Week 3 Side by Side Saturdays

If we had to choose a favorite session during the November Side by Side program at the Visual Arts Center, it would have absolutely been this last workshop!  Not only were my five-year old and I able to receive a  private embroidery tutoring session, but we also learned some interesting local history as well as how to thread a sewing machine.  

Embroidered drawstring bag

Interestingly, the embroidered instructor also worked as an interpreter at the Valentine Richmond History Center   in the textiles department and eagerly informed us that during the Civil War era  young children were taught the alphabet and numerals through embroidery.   By the time the girls had become young women (14/15 yrs. old),  male suitors judged their marital worthiness by their embroidered samplers. 

Glass pendants

For the previous two sessions, my older girls had also been sharpening their sewing skills, but for this last workshop, they chose instead in make a glass pendant.   The handiwork of this project was a bit more advanced and technical as there was some soldering involved.

 

 

 

 

My children have gained life long skills through these workshops and are grateful for the opportunity to take these classes.   We truly loved our experience at the Side by Side Saturday program and pray that we are able to continue to take part in this program in the future,  insha Allah. 

 

 

 

 

When Chemistry and Earth Science Meet Art and Texture

While using materials that are readily found around our house and this lesson plan from Kinderart.com,  the girls discovered a relationship between science and art.  While using watercolors and salt, we discussed that  salt is a mineral made up of  inorganic elements named sodium and chloride and is found in the earth as well as in the oceans, seas, and lakes.  They were also fascinated by the chemical reaction that took place after sprinkling the salt on the wet watercolors, masha Allah.  

Texture painting

Pollock’s Paint Party @ Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Normally, I accompany my children to their extracurricular classes and workshops, but my five-year old daughter decided that she was ready to attend the painting party on her own.   So, I waited anxiously outside while she joyfully joined in with the rest of the children to learn about the artistic style of Jackson Pollock and take a whack at his abstract expressionist technique.

From right outside the studio, I espied the energetic instructor bouncing around assisting the children with their paintings.  At one point, I caught a glimpse of them on the floor dripping, splattering, and pouring paint.  Doused in paint, my little girl was absolutely loving it! 

I may try these “action paintings” at home with the other children using these lesson plans.   Surely, the other girls would be delighted to have a go at this as well, insha Allah.

Tell Me About Hajj

It is time again for the Hajj.  The Hajj is an annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to Makkah in order to complete the obligation of the fifth pillar of Islam.  Some of the projects that the children and I have completed together in earlier years pertaining to the Hajj included minibooks on Hajj, reading about Hajj(Tell Me About Hajj), Hajj reenactments, arts/crafts, and a Hajj notebook/lapbook.   Find more hands-on activities here.

I also put together a bulletin board for the children using images that I found online.

 

 

 

 

We also built a miniature sized kaaba using sugar cubes.

Sugar Cube Kaaba

The following images are from the Hajj lapbook/notebook which we put together.

Week 2 Side by Side Saturdays

The nor’easter finally broke yesterday here in central Virginia, so we were able to participate in some Saturday morning outings, masha Allah.  While my husband and son participated in mending asnake fence at Meadow Farm, the three oldest girls and I spent the morning side by side engaged in artwork. 

snake fence

Woolen slippers

 Sewing woolen slippers was the project my two eldest daughters (8 and 7) choose to complete.  They have been sewing at home ever since they were given some squares to make a quilt at the homeschool day at Tredegar Iron Works.  I have to admit that I am glad they’re able to have more experienced teachers available to instruct them in sewing.

The material used in making the slippers was cut from thrift store sweaters, masha Allah.  The instructor explained that the sweaters were washed inside a pillow case in hot water and then dried.  Then the sweater was cut at the seams and then the soles as well as top were cut using a pattern.  The girls decorated theirs by sewing on buttons, but patterns can also be cut from felt sheets and sewn on as well.

This woolen slipper project was a bit too advanced for my 5 yr. old daughter, but she did manage to sew a button on a sweater cuff with my assistance to make a bracelet.

Woolen bracelet

In addition to the bracelet, we also painted cucurbita gourds together.

Painted cucurbita gourds

These gourds were prepared by being allowed to dry out in a dark, dry room for several months.  They were then washed, dried, and really to be painted, masha Allah.

Updated Earth Science Curriculum

In an attempt to follow our eclectic homeschooling method, I have updated the Earth Science Curriculum we are currently studying.  Videos, book suggestions, Qur’anic sources, Islamic history, and an online geology curriculum resource have been added.  Also, previously the curriculum was broken down by the week, but  we weren’t completing all the material in a week, so now it is organized by lesson.  My intention is to continue adding more resources to it, so check back often, insha Allah.  Please post any comments and/or constructive criticism, insha Allah.

