A Counting Book Kids May Love

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten children may enjoy this delightful book, The Big Storm , as they learn how to count from 1 to 10. 

In the forest, a big storm is on the way. The animals seek shelter in a hill hollow and as they do so children learn how to count from one to ten (they also learn how to count backward from ten to one). The illustrations are excellent because they help young children see how adding one more to a number increases the number by one, and the arrangement of the animals on each page allows children to easily see and grasp the concept of addition. Another wonderful feature of this book is the opportunity to increase young children's vocabulary; the book is full of words that will likely be new to young listeners. You can also use this book when teaching weather, seasons, animals, and habitats!

This is a book you may wish to purchase for your clsasroom or home library in shaa' Allaah. Of course, the next time you visit your local library, check the shelf and if you find The Big Storm, check it out! 

Enjoy & Benefit In shaa' Allaah! 

[FREEBIE]: Preschool Version of My Morning Book

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Alhamdulillaah, this is the preschool companion book to My Morning Book:

This book covers the basic skills that preschool children learn during the school year and includes Islaamic concepts that are age appropriate insha'Allaah. Children will learn some short ad'iyah, learn about different prophets of Allaah, and become familiar with other Islaamic concepts such as caliphah, jannah, and obedience to Allaah, His Final Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa salam), and our parents. 

Because preschool children learn by moving and doing, it is not recommended that the activities in this book take longer than 2-5 minutes. Additionally, the activities are meant to be completed with assistance from a teacher/teacher-parent, although some children may be able to complete several of the activities independently. This may be especially helpful when homeschooling children of different ages - the littlest will have his/her own "work" to do as well alhamdulillaah! 

Children will have the opportunity to explore the following concepts insha'Allaah:

• Becoming familiar with some of the prophets of Allaah
• Becoming familiar with some notable figures in Islaamic history
• Learning some short ad'iyah
• Colours 
• Shapes (there are shapes for the child to cut and paste onto the morning book pages. These shapes are located at the end of the file.)
• Numbers 1-10
• Handwriting practice
• Different and Same
• Counting to determine how many in a set

The pages in the book are also not meant to be taught in sequential order because it is not recommended that the English alphabet be taught in order( a-z). Several letters have similar features which can lead to children easily confusing the letters that share a similar shape/curve/etc. Letters such as M and N, B and D, E and F are a few examples (this confusion can be compounded when children begin learning the lower case form of the letters). 

Also, like My Morning Book, the pages of the Preschool Morning Book fit very conveniently into a three-ring binder for easy access and storage alhamdulillaah. Lastly, some of the wonderful Islaamic in the book is courtesy of Easel & Ink (may Allaah reward the sisters and accept from them their efforts and work).

Click here to download the Canadian Version
(i.e.colour spelled with a 'u')

Click here to download the US Version
(i.e. colour spelled without a 'u')

Ramadaan Math Activity: Measurement

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

As preparations for iftar take place, young toddlers may often wish to assist. This is an opportune time to introduce fractions and measurement to your young helper.  

Using a poster board and your measuring cups and spoons, trace each cup and spoon onto construction paper. You may wish to make all of the cups one colour and all of the spoons one distinct colour. Cut out the cup and spoon outlines and glue them on to the poster board. Label each cup and spoon with its appropriate measurement (i.e. one half of a cup, one teaspoon, etc.).

To do the activity with your child:

• Do the activity over a period of two to three days (depending on your child)
• For example: On day 1, place all of the measuring cups in a basket. Take the poster board and basket and invite your child to join you. 
• Briefly mention what measuring cups are used for and how they help us when we cook or bake. Also point out the difference between cups and spoons - how are they different, how are they alike?
• Slowly and silently, match all of the measuring cups to the correct outline. Intentionally mismatch a cup (or two) and show the child how you self-correct (i.e. you place a cup that is too small to be 1 cup on the outline for 1 cup. Sit for a second and look at the cup and move it around a bit to show that it does not match. Try the cup elsewhere until you find the correct outline. Place the cup on the correct outline).
• Place all of the cups back into the basket but not stacked in order. Just place them in the basket out of order. 
• Invite the child to match the cups. 

• On day 2 repeat the same procedure with the measuring spoons. 

