Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh
Purpose:
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To identify precious stones and metals
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To locate their origins
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To develop a graph categorizing the jewels
Materials: Books on precious stones and metals, encyclopedia, paper, pencil, crayons, markers, graph paper, colorful beads, sand/rice
Procedure:
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1. Begin by comparing the look and size of the stones.
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2. Then compare the value of each stone.
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3. Using the reference materials decide if the stones look the same way they do when they are found, as they look in the stores.
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4. Give each child a paper and pencil.
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5. Each student should fold the paper into four sections and put an origin of a stone in each section. Work in pairs.
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6. Take the colorful beads and give a variety of them to each pair.
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7. Have them place the bead that resembles one of the stones researched, on the section of its origin.
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8. After they are all placed, take a sheet of graph paper and graph the origin of precious jewels.
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9. When completed, the teacher can use a bucket or pail filled with sand or rice and hide the different beads/jewels in it.
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10. Divide the students into two groups and have each competing pair come up one at a time and on command they are to search through the sand/rice. The first one to find a jewel and correctly identify it gets a point for their team. Then the next pair comes up until all have had one try.
Christmas in most countries involves gift giving and receiving. In some countries if there are no children in the household they don't celebrate the holiday.
Conclusion:
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1. How many stones can you identify?
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2. How many origins can you remember?
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3. On your graph, where are most of the precious stones found?
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4. Everyone has a birthstone. Do you know yours? Where is it found?
Israel - Purim
To build background I will tell the students that this is another holiday celebrated in Israel. This holiday has a hero. Her name was Esther. She saved her people from death.
This happened so long ago. I would ask, are there any more recent female heroes?
I would write all answers on the board and ask what makes each a hero? Possible answers, Harriet Tubman, Amelia Earhart, Joan of Arc, Mother Theresa, Lady Diana, Rosa Parks, Florence Nightingale, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Did any of them choose
relatives, like mother, sister, grandma?
Listening Strategies
I will tell the students that this entire story is on tape which will be played for them.
I will tell them that the tone of the characters speaking can give clues to their moods. I will have them close their eyes and listen carefully to the tape. (approx. 1/2 hr.)
After the Tape or Reading
We will discuss the key characters; Mordecai, Esther, the King, Haman, list them, and the key scenes; Haman and his council plotting a way to quickly do away with Mordecai, Esther entering the King's court unannounced, Esther's final banquet with the King and Haman, and list them.
Vocabulary Strategies
The key terms will be decoded and defined using context clues with phonetics and structural analysis to figure out the meaning. Dictionary may be used.
The Key Words to define are:
1. Purim
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2. recounts
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3. summoned
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4. scepter
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5. honor
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6. decree
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7. annihilated
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8. plundered
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9. reenact
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10. foe
To check for understanding students will choose the one word in the group of words that does not mean what the key word means, for example:
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1. honor- a. praise b. glorify c. disgrace answer : disgrace
A cooperative lesson involving script writing, editing, stage designing, and costume design will follow the reading and tape. The students will be preparing to put on a production of Purim.
Israel - Purim
Purim is held in February or March and is one of the most joyous days in the Jewish religion. Purim recounts the events in the biblical book of Esther. Esther's cousin, Mordecai refused to bow down to a man named Haman because Jews only bowed down to the God of Heaven. This lack of respect to Haman's supposed honor drove Haman to issue a decree to have Mordecai and all his fellow countryman slain and annihilated and their goods plundered. The relationship between Queen Esther and Mordecai had not been revealed to the king and his court so Haman did not know Queen Esther was also a Jew.
Some time before this decree was drawn up, Mordecai heard of a plot to take the life of the king and revealed that information to Queen Esther. She quickly relayed the message to the King who had the would be assassins put to death . Mordecai, though, had never been rewarded for his deed. So while Haman was scheming to have him killed, the king was contemplating how to reward him. Haman had a gallows build in his yard 50 cubits high to hang Mordecai on. Queen Esther planned a banquet for the king and Haman. She wanted to tell him of Haman's wicked plan but, she and no other member of the kingdom were allowed to neither enter the king's court nor be in his presence without being summoned. All who do so, would be destroyed except those to whom he held out his golden scepter to. The Queen would have to take that chance for her life and that of her people. All Jews fasted for three days, then she adorned herself beautifully and went before the king not summoned. Miraculously, the king held out his golden scepter and she touched it. Then she invited the king and Haman to her home two times before she made her request for him to spare her life and that of her people. At this announcement even Haman was surprised, still not knowing she was a Jew. When asked by the king who would dare do such a thing , she revealed a foe and enemy, Haman. The king left out immediately but, Haman stayed and begged for his life. When the king returned a servant told him he saw the gallows in Haman's yard, meant for Mordecai. Hang Mordecai on that, was the command of the angered king.
There was feasting and celebrations after that in honor of Queen Esther for her bravery. Every year at the same time she is still honored. Purim is the name given to this national festival. Children dress up in costumes and reenact the story of Esther. There are carnivals, parades, and public entertainment .
Purim is the Jewish answer to Mardi Gras.
Fish is a popular Jewish food for most of their celebrations, but one of the favorite foods served during the Purim festival is a poppy seed cookie.