Start with the story. Then go through each chapter, one lesson at a time. Each lesson has three short checks. Each chapter ends with a review. The unit ends with a wrap-up.
Pencil drawing, not a photograph: an open book on a carved wooden rahle, the X-shaped folding book stand, in front of a wall of eight-point star tiles
1Unit
A Book Called the Qur'an
The Book
Many families in Chicago have a special book at home. For Muslim families, that book is the Qur'an. It is kept with care. It is read out loud. Its letters are Arabic. In this unit you will learn what the Qur'an is.
You will meet Amira and Yusuf. You will see how their families hold the book. You will learn what a surah is. You will learn what an ayah is. You will find surahs named for a bee and an elephant.
We will use fair words. We will say "Muslims believe." We will say "the Qur'an says." That way we learn about the book. And we are kind to every friend.
When it happened
Step 1
Wash your hands and dry them well
Step 2
Take the Qur'an down from the high shelf
Step 3
Unwrap the cloth or open the case with care
Step 4
Open the book from the right side
Step 5
Find the surah by its name
Step 6
Read the ayahs out loud, one by one
Step 7
Close the book gently
Step 8
Wrap it up and put it back on the high shelf
1
Chapter
What the Qur'an Is
The Book
Big questionWhat is the Qur'an, and how do Muslim families treat it?
The story
The Green Book on the Top Shelf
Amira's grandfather reaches for a book that is kept higher than all the other books.
Amira is six. She lives in Chicago with her family. Today her grandfather is visiting. He walks to the tall bookshelf in the living room. He reaches up to the very top shelf. There is a green book there, wrapped in soft cloth.
"Wait," Grandfather says with a smile. "First we wash our hands." They go to the sink together. They wash their hands and dry them well. Then Grandfather takes the book down. He unwraps the cloth with care.
The book has gold letters on the cover. "This is the Qur'an," Grandfather says. "It is our holy book." He opens it from the right side. The letters inside curl and loop. They are Arabic letters.
Grandfather does not read quietly. He reads out loud. His voice goes up and down, almost like a song. Amira sits close and listens. When he is done, he wraps the book again. He puts it back on the top shelf.
Talk about itWhy do you think Amira's family keeps the green book on the highest shelf?
Section 1
A Special Book
1.1
The Holy Book of Muslims
Main ideaThe Qur'an is the holy book of people called Muslims.
A is a book a religion loves. Many religions have one. Muslims are people who follow the religion of Islam. Their holy book is the Qur’an.
Muslims read the Qur’an at home. They read it at the mosque. A mosque is a place where Muslims pray. Many Muslims know parts of it by heart.
You can say the name like this: kur-AHN. The word is Arabic. It means "the reading" or "the reciting." Reciting is saying words out loud.
Words to know
holy book
a book that a religion treats as very special
Muslim
a person who follows the religion called Islam
Check yourself
1. What is the Qur'an?
Why: The Qur'an is the holy book of Muslims, the people who follow Islam.
2. Who reads the Qur'an as their holy book?
Why: Muslims read the Qur'an. Jewish families read the Torah and Christians read the Bible.
3. What does the word Qur'an mean?
Why: Qur'an is an Arabic word. It means the reading or the reciting.
1.2
Words from God, Muslims Believe
Main ideaMuslims believe the words of the Qur'an came from God to a man named Muhammad.
Muslims believe the Qur’an came from God. They believe God sent the words to a man. His name was Muhammad. He lived a long time ago in a desert land.
Muslims say Muhammad was a . A prophet is a person who brings a message. Muslims believe his message was the Qur’an. Many Muslims say a blessing after his name.
In this class we say "Muslims believe." People believe different things. We learn what Muslims believe. We are kind about what everyone believes.
Words to know
prophet
a person who brings a message; Muslims say Muhammad was a prophet
Muhammad
the man Muslims believe God gave the Qur'an to
Check yourself
1. Who do Muslims believe the Qur'an came from?
Why: Muslims believe God sent the words of the Qur'an to Muhammad.
2. Who do Muslims say received the words?
Why: Muslims believe the words of the Qur'an were given to Muhammad.
3. What is a prophet?
Why: A prophet is a person who brings a message. Muslims say Muhammad was a prophet.
Section 2
How the Book Looks
1.3
Written in Arabic
Main ideaThe Qur'an is written in a language called Arabic.