After the child has mastered matching the measuring cups and spoons on the board, invite them to do another activity with the board. Say: "[child's name] I need one third of a cup please" and allow the child to find the 1/3 cup. Continue in this way until you have asked the child for all of the measuring cups (or spoons) and he/she has correctly given you the cup (or spoon) you asked for.

If the child gives you the incorrect cup (or spoon) use the board to show them where the correct cup (or spoon) is and ask the child to place the cup they have in their hand on that spot. Ask: "Is that [size of cup or spoon you asked for]?" Point out the attributes that tell you it is not the correct cup or spoon (i.e. this cup is too big; this cup is too small, the handle on this cup is not long enough, etc.) Allow the child to find the correct cup (or spoon).

When the child has finished working with this activity you can place the board on the refrigerator for reference. When your child is helping you cook or bake, ask the child to pass you the measuring cups or spoons you need. If they need assistance, direct them to the board on the refrigerator for help. Invite them to match the cup or spoon in their hand to the outline on the board to verify they have the right cup or spoon insha'Allaah.

Later, when you feel your child is ready, write the fractions that represent the measurements of each cup and spoon on the outlines on the board. Show your child these fractions on the cups and spoons themselves. At this stage, it is enough just to show the child how we write 1/3, 1/4, etc. with numbers. 


Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Making New Games from Old or Extra Games

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

By the end of any given school year you can end up with multiples of different games, toys, and manipulatives.  Some of these extras can be recycled to make a new game or activity.

An example is an abacus. If you have several abaci, pick the one whose sides are widest. Gently remove one of the sides and slide all of the beads off. Place the base with the dowels facing up (see below) and place the beads in a basket.

Using strips of paper, draw circles that are the same colour as the beads from the abacus in different patterns. Invite children to complete the patterns on the abacus. After the child has completed several patterns correctly, invite him/her to draw new patterns and complete them or invite them to make new patterns for a sibling to complete.

IMPORTANT: When playing this game with toddlers, parental supervision is required as the dowels, while not sharp, can hurt a child if they are poked by them.

What are some ways you recycle your extra or no longer needed materials from previous school years?

Three Part Cards: Shapes

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

3-Part Cards for Shapes

Shapes included are: 

- Circle

- Crescent

- Diamond

- Heart

- Hexagon

- Oval

- Parallelogram

- Pentagon

- Rectangle

- Star

- Square

- Trapezoid

- Triangle

All of the shapes are the same colour to allow the child to focus on the shape they see on each card and not be distracted by different colours.  

Print on cardstock and laminate for durability. Download the cards here (English) and here (عربي) insha'Allaah. You can find more information here about how to use Montessori 3-Part cards.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Math Activity: Ten Fingers

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This activity was the final/closing activity for learning to count from 10-20 in order (رابط التحميل) from this post. Students learn and talk about what we do with our 10 fingers.

This is one student's book

On the cover: the students trace their hand prints and colour them in. They then add the book cover label.

Inside: students learn the names of the fingers and then talk about the things we do with our fingers, such as make tasbeeh, give charity, worship Allaah, play, etc.

On the back cover, students learn the words for at-tashahhud. If the class time runs out, this part can be completed at home. This back cover page can be found at Easel & Ink here.

These little books are made using two pieces of construction paper. Students pick which colours they want and the teacher/teachers assistant tapes or stapes the two pages together. The students then (with teacher/parent guidance) construct the book.

Download file here (English)

The cards are blank in the file to allow teacher/parent to write in the words they choose. Two cards have words on them as examples.

Counting Activites for 3/4 year olds

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This is a counting activity for 3/4 year olds. Insha'Allaah, when/if I am able to post about lesson planning I will refer back to this post when discussing the topic of checking to make sure you have the materials you need ...ahead of time. This activity was an important reminder to self to always check to make sure your stock of paper has not been exhausted and the only colour paper you have left is.....pink. This oversight set the tone (colour wise) for the math activities and trying to move it away from pink was....interesting. Imagine trying to explain to your male students why the math centre activities are pink *smile*.

Using the book of buttons and number cards (numbers 10 - 20), students practice matching the number card that shows how many buttons are on the page and also reinforce their knowledge of the sequential order of the numbers 10-20.

Students count the number of buttons on each page and then find the card that shows the correct amount.

They place the correct card in the white pocket on the opposite page.

