Weekly News & Learning

Dear NISL Families,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you of a change to our school calendar for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Initially, May 9, 2025, was scheduled as a professional development day with no school for students to allow our teachers to participate in the ISNA Education Forum from May 9-11, 2025. However, we have been notified by the forum organizers that the event dates have been changed to April 18-20, 2025.

As a result, we have adjusted our calendar as follows:

• Friday, April 18, 2025, will now be a no-school day for students.
• Friday, May 9, 2025, will now be a regular school day.

We have attached an updated school calendar reflecting this change for your reference. The high school calendar has also been updated. We apologize for any inconvenience this adjustment may cause and appreciate your understanding as we strive to provide our staff with high-quality professional growth experiences that directly benefit our students.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this update, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Sincerely,

Aisha Blagaia

Principal

Alhamdulillah, the NISL PTO Board held their first official meeting on Friday, November 15. They adopted bylaws and shared many exciting ideas to enhance your child's experience and enrich our school community. Takbir!

It is not too late to join the PTO body. You can become a casual member and volunteer for as little as much as you are able--in fact, you do not have to volunteer at all! Please click the link below to join and support your child through PTO participation!

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

“Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah.”

Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4811

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ‏ لاَ يَشْكُرُ اللَّهَ مَنْ لاَ يَشْكُرُ النَّاسَ

4811 سنن أبي داود كتاب الأدب باب في شكر المعروف

• Sr. Nour A. for consistently going above and beyond in the cafeteria--helping her students, helping other classes, and helping the lunch line move quickly and efficiently! (Sr. Jamila)
• Sr. Mebarka never leaves her 2nd grade class tables dirty! Not only does she meet expectations, but she is demonstrating excellence by leaving the area better, or at least the same as she found it. (Sr. Jamila).
• Sr. Khadija Faiz excellence in managing students and supporting both their academic achievement as well as their behavior! (Sr. Zainab)
• Sr. Hanane, Sr. Walaa, Ms. Desiree, Sr. Nouna, and Ms. Matrid for responsiveness in meeting expectations and seeking perfection in their craft! (Sr. Zainab)

• Ms. Stacey for enforcing hallway and restroom expectations for all students! (Sr. Zainab)

• Sr. Amani for preparing and posting her Ci3T school store for earning tickets! (Sr. Zainab)
• Sr. Mebarka for being proactive and adjusting instruction for her students. Her high expectations will help them towards excellence, inshaAllah! (Sr. Zainab)
• Sr. Nour A. for testing other students during her planning time. May Allah continue to put baraka in your time! (Sr. Zainab)
• Sr. Noor H. for maturity beyond her years and grace beyond what is required! (Sr. Zainab)

• Friday, 11/22: Quarter 2 Progress Reports Released

• Monday, 11/25: KG - 3rd grade boys' soccer practice (4:00PM - 5:00PM)
• Tuesday, 11/26: 4th - 8th grade boys' soccer practice (4:00PM - 5:00PM)
• 11/27 - 11/29: No School - Fall Break II
• 12/23 - 1/03: No School - Winter Break

...inshaAllah

Details

• The Tahfeedh Quran program runs Mon-Fri.
• Offering flexible time slots.
• Open to both NISL students and Non-NISL students.
• Helping students of all ages learn how to read with tajweed, memorize and deepen their connection to the Quran.

School year of 2023/2024 Highlights:

• 95% of students completed learning how to read
• 60% of students memorized 10 pages of Quran
• 29% memorized 1 Juz
• 11% memorized more than 1 Juz.

We look forward to welcoming students of all ages and accommodating their learning needs! Sign up here or use the button below to register your children.

Rawane is one of our star students. She started learning from the fundamental rules of reading Arabic and in one year, she did not only learn how to read the Quran fluently with tajweed but she also memorized more than 1 juz of Quran.

REMINDERS & NOTES

Please make sure your child arrives on time each day, has a snack, and brings any necessary materials (such as a water bottle and jacket). Additionally, kindly encourage daily reading by having your child read the passage I sent in their homework. Your support at home truly makes a difference! Thank you!

Art

• Develop fine motor skills and creativity.
• Draw and color their favorite animals.
• Create a classroom “Animal Gallery.”

ELA

Enhance reading and phonological awareness through:

• Independent and partner reading

• Phonological activities such as identifying rhymes, completing rhymes, and manipulating word sounds

• Online comprehension practice using Raz-Kids.

