Learning about Ramadan

Eid Mubarak! This Sunday is Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.  Each year, 2 billion people around the world celebrate Ramadan, and in the Montessori primary space, we can use it as a jumping off point for lots of cultural, artistic and scientific learning in the cosmic area of the classroom.

Wait a sec– “cosmic?” That’s a word that gets thrown around a lot in the Montessori world.  It’s often used as an umbrella term for subjects like history, culture, art, science, and geography.  I like to think of the cosmic curriculum as anything that inspires wonder.  Maria Montessori spoke prolifically about the importance of peace education, and she used the word “cosmic” to convey a sense of wonder, reverence and affinity for the earth and all living things.  By nurturing this sense in young children, we hope to raise the next generation of leaders who strongly value peace, unity and respect.  So let’s dive in to one of my favorite units I’ve taught in the cosmic area!

Ramadan begins with the first sighting of the new crescent moon and lasts until the sighting of the next crescent moon.  My primary students (ages 3-6) and I used this as an opportunity to learn about the phases of the moon: first quarter, half moon, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, half moon, last quarter, and new moon.  We used three-part cards to help learn this new vocabulary.  As Montessori teachers, we’re always on the lookout for chances to introduce vocabulary and provide a language-rich environment for young children!

We listened to “Ramadan Moon” by Yusuf Islam. We compared the moon phases to our fraction skittles to solidify concepts like “half” and “quarter,” and we explored why the moon has phases.  We took turns carrying our felt moon around our model of the earth, and used a flashlight in place of the sun to examine shadows.  As a classroom, we made a mobile of the phases of the moon. 

We also studied Islamic art and architecture.  We learned about the tradition of geometric art in Islamic architecture, and discussed the shapes we could see in the beautiful matching cards from Seemi at Trillium Montessori.  We used a set of geometric stamps inspired by Islamic art to make our own architectural designs.  Seemi’s mini-unit also includes cards with Ramadan greetings written in calligraphy, and students traced the calligraphy on butcher paper.

Our discussion of shapes and geometry continued with our reading of “Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets,” by Hena Khan.  One student said that the shape of the fanoos, or lantern, reminded her of a pentagon, so she used the metal insets to design her own fanoos.

One of our Muslim classmates brought in dates from home to share.  Dates are often eaten during iftar, the meal that breaks the Ramadan fast each night.  The children loved tasting dates and sharing a sweet snack!  It’s always a special treat when children and parents are able to share their home lives with the classroom community!

-Jenny