Rosh Hashanah Lesson Plans

1. Food and Celebration
...any, if not give them examples. B. Mini-Lecture. Review the brainstorming activity. Talk about the many different celebrations that incorporate food (nearly all of them). Explain to students that there are many different reasons why food is important in celebrations. 1. Symbolism (Sweet cuisine for Rosh Hashanah) 2. Tradition (Italian weddings) 3. Environment and/or economics (China uses rice in many celebrations) 4. Social (Medieval feasts) 5. Psychological (foods that bring back memories of past celebrations) Explain that many of these reasons, if not all, are a part of every food decision a person makes...

2. Happy Hannukkah!
...Space - If you have time, you can sing a few of the traditional Songs, check out the Science / Technology / Cutouts, and Spin the Dreidel a few times! Health 5-8 · Good Citizenship? - Social Studies An illustration representing the ShabbatNext, explore some of the other holidays, including Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, · Rescue Your Trash Simchat Torah, Purim, Passover, and Shavuot. - Science / Math 5-8 · Hear That? - Health / Science 3-6 In what ways are the origins and traditions of these holidays rooted in the religion's historical accounts? Why is it important in Jewish belief that · Revea...

3. 2002: The Year in Review
...ng or perform it live for your class. Global History- Learn about how the New Year is celebrated around the world and in different cultures. Consider not only how the evening of December 31 is commemorated elsewhere, but also the meaning of "New Year" on other calendars (Losar-the Tibetan New Year, Rosh Hashanah-the Jewish New Year, and Al Hijra-the Islamic New Year are some examples). Conduct an International New Year's Party in class, having different groups learn about and prepare a five minute presentation/party for their respective New Year's. Media Studies- Watch "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" or "8 Mil...

4. Sweet on Faith
...ts from around the world. First, be sure that there is a list on the board of the sweets mentioned in the article. Then, allow students to add to the list desserts and candies associated with other religious holidays, such as chocolate coins or gelt and jelly donuts on Hanukkah, apples and honey on Rosh Hashanah, cream pastries for the end of Ramadan, and fruit rabri and kesar kheer for the Hindu holiday of Diwali. Each pair should select a different dessert (encourage students to select sweets from as many different cultures as they can), and using all available resources, pairs then research answers to th...

5. Major Holocaust Themes in Elie Wiesel's memoir, Night - Honey Kern
..., and Wiesel's use of the words "night/nightmare"? + Where was "God" in the camps? 5. Show video of survivor excerpt from Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Holocaust. Leave time at end of each class session for written comments/oral questions from class. 6. Homework: Assign reading in Night: from Rosh Hashanah to the evacuation of the camp. Journal writing. Days 10,11,12 1. Discuss the following topics: + Fear: connotation and denotation of "selection." + The "inheritance" given to Elie by his father. + Decision-making (to evacuate or not). 2. Homework: Assign reading in Night: the death march to Buchenwa...

6. Hana Matsuri (Buddha's Birthday)
...stmas. Examples of other religious holidays: Passover-Jews Lent-Christians Good Friday-Christians Ramadan-Islams Hannukah-Jews Yom Kippur-Jews Halloween-(Night Before All Saints Day)-Christians Holy Saturday-Christians Easter Sunday-Christians Pentecost-Christians Guy Fawks Day-Christians (England) Rosh Hashanah-Jews Sri Ramakrishna-Hindu St. Anthony's Day-Christians (Mexico) St. Lucia's Day-Christians (Sweden) O-Bon-Shintos (Japan) Holy Week-Christians Night of Siva-Hindus References: Watson, Jane Werner. Japan: Islands of the Rising Sun. Champaign: Garrard, 1968. Buell, Hal. Festivals of Japan. New York:...

7. Holocaust Activity: Number the Stars
...rite a message in it, and exchange their coded messages with other groups. 6. On the train why does the soldier ask, "Are you visiting your brother for the New Year?" (If someone answers yes, the soldier would know that they are Jewish since only Jews celebrate the Jewish New Year which begins with Rosh Hashanah and ends with Yom Kippur.) Why is Annemarie fearful of her little sister? (She's afraid that Kirsti might say something to give Ellen away.) Have the students recall incidents in which younger siblings "Spilled the beans." Why does Mrs. Johansen warn the girls about talking to anyone? (Someone might...