Newsletter October 2008

Chilren are a “trust, placed by God, in the hands of his parents, and his innocent heart is a precious element capable of taking impressions.”
-Al Ghazali

… and you never get a second chance to make a first impression, so lets make it a positive one!


Important Dates and Reminders:
Children’s Discovery Museum: Saturday, October 11th, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday October 12th, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Kick Start Eat Smart Visit Rainbow Pizza and Market! Shop for pretend fruits and veggies in the farmers’ market, then design a pizza using what you know about eating a rainbow to stay healthy. You can find more colorful food ideas at www.cdm.org/kickstart. We will also try some new ways to move. We might be offering Jazzercise, hula hoop fun, dance moves, or more!
Sat. Oct. 11th: Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast @ Station #2, corner of Wolfe and Arques.

Fri. Oct. 17th: Field Trip Farmer’s Market: 9:30-11:00am
TBA: Field Trip Grocery Store

Upcoming Themes:
This month we will be taking a closer look at our bodies. We will be doing activities exploring form our bones and brains to eating healthy and staying healthy. InshaAllah this month will be full of cooking projects and visits from fellow parents who will demonstrate eating choices and hygiene skills with the children. We will also be looking into how are bodies grow and change, through skills of observation, measurement, and comparisons. This will coincide with the changing of the season and a month long art project of our “Fall Tree”.
On the social front, we will be focusing on self intiative and independence. This will include self service for snack, and “complex” snack, ones they have to put together themselves. Also, children will be encouraged this month into home activities with their parents that they will bring back and share. They will also be asked to demonstrate the “process” they took to make the snack.

Last month:
We had a great time mapping out our family, community, and using imaginative role playing to learn about our community helpers. We also had a peaceful field trip to the masjid where they all got to help clean up the masjid and practice their surahs. They also were treated with kufi’s and scarves we will be using periodically in Arabic class.
One of the highlights of this month was the study of Ramadan and sharing with neighbors/friends. Also children collected stars to chart their good deeds and progress in becoming “better” in character. Stories included “The Prophet (S) and his neighbor”, and Abu Jahl’s treatment of the orphans (Suah Ma’un).

Arabic:
Alhamdulillah the children have memorized Surah Ikhlaas and are now finishing up Surah Ma’un. They are very excited and very receptive to learning through hand gestures and active games. InshaAllah this month we will continue onto Surah Tin (Fig). We also have been learning the letters alif for Allah, Baa, for Bismillah, and Raa for Ramadan.
InshaAllah Teacher Lubna will be joined shortly by Teacher Rokaya who will be working on Arabic Language exposure and comprehension with the children.