Islamic Studies

• Review and practice the steps of Wudu.

• Review and perform Salat movements and etiquettes.

• Begin memorizing At-Tahiyyatu Lillah with proper pronunciation.

Math

Focus on solving addition and subtraction word problems tailored to individual skill levels.

Science

ELA Amplify Knowledge 4: Plants

Explore the life and achievements of George Washington Carver, focusing on his contributions to agriculture and his innovative use of plants.

• Topic: Words with kasra
• Dua for entering the bathroom
• Practice reading for the test.

Reading test on Tuesday, 11/26 (words with kasra)

Have a nice fall break!

PE

Lesson 01:

The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Lesson 02:

• Students build and review motor skills, jumping, balance, coordination, and endurance.

• Students work on teambuilding,

• Students build a sense of problem solving.

SEL:

• Introduction the lend of physical as a place where the positive actions for the physical area body are learned.

• Lesson 23: Introduce the positive actions of the physical area for good nutrition.

Unit 3: Lesson 7: Safe Internet Practice:

• Discuss rules for using the Internet safely.
• Role-playing scenarios on asking for permission, not sharing personal information, etc.

Includes : Activities | Show and Tell | Informational Tech Video

REMINDERS & NOTES

Please regularly check Alma for grade updates and WhatsApp for important announcements.

Art

Create an Animal Mask

English Language Arts

CKLA Amplify

Skill 4

• Lesson 1: Topic: Basic Code - Introduce /er/

• Lesson 2: Grammar: Introduce Contractions

Knowledge 4

• Lesson 4: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

• Lesson 5: People of Nile

UFLI: Affixes

Islamic Studies

Unit E, Chapter 3: I Obey My Parents

• Acts of Kindness and Gratitude Towards Parents

Math

Lesson 14: True and False Equations

• Determine the unknown whole number in an addition or subtraction equation relating three whole numbers.

Science

Chapter 3 Map Skills Review

Social Studies

Amplify Unit 1 Animal and Plant Defenses Review

Topic: Dua for entering the bathroom

Lesson 7 - Tanween kasrah

• Recognize the place of tanween kasra on letters and in words.
• Pronounce tanween kasra as a noon saakina when tanween kasra is at the end of a word.

Reading test on Tuesday, 11/26 (Lesson 7 with tanween kasra page 30)

Have a nice fall break!

PE

Lesson 01:

The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Lesson 02:

• Students build and review motor skills, jumping, balance, coordination, and endurance.

• Students work on teambuilding,

• Students build a sense of problem solving.

SEL:

• Introduction the lend of physical as a place where the positive actions for the physical area body are learned.

• Lesson 23: Introduce the positive actions of the physical area for good nutrition.

Unit 3: Lesson 7: Safe Internet Practice:

• Discuss rules for using the Internet safely.
• Role-playing scenarios on asking for permission, not sharing personal information, etc.

Includes : Activities | Show and Tell | Informational Tech Video

REMINDERS & NOTES

• Homework is part of our children's grades.

• A newsletter with important updates will be sent soon. Please review it carefully.

English Language Arts

Knowledge 2: Early Asian civilizations

Lesson 10

The Magic Paintbrush - China

• Describe elements of fiction in the folktale “The Magic Paintbrush.”

• Demonstrate understanding of the Tier 2 word praise.

• Create a book about paper, writing, or calligraphy in ancient China.

Lesson 11

The Importance of Silk

• Describe the silk-making process.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the Tier 2 words emerge and plunged.

• Complete and publish a book about paper, writing, or calligraphy in ancient China.

Math

Lesson 11: Tell and Write Time

• Session 3: Refine

• Review for test

Test: Tell and write time Tuesday, 11/26

Science

Chapter 2: Why Aren’t the Chalta Seeds Getting What They Need to Grow?

• Lesson 2.5 Why Aren't New Chalta Trees Growing?

Social Studies

Chapter 2: Working to Meet Our Needs

• End of the chapter

Chapter 5 Review

• Recap the story of rebuilding the Kabah and the conflict over the black stone placement.

• Focus on the qualities of the Prophet SAW demonstrated during this event (As Sadiq & Al Ameen)

Quiz on Tuesday (11/26)

Review Lesson 19: Quranic Recitation Punctuation & Lesson 20: Similar Sounds Among Letters

• Surah Al-Nazi'at 1-46

• Writing activity book

• Spelling Arabic bee words

PE

Lesson 01:

The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Lesson 02:

• Students build and review motor skills, jumping, balance, coordination, and endurance.

