MAIN ACTIVITIES SURAH AL-'ALA

WEEK 1 INTRODUCTION In this first week, the focus will be on verse 1 and 2. The theme of this week is on the glory and the perfection of God who has created the universe. Day 1 touches on the meaning, purpose, and practice of tasbīḥ. Day 2 touches on the awareness that underlies the practice of tasbīḥ. ACTIVITY 1: FLY HIGH (VERSE 1): EXPERIMENT LESSON OUTCOME At the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify the meaning, purpose, and practice of tasbīḥ. SET INDUCTION In verse 1, Allah commanded the Prophet to glorify His names most high. Let’s conduct an experiment to understand the meaning of glory in His names. MATERIALS INSTRUCTIONS 1. Toilet cleaner that contains sodium 1. Cut the food wrapper into small pieces and hydroxide. crunch them into small balls. 2. A glass bottle with a narrow mouth. 2. Pour the toilet cleaner into the glass bottle 3. Aluminium food wrapper. until ¾ full. 4. Balloons. 3. Put some crunched aluminium balls into the bottle. Wait until a chemical reaction (Safety note: make sure this activity is done takes place. (Note: the reaction is in the outdoor) form of bubbles and foams) 4. After a reaction occurred, wrap the mouth of the bottle with the balloon. 5. The balloon will expand because it traps the produced gases. 6. After the balloon reaches a desired size, tie the end of the balloon. 7. And then release the balloon upwards and see it fly high! LESSONS 1. Tasbīḥ is a practice of uttering the names of Allah in order to praise Him.

2. We must praise Him through His noble names. 3. We must always utter the names of Allah with an utmost humility and awe. LESSON ASSESSMENTS Formative and summative: 1. What is the meaning of tasbīḥ? 2. What is the purpose of tasbīḥ? 3. How do we practice tasbīḥ? Ans: By uttering His names.

ACTIVITY 2: MINI ECOSYSTEM (VERSE 2). LESSON OUTCOME At the end of the lesson, students will be able to explain the wisdom of tasbīḥ. SET INDUCTION In the previous session, we have learned about tasbīḥ. But why do we practice tasbīḥ? Let’s do an activity to understand the wisdom behind tasbīḥ. MATERIALS INSTRUCTIONS 1. Small aquarium. 1. Fill your small aquarium with a layer of dirt. 2. Mesh netting. 2. Add some grass or other plants, rocks and 3. Long rubber band. sticks. 4. Natural objects (leaves, grass, pebbles, etc). 3. Cut your screen to fit over the top and 5. Critters and insects. secure with a rubber band. (source: 4. Now you are ready to go on a nature hunt https://www.stirthewonder.com/build-a-mini- with your kids and find some cool critters ecosystem-for-nature-observation-with-kids/) to observe! 5. Don’t forget to release the animals and insect once you have finished observing. LESSONS 1. The glory and perfection of God can be observed in His perfected creation. 2. By observing nature, we can understand more His perfection. 3. Because nature is created very orderly and perfectly, surely the Creator is far more perfect and beautiful, free from any imperfections. LESSON ASSESSMENTS Formative and summative: 1. Why do we do tasbīḥ? Ans: to glorify Allah. 2. How do we internalize tasbīḥ more? Ans: by realizing the perfection of Allah through observing His creation.

WEEK 2 INTRODUCTION This week focuses on verse 4 and 6. The emphasized theme of this week is the dependence of everything on the will and power of God – both in the regularity of nature and in the understanding and practice of Islam. Day 1 explores His sovereignty in the arrangement of nature. Among His perfection is His wise arrangements of nature. Day 2 explores the theme of perfection in the bestowal of knowledge for man. ACTIVITY 1: PLANTS (VERSE 4) LESSON OUTCOMES At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Explain God’s perfection as the Creator. 2. Give an example of His creation based on verse 4. (Source: https://teaching2and3yearolds.com/how-to-make-a-terrarium-during-your-preschool- gardening-theme/) SET INDUCTION In the previous activities, we have learned about tasbīḥ and its wisdom. In this week, we will try to understand verse 4. Here, Allah mentions that He has brought forth green pastures. How do plants come forth from its soil? Let’s do an activity to understand this. MATERIALS INSTRUCTIONS 1. Wide mouth jar. 1. Prepare all the materials. 2. Small pebbles. 2. Scoop the small pebbles into the jar. 3. Activated charcoal. 3. Scoop the charcoal into the jar. 4. Soil and dirt. 4. Scoop the soil into the jar. 5. Small figurines. 5. Add some figurines. 6. Succulent plants. 6. Snip off pieces of the succulent plant and poke them into the soil. 7. Give them water. (We put water in a spray bottle.)

