Verse of the Week 8 – The crow Season #5

* Educational Objectives – The Crow

1️⃣ The greatness of creation and Allah’s wisdom in teaching humankind

  • The child reflects on how Allah teaches human beings through an unexpected creature.

  • The child understands that knowledge and wisdom can come from a creature smaller than humans,
    learning humility before Allah’s infinite knowledge.

  • The child realizes that Allah has given every creature a role and a message, even animals that humans may misunderstand or judge unfairly.


2️⃣ Divine creativity in creation

(innate behavior and prior knowledge)

  • The child discovers that the burial behavior has existed in crows since ancient times
    and that it was clearly mentioned in the Qur’an more than 1,400 years ago.

  • The child connects the Qur’an with modern scientific discoveries
    and understands that revelation preceded human science by a long time.

  • The child reflects on how Allah placed precise innate knowledge in animals without teaching or training.


3️⃣ The exceptional intelligence of the crow

(a sign among the signs of creation)

  • The child learns that the crow is considered one of the most intelligent animals.

  • The child discovers that scientists classify crow intelligence among the highest in the animal kingdom,
    with some abilities comparable to those of a 6–7-year-old human child.

Examples of crow intelligence:

  • Problem-solving:
    Crows can solve complex puzzles to obtain food, even when multiple steps are required.

  • Tool use:
    They use sticks or wires to reach food in hard-to-access places.

  • Planning for the future:
    They hide food in different locations, remember them later, and change hiding places if they feel observed.

  • Face recognition:
    They can recognize human faces and remember who harmed them or treated them kindly.

  • Learning by observation:
    They learn from other crows without direct trial and error.

The child understands that this intelligence is not accidental, but a deliberate divine creation.


4️⃣ Gratitude and values-based reflection

  • The child learns to thank Allah for the gift of intellect, learning, and understanding.

  • The child feels gratitude because Allah has given humans the ability to learn from everything around them.

  • The child develops respect for all creatures and avoids mocking or underestimating them.


* Activity Idea

The child experiences a simple mental challenge that allows them to feel how a crow thinks,
not just hear about it.


* Activity Steps

1️⃣ Short reflective introduction
The educator says: “Allah taught human beings through the crow… Today, we will try to think like it.”


2️⃣ Smart challenge (imitating crow intelligence)

Materials (very simple):

  • A transparent cup or container

  • A small object (cube, ball, or rolled paper)

  • Wooden sticks / pencils / straws

  • String (optional)

Challenge:
Place the object inside the cup so it cannot be removed directly by hand.

The child is asked to:

  • Think

  • Experiment

  • Use tools

  • Not be given the solution immediately

 The educator only observes and encourages.


3️⃣ Educational discussion (heart + mind)

Guiding questions:

  • How did you feel when you couldn’t remove the object?

  • What did you do to succeed?

  • Did you change your strategy?

  • Does this remind you of how the crow thinks?

Connection:

“The crow does not give up… It thinks, tries, and innovates.”


* Link to educational goals

  • ✔️ Developing problem-solving skills

  • ✔️ Understanding the crow’s practical intelligence

  • ✔️ Realizing that intelligence is not only memorization

  • ✔️ Strengthening patience and perseverance


* Moment of gratitude

The child is invited to say or write: “I am grateful to Allah for giving me a mind to think with, and for teaching me through a small creature how to be smarter and more patient.”


✨ Closing touch

The facilitator says: “If Allah gave the crow such intelligence… how many blessings has He given us as human beings?”