Arabic Language and Culture Education Pack

Education pack
Arabic language and

Arab culture
Arabic language and Arab culture

www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline
Contents
Introduction 02
Assembly plan:
An introduction to Arab culture 03
Lesson plan 01:

An introduction to Arabic language and the art of calligraphy 11
Lesson plan 02:

Mathematics, patterns and the Arab world 20
Lesson plan 03:

Celebrations, festivals and daily life for young people
across the Arab world 24
Lesson plan 04:

Music 26
Information and activity sheets 28
Find out more 55

www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline 01
Introduction
The Arab world is a fascinating, diverse geographical pupils develop a deeper knowledge and understanding of the language,
region stretching from south-west Asia to north-west history and culture. The materials are designed to be flexible and adaptable
for use in a variety of settings. They can be used as starting points for
Africa. It has an immensely rich culture and history and
individual lessons and assemblies or form part of larger cross-curricular
one of the world’s great languages that is spoken by joint projects involving collaboration over a number of subjects.
more than 300 million people. Arabic is also one of the
official languages of the United Nations and has been Your pupils can learn how to greet a friend and count in Arabic, get
creative making geometric patterns and recipes, and find out about Arab
identified as one of the ten most important languages culture by using our wide range of classroom resources and activities.
for the UK’s future.*
*British Council: Languages for the Future.
This education pack is designed to help mainstream primary teachers
introduce aspects of both Arabic language and Arab culture to their
pupils. It contains lesson and assembly plans, facts and resources to help
Languages are the bedrock of the world’s cultural heritage.

Every language offers a rich and unique insight into different
ways of thinking and living as well as into the history of the
myriad of cultures and peoples across the globe.
British Council: Languages for the Future

Assembly plan:
An introduction to
Arab culture

The following notes include background information Slides 1 and 2: Map
and a script that you can use or adapt for your
assembly. A slideshow is also available to download
from: https://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/ Over 300 million people around the world today speak Arabic as their
classroom-resources/list/arabic-language-and-culture first language and today we are going to find out a little more about
the culture and history that unite these millions of people. According to
UNESCO, there are currently 22 countries in the Middle East and North
Assembly script suggestions: Africa where Arabic is an official language, and it is these countries that
are considered part of the Arab world.
Play some Arab music for your pupils to listen to as they come Many other countries also use greetings and expressions which come
in and out of assembly. An example can be found here: from Arabic, because Arabic is the language of Islam and Islam is widely
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfOLMf2M9SA practised in non-Arab countries. In fact, the majority of Muslims do not
live in the Arab world, but live in South and Southeast Asia.
Tell pupils that you are going to find out about the Arab world where
the main language spoken is Arabic. Give the traditional greeting: Although the Arab world shares many things in common, it is extremely
, diverse in terms of culture, religion, and even language. Even though
as-salaamu alaykum . Explain that this is a traditional Arabic
greeting heard in the song on the way into assembly. If you have Arabic is the official language of each country in the Arab world, other
any Arabic speakers in school, invite them to help you present the languages are spoken too and the Arabic language itself can sound very
assembly and perhaps prepare some short phrases in Arabic to different depending where you are. Can you recognise any of the Arab
demonstrate and translate. countries highlighted on the map? Perhaps some of you have visited
these countries or have friends and family who live there.
There are many famous landmarks in Arab countries. Do you recognise
any of these?

Slide 3: The Pyramids and Great Sphinx
at Giza in Egypt
The pyramids were built over 4,000 years ago to

house the remains of the Pharaohs who ruled over
Ancient Egypt and are guarded by the Great Sphinx –
a mythological creature with the body of a lion and the
head of a person, believed to be the Pharaoh Khufu.
Archaeologists believe the Great Sphinx to be one of the
largest and oldest statues in the world, it is 73 metres long
and 20 metres high. Its ears are well over one metre tall.
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Slide 4: The Al Haram Mosque or Grand Mosque It is the largest mosque in the world and surrounds one
is in the city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia of Islam’s holiest places, the Kaaba. The Kaaba is a cube
shaped building, draped in a silk and cotton veil.
Every year millions of Muslims travel to Mecca to complete the Hajj
or pilgrimage. The journey is seen as one of the five pillars of Islam,
central to the faith. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that every adult Muslim
must perform at least once in their lives if they can afford to and are
physically able to make the journey.
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Slide 5: Petra in Jordan
Petra in Jordan is an ancient city located between the Dead Sea

and the Red Sea. The city is half man-made and half carved into
the rock. It is often referred to as the Rose City because of the pink
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colour of the rock. It is famous for a water system built to supply
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water for 30,000 people and irrigation for gardens. You might also
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recognise it from the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade!
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Slide 6: Baalbek in Lebanon
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Another World Heritage Site is at Baalbek in Lebanon which has
beautiful examples of the remains of Roman architecture including
aqueducts, and roads and a grand temple of Jupiter. There are
also many other examples of Roman architecture in other parts
of the Middle East and North Africa.
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Two more modern landmarks can be found Burj Khalifa Tower
today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Slide 7: Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Hotel Another site, at 828 metres high is the Burj Khalifa Tower
which is currently the world’s tallest building and contains
a lift with the longest travel distance in the world up to
its 160 storeys!
The luxurious Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Hotel
in Dubai opened in 1999 and is famous for
its sailboat shape on an island in the sea.
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© Sophie James/Shutterst
© Laboran/Shutterstock

