. Some students have picked it up while others have not. However, I am fully confident that if we (as parents) keep coming at it (during summer holidays and beyond), our kids will respond inshallah.
• Other topics that we have covered are:

1. Hajj
2. Risala
3. Character themes - based on hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (saw).
4. Prophets: Ibrahim, Yunus, Musa, Esa.
5. Creation of Adam (as)

• These topics were covered via classroom discussions, presentations, skits and games. We also had a practical session of Salah in the prayer area to provide some hands-on coaching to students.
• I will be handing out individual evaluations to students when we meet on May 20, 2012. Please make every effort to be in the classroom. I will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Homework: Mar 25, 2012

• Write all rituals performed during Hajj (write in numbered list form).
• Write three basic lessons from Prophet Muhammad's Hajj khutba.
• Each team will present the rituals of Hajj in the class. They will be judged based on the content and delivery.
• Review Salah translations (all that we have learnt so far) and chapters (lessons) from the book: 2,3, 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10

Homework: Mar 4, 2012

• Find at least two hadiths for each of the following themes: Forgiveness, Lying. You can use the following link to help yourself: http://www.sahih-bukhari.com/
• Write the hadiths in your notebook along with the explanation and give one example from your daily life experience on forgiveness and preventing yourself from lying.
• Each team will present the topic in the class and the best presentation wins.
• Since this is the end of the month, we'll will declare the winning team for this month and as promised their pictures will be posted on this webpage :-)
• Also read the following chapters (lessons) from the book: 9 & 10

Homework: Feb 26, 2012

• Prepare for Jeopardy game contest. We will play the game in-class. The performance of each child will be noted based upon their answers and participation.
• For preparation: Read 2, 3, 5, 6 and 8 from your textbook. Also read notes on Prophet Ibrahim and Yunus and the Meaning of Salah. You can find the link on the right sidebar.

Homework: Feb 12, 2012

• Based on our first character theme (see sidebar on the right), students are required to do the following:
  • Locate a hadith that shows the mercy/kindness of prophet Muhammad (saw). Write this hadith down.
  • Underneath the hadith, provide your own short explanation, what you think it means.
  • Underneath the explanation, provide an example from everyday life, how you can act on/implement this hadith.
• Read chapters: 5, 6 and 8 from your textbook.
• Read notes on Prophet Ibrahim and Yunus. You can find the link on the right sidebar.

Homework: Feb 5, 2012

• Same as last week.

Classroom observations: Jan 22, 2012

• Students were yet again quizzed in the last class about Salah related questions that was covered last semester.
• 12 out of 19 students failed the quiz and were cautioned that they would need to work harder.
• Again, the key to this is to keep thinking about the meanings during the Salah.
• At this age, kids should be up to speed in their Salah and should perform their five daily prayers whenever they get the opportunity to do so.
• We had a brief meeting with the parents of the kids who failed the quiz. They were asked to be serious about their kids' progress in the classroom and work harder at home
• All parents are encouraged to review the coursework, try to memorize those words themselves (in order to lead by example) and frequently quiz their kids to keep them in check.
• There will be a few surprise quizzes in the coming weeks regarding Salah and its meanings and students have been told to get themselves prepared.
• We went through the core concept of "Aqeeda" which included coverage of: Tauheed and Shirk.
• We also covered topics of:
  • Creation of Adam.
  • Who was Shaytan?
  • The dialogue between Allah (swt) and shaytan after Allah's command to bow down before Adam (as).

Homework: Jan 29, 2012

• All salah and it's meanings. Review them each day during one of the several prayers that the student performs.
• Review additional material: Tauheed and Shirk, Adam (as) and his creation and interaction between Allah (swt) and Shaytan.
• Read chapters: 2 and 3 from the textbook.

Classroom observations: Jan 8, 2012

• Students were questioned regarding the review of lessons learnt in the past semester.
• Quite a few students actually said that they did review Salah and its meaning during the holiday break while performing their prayers. This was both refreshing and encouraging.
• When quizzed these students in general came up with right answers.
• However there is still a good number of students who are not paying too much attention to the work being done in the classroom. They were honest about not reviewing their stuff at home during the holidays, which is appreciated; but at the same time, they were reminded that these course needs to be taken seriously and that they would need to work harder to catch up.
• There will be a few surprise quizzes in the coming weeks regarding Salah and its meanings and students have been told to get themselves prepared.
• The game time revealed that quite a few are not prepared and don't recognize even basic of the vocabularies and concepts. Although game-time is supposed to be fun, but it isn't when participants don't seem be ready to play.

Homework: Jan 15, 2012

• All salah and it's meanings. Review them each day during one of the several prayers that the student performs.
• Find out compass direction of Qibla for western Pennsylvania.