Open a Qur’an. The letters curl and loop. They are not English letters. They are letters. Arabic is a language spoken in many countries.
Muslims believe the Qur’an came in Arabic. So they read it in Arabic. Many Muslims do not speak Arabic at home. They learn the Arabic words anyway.
The Qur’an has been put into English too. That is called a translation. But Muslims say the Arabic is the real Qur’an.
Words to know
Arabic
the language the Qur'an is written in
translation
the same words put into a different language
Check yourself
1. What language is the Qur'an written in?
Why: The Qur'an is written in Arabic. Muslims believe it came in Arabic.
2. What is a translation?
Why: A translation puts words into a different language, like Arabic into English.
3. Which do Muslims say is the real Qur'an?
Why: Muslims say the Arabic Qur'an is the real Qur'an. Translations help people understand it.
1.4
Reading from Right to Left
Main ideaArabic is read from right to left, so a Qur'an opens from the other side.
English goes from left to right. Arabic goes the other way. You read from . Your eyes start on the right side of the page.
So a Qur’an opens from the right. The front cover is where you expect the back. Page one is on the right side. You turn pages toward the left.
This can feel strange at first. Try it with any book. Open it from the back. Now you know how a Qur’an opens.
Words to know
right to left
the way Arabic is read, starting on the right side of the page
Check yourself
1. Which way is Arabic read?
Why: Arabic is read from right to left. English is read from left to right.
2. Where is page one in a Qur'an?
Why: Because Arabic goes right to left, a Qur'an opens from the right.
3. Which language goes the same way as English?
Why: Spanish goes left to right, like English. Arabic and Hebrew go right to left.
Section 3
Caring for the Book
1.5
A High Shelf and Clean Hands
Main ideaMany Muslim families keep the Qur'an high up, wrapped or in a case, and wash before reading.
Many Muslim families keep the Qur’an on a high shelf. Nothing is put on top of it. It is often wrapped in cloth. Some keep it in a or on a stand.
Before reading, many Muslims wash. They wash hands, face, arms and feet. This washing is called . It is a way of getting ready.
These are ways of showing respect. Respect means treating something as important. Not every family does it the same way. But the care is the same.
Words to know
wudu
the washing many Muslims do before prayer or reading the Qur'an
case
a box or cover that keeps a book safe
respect
treating a person or thing as important
Check yourself
1. Where do many Muslim families keep the Qur'an?
Why: Many families keep it on a high shelf with nothing on top of it, to show respect.
2. What is wudu?
Why: Wudu is the washing many Muslims do before they pray or read the Qur'an.
3. Why do families wrap the Qur'an in cloth?
Why: Wrapping the book, like the high shelf, is a way of showing respect.
1.6
A Book That Is Sung
Main ideaThe Qur'an is read out loud, and the reading often sounds like singing.
Most books are read quietly. The Qur’an is different. Muslims read it out loud. This is called reciting. The voice goes up and down.
Some people recite very well. Their voices are slow and clear. It can sound like a song. People sit still and listen.
Children learn to recite too. They start with short parts. They say them again and again. Soon they know them by heart.
Words to know
recite
to say words out loud, often from memory
by heart
knowing words so well you can say them without looking
Check yourself
1. How do Muslims usually read the Qur'an?
Why: The Qur'an is recited out loud. The reading often sounds like a song.
2. What does recite mean?
Why: To recite is to say words out loud, often from memory.
3. Which parts do children learn first?
Why: Children start with short parts and repeat them until they know them by heart.
Section 4
The Qur'an Near You
1.7
Muslim Families in Chicago
Main ideaMany Muslim families live in Chicago, and the Qur'an is read in homes all over the city.
Chicago is a big city in Illinois. Many kinds of families live here. Many of them are Muslim. Some came from far away. Some were born here.
There are many in Chicago. A mosque is where Muslims pray together. The Qur’an is read there every day. Children go to learn it too.
You might have a Muslim friend. Maybe there is a Qur’an in their home. Now you know what it is.
Words to know
mosque
a building where Muslims pray together
Chicago
a big city in Illinois where many Muslim families live
Check yourself
1. What is a mosque?
Why: A mosque is the building where Muslims pray together and read the Qur'an.
2. Which is true about Chicago?
Why: Chicago has many kinds of families, and many of them are Muslim.