Slide 8: Inventions and discoveries
Did you know that during the Middle Ages there was
a golden age of inventions and discoveries in the
omm ns
Arab world that shape aspects of how we live today?
ia Commo
These include windmills, early cameras, toothbrushes
W imedia
and even coffee.
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One story told about the invention of coffee is that a goat herder
P lic domain], via

discovered that coffee beans gave his goats a boost of energy.
So he boiled the coffee berries to make a version of the drink we
know today.
© Al-Jazari [Pub
Great emphasis was placed on learning and scholarship at the time,
and there was a keen interest in science, astronomy and medicine.
Large libraries were built in cities and a woman called Fatima al-Fihri
in Morocco founded the first university. Hospitals were built providing
free care for anyone who needed it, and a surgeon called al-Zahrawi
designed and made surgical instruments like those used today.
He also discovered that catgut could be used for internal stitches
as it dissolves away naturally. He apparently found this out when his
monkey ate the strings from his lute and they dissolved inside him!
An Engineer called al-Jazari also built an amazing elephant clock.
It was seven metres high, decorated with dragons and moving people
and powered by falling metal balls and a hidden water system.
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Arabic language and Arab culture to
to
Storytelling
The Arab world is also famous for its literature and fables. As you listen to these two short fables think about
storytelling traditions. One such storyteller was Luqman what is the moral behind each story and if they remind
‚
Bin Ad. He was a wise man who wrote many animal you of any other fables you have heard.
© Jiri Hera/Shutterstock
The Lion and the Fox The Bragging Rooster
The Lion was the king of the forest, and all the other animals, Two roosters got in a nasty fight one day. When the battle
being afraid of him, tried to stay on friendly terms with him. was over, the loser rested in the shade of a pomegranate
Many years went by and the lion who was now growing old, bush. The winner flew up to a high fence where he flapped
could not hunt as easily as before. Running and stalking was his wings proudly and crowed loudly, bragging of the fight
not as easy as when he was young. He decided to retire to he had just won.
a cave and pretend he was sick. Of course all the animals
A vulture seeing him, swooped down quickly, grabbed the
would want to come and visit their King whom they believed
proud rooster in his powerful claws and flew away with him.
to be sick. But whenever an animal came to visit him and
show concern, the lion would eat them. One day a fox stood
by the door but would not go in. From inside, the lion asked,
‘Why don’t you come in my friend?’
‘I was going to’, answered the fox, looking down at the ground
outside the cave, ‘but now I see footprints of animals who
went in but I don’t see any of their footprints coming out!’
These stories are from The Fables of Luqman reproduced with kind permission from Audrey
Shabbas and AWAIR from The Arabs: Activities for the Elementary and Middle School Level.
0
Lesson plan
01
An introduction to
Arabic language and
the art of calligraphy
Curriculum links: English, Art and Design, Religious Education,

Personal, Social and Health Education
Global skills and outlooks: Communicating, creative thinking,
developing a positive sense of identity and being open to new ideas
Learning objectives: To learn about the main features of the Arabic
language and how to greet someone in Arabic. To write some simple
words in Arabic and explore the art of Arabic calligraphy and ‘calligraffiti’
Arabic language and Arab culture Resources: Activity sheets, calligraphy pens or brushes, coloured
www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline inks, animal templates 11
Background information
Modern Standard Arabic (or MSA) is the standardised

form of Arabic that is understood throughout the Arab
world. It is used by much of the written, spoken, and
visual news media, as well as in literature and schools.
It is considered to be the formal register of Arabic and is therefore
the form non-native speakers usually study when they are first learning
the language. However, just as English varies from country to country,
Arabic has many variations in spoken (and sometimes written) dialects.
These dialects, often referred to as colloquial Arabic, can vary across
the Arab world, so much so that someone from Lebanon may have
a hard time understanding someone from Tunisia speaking in his or
her dialect. But with the wide reach of television, Facebook, and other
modern media, exposure to all forms of colloquial Arabic is increasing
across the Arab world, creating new forms of communication for
Arabic speakers – and offering non-native speakers more resources
for studying and learning spoken forms of Arabic.

Introduction – greetings Explain that the most common greeting across the Arab world,
which they heard in assembly, is:
!
Explore with your class the nature of verbal and non- as-salaamu ‘alaykum! (peace be upon you)
verbal greetings. Why do we use them? How many
different greetings do we use in English? Ask your pupils And the response is:
to demonstrate how they might greet a friend, an elderly !
relative, their head teacher and their head of state. w’alaykum as-salaam! (and peace be upon you)
How many greetings in other languages do your pupils
Have your pupils heard or used this greeting before? Divide your pupils
know? Do they know what they mean in English?
into pairs and encourage them to practise this greeting and response
with each other.
The most common greeting across

the Arab world is as-salaamu ‘alaykum!
(peace be upon you) and the response
is w’alaykum as-salaam! (and peace
be upon you)
Greetings
Another common greeting in the Arab world is ‘hello’: And the response, ‘I am from…’
marhaban! ana min…
Encourage your pupils to practise asking each other where they are
from and answering in Arabic.
Although the way you say it varies from dialect to dialect, all parts of the
Arab world will understand you if you use the following phrase to ask, To complete the conversation, students can use the ‘peace be upon you’
‘Where are you from?’ greeting and response again, or they can say another form of goodbye:
min ayna anta? (asking a male) ma’a as-salaama!

min ayna anti? (asking a female)

