by Ishaq Zahid
Islam is taught at the 6th or 7th grade social studies classes at public schools in the U.S.A. This document provides a detailed outline for a couple of guest lectures by a Muslim parent or some one else. The second part of this document should serve as a resource guide for the social studies teachers.
Things to take
 | Items such as the following are useful to take with you on the day of the
lecture. prayer rug, Azan clock(let them hear part of Azan), Islamic calendar, show them a copy of the Quran, show portions of Adam's World Video (Take me to Kaba) or Introducing Islam video by Sound Vision. Show them the Hajj segment , free brochures or books for the teacher and school. Consider donating a copy of the Quran and other materials to the school library or the teacher. It is also useful to give certain items to the teacher for his or her review before the day of your presentation. |
Lecture
| Use audio-visuals and be interactive during your lecture. Be mindful of the attention span of children, which is generally 10 minutes for any one of any age. |
| Start with Bismillah, say Assalamu alaikum and shake hand with a student. State introductory remarks and then explain what you just did, i.e., Bismillah and salam. |
| Pronunciation of a few basic words: |
| Ask the class to repeat the following words three times. It is important
that you let them say these words. pronounce them correctly. I have noticed that some
Muslims mis-pronounce these words simply because that is how they have heard non-Muslims
say these words. Words to repeat: |
| Talk about the following: |
 | Islam Islam is based on belief in One God, which in Arabic is called Allah. Explain why Muslims may prefer to use the word Allah. Emphasize the following points. Allah is One. No one created Him. he is the first and last. He has no parents, no children, no wives. No one is equal to Him. He created everything. He is our Lord and Master. Whenever He want to create anything, all He has to say is, "Be! and it is." He created us to obey Him and worship Him. God knows everything regardless of how small it is. He knows what is in our hearts and minds and is well aware of our past, present and future. |
| Muslim A Muslim is a person who accepts Islam as his or her way of life. Salvation according to Islam depends on belief in One God, your righteous deeds and His mercy. Mention that there are over one billion Muslims world-wide and about six million in the U.S.A. About 40% of U.S. Muslims are Afro-Americans. |
| Islamic Beliefs |
| The Quran |
| Muhammad before prophethood |
| Arabs and Kabah |
| Muhammad as a Prophet |
| Five Pillars |
| True Stories: |
 | caring for your parents |
| telling the truth |
| words and actions should be the same |
| caring for animals |
| Show how you pray. Use the Azan clock or play a recitation from the Quran |
Resources For the Sixth Grade Social Studies Teachers
The Council on Islamic
Education publishes instructional materials for K-12 history-social studies and also
conducts in-service workshops for schools and school districts. They also produce
supplementary resource materials for educators to help them teach about Muslim and world
history in an inclusive and meaningful fashion.
Books Published by Council on Islamic Education:
Order a Free Catalog
Council on Islamic Education
P.O. Box 20186
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714)839-2929 phone
(714)839-2714 fax
NOTE:Islam101 is not affiliated with Council on Islamic Education. If you provide similar resources for public schools,please send us the relevant information for review. If you as a Muslim parent have ever given a lecture to a sixth grade class on Islam, send us your feedback.