Islam & Citizenship Education Project Supporting Citizenship Curriculum through an Islamic Perspective

Transcription

1 Maintained School - Key Stage 2 - Lesson Plan 1 Lesson Title: CITIZENSHIP: Naqeeb and the School Council Learning Objective: To consider what is meant by citizenship and being a good citizen To explore what Islam teaches about being a good citizen - in school and in wider society. Islamic Values Islam teaches that Muslims should be good citizens wherever they live in the world. In non- Muslim countries, Muslims have the responsibility of representing Islam through their public behaviour. To be a good Muslim you need to be a good citizen. Activities Citizenship Values Being a citizen is about being a member of community with rights and responsibilities. The community gives you certain things and there are rules you are expected to keep in return. Being a good citizen is about more than just keeping the rules, however. It is being willing to do more than the minimum for the sake of others and for the good of society. Resources Activity one Rule or no rule? Give students some examples of things there are rules about in school (e.g. not running in corridors) and things which are good but not in the rules (e.g. helping a new student who is lost, picking up litter someone else has dropped, acting as classroom monitor). Ask them to sort out which is which. You could put these on cards for students to sort out in groups, or simply read out the examples randomly and ask students to show their answers with flashcards saying Rule or no rule? each time. Focus on the things which are good but not in the rules. Can the students think of any more examples? Take one or two examples in turn and ask: Would it be a good idea if we had a rule about this? Why or why not? Explain that rules are better at stopping poor behaviour than encouraging good behaviour. That is why it is important, for a community to run well, that there are some people who are prepared to go beyond the bare minimum that is expected under the rules and do things they don t have to do. Ask for some examples from students. When this happens it makes life better for everyone. Tell students that you are now going to look at a story about the importance of working for the community. Activity two Naqeeb and the School Council Read the story of Naqeeb and the School Council (Resource 2.101) and encourage students to try to imagine what is going on in Naqeeb s head. Ask: Why might Naqeeb not want to be on the School Council? How many Citizenship: Naqeeb and the school council - Page 1 of 5 Resource 2.101: Naqeeb and the school council

2 different reasons can you think of? Do you think some of these reasons are better than others? If so, which would you say is the best reason for saying no? Why? Encourage students to think about reasons why Naqeeb might want to say yes? One way would be to use group discussion cards (Resource 2.102). Divide students into small groups and ask them together to try to rank the cards in order, 1-6, from what they think is the best to the worst reason. You should give them some spare cards so they can write other reasons if they wish. Resource 2.102: Discussion cards Give students an opportunity to share their thinking with the class as whole, then ask: Do you think Naqeeb has a special responsibility to stand for the School Council because he is: a) bright and popular? b) a Muslim? Do you think he would be setting a good example by saying yes? If so, who would he be setting a good example to Muslim students? Students of other faiths? Everyone in school? What kind of example would he be setting them? Activity three Citizenship and Islam Explain that being a member of community is about having rights and responsibilities. The community gives you certain things and there are rules you are expected to keep in return. What is true of schools is also true of wider society but in wider society the rules are called laws and the members of the community are called citizens. Just as schools become better places when students are prepared to do more than the rules expect of them, so society becomes a better place for everyone when citizens are prepared to do more than the law of the land requires of them. Citizens who act like this are called good citizens. Explain that Islam teaches that Muslims should be good citizens wherever they live in the world. Muslims have a duty to help others out of their love for God and are stewards (Khalif) of God s world, which is why they should care about what happens in it. In non-muslim countries, Muslims have the responsibility of representing Islam through their public behaviour, just as people of other faiths are seen as examples of their religion. So being a good Muslim means that you will want to be a good citizen. This means more than just being a law-abiding citizen, it means caring for people in whichever situation you find yourself at home, in school, or in society at large. The Prophet Muhammad explained this by comparing each Muslim to a shepherd: Everyone of you is a shepherd and each of you will be asked about the people you are responsible for. (Bukhari This is an authentic book of sayings of Prophet Muhammad, compiled by Imam Bukhari.) Citizenship: Naqeeb and the school council - Page 2 of 5

3 Activity four Ambassadors for Islam Encourage students to try to think of other things Muslim and other children could do to become good citizens in school and out of school. Ask them to reflect on: How easy do you think it is to do things like these? What makes it worthwhile to make an effort to help others in the community? Can you think of some Muslims who set a good example to others? Do you think there are some Muslims that set a bad example? If so, what things do they do? Suggested follow up work: Citizenship: Naqeeb and the school council - Page 3 of 5

4 Key Stage 2 - Lesson Plan 1 Additional Resources Resources 2.101: Naqeeb and the School Council Mrs Costa, the head teacher of Brick Close Junior School looked out of the window of her office. There in the playground were children of many different faiths and backgrounds, all playing happily together. If only it were always like this, she sighed. She remembered the time when Jamal was too frightened to go to swimming in case he got bullied about the knee-length swimming trunks his mother made him wear. The children who were not Muslim simply had no idea how important modesty in clothing was to a Muslim family like Jamal s. As she was thinking, Mr Fisher, the deputy head, came to the door. Mr Fisher was a big man with a ginger beard. He said: We ve got a problem. The elections to the School Council are due to take place next week and so far not one Muslim, Sikh or Hindu pupil has put their name forward. Well, it s a free country, said Mrs Costa, no one is forcing them. Maybe not, said Mr Fisher, but nearly half of the kids in this school are Asian. It wouldn t seem right if we didn t have at least one of them on the School Council. I see what you mean, said Mrs Costa. Can you do something about it? Mr Fisher left the office and thought about what Mrs Costa had just said. As he went down the corridor, he saw Naqeeb wandering back to class with a football under his arm. Hey, Naqeeb, he called. Why aren t you standing for the School Council? Muslims have just as much right to be on the School Council as anyone else. Dunno, sir, said Naqeeb, quietly. Why not? asked Mr Fisher. You re a bright lad and popular with the other kids. And anyway it s only one lunch-time a fortnight. Naqeeb muttered to himself. Think about all the things people in this school do for you, insisted Mr Fisher. Like Mr Hanson - giving up his free time to help coach your football team. Naqeeb said nothing. You owe it to your religion, man, said Mr Fisher, beginning to sound irritated. Come on, what do you say? Citizenship: Naqeeb and the school council - Page 4 of 5

5 Resource Key Stage 2 - Lesson Plan 1 Additional Resources To get a good school report To be a good Muslim To try to stop the bullying To get Mr Fisher to do something To put something back into the school To set an example to others Citizenship: Naqeeb and the school council - Page 5 of 5