Activities – What’s in a word?
There are many English words in use today which originally

came from Arabic, especially during the Middle Ages,
when Arab scholars were world leaders in science and
algebra, average,
calendar, candy,
technology and trade flourished. These include: algebra,
average, calendar, candy, coffee, cotton, magazine,
mattress, saffron, sherbet, sofa, sugar, syrup, tambourine,
traffic and zero; to name just a few.
Of course, many English words such as computer, Facebook,
mobile (phone), and sandwich have also now entered the Arabic
coffee, cotton,
language today.
Share the English words that originated from Arabic with your pupils.
magazine, mattress,
saffron, sherbet,
Ask them to group them into different categories and talk about why
languages ‘borrow’ words from one another and how these may have
entered the English language. Show your pupils the examples of words
that English has ‘borrowed’ from other languages on Information and
activity sheet 2. Ask them to work in pairs to discuss which language
and country they think each word originates from and then match each
word to its country of origin on the map.
sofa, sugar,
Can they give reasons for their decisions? Gather the whole class
together to discuss whether similar choices were made. Reveal the
correct answers and discuss whether they were surprised about any
syrup, tambourine,
of the individual words and how many have been borrowed from other
languages and countries. traffic, zero
Writing in Arabic Encourage your pupils to practise saying and writing these Arabic
words, first tracing over them and then carefully copying them on a
piece of card, remembering to move their pens or pencils from right
to left and including the dots which are a part of the letters.
The Arabic language has an alphabet of
28 letters and is written from right to left.
A copy of the Arabic alphabet can be found on Information
and Activity Sheet 3, and links to other useful resources
(bayt – house)
including alphabet songs can be found at the back of the pack.
When Arabic letters are written, they follow rules to connect
to each other, just like cursive handwriting in English. Some
letters connect and others don’t, and each letter looks just
a little different depending whether it is at the beginning
(baab – door)
of a word, in the middle, or at the end. For example, notice
how the letter (like ‘t’ in English) looks at the beginning,
middle, and end of a word:
(qiTTa – cat)
(kursi – chair)
(Taawila – table)

Calligraphy: making art with words Discuss why people might choose to produce this ‘special’ writing and
encourage your pupils to create their own enlarged decorated version
of one of the Arabic words they have been learning. Invite them to use
calligraphy pens or brushes and coloured inks on pieces of card and
Calligraphy is a very distinctive and important feature of then to decorate around their word with a frame and pattern.
Arab culture and can be seen in art forms and historical
periods across the Arab world. At Horton Park Primary School in Bradford, the pupils have been learning
Arabic as a modern language for the past five years. This year they
Explain to your pupils that the word calligraphy means ‘beautiful writing’, introduced Arabic writing to the pupils as part of their History topic
and requires a lot of skill and practice to master in any language. Arabic looking at the Indus Valley civilisation. The pupils researched different
calligraphy can be found not just in books, but also on many different Arabic calligraphy styles and discussed where they would be found
materials and as a decoration on pottery, rugs and furniture. It is a highly in the Arab world. They practised their Arabic calligraphy and then
valued art form in the Arab world. superimposed the results onto images of Indus Valley pots.
Share some examples of Arabic calligraphy with your pupils. These can
be found on Information and activity sheet 4. By changing the shape
and size of the Arabic letters and adding decoration, artists make the Children from Horton Park Primary School with their calligraphic
words look beautiful. The words themselves might be written in gold, pot designs.
or other bright colours and letters and words may be outlined or placed
against a background pattern.
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Priima
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© Horton P
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Some Arabic calligraphers form words into geometric
shapes or the shape of plants and animals. The following
examples are by artist Everitte Barbee.
Sometimes the words used in such pictures are religious phrases from
the Qur’an but that is not always the case. The elephant below is drawn
in the Arabic Diwani Jali script, which was developed around the turn
© Darwish’s Horse by Everitte Barbee – Courtesy of Saatchi Art

of the 16th century, but uses words from a quote from the American
comedian Groucho Marx: ‘One morning I shot an elephant in my pyjamas.
How it got into my pyjamas I’ll never know!’
Invite your pupils to study and sketch pictures of animals and jot down
a few descriptive words or similes to describe them. Encourage them
to use these words to make the shape of the animal in an interesting
and decorative way. They could design their own shape or use one of
the templates included in the pack on Information and activity sheet 5.
Remind them to play with the size and shapes of the letters in the spirit
of Arabic calligraphy.
An example of someone creating a
zoomorphic calligraphy drawing using
English can be found here:
graphy
https://egotistsclub.wordpress.com/tag/calligraphy

www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline © Groucho’s Elephant by Everitte Barbee – Courtesy of Saatchi Art 18
Additional activities
Calligraffiti is a contemporary art form that combines Com

mons: CC BY-SA
3.0
tive
traditional handwriting with graffiti street art. Cre
a
–
a
Ask your pupils to find out more about this new art form and artists
um
ho
such as eL Seed who blend Arabic calligraphy and street culture.
re
er
In 2012 eL Seed finished his largest piece on a minaret on the Jara
B
id
Mosque in Tunisia. Approved by the town governor and the Imam of
ua h
the mosque, the art spreads a message of unity and tolerance. Perhaps
by O
your pupils could try out some calligraffiti, using their design and Arabic
aph
skills. A link to a film of school pupils working with the artist to create
fiti design. Photogr

calligraffiti murals at the Museum of Islamic art in Qatar can be seen
here for inspiration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpFz5Rxg6eU
alligraf c
with
unisia
T
e,
qu
os
M
ra
Ja

Lesson plan
02
Mathematics, patterns
and the Arab world
Curriculum links: English, Maths, Art and Design

Global skills and outlooks: Critical thinking, creative thinking,
communicating
Learning objectives: To learn to count in Arabic from one to ten
and recognise and write some simple numbers. Explore tessellation,
shape and symmetry in patterns
Resources: Copies of the number cards one to ten from this pack.
Copies of geometric patterns on the activity sheet, tracing paper,
coloured pens and pencils i
Mathematics
Mathematicians from the Arab world are renowned

