Week of September 27, 2004

Prep Week

Begin planning Heritage/Pride Party for Wednesday, October 13, 2004 or Thursday, October 14, 2004. Students should decide what food will be at the party (lunch or just deserts, standard American or diverse cultures), the time and they should begin writing invitations. Invite the mayor, city/town council, govenor, state congresspersons and US congresspersons (representatives and senators) and local newspapers (religion editor would be good) to the party. You may want to ask for RSVP.

Writing letters in drafts (good, better, best) is good. Invitations should be sent out no later than Friday, October 1, 2004

Write Imam and masjid board about doing something for Muslim History and Pride Month.

Week of October 4, 2004

Multi Media Projects
All students should begin a media research project -- presentations can be research papers, movie, mural, collage, rap, poetry, artwork, story etc.
Muslims in History, Muslim Contributions to the Western World, Ordinary Muslim Heroes (interviews with ordinary Muslims making contributions to the Ummah and society at large. (I.e. doctor, butcher, engineer, homemaker, scientist, taxi driver (often the first da'wah many receive), store owner, police officer, etc.) Projects due the week of October 25, 2004

Spirit Day - Tuesday, October 5, 2004
Green Day! Everyone wear green!
If your school has mandatory uniforms, wearing green is the only exception to the uniform this day.

Ramadan has begun! Yay!
Using IECN and The League adopt a sister Islamic school or grade in the US or Canada (in another state or province). Prepare letters and pictures of your class and students as introduction.

Practice greetings for party guests. Assign an upper grade student to each guest -- student should learn formal "western" manners for greeting a dignitary. This student should be able to answer questions and know when to refer questions to an adult.

Spirit Day - Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Canned and Dry Food Drive.
See which class can bring in the most food this day. Award an "After Ramadan Pizza Lunch Party" to this class. Donate food to local food pantries (may want to alert media to this so they can see Muslim student fasting for Ramadan, donating food to feed the hungry).

Projects Due
Spend week listening to, viewing, displaying all media projects of this month.

Thank You Notes
Often charity and "pats on the back" are needed but forgotten during busy life. Have your class write thank you notes to their parents, grandparents (Muslim and non-Muslim), a friend, a teacher, Imam, and local and national Muslim organizations which are working hard for Muslims. These notes can often bring happiness to hard working people and help them continue their work. Send an "encouraging word."

Write a "thank you" note to all those (mayor, etc.) who attended your school party.

Make sure these notes are sent.

Spirit Day - Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Diverse Culture Dress Up and Parade
For one last time this month suspend uniform dress code and have the students dress in the manner of the culture of their parents or grandparents, or a different culture all together, whether it be American, African, German, Dutch, French, Pakistani, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Arab, Mexican, Spanish, Portuguese, British, Persian, Malaysian, etc. As long as Islamic dress code is followed.

You may also want to research how to make European women made and wore their head cover in the medieval period -- those Muslims of European heritage will really appreciate seeing how head covering is part of their history too.