In RE, Year Two have been learning all about the Islamic celebrations of Ramadan and Eid.
To begin, the children learned that Ramadan takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and starts at the sight of a crescent moon. During Ramadan, Muslims fast which means they do not eat from dawn until dusk. The children were amazed that many Muslims manage to do this for the whole month of Ramadan. However, they did learn that not everyone is expected to fast, including young children and the elderly. The boys and girls identified that this is similar to Lent, when Christians give up something to remember the time Jesus spent in the desert. During Ramadan, Muslims eat two meals. Suhoor is eaten early in the morning and can include eggs, bread and fruit. Iftar is eaten late at night and includes food such as chicken, rice and samosas. The children drew their own Suhoor and Iftar meals to represent what a Muslim might eat during Ramadan.
Next, the boys and girls learned about Eid al-Fitr – the festival of breaking the fast. The children learned that Muslims decorate their homes, exchange gifts and spend times with friends and family to celebrate the end of Ramadan. The children chose four things to focus on. They drew a picture and wrote a sentence to explain how the festival is celebrated. Finally, the children compared Eid to a Christian festival – Christmas. They identified lots of similarities including sharing a meal with loved ones and sending cards. However, there are some differences. Christians celebrate Christmas in a church whereas Muslims visit the mosque for Eid.