for introducing a wealth of new learning to the field
of mathematics.
0 Sifr
This includes algebra, the concept of zero, fractions, the decimal
numbering system, sine and cosine and geometry.
1 waaHid
Introduce to your class the names and symbols of the numbers one
to ten in Arabic, which unlike Arabic words, are read from left to right.
2 ithnaan
Notice how the numerals are similar to the ones we use in English.
The symbols used in English are actually called ‘Arabic numerals’
3 thalaatha
or ‘Indo-Arabic numerals’, because Europeans learned how to write
them from Arabs, and the symbols used in Arabic are called ‘Hindu
numerals’ because they arrived to the Arab world from India.
4 arba’a
To help your pupils become familiar with the names of the Arabic
numbers, give each member of the class a numbers card from
5 khamsa
Information and activity sheet 6 and ask them to stand up
when they hear their number. Once this has been done a few times, 6 sitta
split the children into teams. Shuffle up the numbers and give one
to every child in the team. Time how long it takes for them to sort
themselves into numerical order (any children who don’t have
7 sab’a
cards can still get up to help their team).
Use the Bingo cards on Information and activity sheet 7 to help
8 thamaaniya
your pupils practise recognising the numerals used in Arabic by
calling out numbers at random. When a pupil achieves three in a 9 tis’a
row, they call out ‘Bingo!’ or ‘Ana’ in Arabic.
10 ’ashara
Fun with Arabic geometric designs
Geometric designs using mathematical shapes,

repetition and symmetry are an important feature
of Arab art and culture.
Combining just a few shapes can create beautiful, complex interlocking
patterns known as Arabesque. Show your pupils some examples of
Arab art and architecture decorated with intricate, repeated geometric
patterns. Examples can be found on the Islamic Art website at:
http://patterninislamicart.com.
Can your pupils spot different shapes and examples of tessellation as
well as line and rotational symmetry? Which is their favourite design?
Provide each pupil with a copy of the geometric pattern on Information
and activity sheet 8. This complex design is actually based on one ©A
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simple shape repeated in different ways. Can your pupils identify the
initial shape and find a six-pointed star, a triangle, a large diamond, a
hexagon and lines of symmetry incorporated into the design? Ask them
to use tracing paper to trace all the types of 2D shapes and then use
colour to create a decorative symmetrical pattern.
Arabic language and Arab culture © Brytta/iStockphoto

Art and design – create
your own repeated patterns
As we have already seen, intricate calligraphy and

geometrical patterns are frequently used to decorate
objects and are an integral part of architecture and
buildings.
The term ‘Islamic art’ refers not to religious art but to styles or art
particular to predominantly Muslim societies, such as those in the
Arab world. Unlike other religious faiths, Islamic art generally does
not use images of people or animals but does include designs of
plants and flowers.
Share with your class the instructions on Information and activity
sheet 9 to create their own repeated patterns. Your pupils can then
scan their designs and use a paint programme to reflect and tessellate
their image to create a repeated pattern.

Lesson plan
03
Celebrations, festivals
and daily life for
young people across
the Arab world
Curriculum links: English, Personal, Social and Health Education,

Religious Education
Global skills and outlooks: Communicating, developing a positive
sense of identity, and being open to new ideas
Learning objectives: To learn about the daily life of children living
in a range of Arab countries
www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline Resources: Copies of children’s letters
Background information Ask your pupils to read the letters as a group, and discuss and
record their responses to the following questions:
− What are the names of the children who wrote the letters and
Although many people in the West associate the Arab what countries do they come from? Can you find where they
world with Islam, the Arab world is in fact home to live on a world map?
people from many different religious faiths. The earliest − What do they particularly enjoy doing?
Christians were from places that are part of the Arab − What similarities and differences can you see in their lives and yours?
world today, and there continue to be large populations – What is the most interesting or surprising piece of information you
of Christians in many Arab countries. read in the letters?
For much of history, Jews have lived throughout the Arab world alongside If you could ask one of the letter-writers a question, what would it be?
Muslims and Christians, and some countries still have small Jewish Invite your pupils to draft a reply to one of the letters or make a
populations. Additionally, there are many branches of both Christianity short presentation or film about a typical day in their own lives.
and Islam practised across the Arab world, and other religious groups
such as the Druze (found in the Eastern Mediterranean). By reading the
letters from children in the Arab world, your pupils can catch a glimpse
of the religious and cultural diversity that is present.
Divide the class into small groups, and explain that you have a selection
of letters from children living in Arab countries today, telling us about
their daily lives. They describe what happens during and after school,
the festivals that they celebrate, and their favourite foods. Give each group
copies of some of the letters from Information and activity sheets 10.
Use your judgement to select which will be most appropriate for your
children’s reading levels.
M t Wright
© Ma ht
h
Lesson plan
04
Music
Curriculum links: English, Music

Global skills and outlooks: Collaborating, creative thinking,
being open to new ideas
Learning objectives: To find out about Arab music traditions
and learn and perform a song in Arabic
www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline Resources: Activity sheets, internet access
Background information The song Aal Maya illustrates how traditional music is shared across
the Arab world. It was originally sung by Diyab Mashhoor, an Iraqi, but
is also sung widely in Jordan, Syria and Palestine. There are no specific
occasions when it would be sung. It is a simple, happy love song and
Traditional and classical music is an important feature can be sung at any time. Traditionally, a soloist will sing the verse and
of Arab culture and has been an important influence a group of singers join in for the Aal Maya chorus. The second song
on Western music as we know it today. Musicians can be featured is Tele’et ya mahla nourha. This is one of the most famous folk
seen playing instruments in artwork from over 800 years songs in the Arab world and tells the story of a female peasant’s day
ago and roving musicians helped spread their music which starts at sunrise when she milks the cows.
to Europe. Arab musical instruments can be broadly One group of children at a primary school in Yorkshire who are learning
classified into three categories: string instruments, Arabic as a modern language also learned to sing Silent Night in Arabic,
wind instruments and percussion. which they performed as part of the school annual Nativity play.
Whichever songs you choose, encourage your pupils to get your
Many modern western instruments have their roots in these traditional classroom singing!
instruments. The qitara was an early version of the guitar and the
Rababah, an early violin. Other popular instruments included the qanun, To conclude your project and celebrate and demonstrate your pupils’
which resembles a table zither, and a lute, which was plucked with a learning, why not invite other classes and parents to school, where you
vulture’s feather. Today Arab pop music is also popular among young can demonstrate what you have learned about the Arab world, exhibit
people and with the audiences of successful television shows such your artwork and share some songs and delicious Arab food with the
as Arabs Got Talent! audience by cooking some of the recipes on Information and activity
sheet 11.
Ask your pupils to carry out some independent research into Arabic
music and instruments and share with them one of the Arabic songs
from the World Song Book in the British Council World Voice programme
at https://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org/classroom-resources/world-
voice/world-songbook Each song has easy to follow audio files, films,
a pronunciation video, music and song sheets.