3. What state is Chicago in?
Why: Chicago is a big city in the state of Illinois.
1.8
Saying It the Fair Way
Main ideaWe say "Muslims believe" and "the Qur'an says" so everyone is treated fairly.
People believe many different things. In school we learn about all of them. We do not say who is right. We say what each group believes.
So we say "Muslims believe." We say "the Qur’an says." These words are . They tell what the book says. They let each person decide.
Try it now. Say, "Muslims believe the Qur’an came from God." That is a fair sentence. It is true about what Muslims believe.
Words to know
fair
treating every person and every belief with the same respect
Check yourself
1. Which sentence is the fair way to say it in class?
Why: Saying "Muslims believe" tells who believes it and treats everyone fairly.
2. What do the words "the Qur'an says" do?
Why: "The Qur'an says" reports what is in the book without telling anyone what to believe.
3. In this class, what do we learn about religions?
Why: In public school we learn what each group believes. We do not say who is right.
Chapter review
What the Qur'an Is
0 / 6
1. The Qur'an is the holy book of which group?
Why: The Qur'an is the holy book of Muslims, who follow Islam.
2. Who do Muslims believe God gave the Qur'an to?
Why: Muslims believe God sent the words of the Qur'an to Muhammad.
3. What language is the Qur'an written in?
Why: The Qur'an is written in Arabic and read from right to left.
4. From which side does a Qur'an open?
Why: Arabic is read right to left, so page one is on the right.
5. What do many Muslims do before reading the Qur'an?
Why: Many Muslims wash before reading. The washing is called wudu.
6. How is the Qur'an usually read?
Why: Muslims recite the Qur'an out loud, and the voice goes up and down like a song.
Send it to your teacher
2
Chapter
Surahs and Ayahs
Chapters and Verses
Big questionHow is the Qur'an put together, and how do children find their way around it?
The story
A Bee and an Elephant
Yusuf finds two chapter names in the Qur'an that sound like a trip to the zoo.
Yusuf is in first grade. His aunt is teaching him to read the Qur'an. She opens the book to a page near the back. "This chapter is called The Elephant," she says. Yusuf laughs. "A chapter about an elephant?"
"Yes," his aunt says. "It tells about an army that came with an elephant. The Qur'an says God stopped them." The chapter is very short. It has only five lines. Yusuf can count them on one hand.
Then she turns to the middle of the book. "This chapter is called The Bee," she says. "The Qur'an says God taught the bee to build its home." This chapter is longer. Yusuf cannot count all its lines.
"Are there more animals?" Yusuf asks. "Yes," his aunt says. "There is The Cow. There is The Ant. There is The Spider, too." Yusuf wants to find every one. His aunt says he will learn the short ones first.
Talk about itWhy do you think Yusuf's aunt starts him on the short chapters instead of the long ones?
Section 1
Chapters and Lines
2.1
A Chapter Is a Surah
Main ideaThe Qur'an has 114 chapters, and each chapter is called a surah.
Many books have chapters. The Qur’an has chapters too. A chapter of the Qur’an is called a . Say it like this: SOO-rah.
The Qur’an has 114 surahs. That is a lot! Some are very long. Some are very short. Each one has a name.
Muslims know many surahs by name. They say the name, not a number. "Let’s read The Opening." "Let’s read The Elephant."
Words to know
surah
a chapter of the Qur'an; there are 114 of them
Check yourself
1. What is a surah?
Why: A surah is a chapter of the Qur'an. There are 114 surahs.
2. How many surahs are in the Qur'an?
Why: The Qur'an has 114 surahs. Al-Fatiha has 7 lines, not 7 chapters.
3. How do Muslims usually name a surah?
Why: Each surah has a name, like The Opening or The Elephant, and Muslims use the name.
2.2
A Line Is an Ayah
Main ideaEach line of a surah is called an ayah, a word that also means "sign."
Each surah is made of lines. A line of the Qur’an is called an . Say it: AH-yah. More than one are called ayahs.
The word ayah also means "sign." The Qur’an calls the sun a sign. It calls rain and birds signs too. Muslims believe every line is a sign from God.
Ayahs have numbers. So you can find any line. Surah 1, ayah 1 is the first line of the book. We write it like this: 1:1.
Words to know
ayah
one line, or verse, of the Qur'an; the word also means sign
sign
something that points to something bigger
Check yourself
1. What is an ayah?
Why: An ayah is one line, or verse, of a surah.
