A story
Jack and Zaatar's Week of Little Kindnesses
On Sunday morning, Miss Fatima wrote seven words on the board. Flap-flap! Zaatar the green parrot landed on top of it.
"Squawk! Seven days, seven words, seven kindnesses!" he announced. "Every day, do one small kind thing and learn the day's Arabic name. Deal?"
"Deal!" said Jack.
In the Gulf, the school week starts on Sunday, so that's where Jack began.
On الأحد, al-ahad, SUNDAY, Jack helped Khalifa pick up spilled crayons. Clatter-clatter!
Can you say it too? Al-ahad!
On الاثنين, al-ithnayn, MONDAY, he let his little brother choose the bedtime story, even the one about the snoring hippo. Again.
On الثلاثاء, ath-thulatha', TUESDAY, he drew a picture for Uncle Salem, the school guard. Uncle Salem stuck it on his window. Beam!
On الأربعاء, al-arba'a', WEDNESDAY, he watered Mum's thirsty basil plant. Glug-glug!
"Shukran," whispered the basil. (Okay, that was Zaatar.)
On الخميس, al-khamis, THURSDAY, Jack shared his cucumber sandwich with Mansour, the new boy who forgot his lunch. Crunch-crunch!
On الجمعة, al-jum'a, FRIDAY, he carried Grandma's shopping bag up the stairs. Puff-puff! She kissed his forehead.
On السبت, as-sabt, SATURDAY, Jack was tired. "I've run out of ideas," he sighed.
"The kindest things are often the simplest," said Zaatar. "Who needs a friend?"
Jack called Mansour and invited him to the park. They swung on the swings until sunset. "Best day since I moved here!" said Mansour.
Here is Zaatar's days-of-the-week chant. Clap once for each day!
Al-ahad, al-ithnayn, help a friend,
Ath-thulatha', al-arba'a', kindness to send,
Al-khamis, al-jum'a, share and care,
As-sabt, a smile for everywhere!
On the next Sunday, Miss Fatima asked, "Who remembers all seven days?"
Jack's hand shot up. "Al-ahad, al-ithnayn, ath-thulatha', al-arba'a', al-khamis, al-jum'a, as-sabt!"
"And how did your week feel?"
Jack smiled. "Small kindnesses are like seeds. After seven days, my whole week was blooming."
Words we learned:
الأحد — al-ahad — Sunday
الاثنين — al-ithnayn — Monday
الثلاثاء — ath-thulatha' — Tuesday
الأربعاء — al-arba'a' — Wednesday
الخميس — al-khamis — Thursday
الجمعة — al-jum'a — Friday
السبت — as-sabt — Saturday
Let's practice:
1. Match the day to its meaning: الجمعة / الأحد / السبت → Saturday / Friday / Sunday
2. Fill in the missing day: al-ahad, _____, ath-thulatha'.
3. Say it aloud and clap: all seven days with Zaatar's chant!
4. Find and circle the word الخميس: الأحد — الخميس — الجمعة — الخميس
Answers: 1) الجمعة = Friday, الأحد = Sunday, السبت = Saturday. 2) al-ithnayn (الاثنين). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
"Squawk! Seven days, seven words, seven kindnesses!" he announced. "Every day, do one small kind thing and learn the day's Arabic name. Deal?"
"Deal!" said Jack.
In the Gulf, the school week starts on Sunday, so that's where Jack began.
On الأحد, al-ahad, SUNDAY, Jack helped Khalifa pick up spilled crayons. Clatter-clatter!
Can you say it too? Al-ahad!
On الاثنين, al-ithnayn, MONDAY, he let his little brother choose the bedtime story, even the one about the snoring hippo. Again.
On الثلاثاء, ath-thulatha', TUESDAY, he drew a picture for Uncle Salem, the school guard. Uncle Salem stuck it on his window. Beam!
On الأربعاء, al-arba'a', WEDNESDAY, he watered Mum's thirsty basil plant. Glug-glug!
"Shukran," whispered the basil. (Okay, that was Zaatar.)
On الخميس, al-khamis, THURSDAY, Jack shared his cucumber sandwich with Mansour, the new boy who forgot his lunch. Crunch-crunch!
On الجمعة, al-jum'a, FRIDAY, he carried Grandma's shopping bag up the stairs. Puff-puff! She kissed his forehead.
On السبت, as-sabt, SATURDAY, Jack was tired. "I've run out of ideas," he sighed.
"The kindest things are often the simplest," said Zaatar. "Who needs a friend?"
Jack called Mansour and invited him to the park. They swung on the swings until sunset. "Best day since I moved here!" said Mansour.
Here is Zaatar's days-of-the-week chant. Clap once for each day!
Al-ahad, al-ithnayn, help a friend,
Ath-thulatha', al-arba'a', kindness to send,
Al-khamis, al-jum'a, share and care,
As-sabt, a smile for everywhere!
On the next Sunday, Miss Fatima asked, "Who remembers all seven days?"
Jack's hand shot up. "Al-ahad, al-ithnayn, ath-thulatha', al-arba'a', al-khamis, al-jum'a, as-sabt!"
"And how did your week feel?"
Jack smiled. "Small kindnesses are like seeds. After seven days, my whole week was blooming."
Words we learned:
الأحد — al-ahad — Sunday
الاثنين — al-ithnayn — Monday
الثلاثاء — ath-thulatha' — Tuesday
الأربعاء — al-arba'a' — Wednesday
الخميس — al-khamis — Thursday
الجمعة — al-jum'a — Friday
السبت — as-sabt — Saturday
Let's practice:
1. Match the day to its meaning: الجمعة / الأحد / السبت → Saturday / Friday / Sunday
2. Fill in the missing day: al-ahad, _____, ath-thulatha'.
3. Say it aloud and clap: all seven days with Zaatar's chant!
4. Find and circle the word الخميس: الأحد — الخميس — الجمعة — الخميس
Answers: 1) الجمعة = Friday, الأحد = Sunday, السبت = Saturday. 2) al-ithnayn (الاثنين). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