Information
and activity sheets

Information and activity sheet 1:
Map, landmarks, inventions and
discoveries from the Arab World

Information and activity sheet 2: These English words have originated from different countries and
languages. Draw a line to the part of the world where you think they
English words and their origins came from.
Barbecue
Candy
y
Dollar
Dollar
ol
Llama
Maga
ag
aga
agazine
Robot
ot
Shampo
poo
oo
Sushi
Tea
Tomato
Vampire

Activity sheet 2: Answer sheet for teachers Robot (Czech Republic) – The word robot comes from Czech, and
first appeared in 1920 in Karel Čapek’s play Rossum’s Universal Robots.
(From the British Council English Effect resources) In this play it is the name of a type of mass-produced worker made from
artificially synthesised material. It comes from the Czech word robota
meaning ‘forced labour, drudgery’.
Barbecue (The Caribbean) – Barbecue came into English from Spanish
in the 1600s. In its early English use the word had a wider meaning such Shampoo (India) – Shampoo entered English in the mid-1700s as a
as ‘rack on which food is cooked over an open fire’ and hence a meal or result of increasing British involvement in South Asia. Its probable origin
gathering at which this occurs. is Hindi cām. po, meaning ‘press’. The original meaning in English was
‘to massage’. Over time the meaning became ‘to wash or scrub (the
Candy (Arab World) – Candy came into English from French in the late head or hair)’,
Middle Ages, but it came into French from Arabic. The basic expression
is sugar candy, ultimately from Arabic sukkar qandī ‘candied sugar’. Sushi (Japan) – The word sushi has been found in English from at least
the late 1890s. For most of its first 100 years in English, sushi is found
Dollar (Germany) – The word dollar originated from the German Taler. chiefly in references to Japan or to Japanese restaurants outside Japan.
The word occurs in English from the mid-1500s referring to various
different silver coins. Also used in British colonies in North America Tea (China) – Tea is first found in English in the mid-1600s, shortly
during the War of Independence, the dollar was adopted as the US before the first aristocratic craze for tea drinking. Originating in Chinese,
currency in 1785. tea probably came into English via Dutch, and may have come into
Dutch via Malay, reflecting the trading routes by which tea first came
Llama (The Andes, South America) – The name of the llama, the to Britain.
characteristic pack animal of the Andes, comes originally from Quechua,
a language of the Andes. Llama first entered English in 1600 and came Tomato (Mexico) – Tomato came into English in the 1600s, from
into English via Spanish, reflecting Spanish colonialism in South America. Spanish. However, Spanish had itself borrowed the word in the 1530s,
soon after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire. The word originates
Magazine (Arab World) – The idea behind the magazine that you from Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs), in which the word is tomatl,
read was originally that it was a ‘storehouse’ for articles. The word and may come from tomau ‘to grow’.
entered English from French in the 1500s, but originates in Arabic,
in which mak_zin means ‘storehouse’. Vampire (Hungary) – The origins of vampire lie in Eastern Europe,
a region where Dracula, the most famous of all vampires, is said to have
come from. The word is found in English in the early 1700s, and comes
from Hungarian vampir, via French vampire.

Information and activity sheet 3: For this chart, remember that the alphabet is read from right to left!
You will find each of the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, with the
Arabic alphabet English equivalent sound indicated directly below it. For some letters,
there is no English equivalent, but you can try to make the sound
described in the chart.
r th d (none) H j th t b a
rolled, like in as in the sounds like the an aspirated h, as in bath
Spanish German ‘ch’ as like a big belly
Bach laugh haha
f (none) (none) TH T D S Sh s z
gargling sound a deep ‘ah’ a hard ‘th’ sound a hard T as in tall a hard d like in a hard s as in as in house
in the throat, like sound in the as in breathe thud sorry
the French ‘r’ throat
y w h n m l k q
(or ‘ee’ as in feet) (or ‘oo’ as in as in henry a ‘k’ sound deep
spoon) in the throat

Calligraphy
© Groucho’s Elephant by Everitte Barbee – Courtesy of Saatchi Art

Outlines of animal shapes

Arabic numbers one to ten
1 waaHid

2 ithnaan

3 thalaatha

4 arba’a

5 khamsa

6 sitta

7 sab’a

8 thamaaniya

9 tis’a

10 ’ashara

Bingo grids

Fun with Arabic designs

Create your own repeated pattern
You will need: Squares of paper, pencils,

coloured pens, tracing paper, mirrors, computer
or iPad with paint software or app, printer.
1. 2. 3.
1. Take a square piece of paper. Fold the piece
of paper into eighths.
2. On one eighth ask children to write their name
in bubble writing.
3. Trace the name and reflect onto the
opposite side.
4. Continue reflecting until the square is complete.
5. Once complete, colour in the shapes, making
sure all the same shapes are the same colour.
4. 5. 6.
6. Once the square is coloured completely, you can
scan it and use a paint programme to reflect and
tessellate the image.

