Explore Our Lessons
Inquiry-driven lessons in Arabic and English, grounded in students' histories, geographies and lived experience.
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Curriculum units and lesson collections.
Astronomy
Curiosity and wonder have always been powerful drivers of scientific inquiry. People before us have been propelled by wonder to answer deep questions about our universe through observation and data collection, which our current knowledge is indebted to. How can we harness this same wonder that spurred our ancestors in order to explore our universe? In this unit, learners will explore the patterns that the Earth’s movement creates from within a historical context grounded in the Islamic Golden Age of science.
Geographies of Home
How can we deepen our relationship with our surroundings? How can we help young people attune to their local environment? By giving students opportunities to engage with their spaces, both physical and emotional, in creative new ways, we hope to bring their worlds alive to them and help them reflect on the ingredients that combine to create meaning. Throughout this unit, learners will be interacting with the idea of home through the practice of mapping, and understanding place through different artists who attempt to answer the same questions.
Food & Stories
This unit is an invitation to reflect on the magic that comes from the small, everyday moments we share around a table, in the garden, in the kitchen and storytelling with loved ones. What can we learn about ourselves through the food we share? The stories we tell at meals? Why this recipe? Why this ingredient? Learners will reflect on their intrinsic and inherited cultural identity through the everydayness of sharing a meal with family members and begin to see themselves as storytellers. By exploring a variety of multimodal forms of storytelling like drawings, recipes, and oral stories, we hope to provide young people with authentic opportunities to narrate the richness of their own lives and family history.
Arabic Language Arts Mentor Text Lessons
Each of these standalone lessons centers on a read aloud and an attached topic or skill. Use them at any point in the year to supplement a specific skill, serve as a mentor text, or help learners understand a particular topic or theme. We have included a suggested mentor text, the intended grade level(s) and relevant activities. Each mentor text is written or created by SWANA authors and artists.
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Al-Jawza’ Folktale
Learners are introduced to the Al-Jawza’ folktale. Learners complete a gallery walk of the thinking routine “What do you already know? What do you wonder about? What have you learned today?”
Unit:AstronomyIncludes
AlJawza constellation images (slides 1-3), AlJawza folktale, Astronomy unit vocabulary
Astronomical Instruments
Learners explore the parts and function of different astronomical tools throughout the ages.
Unit:AstronomyIncludes
Astronomical tools thinking routine slides, Astronomical tools teacher guide
Rotation of the Earth
Learners are introduced to the rotation of the Earth through a video and the thinking routine ‘see, think, wonder.’ Learners read a short informational text about the rotation of the Earth and the patterns it creates.
Unit:AstronomyIncludes
Informational text about the rotation of the Earth, Astronomy unit vocabulary, Timelapse of the sun’s movement across the sky
Data
Learners explore the concept of a pattern and practice interpreting data.
Unit:AstronomyIncludes
Data lesson slides, Video of the rotation of the Earth, Astronomy unit vocabulary
Shadows
Learners investigate the relationship between shadows, an object and a light source and begin to understand that the rotation of the Earth causes a change in length and direction of shadows.
Unit:AstronomyIncludes
Timelapse of the sun’s movement across the sky
Shadows continued
Learners observe the relationship between shadows, an object and a light source by going outside and practicing scientific behaviors. Learners practice creating data about shadows.
Unit:AstronomyIncludes
Shadow tracker, Video of shadows changing throughout the day
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