• Students work on teambuilding,

• Students build a sense of problem solving.

SEL:

• Introduce the positive action of personal cleanliness

• What cleanliness mean?

• How can I get ride of germs?

• Cleanliness mean healthy body

• I am clean I feel good about myself

Technology

Review Unit 3: Lesson 6 & 7

• Lesson 6: What is the Internet?
• Lesson 7: Safe Internet Practices

REMINDERS & NOTES

ELA

Unit 4: Ancient Roman Civilization

Lesson 4 "The Roman Gods " and " The Roman Republic"

• Identify the main ideas and supporting details presented orally.
• Compare and contrast people in ancient Rome using a graphic organizer.
• Form an opinion on the best type of government.
• Identify the present and past tense of to be.

Lesson 5 The Punic Wars

• Read to identify and record important information related to the previous lessons and the Punic Wars.
• Listen to identify and record the main ideas related to the significance of the Punic Wars and Hannibal’s role.
• Use guide words to identify which words would appear on a page of a dictionary.
• Use a note-taking strategy to summarize and categorize information about ancient Rome from previous readings.

Spelling Test Monday, 11/25

Spelling List 11 Group A

quiet quack queen squeeze quilt squeak quick squirrel quite question half thumb match climb myself scratch pitcher shelf crumb kitchen

Spelling List 11 Group B

jump left next end camp sank sing drink hunt stand long stamp pond bring young friend

Math

Unit 2: Multiplication and Division: Concepts, Relationships, and Patterns

• LESSON 10 QUIZ Monday, 11/25
• Tuesday: Review all topics to this point.

Social Studies

Chapter 3 Communities Build a Nation

• Lesson 6: Creating a New Nation
• Chapter 3 Review

Chapter 3 Test : Tuesday, 11/26

Chapter 5 & 6 Review

• The story of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) being tested by Allah with the command to sacrifice his son, Ismail (AS).

• Emphasize Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) trust in Allah and willingness to obey His command.

• Connection between Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and the Kabah.

Quiz on Tuesday (11/26)

Review Lesson 19: Quranic Recitation Punctuation & Lesson 20: Similar Sounds Among Letters

• Surah Al-Nazi'at 1-46

• Writing activity book

• Spelling Arabic bee words

PE

Lesson 01:

The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Lesson 02:

• Students build and review motor skills, jumping, balance, coordination, and endurance.

• Students work on teambuilding,

• Students build a sense of problem solving.

SEL:

• Introduce the positive actions for cleanliness

• What is cleanliness?

• How can I keep my self clean?

• Feeling good about my self when I am clean.

Art

3rd:1-Point Perspective Landscape

Making a 1-point perspective landscape. The materials you will need are:1 piece of white paper, pencil, ruler, black marker, colored pencils

REMINDERS & NOTES

Language Arts H.W:19.4 & 19.5 spelling practice

• Assigned: Monday, 11/25
• Due: Tuesday, 12/3

Spelling Test: Tuesday, 12/3

Math H.W: Mixed Math Packet

• Assigned: Monday, 11/25
• Due: Monday, 12/2

Social Studies: Review Packet

Test: Monday, 12/2 (open book)

English Language Arts

Unit 2 Middle Ages- Islam

Lesson 19: Batte of Yarmouk

• Reading: Present annotated diagrams of the Battle of Yarmouk.
• Grammar: Generate a sentence for each of the four types (interrogative, exclamatory, declarative, and imperative).
• Morphology: Use words with the root graph accurately in sentences.
• Spelling: Pronounce and practice using spelling words in sentences.

Math

Unit 3

Lesson 12 Multiply by Two-Digit Numbers

• Multiply a two-digit number by a two-digit number.
• Use area models and partial products to multiply.
• Use estimation to determine whether an answer is reasonable.

Science
Chapter 2 What Makes the Devices in Ergstown Output or Fail to Output Energy?

Lesson 2.2 Energy Past and Present

Social Studies

Chapter 2 & 3 Review

Chapter 4 & 5 Review

Compare and contrast the Battle of Badr and the Battle of Uhud

• Army size

• Leadership

• Strategic elements

• Lessons from both battles

Quiz on Tuesday (11/26)

Group 1

• Test Bidaya Book Chapter 6

• Reading Book from pages 45 to 65

Group 2

Lesson 14: Waw & Yaa’a Al-Mamdudah

• Recognize the shape of Al-Waw Al-Mamdudah and Al-Yaa’a Al-Mamdudah in the Quran.