Letters from children living in countries
i htt
W igh
M t Wr
across the Arab world
© Ma
Hi there,
My name is Jœlle
, and I’m proud to
be a Lebanese te
Hi there, Here, in my coun enager.
I’m a student try, we have spec
Lebanese girl and ial foods for ever
I’m a 13 year old m going to y occasion.
th. In this letter, I’ We have special
at Besancon Baabda ool. costumes we wea
r when we celebr
sch
tell you about my ench,
traditional festiva ate
in our school is Fr ls by dancing the
Wright
h
The main language bic. We also
traditional ‘dabke
’ dance
er tongue is Ara and in big weddi
M tW
although our moth , physics, ngs. In weddings,
© Ma
ish, maths, chemist ry like in all occasio
study Arabic, Engl We do some Lebanese foods ns, we eat
civics and biology. like ‘tabboule’ w
geography, history, orts. hich is our traditi
e art, theatre and sp salad and a lot of onal Lebanese
activities as well: lik . We have
other delicious m
eals from our Le
l day at 7.30 a.m
We start our schoo a 20-minute cuisine. We also banese
day. And we have have the delicious
seven periods each ve to wear ‘knefe’ like desser
ev ery tw o or three periods. We ha of people eat ‘k
nefe’ for breakfas
t, but a lot
br eak l phones
oo l uniform an d we can’t keep our cel t.
a sch l phones At New Year’s Ev
e can bring our cel e, some parents
with us in class. W ve to keep them like watching TV
ning but we ha what fortune-te to know
with us in the mor em back llers think of or
ice. We can get th have to say abou
in the principal’s off At Christmas, w t the New Year.
school. e go to church,
before we leave the teachers we have a big lu
day trips with our family and we op nch for all the
We sometimes go on . en the gifts.
s every second week
and we have a mas ca sion, but
ebrate on every oc
We don’t always cel
really fun! I hope you will lik
when we do it, it’s e my country, Le
banon, and I ho
Have a good day. come to visit it on
e day.
pe you will
Rita Hanna. t kph
© iiStoc hotto
pho
Jœlle Zarazir

www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline © iStockphoto
48
Hello
Letters from children living in countries My name is Mohammad Kha
lid Soub I’m 15 years old. My
life in Jordan is a
across the Arab world very good life. First I wake up
at 4.30 a.m. to pray and bru
sh my teeth
then I change my clothes and
am ready to go to school at 7.00
s in Saudi a.m. I
one of our religious festival arrive at school at 7.30 a.m.
I am writing to tell you about and it start at 8.00 a.m. whe
n we go to our
Fast. Eid al
ed the Feast of Breaking the class to have good times and
Arabia. Eid al-Fitr is also call learn new things. The school
finishes at 2.00
worldwide p.m. All of the students go bac
holiday celebrated by Muslims
htt
gh
h
Wrigh
Fitr is an important religious
k to their homes. After I stud
y I go with my
fasting. brothers and my friends to the
Mat W
n, the Islamic holy month of playground or to the park to
that marks the end of Ramada do some
©M
sports. I like playing football.
r. It depends When I get back from playgro
from one country to anothe und I go to eat
The date for Eid may differ with my family at 6.30 p.m. Wh
. en we finish we go to brush our
moon by the local authorities teeth and
on the observation of the new wash our hands and all of the
family sit in the sitting room to
the same
it is generally celebrated on talk about
However, in most countries, what happened during the day
and what we will do in the nex
pomp here. t day. I like
itr is celebrated with great
day as Saudi Arabia. Eid al-F that so much. Sometimes we
visit my relatives. My mother
for family and father
and prepare luxurious meals watch the TV at 8.30 p.m. to
Saudis decorate their homes see the news. My brother and
I play on
her at
di tradition for families to gat computers or Xbox or our pho
and friends. It is common Sau the WWE and action movies
nes. At 9.00 p.m., my brothe
rs and I watch
is ser ved,
Before the special Eid meal on TV and then we go to slee
home after the Eid prayers. That what I usually do. This is
p.
member, who
in front of each adult family my life and love it.
young children will line up
One day, there was a wedding
the children. . First I went to the barber sho
dispenses money as gifts to best folklore outfit. I met my
b
p. I wore my
way to
many Saudis go out of their family, uncles and friends. I saw
Moreover, in the spirit of Eid, aand bridegroom they were ver
the bride
n strangers
erosity. It is common for eve y beautiful. We sang tradition
show their kindness and gen aate mansaf for lunch.
al songs and
and gifts
dom and sometimes even toys
to greet one another at ran
traditional By:
BBy
y Mohammad Khalid Soub -
complete strangers. It is also Jordan
will be given to children by
buy large qua ntit ies of rice
to go and
in some areas for Saudi men
the doors of
leave them anonymously at
and other staples and then
Arabia,
Wright
ht
ight
In the major cities in Saudi
those who are less fortunate.
M tW
fireworks shows.
every night there are huge
© Ma
urally
in Saudi Arabia may var y cult
In conclusion, Eid festivities
brations
one common factor in all cele
depending on the region, but
www.britishcouncil.org/schoolsonline is generosity and hospitality. 49
Amjad Qasem
Wright
ht
i h
Riyadh is my hometown
Mat W
©M
his country and the place
No doubt that ever yone is proud of
up. For me, I was born in
where they were born and brought
ghhtt
Saudi Arabia. I live in it, in
rriig
Riyadh. Riyadh is the capital city of Hi there,
© M at W
family in a big villa. I like my
the district of Laban. I live with my
What’s your nam
est city in Saudi Arabia. It is e? Mine is Marou
city very much. Riyadh is the bigg n Chebly. I live in
the newest cities in The
town in Mount Le Bickfaya, a
considered one of the biggest and banon.
n city. It has a lot of trees It’s really cool in
Middle East. It is a modern and clea our town. We ha
es and monuments. The ve sports clubs,
and parks. It has many historical plac shops and a lot m restaurants,
t region of Riyadh. The ore. Also, in Bickf
Historical Diriyah is in the North Wes aya, we usually do
where a lot of pe festivals,
centre of Riyadh. It has a lot ople come to ex
Musmak Fortress is located in the pose their new cr
such as Al Mamlakah Center We usually do th eations.
of modern and famous buildings, ree festivals per
Aziz Museum is in the year: The Christ
and Al Faisaliah Tower. King Abdul The New Year Fe mas Festival,
Riyadh. It contains a lot of stival and The Fl
centre of the park in the centre of ower Festival.
the kingdom, Makah, Sometimes we m
monuments of the king, his sons, ake a football fe
stival. Actually it
am proud to be a Saudi it’s The World C isn’t a festival;
Madinah and the Islamic History. I up or The Cham
pion’s League. Be
Citizen living in this city. huge football fans cause we are
aar , they make this
By Fahad Hamad Mohamed Al Benh festival to watch
matches in open the final
air. They usually
put the screen un
giant cedar tree der four
s, or sometimes
they put it in the
of the town. public garden
This is my countr
y, and this is my
really enjoy the town; it’s an awes
festivals each year ome town. I
.

