To both teams, we are inviting you to a bonus practice. One of the main purposes of the practice is to collect and/or distribute permission slips for our upcoming field trips. Also, we will get a chance to discuss points from last night’s Unit vs Team Huda game, and workout with the new equipment.
We hope to see you there. *Don’t forget the permission slips and monies* Click on link to download a copy of the permission slip, then print, sign and bring to practice.
In Buffalo/Lackawanna the cold weather usually brings out the warmth in neighbors’ hearts. For the WNY Youth Muslim Basketball League (WNYYMBL), and its startup teams our “neighbors” have gone over and beyond this winter with their outpour of donations for our basketball program. Our neighbors, who will go recognized in part 2, have collectively donated hundreds of dollars worth of cash, gifts and purchases.
The last donation was received Sunday evening, and it was over $500 worth of basketball equipment!
ALHAMDULILLAH! THANK YOU neighbors, thank you for warming our hearts!
Alhamdulillah we have completed the first quarter of school. Letters were sent home reminding parents of the parent teacher conferences to be held for the boys’ school on Friday, 11/28. Here is a copy of that letter: 7th-8th grade newsletter 1st qtr.
In the letter it talks about how much has been covered this quarter including the TR Site trip and Muharram art projects. Here is the first quarter in pictures:
THE “MUHARRAM: MONTH OF THE MIRACLE OF MUSA (MOSES) peace be upon him” PROJECTS
(Some including mine didn’t make the cut. Let’s learn from the best)
THE TR SITE SITE FIELD TRIP
These pictures below show where the original exposition was held. Can you figure out where in Buffalo that would be today?
(hints: zoom in on picture & it’s not too far from TR Site Museum)
I SAVED THESE TWO PICTURES BELOW FOR LAST. I LOVE TO POINT OUT TO OUR YOUNG STUDENTS THAT MUSLIMS HAVE BEEN POSITIVE CONTRIBUTORS TO AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR A VERY LONG TIME, CENTURIES IN FACT. HERE’S A SMALL EXAMPLE FOUND ON OUR WAY OUT FROM THE TR SITE MUSEUM:
Reading is awesome! And being able to read in many different languages is just AMAZING! That’s what our last reading comprehension ELA class was about, wasn’t it fifth grade? Our captivating story was about an archaeologist by the name of Arthur Evans who became world-famous when discovered an Ancient Greek palace. We read about how he dedicated his whole life to trying to understand their ancient form of writing. Take a look at this short video:
The ancient Greek civilization was succeeded by or followed by the ancient Roman civilization. Keep that in mind. But before we actually began our new reading assignment this past Wednesday, we first actually looked at this video (note: light background music, in spots)
What do you think? Isn’t his story inspiring. The great part about his story (his story, get it? the great thing about his-story…history? oh nevermind) is that a lot of us at Al-Rasheed Academy, speak more than one language too! In fact, I would say easily over 90% of the school speaks at least two languages – what a head start we have over the average American private school. Here’s a website I found called Omniglot. Play around with it. It’s pretty amazing to get access to so many languages at once.
Ok, ok, here’s the super amazing part: Allah, The Most Great, speaks all about this topic in the Quran. This is just awesome…check this out. Allah says: “And from His proofs (that there is a Creator) is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and your colors. Indeed in that are signs for those of knowledge.” (Sura 30, ayah 22).
Now where does Allah mention this fact about multilingualism (variety of languages)? He mentions it in Sura Ar-Room or the chapter titled “The Romans”. So a reading comprehension story about uncovering and decoding an ancient Greek language leads us to the only Quranic ayah about the variety of languages and it happens to be in the one surah named after the successors of the ancient Greeks, the Romans. Subhaan Allah…reading is just awesome!