“Everyone Shall Taste Death”

Aali Imran – 3:185

Everyone shall taste death. And only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise, he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). (Aali Imran 3:185) Recently, death has been on our minds and has been a daily discussion topic in our household.  Two brothers from our Islamic community were buried within the last several weeks. (May Allah forgive their sins and grant them Jennah)  Also, my own family just experienced the lost of our family patriarch, masha Allah.   Everyone in my extended family is Christian and my children were curious about the differences  between Christian death rituals and our Islamic rituals.  Therefore, we did a little research together to find the differences and similarities between them. In brief, we learned that many Christians are embalmed to make them suitable for display at a funeral.  This process of embalming can be traced back to ancient Egypt.  Other ancient cultures such as the Incas and Chinese also embalmed their dead.  After embalming, the person may be groomed and dressed and placed in a coffin.   Other Christians aren’t buried, but cremated which also has historical significance. In contrast, Muslims do not embalm their dead, but they are washed, shrouded,  prayed over, and buried  in an exact manner legislated by the Sharia (Islamic law), masha Allah.   These rites should be completed immediately after a person’s death, insha Allah.  In comparision, many Christians  and all Muslims are buried in the earth.  In addition to discussing these rites and rituals with the children, my husband and I have been educating them on the rulings related to death and funerals (Janazah) in Islam.  We have begun listening to some lectures by Dr. Saleh as Saleh (May Allah be pleased with him) on preparedness of death, visiting the sick, seeking cures, dying person, will and debt, and washing and shrouding the body, masha Allah.  These are short, succinct talks that are ideal for children, masha Allah.  After listening to the first lecture, we have established that in order to prepare for the inevitable (death), we must constantly be asking Allah for forgiveness, increasing our good deeds, and constantly remembering death.  It is reported that before his death, Abû Mûsâ Al-Ash’arî – Allah be please with him – used to exert himself intensely in worship. It was said to him, “If only you would slow down and go easy on yourself.” He replied, “When steeds are let loose and come close to the end of their course they finish by giving it all they have, and what remains of my life is less than that.” Al-Dhahabî , Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Abû Mûsâ Al-Ash’arî. Taken from Sayings of the Salaf

Outlining and Islamic History

Learning to outline has only been slightly painful for my ten yr. old son.  He tends to resist anything new at first though, but as he  puts this new skill into practice, he is also agreeing that it is helping him to organize information he is reading.   I have to admit this is one of the skills that I learned when I was younger which I still use on a regular basis to this day.

We are using the brochures that I brought home from the field trip last week at Tredegar Iron Works (Richmond National Battlefield Park) as a practical exercise for putting his new skill into practice.

Brochures for outlining

Another subject that I am excited to relearn is Islamic History.  We have reached the point in our chronological study of history where we will focus on Islamic History for several weeks.  Honestly, as I am reviewing and organizing this information in advance, I don’t recall learning anything of this nature in school. 

As I was searching for resources on this topic, I remember that we indeed owned this book called Islam and Muslim Civilization.  It is the sixth grade level in a series by Susan Douglass.  This series is meant to be a supplemental unit to any history curriculum.  So far, it seems like it is just the thing for which I had been searching all over the Internet, subhannallah. 

Another book which I rediscovered right on our bookshelves that will accompany this study is called Tell Me About Islamic History by Luqman Nagy.  This children’s book highlights some of the major figures and events of the Islamic Era from 628 CE to the fall of Granada in 1492 CE.  Again this is not a complete curriculum but a starting point to instill interest for further study into Islamic History.

Week 1 Side by Side Saturdays

This Saturday kicked off the first art session at the Visual Arts Center in artsy uptown area of Richmond where my three eldest daughters opted to make a portrait collage and fabric birds.  

Muslimah collage

It was my five-year old daughter’s first experience with the workshop as she just turned five last month and now meets the age requirement, masha Allah.  I think that  she enjoyed the time alone with me more than the actual collage making.   We were both ectastic to find images of covered Muslimahs (female Muslims) in National Geographic magazines which we could cut out and arrange into a  collage together.

Fabric birds

My father-in-law accompanied my eldest daughters (8 and 7) to a fabric bird making class where they learned to hand sew for the first time.   I was pleased that they were exposed to this skill in the workshop as sewing is an important skill to learn and master, insha Allah.

Homeschool Day @ Tredegar Iron Works

While reading over my emails this morning, I came across a notification about homeschool day at Tredegar Iron Works in the cit of Richmond.  It was a bit of short notice, but the price was right, we homeschoolers are flexible,  and the hands-on living history events sounded fun and educational for the children.  So after slapping together a quick-lunch, we were off to study some state and national history, insha Allah.

Some of the workshops that were planned for the children included learning about a common confederate soldier, a woman’s role in the Civil War, a Cannon’s Roar, and interactive stations.   In these workshops they enjoying marching in formation, learning about quilting, and working together to “fire” a cannon.

Admittedly, my little children weren’t very interested in the program as it was best suited for ages 7 and up, in my opinion, but I found other ways to make the outing beneficial for them as well.  There was an enormous open field with outside exhibits, look outs, and flora and fauna to discover.  We even found sand in which to dig near the picnic tables.  The train running high above the river  also fascinated  them.

Here is a video of some of the activities in which we participated along with views of the city.

After we returned home, my ten yr. old son had a ton of questions and I was grateful to have my husband available to listen and answer his inquiries, alhamdulillah.  My husband has done much historical research in his spare time; therefore, he is in a better position to explain historical events than I am able.