t country in the
Saudi Arabia is the 13th larges
ghhtt
the Arab world
© Mat Wrig
world, and the second largest in
square miles. It
(behind only Algeria) at 830,000
- but almost all of
is six times the size of Germany
Saudi Arabia are the
it is desert. The oil reserves in
ated to be 268
second largest in the world, estim
e-fifth of the world’s
billion barrels and are about on
Saudi Arabia are
total oil reserve. The people of
sheep herders and
descended from tribes of nomadic
of the traditions of
goat herders and maintain many
e dates, fatir (flat
their past. Traditional foods lik
thwestern part of
bread), arikah (bread from the sou
are still eaten by
the country), and a spice blend
udis have settled in
Saudis today, although most Sa
follow the nomadic
towns and cities and no longer
lifestyle .
le Eastern cooking
One of the great aspects of Midd
ients for what is
is the ability to substitute ingred
Lamb can be
available or for personal taste.
sa. Spices like
substituted for beef, and vice ver
for a spicier dish.
cayenne and cumin can be added 51
d Al Gibran
Student - Mamdouh Mohamme
Arabic recipes
Hummus b’TaHeenee (Hummus with Tahini)

This traditional Arabic breakfast food is well-known
in the Western world today. In the Arab world, it is
often served freshly made with hot chickpeas in
individual bowls with a basket of warm Arabic bread
and perhaps some pickles on the side.
− 2 tins cooked chickpeas (or 900g /2lbs of pre-cooked beans)
− 75g/3oz Tahini sesame paste
− juice of one whole lemon (or 75–120ml/3–4fl oz lemon juice)
− 2 teaspoons salt
− 60ml/2fl oz cup olive oil
− optional: 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
Instructions:
s ck
errstoc
sto
Using a food processor or blender, blend the chickpeas together
tter
e
uttte
te
(leaving a few whole ones aside for the garnish later). Add the
/Shu
hu
Sh
dio/Sh
h
tahini, lemon juice, garlic (if using), oil, and salt, and blend until
dio
ood ssttudio
the whole mixture is a creamy consistency. Adjust seasonings
to taste. Pour into a shallow bowl and garnish with a drizzle
ASS Foo
of extra olive oil, the whole chickpeas you set aside, and some
©A
chopped parsley if desired. For an authentic breakfast, serve
with warm Arabic bread!

Information and activity sheet 11: The dough should be soft and a bit moist. Cover the bowl and leave
in a warm (not hot) place for one hour. Heat oven to 245ºC/gas mark
Arabic recipes 9, and place a large cast-iron pan, or baking tile on the bottom shelf.
Flatten down the dough and divide into eight pieces of equal size.
Place the dough balls on a clean floured work surface, cover with a
khubz ’arabee (Arabic bread) damp towel, and leave for ten minutes. Roll the first ball to about half of
an inch thick, pick up, and place quickly into the oven on the hot baking
Although it is often called by its Greek name of ‘Pitta’ in
sheet. After two minutes in the oven the dough should be nicely puffed.
the West, these small round loaves are commonly called Pick it up carefully with tongs and flip it over, then bake for just one more
‘Arabic bread’ in the Arab world. They have a distinctive minute. Roll out and cook each ball one at a time, or put more than one
puff that makes them easy to fill, and fun to bake! in at once if you have the space. Transfer each little loaf to a lined basket
and cover with a napkin so they stay warm. Serve by itself, or with
Ingredients required: freshly made hummus!
− 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (Adapted from the New York Times recipe by David Tanis:
− 1/2 teaspoon sugar, or honey http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016071-homemade-pita-bread)
− 250ml/8fl oz lukewarm water
− 30g/1oz wholemeal flour (1/4 cup)
− 310g/11oz plain flour
− 1 teaspoon salt
− 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions:
ock
ck
rrssttock
Mix together the yeast, sugar, and water in a large mixing bowl,
ers
ters
ter
er
stirring until dissolved. Add the whole wheat flour and 30g/1oz
Shut te
b /Shut
Sh e
of the plain flour and whisk together. Put the bowl, uncovered,
obs/
obs
obob
in a warm (not hot) place until mixture is frothy and bubbling
p otob
to o
(about 15 minutes). Add salt, olive oil, and all of the remaining
© ph
flour, and stir until the mixture becomes a soft dough.

