Start with asking the students to stand up and shake their arms for 1 to 2 minutes. And then ask everyone to take their seat. Purpose is to refresh them and also shake off any negative energy they may be carrying from before the class started.
Start with asking everyone to say Bismillah hir Rehman nir Raheem. Quickly remind all children that we must say bismillah before anything we do or else it doesn’t get barakah (blessing).
Quick activity: Place a few items (as many as students you have) in from the students on a table. Ask them all to just intend which one they will pick and then tell them to take whichever they intended one by one.
Ask students what happened between you placing the objects on table and them picking them? Try to engage with the class. There is no wrong answer.
Then tell them what happened: they “saw” something then their brain got the message, then the brain sent signal to their body for their hands to move and pick the object.
Just for this tiny action – we needed our brain to function “normally.” We do many such small actions throughout the day without even thinking about them or thanking ALLAH for that – say ALHAMDULILLAH
Ask the class: can we all agree that brain is the most important organ in our bodies? (engage with the class) Yes!
There are different parts of the brain that are responsible for different tasks. Our brain even plays a huge role in our emotions.
Ask the class: can our brain be altered/changed? (engage with the class) The ones that say yes and the ones that say no. Both are correct.
Previously scientists believed that once we reach adult age our brain doesn’t change. However, recently scientists have discovered that our brain actually changes!
Ask the class: Do you know ALLAH has given US the power to actually change our brain? Like Literally?! Say ALHAMDULILLAH
That power to change our brain is NEUROPLASTICITY = Neuro is science regarding brain & body, Plastic here doesn’t mean the rubber plastic we know but rather something like play dough that we can mold as we like.
Now that we know we have that power, we will use it for a specific purpose. We will turn it into THANKFULNESS SUPERPOWER!
Ask the class: What is thankfulness/gratitude? (engage with the class)
It is to actually THINK about something in a positive light and be appreciative of it. It is an active act. This is where mindfulness comes into the picture, being present in the moment.
Gratitude releases Dopamine & Serotonin, which are responsible for our emotions and mood. Gratitude helps with stress level.
FMRI shows our different parts of the brain get activated when we practice gratitude. One of those is Medial Prefrontal Cortex – associated with managing negative emotions.
Ask the class: What phrase, word or sentence we say on regular basis that is about “thanking ALLAH”? (engage with the class)
It is Alhamdulillah – which means to THANK ALLAH for blessings as well as PRAISE HIM for giving us those.
Ask the class: What do we say when we wake up? What do we say when we eat or drink anything? (engage with the class)
Dua of waking up and dua after food and drink are about Thanking ALLAH.
We Muslims are people of Shukr (gratitude). We thank ALLAH so many times in a day. If you pray then even during salah you thank ALLAH. If you say athkar after salah you are saying Alhamdulillah 33 times!
But many of us still do not have a brain that is automated in being grateful – because we do not do it intentionally – we do not THINK about it. And that is something we will work over so that our brain gradually with the practice of consistently, intentionally and mindfully thanking ALLAH – grows to be a brain that does it as its new normal.
End of the class: Ask all students to write 33 things that they are grateful for that money cannot buy them. It is about the process of them intentionally thinking in that fashion. Let them keep the paper.
Optional homework: For a week write 5 things daily that you are grateful for. Whoever brings the homework next week receives a reward.
Quotes about Gratitude
It’s not happy people that are thankful,
It’s thankful people that are happy.
– Jim Kwik
Note: I went through some books and a few YouTube videos to prepare this lesson. I had prepared this lesson for our Homeschool co-op to teach students of age 8 to 12. It was simplified to teach to that age group. You can adjust it as you find suitable for your age group. Feel free to share if you find it beneficial (in sha ALLAH).
If you would like me to create any lesson plans regarding any topics – feel free to leave a comment below, I’ll look into that (in sha ALLAH).