8. Place the lid on the jar. They are now ready to take home to enjoy! LESSONS 1. Allah’s perfection can be observed in nature. 2. His perfection is in the wisdom of His arrangements of nature. 3. Among the signs of His wisdom is bringing forth green plants to ornament the Earth with its green beauty. 4. Plants are also important in providing oxygen that is important for life. LESSON ASSESSMENTS Formative and summative: 1. What is one of the signs of the perfection of Allah? Ans: lesson 2. 2. What is the example of a perfect creation? Ans: lessons 3-4.

ACTIVITY 2: REMEMBER! (VERSE 6) LESSON OUTCOMES At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Relate the power of Allah over plants to His power over man’s mind and heart. 2. Explain His perfection as the Guider. SET INDUCTION In the last session, we have learned about the power of Allah in creating and determining the measurement of the creation of plants. Are humans also subject to a similar configuration? In verse 6, Allah reminds the Prophet that it is He who will recite the Quran to him. Which means that humans are also subject to His will as are plants. MATERIAL INSTRUCTIONS Students. 1. The first person mentions a number. 2. The next person repeats the first number and adds another. 3. The third person mentions the first and second numbers and adds yet another. 4. The game continues until a person forgets the arrangement of the numbers. And he/she is out. 5. Continue the game, and the last person standing is the winner. LESSONS 1. In this surah, Allah reminds the Prophet that His power does not only encompass nature, but also extends to human nature – whether internal or external nature. 2. His power includes the activity of thinking. He is in control of what we think. 3. Therefore, only He can ensure that we memorize the verses of the Quran. 4. This shows the extent of His power. 5. Hence, we must be grateful because Allah lets us remember and memorize His words. He is the best of all givers of guidance. LESSON ASSESSMENT 1. Is Allah’s power limited only to nature? Ans: lesson 2.

WEEK 3 INTRODUCTION This week’s theme is daʿwah. After He has described His perfection, He urges that this knowledge must be conveyed to others as well. Day 1 exposes to the students some techniques of public speaking. Day 2 expands the activity to include the public. ACTIVITY 1: DIORAMA (VERSE 9) LESSON OUTCOMES At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Connect the early part of the surah with its second part. 2. Train themselves with some public speaking techniques. SET INDUCTION In verse 9, Allah commanded the Prophet to continuously remind others because reminders will benefit people. How do we give an impactful reminder? Let’s do an activity to find out. MATERIALS INSTRUCTION 1. Source: Refer to the links. (https://kidadl.com/articles/fun-ways-to- teach-public-speaking-to-kids) 2. Source: (https://slightlyunconventional.com/teach- public-speaking-to-kids/) LESSONS 1. Allah has described His perfection; He urges that this knowledge must be conveyed to others as well. 2. It is the responsibility of a Prophet to give a reminder that can be accepted by people. 3. Therefore, we need to learn the proper techniques of public speaking. LESSON ASSESSMENT 1. Why does Allah command us to give reminders? Ans: lesson 1.

ACTIVITY 2: STREET DAʿWAH (VERSE 10 & 11). LESSON OUTCOME At the end of the lesson, students will be able to practice the techniques of public speaking to the public. SET INDUCTION See activity Day 1, Week 3. MATERIALS INSTRUCTION See activity Day 1, Week 3. See activity Day 1, Week 3. LESSONS See activity Day 1, Week 3. LESSON ASSESSMENT See activity Day 1, Week 3.

WEEK 4 ACTIVITY 1: KEYTERMS LESSON OUTCOME At the end of the lesson, students will be able to arrange the letters correctly. SET INDUCTION In this surah, we have learned about some new things about Islam. Let’s list down some important words that refer to the new understandings. MATERIALS INSTRUCTIONS New key terms: 1. Write down the key terms on the 1. Tasbīḥ. whiteboard as anagrams. 2. Al-Aʿlā. 2. Scramble the letters randomly except 3. Khalq. for the first and the last letters. 4. Taqdīr. 3. Ask the students to rearrange the letters 5. Hidāyah. according to the proper orders. 6. al-ʿAlīm. 7. Dhikrā. 4. They can to refer to the Surah to identify 8. Khashyah. the key terms in order to perform the 9. Ashqā. rearrangement. 10. Falah. 11. Tazkiyah. 12. Ṣuḥuf. LESSONS LESSON ASSESSMENT

ACTIVITY 2: JOURNAL WRITING LESSON OUTCOME At the end of the lesson, students will be able to record all the lesson of Surah al-‘Ala in a journal. SET INDUCTION Let us write a journal to record everything that we have learned. MATERIAL INSTRUCTIONS Journal 1. Update the contents of al-Aʿlā in your journal. 2. Write down the important lessons that you have acquired in every verse. 3. Write down the main lessons that you have acquired in the whole surah. LESSONS LESSON ASSESSMENT