• Recognize that Al-Waw Al-Mamdudah and Al-Yaa’a Al-Mamdudah are stretched for two Harakat.

• Pronounce Al-Waw Al-Mamdudah and Al-Yaa’a Al-Mamdudah.

PE

Lesson 01:

The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Lesson 02:

• Students build and review motor skills, jumping, balance, coordination, and endurance.

• Students work on teambuilding,

• Students build a sense of problem solving.

SEL:

• Introduce the positive action of avoiding illness

• What is illness?

Technology

Unit 4: Lesson 4: Introduction to Docs

• What Docs are and their uses.
• Show examples of simple spreadsheets.
• Demonstrate how to create a Doc.
• Show basic formatting (e.g., Write a paragraph, changing colors, different font type)

REMINDERS & NOTES

Please keep checking Google Classroom for all core subjects! Google classroom provides videos, worksheets, and study guides for support.

• Chapter 4 Test (Social Studies)
• Next English skill- Comma usage

English Language Arts

Unit 4

• Lesson 6 The many traits of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza
• Lesson 7 Ironic Adventures
• Lesson 8 Another Don Quixote Adaptation

Reading: Examine the author’s word choice and writing style during a close reading of the text.

Writing: Provide textual evidence to support their opinions in the body paragraphs of their persuasive essays

Math

Lesson 10 Adding Decimals

Refine understanding of adding decimals based on place-value concepts.

Science

Unit 2

• Lesson 1.7: Break It Down
• Lesson 1.8: Evaluating Chromatography Models

Read the book Break It Down: How Scientists Separate Mixtures about the ways and reasons that scientists separate different mixtures for different purposes.

Social Studies

Chapter 4 Assessment

• Slavery
• Pontiac’s Rebellion
• French Indian War

Refer to study guide

Unit B Chapter 4: Lesson 3 “Surah Nuh”

• Learn, recite, and understand Surah Nuh (Ayah 20-28).

• Understand the message of Surah Nuh.

• Reflect on the reasons for the people's rejection of Prophet Nuh's message.

Quiz on Tuesday (11/26)

Group 1

Understand Quran 8A (Tashahhud)

• Renew faith in Allah and His Prophet.

• Seek divine blessings.

• Express devotion and gratitude in prayer.

Test 8A 11/26

Group 2

Lesson 7: The Alphabet Letters with Tanween Kaser (ـــٍــ)

• Get to know the beauty of the sound of Tanween Kasra.

• Recognize the place of Tanween Kasra in letters and words.

• Pronounce each letter of the alphabet with Tanween Kasra.

Test lesson 7 (11/26)

PE

Lesson 01:

The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Lesson 02:

• Students build and review motor skills, jumping, balance, coordination, and endurance.

• Students work on teambuilding,

• Students build a sense of problem solving.

SEL:

• Introduce the positive action of avoiding illness

• What is illness?

Art

Hand and Circle Optical Illusion

Make hands pop off of the page with circles in the background.

REMINDERS & NOTES

• Please check with child regarding pencils and headphones.

• Please check Google Classroom for English support.

• English Skill: Comma usage
• Sherlock Holmes Exam- Monday, 11/25 (All students were provided a study guide- Google Classroom)

Sub Unit 1 Lesson 3

Avoiding Plagiarism

Sub Unit 2 Lesson 1

Scavenger Hunt: Introducing the Collection

Reading:

• Explore a selection of texts and images in The Chocolate Collection.
• Practice skimming and scanning a source for relevance.
• Close reading a source for key information.

Test on Tuesday on Janazah, Jumuah Imam

No class this week.

Lesson 12: Understand Ratio Concepts :

• Session 2 homework is due on Tuesday, 11/26.

We will complete lesson 12 and take the lesson 12 quiz on Tuesday, 11/26, inshaAllah.

Grammar

Lesson 7B: Grammar: الى ،مع ، عند

• Learn that these three these occur 1096 times in Quran with 7 Pronouns

Reading Surah Al-Hashr

Science Fair Projects

• Writing a Scientific Title.

• Writing an Introduction with all the 7-9 components discussed in class.

• Develop an experimental design.

Students will be tested on their understanding of concepts studied in preparing for conducting scientific experiments.