Extension activities for the button book and number cards:

1. Using Painting Tape/Masking Tape, make a number line on your classroom/home floor. Write the numbers 10-20 on the tape (each number evenly spaced). Invite children to match the cards to the numbers on the number line.

2. Early graphing skills activity: Gather various small/child safe objects and place one object beneath each number on the number line. Giving each child a turn, ask the child to go to a certain number and tell you what object they find at the number you said. (This also falls under the preK/kindergarten strand: listens to and follows simple directions).

3. Pair work: Take the button book apart. Place each of the pages around the classroom (on your circle time rug for example). Invite the children to go to a card, count the buttons and put their card on the correct number. The self-correcting element is: if a child has counted the buttons incorrectly and placed his/her card on the wrong number when the second child has a card with that number and he/she tries to correctly place it, he/she will already find a card in the spot and this will alert the child who misplaced the card to his/her error.

4. Small Group Gross Motor Skill Activity: Using the number line, have the children line up behind the number 10. The teacher/parent will say "Go!" and the child skips, walks fast, tip-toes, etc. until the teacher calls "Stop!". The child must stop and tell the class which number he/she is standing on. If he/she correctly informs the class, the teacher gives him/her the corresponding number card and the child returns to the end of the line. Play continues this way until the teacher has no more cards left to hand out. The child who has the most cards gets to be the next caller (i.e. the one who says, Go! and Stop!).

Your students/children may also enoy playing a game of Button in the Box.

The game (and the rules) pictured was modified for group play.

You can also invite children to do a cupcake worksheet using buttons.

A sample of a child's completed work

This activity helps children continuing learning to count from 10-20 (in order) and it is also a fine motor skill activity. The children cut out the numbered cup cakes and then match them to the numbered cupcakes on the worksheet. When done, and the teacher/assistant/parent has checked and verified their work, the students are each given 11 buttons and glue. They are then invited to glue a button on to the top of each cupcake (as if they were cherries). 

When you are moving about the room, aside from making sure that no student is putting any buttons in his/her mouth, you can note each child's skill with picking up the buttons using the pincer grasp. This may help you identify children who may need more practice in this area. You also have the opportunity to listen to students counting to themselves as they work to get the cupcakes in the right order. You may very likely hear students counting to themselves: some start from the beginning (i.e. the number 10) each time they have to place the next cupcake in the sequence and count on aloud; others start from the beginning and count on silently but you see their finger moving from cupcake to cupcake as they count in their minds; some may surprise you and already have developed the skill of counting on! (i.e. they have 8 cupcakes placed already so they are at number 17 and should place the number 18 next). You may see this student look at the number 16 and then say aloud "16, 17....18" and then place the number 18 on the page, instead of starting over at number 10. Others may just place the cupcakes randomly as they pick them up (i..e they are in the correct order in the end but they did not glue 10 first, 11 next, 12 after and so on). When they picked up 18 they glued it to the page and if they picked up 11 next they glued it to the page. You may also have a few students who have glued their numbers in random order and out of sequence. This lets you know that these students may benefit from a mini-lesson to help them in their journey of learning to count the numbers 10-20 in sequential order. 

Students can also complete a puzzle that reinforces sequential counting for the numbers 10-20. 

This button puzzle has control of error built in to it in the following manner: When children have completed the puzzle they can look at the bottom right hand corner of each puzzle piece and look at the numbers there. If the numbers are in the correct order -starting from the number 10 - they know they have put the puzzle together correctly. If not, the numbers assist them in assembling the puzzle correctly insha'Allaah.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Theme Pack: I Eat (Manners From the Quraan and Sunnah))

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This is a thematic pack that helps teach preschool children that wasting food is not from the correct Islamic manners. Children also learn/review that we eat with our right hand only and they learn the terms/concepts "right" and "left", "near" and "far". They also learn about foods that are healthy and foods that are unhealthy and should be consumed infrequently.

Included in the pack is a mini-poster with an ayah specific to not wasting food, two mini- student readers (in Arabic only). The first student book teaches the manner in which we eat (رابط التحميل); the second student reader teaches how healthy food helps us grow (رابط التحميل). In the pack there is also a 20 page student workbook (رابط التحميل). Each activity in the workbook helps children develop a specific skill such as: determining which object does not belong in a group, sorting based on the characteristic of healthy and unhealthy foods, a math activity (addition sentences) and several other activities.

