The Animal Theme In The Pre-Primary
The animal theme commenced aptly with farm animals during the week before eid ul Adha,presenting the children with enough animal experiences as everywhere they turned, it was here a baa, there a moo everywhere baa and moo. The children also went into the premises of Yusufi Masjid to look at the animals that had been brought there for Eid-ul Adha.
On 29th October the students brought in their own pets to school. It turned out to be an exciting day watching the tortoise slowly and steadily pace the expanse of the make shift enclosure and the aggressive duck who never missed a chance to peck at the little baby chicks and the arrogant fantail pigeon who was happy with its grains and didn’t want to have anything to do with the other animals. The students also discussed which animals are appropriate for keeping at home as pets, drawing attention to the fact that Aali Qadr Moula in one of his discourses stated that we should keep pigeons as pets in our homes.
To share the experience of learning with parents, we sent home a worksheet for parents to share the joys of learning with their children. In the classrooms, the children made animal booklets and mobile hangers as take home activites.
On the 31st of October the long awaited day for the trip to the zoo arrived. After Tilawat –ud-Dua and sadaqa, the students quickly assembled into the school transport and made their way to the zoo. Here the students enjoyed viewing the animals along with explanations and discussion with their teachers about the animals’ habitat, their babies and their salient features revolving within the parameters of Al-Muntalaq-ul-Islami.The children were enlightened as they keenly observed the animals hooves and feet and sitting positions as the decisive features that distinguished them as halaal and haram.
The students then settled down on the plush green grass in the park to enjoy their snacks amidst the excitement and chatter about all that they’d seen.
The students returned to school just in time to go back home bustling with details to share with their loved ones.
The excitement did not end here. The following day when the students came to school, eager to share the memories of the trip with their friends and teachers as they portrayed their memories through illustrations.
When the students returned after their Ashara Mubarakah break, as recapitulation of the theme the entire Pre-primary got together and created a large mural of life under the sea,with their fish with scales which are fit for consumption and the large and small wonders that lie deep down in the sea bed.
