Traditions Around the World: Hanukkah

Essential Questions of the Unit:

Why do people celebrate traditions?
What are some ways that different cultures celebrate their
traditions?
Guiding Questions for the Lesson:
How do people in Mexico celebrate La Posada?
Where is Mexico?
What does a poinsettia represent?
Standards:
-1.C.1 Understand the diversity of people in the local community.
-1.H.1.2 Explain the importance of folklore and celebrations and
their impact on local communities.
-1.V.1.2 Create original art that expresses ideas, themes, and events.
-1.V.3.3 Use the processes of drawing, painting, weaving, printing,
stitchery, collage, mixed media, sculpture, and ceramics to create art.
-1.CX.1 Understand the global, historical, societal, and cultural contexts
of the visual arts.
-1.CX.1.1 Recognize how visual arts are used in customs and traditions of
various cultures.
Objectives:
Students Will:
Develop an understanding of how Jewish people all over the world
celebrate.
Develop an understanding of how a Jewish family from our school
community celebrates.
Ask questions about someones personal Hanukkah experiences.
Identify Israel on a world map.
Listen to the story of Hanukkah.
Make a dreidel.
Learn the rules to the game of dreidel.
Resources:
https://www.teachervision.com/hanukkah/teacher-resources/6627.html
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/collection/hanukkah-classroom

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/celebrate-hanukkahisrael
www.Pinterest.com
Activities:
1.Gather the children together and show them the world map. Point out
the country of Israel. Tell the students that today they will learn how
another group of people celebrate the holidays.
I will say: A long time ago, over 2,000 years, the Jewish people there
fought against an army to take back their Temple, or house of worship.
They cleaned and fixed the Temple and polished the lamp of the Eternal
Light. The army had put out the flame. Only enough olive oil could be
found to light the lamp for one day. A miracle happened and the lamp
stayed lit for eight days!
2. Then, I will show the children a menorah or a picture of a menorah.
I will say: Today, Jewish people all over the world celebrate the miracle as
Hanukkah, the "Festival of Lights." They do not celebrate for just one night!
They celebrate for eight nights. On each night, they light a candle in a
special lamp of eight candles, called a menorah, to remember the
miracle.
3. Finally, I will show the children a dreidel or a picture of a dreidel.
I will say: Make sure you take a moment to really look at the letters. Are
they the same letters we use? During, Hanukkah a game called dreidel
is played and we have a very special visitor that is going to tell us a little
more about this game. We are in for a special treat because a parent of
one of the students in first grade is here today to tell us all about how his
family celebrates Hanukkah. He will explain to us about his personal
experiences growing up in a Jewish home and the traditions that his family
follows to celebrate this exciting time. While he is speaking, try to think of
some questions that you may have for him in regards to Hanukkah. Then,
he will assist us in making our own dreidels and he will help to describe the
rules of dreidel so that we can all play as a class.
4. We will lay out newspaper to protect the tables. Distribute the boxes,
paint and brushes to children. Tell them that blue is a traditional color used

in Hanukkah decorations. Ask children to identify the shape of the box

and have them count the sides. Have children paint their boxes. Distribute
the pre-punched painted boxes, scissors, and the Dreidel Symbols
printable. Tell the children that the letters on the paper are from another
language, Hebrew. They represent Hebrew words that tell us what to do
when we play the game, Dreidel. Have children cut out the symbols and
glue a symbol onto the four sides of the box that do not have a hole.
5. Show the children the chart of dreidel symbols you have pre-made from
the printable. Demonstrate how to play the game with three children, plus
yourself meaning it will be a four-player game.
Give each player 15 pennies.
Each player puts two of her objects into the center "pot".
Give each player a turn to spin the dreidel (like a top). The letter
that is facing up when the dreidel stops tells what the player must
do:
Nun: do nothing
Gimel: take all objects from the pot
Hay: take half the pot
Shin: put one object in the pot
Throughout the game, count how many pennies you have.
Then, they will begin playing the game.
Assessment Plan:
During each of these lessons, the students will learn about where the
tradition is celebrated, how the tradition is celebrated, who celebrates
the tradition, when they celebrate the tradition, and why they celebrate
the tradition. The students will all have their own Travel Journal that will
look like a little suitcase. They will show me their understanding by filling
out the previously mentioned aspects of traditions in this journal. Once I
have checked their work for understanding, they will receive a sticker of
the countrys flag they just visited to place on the front of their suitcase.