A place mat (رابط التحميل).that reminds children to say 'Bismillaah', eat with the right hand, and helps them place their eating utensils in the correct place. This can also be used as a Montessori activity by giving the child a small plate, small spoon and small cup and inviting them to place them correctly (without food or drink in the cup and bowl).

The Student workbook (رابط التحميل): cover page, sample pages and assessment page on the back cover

The teacher/parent assessment sheet

Due to time constraints the mini-student readers are not available in English but in the English student workbook, the last page is an assessment page for the teacher/parent that is intended to help in the record keeping process. This is not in the Arabic version. 

After the child completes the workbook, the teacher/parent can quickly go through the checklist and mark off what applies. In this way, when needing to refer back to the students work at a later date, the teacher/parent can see at a glance how each student interacted with this particular activity. 

Download Theme pack here insha'Allaah

Download Workbook (English) here insha'Allaah
Download Place mat here insha'Allaah

Download student workbook with no text here insha'Allaah

(this file has no text enabling teacher/parent to hand write the directions in the language of choice insha'Allaah)

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

DYI: Preschool Geometry Game

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This is a little game that I thought up for math the centre:

The game is a geometry game and also helps children work on visual dexterity skills insha'Allaah.

 This is the game board before play

 The little box is attached to the board. Inside the sticks children will need to build each shape are stored

 The children place a shape card on the black square with the side showing them how many sticks they will need. They remove the indicated number of sticks from the wooden box.

 They turn the card over and it shows them which shape they will be building insha'Allaah

 Here the shape has been built

There are a total of seven shape cards, all of which can be built with the mini Popsicle sticks.

The shapes children will build are: Rhombus, Rectangle, Square, Diamond, Triangle, and a second Rhombus from a different angle.

What was used to make the game:

1. Old puzzle - pieces removed and board flipped over
2. Piece of sandpaper glued to the puzzle board
3. Small wooden box affixed to the puzzle board
4. Mini-Popsicle sticks
5. Small pieces of felt to attach to the back of each stick
6. Piece of black construction paper cut into fourths and affixed to the board
7. Shape cards
8. Glue 
9. Glue stick (to glue the shape cards together)

The Mini-Popsicle sticks have felt attached to their backs so that they will stick to the sandpaper but still be easy to remove. This is to help children focus on building the shape without the distraction of the pieces moving around but if they need to modify their work, the sticks can easily be removed from the sandpaper insha'Allaah. Everything that the child needs to begin building the shape is located on the child's right hand side to reinforce right to left directionality (for reading and writing). It would be reversed for children learning in English. I purposely did not add an element of trying to see who can build the shape the fastest or the one who does so wins as I would like children to feel free to build visual dexterity at their own pace. 

Reflections after use: After introducing the game and showing how to use it, if the mini-Popsicle sticks were painted red ( the colour of the shapes on each card), maybe it would help some students see the shape easier in their mind and duplicate the shape on the board. Waallaahu a'lam.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Transporation Theme: Adding Depth Part 2

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Continuing with the Transportation theme and the added layers of depth,  students can be introduced to counting cards:

After re-reading the story from this post, students are shown the counting cards. The set of cards pictured is not in order (i.e. the cards do not have pictures of vehicles in the 1-10 order). The cards are random (i.e. one card has two vehicles while the next card could have 10 pictures of a type of transportation vehicle). This was done intentionally to prevent students from guessing and encourage them to take the time to count the pictures on each card.

The cards are printed on card stock and mounted on very sturdy cardboard and then clear contact paper is placed over the front of each card. A hole is punched in the upper right hand corner of each card and a small/medium metal ring is used to hold each set of cards together.

On the bottom of each card a box is present to allow the child to write the number of vehicles they have counted (if the cards are laminated) or in the case of children in the pre-writing stage, they can affix the numbers with velcro insha'Allaah.

This set (which has 12 cards in it) introduces children to vehicles not shown in the book and a small discussion can occur wherein you ask the child where each type of vehicle might be used (i.e. land, air, sea, space). 

Here, velcro is used for students in the pre-writing stage. 