Chapter 1 The United States

Section 1: Chapter Atlas

Test on Part 9: Tools of History on Tuesday, 11/26

The test will cover the following four sections:

- Measuring time
- Historical sources
- Archaeology and other sources
- Historical maps

PE

Introduction to Soccer

• Students will be introduce to dribbling and passing.

• The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Art

Artists Research

• Choose an artist.
• Research their work
• Document your sources
• Create a design or theme based on their work.
• Print out OR sketch a copy of 3 of their works and glue into your sketchbook.
• Include the artist's name, artworks size (dimensions), each title of artwork, date the artwork was created, what material used/medium (Ex Colored Pencil, Watercolor, Acrylic Paint).

REMINDERS & NOTES

The Raven and Tell Tale Heart

• Analyze how Poe uses dialogue, repetition, and incidents to build suspense and reveal the narrator's character.

• Identify the theme and mood of The Raven and discuss how they are developed.

• Evaluate the significance of key moments in the poem and their impact on the overall narrative.

Students will complete the Poetry and Poe Unit Assessment this week!

Test on Tuesday on Shamail- Beautiful ways of the Prophet (SAW)

No class this week.

Lesson 11: Understand Multiplication with Negative Integers

• Session 2 homework is due on Tuesday (11/26)

We will complete Lesson 11 and take the Lesson 11 quiz on Tuesday, (11/26) Inshallah.

Grammar

Lesson 7B: Grammar: الى ،مع ، عند

• Learn that these three words occur 1096 times in Quran with 7 Pronouns

Reading Surah Al-Haqqah

Science Fair Projects

• Writing a Scientific Title.

• Writing an Introduction with all the 7-9 components discussed in class.

• Develop an experimental design.

Students will be tested on their understanding of concepts studied in preparing for conducting scientific experiments.

Chapter 5: The 13 English Colonies

Section 5: Settling the Southern Colonies
Test on Chapter 4: European Empires in the Americans on Tuesday, 11/26.

The test will cover the following three sections:

• The Fall of Two Empires
• Spain Builds a Vast Empire
• French, Dutch, and Swedish Colonies

PE

Introduction to Soccer

• Students will be introduce to dribbling and passing.

• The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Art

Artists Research

• Choose an artist.
• Research their work
• Document your sources
• Create a design or theme based on their work.
• Print out OR sketch a copy of 3 of their works and glue into your sketchbook.
• Include the artist's name, artworks size (dimensions), each title of artwork, date the artwork was created, what material used/medium (Ex Colored Pencil, Watercolor, Acrylic Paint).

REMINDERS & NOTES

Novels in Verse: Lesson 5 & 6

• Analyze the internal and external conflicts Jude experiences when she first arrives in America.

• Explore how cultural differences and Jude’s interactions with Sarah influence her feelings of identity and adaptation.

• Make text-to-self connections by reflecting on experiences of entering a new environment.

Students will continue to read at home. Please encourage them to make time for reading

Test on Tuesday on Different Schools of Fiqh

No class this week.

Lesson 11: Determine the Number of Solutions to One-Variable Equations

• Session 3 homework is due on Tuesday (11/26)

Complete Lesson 11 and take the Lesson 11 quiz on Tuesday, (11/26), Inshallah.

Quran Pages

Lesson 3D Qur’an’s Challenge: Al-Baqarah: Verse 23

Science Fair Projects

• Writing a Scientific Title.

• Writing an Introduction with all the 7-9 components discussed in class.

• Develop an experimental design.

Students will be tested on their understanding of concepts studied in preparing for conducting scientific experiments.

Chapter 5: The 13 English Colonies

Section 5: Settling the Southern Colonies
Test on Chapter 4: European Empires in the Americans on Tuesday, 11/26.

The test will cover the following three sections:

• The Fall of Two Empires
• Spain Builds a Vast Empires
• French, Dutch, and Swedish Colonies

PE

Introduction to Soccer

• Students will be introduce to dribbling and passing.

• The objective of the drill is to help the players keep the ball at a short pace, an attribute that is expected of a good dribbler. This will help their touch and control of the ball.

Art

Artists Research

• Choose an artist.
• Research their work
• Document your sources
• Create a design or theme based on their work.
• Print out OR sketch a copy of 3 of their works and glue into your sketchbook.
• Include the artist's name, artworks size (dimensions), each title of artwork, date the artwork was created, what material used/medium (Ex Colored Pencil, Watercolor, Acrylic Paint).