Arabic recipes
Polo (mint lemonade)

Juice bars – offering blends of fresh fruit juices such
as apple and carrot, and smoothies made with rich
ingredients like clotted cream – are a common sight
around the Arab world, with children and adults alike
lining up around the block during the day and into the
evening at the most popular spots. This refreshing
beverage is a common menu item at the chic seaside
cafés in Beirut, Lebanon, and can also be found in other
parts of the Eastern Mediterranean region. It is a great
treat on a hot day!
Ingredients required:
− Fresh bunch of mint leaves
− 6 lemons, juiced
− 2 cups ice cubes (fewer or more, to taste)
− Sugar to taste
Instructions:
Place the ice in a blender and crush until very fine. Add the lemon
juice, whole mint leaves, and sugar (for a sweet beverage, add at least
11g/3.5oz sugar). Blend again until well combined. The beverage should
e stock
now be a bright green with tiny flecks of mint leaves. Pour into glasses,
/Shutter
garnish with an extra sprig of mint, and enjoy!
© ulpahn
n
Find out more Many beautiful examples of pattern in Islamic art can be found at:
http://patterninislamicart.com, The Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar –
www.mia.org.qa/en Islamic Middle East Gallery – www.vam.ac.uk/page/
i/islamic-middle-east
We hope your pupils enjoyed learning some simple
Arabic and finding out about the Arab world. If you want An alphabetical listing of Arab contributions to world civilization:
www.salon.com/2002/01/08/alphabet
to find out more the following links contain additional
information and resources: If you’d like to see more recipes or learn more about food
in the Arab world (particularly the Eastern Mediterranean):
Lesson plans and teaching resources to help you introduce Arabic http://almashriq.hiof.no/general/600/640/641/khayat/title.html
language and culture: http://arabalicious.com
This site will help you to learn the numbers in Arabic:
A great free app for learning the Arabic alphabet: https://itunes.apple. www.rocketlanguages.com/arabic/learn/counting-in-arabic
com/us/book/lets-explore-arabic-alphabet/id879152581?mt=11
To learn more about Arabic calligraphy and the Arabic alphabet, watch
This link is to a short film – 1001 Inventions and The Library of Secrets the introductory video here: http://calligraphyqalam.com/index.html
tells the story of some of the inventions in the Golden Age of Islam:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZDe9DCx7Wk Use this fun tool to see your name written in Arabic calligraphy instantly:
www.firdaous.org/write-name-arabic-calligraphy.htm?13-a
The following BBC learning zone clips show children talking about prayer
and the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca for the Hajj: Further work on exploring and designing complex geometric patterns
www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/muslim-prayer/5965.html can be found at: www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/teachers-resource-
www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/a-trip-to-mecca/3920.html maths-and-islamic-art-and-design Explore and design more complex
The British Council report, Languages of the Future identifies the geometric patterns
languages most vital to the UK over the next 20 years. For the full report QFI’s Mosaic Tile Generator application introduces students to
go to: www.britishcouncil.org/sites/britishcouncil.uk2/files/ fundamental concepts of Islamic art and architecture through
languages-for-the-future.pdf exploration and creation of a mosaic tile art. Students design and
Useful resources for beginner’s Arabic, or those who want to learn more share their own mosaic tiles after learning principles of tessellation
about the language: www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/arabic/guide/ and geometry and the history of mosaic tiles in Islamic art.
facts.shtml http://qfi.org/get-involved/apps-resources/mosaic-tile-app

Elseed – is a well-known Calligraffiti artist. You can see examples of his Special thanks to the following people who helped to provide examples
work at the following websites: for this pack:
http://elseed-art.com − Teachers and pupils at Horton Park Primary School
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpFz5Rxg6eU − Pupils attending schools in Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7e4QBxtCl8
− Audrey Shabbas and AWAIR who kindly allowed us to use the
Other articles about Calligraffiti can be found at: http://news.harvard.edu/ geometric template and folktales from The Fables of Luqman
gazette/story/2012/04/where-art-blends-with-activism from their book, The Arabs: Activities for the Elementary and
Middle School Level
Examples of calligraphic art by the artist Everitte:
http://everitte.org/gallery – Everitte Barbee who kindly allowed us to use images of his
calligraphic artwork
https://egotistsclub.wordpress.com/tag/calligraphy
Thanks to Steward Cook and pupils at Frances Olive Anderson C of E
Other examples of Arabic songs to sing in class can be found here: Primary School for their help with the repeated patterns lesson
http://albustanseeds.org/digital/yalli
http://albustanseeds.org/digital/kulthum/#.VWyoUOcqmGM To find out more about the Arabic Language and Culture Programme
http://albustanseeds.org/digital/nassam please contact [email protected]
Additional activities
Your pupils can find out more about designing their own complex
geometric patterns using activities from the websites from the Victoria
and Albert Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art websites at:
www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/teachers-resource-maths-and-
islamic-art-and-design
www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/teachers-resource-exploring-plant-
based-design-through-the-jameel-gallery-of-islamic-art


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Arabic language and

Arabic language and Arab culture

Lesson plan 01:

Lesson plan 02:

Lesson plan 03:

Lesson plan 04:

Information and activity sheets 28

Find out more 55

Arabic language and Arab culture

Languages are the bedrock of the world’s cultural heritage.

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

The pyramids were built over 4,000 years ago to

Petra in Jordan is an ancient city located between the Dead Sea

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

P lic domain], via

Curriculum links: English, Art and Design, Religious Education,

Modern Standard Arabic (or MSA) is the standardised

Arabic language and Arab culture

The most common greeting across

marhaban! ana min…

min ayna anta? (asking a male) ma’a as-salaama!

Arabic language and Arab culture

There are many English words in use today which originally

Arabic language and Arab culture

© Darwish’s Horse by Everitte Barbee – Courtesy of Saatchi Art

Arabic language and Arab culture

Calligrafﬁti is a contemporary art form that combines Com

ﬁti design. Photogr

Arabic language and Arab culture

Curriculum links: English, Maths, Art and Design

Mathematicians from the Arab world are renowned

Geometric designs using mathematical shapes,

Arabic language and Arab culture © Brytta/iStockphoto

As we have already seen, intricate calligraphy and

Arabic language and Arab culture

Curriculum links: English, Personal, Social and Health Education,

Curriculum links: English, Music

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

© Groucho’s Elephant by Everitte Barbee – Courtesy of Saatchi Art

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture

Arabic language and Arab culture