Prolog

In the mood of Christmas festive these past few weeks, explaining why Christians celebrate Christmas, Max asked me this question earlier today:
“Mommy, I know that my mother is you, and your mother is nene, and nene’s mother is mah uyut, but I don’t know who’s mah uyut’s mother. Have u ever met her? Then who’s the mother of mah uyut’s mother? and the mother before and before and before? I want to know who’s the first mother of all mothers in the whole wide world!”
He’s wondering who was the very first mother of the world.

I rolled my eyes and sighed, and asnwered:
“Let me find the answer first, then I’ll let you know, ok?”
And he said:
“I give you one week, mommy”
OMG! panic mode on.

So I was (in between foods and christmas party) contemplating, which history of the world shall I begin with? Adam&Eve or the Stone Age? The mother of all living or mommy monkey? 

And after some suggestions from close friends, and some other consideration, I decided to go with Adam&Eve. In my humble opinion, to explain about Adam&Eve may be more story telling rather than to explain about the first homo sapiens. Besides, I felt that this is the right moment to start introducing Max about the sacred topic: ALMIGHTY GOD, and I will explain it from the Islamic perspectives.

Where to begin?

Explaining about the first woman in the world, we have to start from the first man in the world. As we all know the first woman was created from man’s ribs.
Having to say that, we have to step back further into how was the world even created. So let’s step back.

1. The Act of Creation
   Heaven and Earth were one indivisible unit until Allah’s act of creation split them in two.These separated parts are described as having a smoke-like form.
2. The World in 6 Days
   Allah created the World consist of heaven and earth and everything in between those in 6 Days. The 6 Days mentioned here is not the typical 24-hours day as we know, but rather as a long span of time.
3. Malaika, Jinn and Man
   Allah created Malaika, Jinn and Man with each unique characteristics and duties.
4. Adam&Eve (Hawwa)
   The heaven is too big for Adam.
   He felt lonely after a while.
   So Allah created a women for him. Her name is Eve (Hawwa).
   Eve was very beautiful and soft. Allah created her from Adam’s rib.
   We are all decendants of Adam&Eve.

Those are the short summary that I will explain to Max in adjustment to his logical acceptance. I’d love to go beyond details completed with every Quran verses only when I feel like he’s ready. But for now, above explanation should be sufficient.

How to Engage Attention

As a designer, presentation is everything to me. I believe the more attractive we present the information, the more memorable it will be for people will engage with the process.
So I choose lapbook as the medium, using any available craft materials at home.

I’m using 2 single file binder ring to bind the pages together, it’s easy to flip up and  I can easily add more pages from time to time.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

It took me 3 days to find resource and references about the topics, and only a day to prepare for the lapbook design and layout. I guess being a designer helps a lot in the process specially on the lapbook design and layout. I’ve made the lapbook design and layout printables available to download on the last part of this article.
This lapbook idea turned out great and I got good credits from Max as “This is so fun to read, Mommy!”. And it motivated him to make his own lapbook, Superb!!!

layout (to print in A3 size paper)

history-of-the-world (to print in A4 size paper)

Hope you all like it!