2. What else does the word ayah mean?
Why: Ayah also means sign. The Qur'an calls things like the sun and rain signs.
3. What does 1:1 point to?
Why: The first number is the surah and the second is the ayah, so 1:1 is the first line of surah 1.
2.3
The Opening, Seven Short Lines
Main ideaThe first surah is Al-Fatiha, The Opening, and it has just seven ayahs.
The first surah is called . That means The Opening. It opens the book. It has only seven ayahs.
In simple words, it says: praise God, who is kind. God is in charge of the big day to come. We ask God for help. Show us the good path.
Muslims say Al-Fatiha in every prayer. Many small children learn it first. It is the surah Muslims say most often.
Words to know
Al-Fatiha
The Opening, the first surah of the Qur'an; it has seven ayahs
praise
to say good things about someone
Check yourself
1. What does Al-Fatiha mean?
Why: Al-Fatiha means The Opening. It is the first surah in the Qur'an.
2. How many ayahs does Al-Fatiha have?
Why: Al-Fatiha has seven short ayahs. The Qur'an has 114 surahs.
3. When do Muslims say Al-Fatiha?
Why: Muslims say Al-Fatiha in every prayer, so many children learn it first.
Section 2
Surahs with Animal Names
2.4
The Cow and the Bee
Main ideaSome surahs are named for animals, like The Cow and The Bee.
Surah 2 is called The Cow. In Arabic that is Al-Baqarah. It is the longest surah. A story inside it tells about a cow. That gave it the name.
Surah 16 is called The Bee. In Arabic that is An-Nahl. The Qur’an says God taught the bee. It says the bee builds homes in hills and trees. It says the bee makes a drink that helps people.
A surah’s name comes from one thing inside it. The whole surah is not about that animal. The name is like a label on a drawer.
Words to know
The Cow
surah 2, Al-Baqarah, the longest surah in the Qur'an
The Bee
surah 16, An-Nahl, named for what it says about bees
Check yourself
1. Which surah is the longest?
Why: The Cow, surah 2, is the longest surah. The Elephant is one of the shortest.
2. What does The Bee say God taught the bee?
Why: Surah 16 says God taught the bee to build homes in hills, trees and what people build.
3. Where does a surah's animal name come from?
Why: A surah's name comes from one thing mentioned inside it, like a label on a drawer.
2.5
The Ant and the Elephant
Main ideaThe Ant tells of an ant who warned her friends, and The Elephant tells of an army that was stopped.
Surah 27 is called The Ant. In Arabic that is An-Naml. It tells about King Sulayman (Solomon). A little ant saw his army coming. She told the other ants to hurry home.
Surah 105 is called The Elephant. In Arabic that is Al-Fil. It tells about an army with an elephant. The Qur’an says God sent birds and stopped the army.
Muslim tradition says this happened long ago. It was around the year Muhammad was born. That was about 1,450 years ago.
Words to know
The Ant
surah 27, An-Naml, with the story of an ant who warned her friends
The Elephant
surah 105, Al-Fil, a short surah about an army with an elephant
Sulayman
the Arabic name for King Solomon, who appears in The Ant
Check yourself
1. What did the ant in surah 27 do?
Why: The ant told the other ants to go home so the army would not crush them.
2. Who is Sulayman?
Why: Sulayman is the Arabic name for King Solomon, whose army appears in The Ant.
3. What does the Qur'an say stopped the army with the elephant?
Why: Surah 105, The Elephant, says God sent birds and the army was stopped.
Section 3
Finding Your Way
2.6
Long Ones First, Short Ones Last
Main ideaThe long surahs are near the front of the Qur'an and the short ones are near the back.
The Qur’an is not in story order. It goes by size, mostly. The surahs come near the front. The short surahs come near the back.
The Cow is surah 2. It has 286 ayahs. The Elephant is surah 105. It has only 5 ayahs. The very shortest surahs have just 3.
So if you want a short surah, turn to the back. If you want a long one, look near the front. Al-Fatiha is the one exception. It is short, but it comes first.
Words to know
long
having many ayahs; the long surahs are near the front
short
having few ayahs; the short surahs are near the back
Check yourself
1. Where are the short surahs?
Why: The Qur'an mostly goes long to short, so the short surahs are near the back.