Here is that ayah from Sura Room recited beautifully by the reciter Saad Al-Ghamadi: http://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=30&verse=22
All this week we will be facing opponents on our homecourt for three basketball matches. Our first game is a rematch of last month’s loss, 7th/8th gr Rashideen pair up with the 7th/8th gr King Center team (Buffalo). Wednesday’s game is a first time match up.The 4th gr of ARA will go the distance with King Center’s 3rd/4th gr team. And finally on Thursday, the newly-reformed 5th/6th gr team will go head up with a more even match, the 5th/6th gr of King Center.
All games are 4p. Family are friends are welcome. Help us bring in championship week right, starting tomorrow February 3rd at 109 Ridge Road.
The Rashideen play against the King Center of Buffalo this Monday at 4p. It will be a home scrimmage, our first. Seating will be available for guests and supporters. No public restroom usage and you are welcome to bring your own snacks. Jazaakum Allahu khayr. See you there, inshaa Allah.
We had a blast at the Buffalo Museum of Science! Our first task was to start KWL charts at the school before the trip – what do we know about rocks, what do we want to know about them (if anything) and what did we learn. (This last one would be filled out at the museum.)
Here’s what some of us wrote: K W
We know about three types of rock. I want to know more. (Ustath)
We know about sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. (AM)
We know about sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. I want to know how to identify rocks and minerals. (WOW! – HU)
We know about sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. I want to know if minerals and rocks are the same. (AS)
Ok, here’s what we learned…
“Sometimes rocks are colorful.” (NE) “Sometimes rocks are man-made.” (Ustath) Like this…
“Almandine is a mineral. Copper is a mineral too. Coal is a rock. Impure marble is a rock. Granite is a rock too….” (AS) And obsidian is beautiful…
and rubies…
Good job, 3rd grade. Thank you parents and thank you Buffalo Museum of Science!
Amongst a sea of area non-public schools, Al-Rasheed Academy was sure to get noticed – in a positive way. With the Al-Rasheed Academy banner outstretched during speaker presentations, walking down a flight of stairs or even while waiting at the main entrance, we were sure to take maximum advantage of the moment. As other schools cheered when an alum of theirs gave shoutouts to their former schools at the podium, our students gracefully waited for the most opportune time. With the 4th grade instructor backing them up our girls in unison celebrated the first full-time Islamic school in Lackawanna, NY at the main entrance of the First Niagara Center: “Al-Rasheed Academy! Al-Rasheed Academy!” is what passers-by heard as they smiled on. Fellow Muslim school, Universal School, gave salaams and smiles as they too made their way to the exit at the end of the program. “Thank you for inviting us,” I told a number of yellow-cap wearing supervisors. “Thank you so much for coming,” they replied.
Nope, we were not willing to let a little rain stop us from parading to the very first field trip in Al Rasheed Academy history. 19 students, two adults and one community volunteer set off this morning from Al Rasheed Academy to add real-life experience to lessons studied in class. Our first stop was The City of Buffalo’s City Hall.
This building was not only beautiful itself but it was also surrounded by wonderful architecture from today and yesterday.
It would become our school for the next 30 minutes, with special guest instructor Councilman Demone Smith taking over social studies instruction. And our classroom? Buffalo City’s very own council chamber!
Our students did a fine job answering questions on the country’s system for lawmaking and specifically naming the three branches of government, and at the end one of our students was able to conclude the meeting with a slamming of a real gavel (something they all have been waiting for since our mini-play on conflict resolution).
Our final stop, due to time constraints, was Pet Supplies Plus on Elmwood Ave. We sure did catch them off guard. Even the animals quieted down as our group scattered around and observed.
From cats to bird-eating spiders, rabbits to shy hermit crabs (bottom of photo above), we caught a nice glimpse of the creation of Allah.
As Allah says, “This is Allah’s (God’s) creation, so show me what those besides Him have created?” (Sura Luqman, verse 11). I would like to thank all of our volunteers – school staff and community, city employees, store workers, parents, students and even pedestrians who stopped to say hi and smile at Al Rasheed Academy’s first field trip group. History has been made!
WeLove2Learn 