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WideHorizon
Education Resources
All lessons are designed to appeal to the heart, head and hands
Contact: Dr. David L. Mollet tel/fax (619) 463-1270
email: waldorfedu@cox.net 6656 Reservoir Lane, San Diego, CA 92115 |
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Israelites
Do your students know why we study the Ancient Israelites?
It is, of course, because the ideas from both the Judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman traditions form the roots of Western civilization.
However, understanding these concepts can be difficult and complicated for students.
One way, is to introduce this study around the theme of festivals. The approach brings in the historical background, major personalities and ideas, and it also makes the connection between the ancient and modern.
Purim
The festival of Purim is an example of teaching through a festival theme. The story of Esther is the basis for the Jewish festival of Purim and introduces students to many historical events. In order to understand Esther's presence in Babylon, students need to learn about the fall of Judah and the deportation of the Jewish people to Babylon. Then, in order to understand Esther's marriage to a Persian King, they have to learn about the defeat of the Babylonians by Persia.
Students need to understand why, historically, different cultures came to live side by side in Babylon.
Information, story Esther, Guided Reading, activities and assignments are all available in Module 2 of the WER Unit Israelites.
"And the king loved Esther above all women .......so that he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen." Esther,ch.2, v.17
Other Festivals
Students make the connection between ancient and modern when they learn about the celebration of Purim in today's society. This is taken a stage further in the Unit with a wider examination of festivals. The Unit includes a study of our need for festivals and the role they play in today's society.
In classes where there is an ethnic mix it is a rewarding exercise to apply what students have learned about festivals in general to examples of festivals from the students' own background.
When learning about the festival of Hanukkah students learn about Judah Maccabee. They begin to understand the relationship between the Jews and the Greeks, the Jews and the Syrians, and the Jews and the Romans.
As with most festivals and holidays there is special food associated with Hannukkah. One of these is potato latkes.
This topic can be extended so that students can research the food associated with festivals and holidays from their own culture. They then share their account on the special food and festival together with the background to the celebration.
WER Unit: Ancient Civilizations - Israelites
Module 1: Patriarchs, Judges and Kings
Module 2: Prophets and Priests
Students make a study of Jewish festivals such as Passover, Purim and Hanukkah. This provides an introduction to the study of festivals and holidays in general, and an examination of the role they play in society.
The students make a scroll of Esther for Purim, potato latkes for Hanukkah and draw the Seder Plate for Passover
Language Arts: Through a Readers Theatre assignment students learn about the historical background to the Hanukkah Festival.
Research: Students research for information on Jewish festivals.
Critical Thinking Skills: Students are told the roles that festivals play in a society. They are asked to indicate how the roles are expressed in the festival they have researched.
Cooperative Learning: Students work in groups to complete this task.
Israelites (2 Modules) includes 5 stories with readability levels, 5 guided reading assignments, 1 readers theatre, 13 activity sheets, 2 assignments targeted for monitoring and assessment, 5 map activities, 20 illustrated information sheets, 8 blackline masters, 3 review exercises, 2 colored reproductions, 8 teacher lesson guideline sheets, 2 monitoring and assessment guideline sheets.
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