2. Which surah has 286 ayahs?
Why: The Cow, surah 2, has 286 ayahs and is the longest surah.
3. Which short surah comes first anyway?
Why: Al-Fatiha has only seven ayahs, but it opens the book.
2.7
A Shelf of Drawers
Main ideaThe Qur'an is like a shelf of 114 drawers, and children open the small drawers first.
Think of a big shelf with 114 . Each drawer is a surah. Each drawer has a name on it. Inside are the ayahs.
The big drawers are at the top. The small drawers are at the bottom. A child opens the small drawers first. The Elephant is a small drawer.
Children learn the short surahs by heart. Then they learn longer ones. Some grow up to know all 114. A person like that is called a .
Words to know
drawer
a box that slides out of a shelf; here, a way to picture one surah
hafiz
a person who knows the whole Qur'an by heart
Check yourself
1. In the shelf picture, what is each drawer?
Why: Each drawer stands for one surah. The ayahs are inside the drawer.
2. What is a hafiz?
Why: A hafiz is a person who has learned all 114 surahs by heart.
3. Which do children usually learn first?
Why: Children start with the short surahs near the back, like The Elephant.
Chapter review
Surahs and Ayahs
0 / 6
1. What is a surah?
Why: A surah is a chapter. An ayah is a line.
2. How many surahs does the Qur'an have?
Why: The Qur'an has 114 surahs. Al-Fatiha has 7 ayahs, and The Cow has 286.
3. Which surah is The Opening?
Why: Al-Fatiha, The Opening, is surah 1. It has seven ayahs.
4. Which of these is a surah named for an animal?
Why: The Bee is surah 16. The Cow, The Ant and The Elephant are animal names too.
5. Where are the long surahs?
Why: The Qur'an goes mostly from long to short, so the long surahs are near the front.
6. What did the ant in surah 27 tell the other ants?
Why: The ant warned the others to go home so the army would not crush them.
Send it to your teacher
★
Unit wrap-up
A Book Called the Qur'an
Twelve words, twelve meanings
0 / 8
Tap a word, then tap its meaning. A right pair locks in green.
Words
Meanings
Unit test
Fifteen questions across the unit
0 / 10
1. The Qur'an is the holy book of which group?
Why: The Qur'an is the holy book of Muslims, who follow Islam.
2. Who do Muslims believe received the words of the Qur'an?
Why: Muslims believe God gave the Qur'an to Muhammad, a prophet.
3. What language is the Qur'an written in?
Why: The Qur'an is written in Arabic and read from right to left.
4. Which way is Arabic read?
Why: Arabic goes right to left, so a Qur'an opens from the right.
5. What is wudu?
Why: Wudu is the washing many Muslims do before they pray or read the Qur'an.
6. How is the Qur'an usually read?
Why: Muslims recite the Qur'an out loud, and the voice goes up and down.
7. What is a surah?
Why: A surah is a chapter of the Qur'an. An ayah is a line.
8. How many surahs are in the Qur'an?
Why: The Qur'an has 114 surahs.
9. Which surah is named for an animal?
Why: The Elephant is surah 105. The Cow, The Bee and The Ant are animal names too.
10. Which is the fair way to talk about the Qur'an in class?
Why: Saying "Muslims believe" tells who believes it and treats every student fairly.
Send it to your teacher
Write it
Draw or tell: How does a Muslim family care for the Qur'an? Use two things from the unit. You could use Al-Fatiha (1:1-7) or The Ant (27:18). Say what the book says, and say what Muslims believe about it.
Start your sentence with "Muslims believe" or "the Qur'an says."
Name the surah you talk about.
Use a unit word, like surah or ayah.
Tell one way a family shows care for the book.
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Practice rooms
Rooms already on the site that belong to this unit — cards, quizzes, a lab.
Every lesson keeps its own three checks; a lesson is ticked when all three are right. Chapter reviews, the unit test and its spiral review (five questions from earlier units in this band) score on the page. When the site is connected to your sheet, or the link carries ?dest=, each one also has a Send box: the first-try score, the standards, the supports used, the attempt number and the minutes go to your sheet as an IEP data point.
Print this page for a paper copy of the readings, the sources, the words and the questions; the answers print as dashed boxes under each question.
Fact-check notes for this course live in the handoff: quotes marked (paraphrased) were set that way on purpose.