Students in this stage may require teacher/parent assistance in choosing the correct number

if they do not know their numbers on sight (i.e. they do not know what the number 5 looks like, so after the child counts the vehicles, the teacher/parent picks up the number 5, shows it to the child and tells them that this is the number 5)

Counting cards can easily be found on the internet but you can also make your own to fit your specific theme/topic. Made sturdy enough, these sets can be placed in your math centre and children can be invited to use these whenever they wish with little supervision. If you would like these in English please leave a comment and insha'Allaah, I will upload the file soon.

 

Download cards here insha'Allaah

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

The Transportation Theme: Adding a layer of depth

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

For the topic of transportation, this year I've added a layer of depth to the theme. After reading aloud a few books whose theme (in general) is transportation and getting from place to place, children hear this book read aloud (sample pages below): 

The book specifically talks about how we move from place to place but the book ends by telling students that this is all a mercy from Allaah and then the dua' for alighting means of transport is taught. You can download the text for the book here (with English) and the transportation pictures used here and the planet pictures here insha'Allaah. 

To make the book requires that you cut around the pictures leaving no white showing. To make the scenes I used a combination of construction paper, paint, cardboard, aluminum foil, markers, foam and glitter. To give the space scene an outer space look, I put a thin coating of Mod Podge over it (i.e. the scene). 

Then to add a little more depth to the unit, I made a board that has the same scenes from the book. A discussion follows the read aloud about what types of transportation are used in different places (i.e. air, land, water and space). For the game pieces, I mounted them on thick card board and then covered them with clear contact paper.

After watching a demonstration of how to use the game, students are then invited to work on the board and place the types of transportation in the correct scene. This involves students being able to a). recalling relevant points of the story from memory b). sort the types of transportation based on the concept of where they are used

This allows teacher/parent to assess if the story comprehension was mastered or perhaps another read aloud is needed with a bit more discussion.

This game can be placed in a learning centre or on a low shelf to allow students to play with it when they wish. Additionally, you can record a story that talks about how we get from place to place and leave it in the listening centre for children to listen to. The book can be placed in a book basket or in your classroom library to allow children to re-read it when they would like (before placing homemade books in the classroom library it is recommended that you laminate them to help them survive student handling).

Students can also make mini-books about how we get from place to place. These can either be found on the internet or you can make your own that your child helps out with. Some other transportation material from the past can be found here insha'Allaah.

A math add-in to use is the popular "How Did You Get To School Today?" activity that is done at the beginning of the school year. The children tell how they get to school each day (i.e. which method of transportation they use) and together the class makes a bar graph showing which method of transportation is used by most of the students in the class.

The following books are nice to go with your transportation theme and may be found in your local library insha'Allaah.

 

Clang! Clang! Beep! Beep!

Listening to the City

Big Book of Transportation

Insha'Allaah, there will be a few more posts about adding layers to this theme.

And then there is the Autumn (Fall) theme to get ready insha'Allaah.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!

Ramadan Game: Dates Fall Down

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

This is a game that can be used to introduce subtraction to young toddlers during Ramadan insha'Allaah. The game is called "Dates Fall Down" and is simple to play alhamdulillaah. 

Give each child a palm tree math mat

 

and Date Game Pieces 

 

Put the numbers 1-5, into a box. Invite the child to close his/her eyes and take a number from the box. This first number they select will be the number of dates they put into the date palm tree. Ask the child how many dates are in the palm tree. You may also wish to encourage the child to count the dates as he/she puts them into the tree. 

Invite the child to again close his/her eyes and select another number from the box. This is the number that the child will take out of the tree (subtract). Tell the child, "At first there were _____ dates in the tree. You took ______ out/off of the tree. How many dates are left in the tree now?" Invite the child to count to see how many dates are left in the tree. 

Here, the first number selected was 5 and all date game pieces are in the tree

 

 

The second number selected was the number 1

So the child will remove one date from the tree and set it aside. The child is then invited to count the remaining dates in the tree insha'Allaah.

The games continues in this way until the child no longer wishes to play. You may also wish to use the following story to play the game insha'Allaah:

This date palm grows sweet dates,

Wonderful treats Abu Musa makes

From all of the dates that fall down,

Quietly and gently, without a sound.

(whisper here)

Abu Musa often looks just to see,

How many dates are in this tree

Let us count, you and me!

Download "Dates Fall Down" game here insha'Allaah (board with Arabic numbers)

Download "Dates Fall Down" game here insha'Allaah (board with English numbers)

Enjoy insha'Allaah!