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Grade 7: the Jewish Life Cycle Curriculum

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Grade 7: the Jewish Life Cycle Curriculum Grade 5: The Jewish Life Cycle Curriculum Textbooks: The Time of Our Lives: A Teen Guide to the Jewish Life Cycle (Nina Beth Cardin) Plays taken from Class Acts (Stan J. Beiner) The purpose of this course is to teach students about the stages of the life cycle, and the Jewish traditions, rituals, ceremonies, and celebrations used to mark each stage. Students will research and document life cycle events that have taken place in their own families. Active learning via guest speakers, drama, field trips, interviews, oral presentations, and art projects will be emphasized. Unit 1: Birth—4 sessions, 45 minutes each Time of Our Lives: Chapter 2, pages 12-21 Goals and Objectives: 1. Students will explore the life cycle rituals surrounding birth and naming. 2. Students will discuss what a covenant (Brit) is. 3. Students will understand the connection between Brit and circumcision (Brit Milah). 4. Students will learn about the components of the Brit Milah ceremony. 5. Students will understand what a Simchat Bat ceremony involves. 6. Students will discuss the importance and meaning of naming in Judaism. 7. Students will explain the origin and meaning of their own names in Hebrew and English, and will be able to discuss how their names connect to their family’s past. Birth Discussion Topics: -Brit -Brit Milah: Step By Step -Pidyon Ha-Ben -Simchat Bat -Adoption -What’s in a Name? Key Concepts and Personalities: -Brit (Covenant) -Elijah Key Terms: -Brit Milah -Simchat Bat -Kvater, Kvateren -Sandek -Seudat Mitzvah -Pidyon Ha-Ben -Mohel Special Activities/Projects: -Visit from a Mohel -Enact Brit Milah/Simchat Bat Ceremonies -Perform Play: “The Birth of the Jewish: An Epic Tale” -Visit Elijah’s Chair in the Temple -Art Project Using Students’ Names -Students Share Birth Certificates and Naming Documents, and Explain Meaning and Origin of their Hebrew, English, and Last Names -Start a Life Cycle poster: one event has one “square” on the page. Fill in each square as we learn different events. Assessments: Students retell 5 important facts regarding birth Students create an original play Class discussions Unit 2: Education and Bar/Bat Mitzvah—6 sessions, 1 hour each Time of Our Lives: Chapter 3, pages 32-47 My Generations: Chapters 6 and 7, pages 79-97 Goals and Objectives: 1. Students will discuss the importance of education in Judaism, the significance of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah milestone, and the meaning of becoming a Jewish adult. 2. Students will discuss the importance of learning in Jewish tradition. 3. Students will explore what mitzvot are and why they are important. 4. Students will learn about the history of Bar and Bat Mitzvah. 5. Students explore the components of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah service and celebration. 6. Students will learn about the educational, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and occupational histories of their parents and other family members. They will interview their parents, share the information with the class, and document it in their family history projects. Bar and Bat Mitzvah Discussion Topics: -When Do You Become a Bar/Bat Mitzvah? -History of Bar and Bat Mitzvah -The Bar and Bat Mitzvah Ceremony: Step by Step -Party Time Key Concepts and Personalities: -Bar and Bat Mitzvah -Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan -Judith Kaplan Key Terms: -Parsha -Haftarah -D’var Torah -Minyan -Mitzvah Project -Tallit -Maftir Special Activities/Projects: -Make Tallit/Tefillin -Perform play “Coming of Age” Assessments: Tell 5 important things about Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class discussions Oral quizzes Unit 3: Marriage—5 sessions, 45 minutes each Time of Our Lives: Chapter 4, pages 56-71 My Generations: Chapter 8, pages 100-113 Goals and Objectives: 1. Students will gain understanding of the customs, traditions, rituals, and symbols of a Jewish wedding and why they are meaningful. 2. Students will discuss the purpose of a marriage contract (Ketubah). 3. Students will understand the meaning of the rings. 4. Students will be able to describe the steps of a Jewish marriage and the wedding ceremony, and to explain the purpose and meaning of each step. 5. Students will explore Judaism’s approach to divorce, and the rituals involved in divorce. 6. Students will obtain information about how their parents and grandparents celebrated their weddings. Marriage Discussion Topics: -Marriage in the Days of Our Ancestors -Getting Ready for Marriage: Mikvah, Aufruf, Bedeken -The Wedding Ceremony: Step by Step -Symbols: Breaking the Glass, Rings, Ketubah, Chuppah Key Concepts: -Kiddushin/Erusin -Nissu’in -Divorce Key Terms: -Mikvah -Aufruf -Fasting -Chatan -Kallah -Kabbalat Panim -Bedeken -Kittel -Chuppah -Ketubah -Sheva Brachot -Breaking the Glass -Get Special Activities/Projects: -Mock Wedding -Perform Play “Stan and Judy Got Married” -Bring Parents’ Ketubot and Wedding Photos to Share with Class Assessments: State 5 important facts about Jewish weddings Class discussions Oral quizzes Unit 4: Death and Mourning— 4 sessions, 45 minutes each Time of Our Lives: Chapter 5, pages 74-88 My Generations: Chapter 9, pages 115-126 Goals and Objectives: 1. Students will discuss death as a natural part of the life cycle. 2. Students will explore how Judaism approaches the afterlife. 3. Students will be able to describe the stages and rituals of mourning. 4. Students will be able to explain how these practices provide comfort to mourners and help them to deal with their loss. 5. Students will be able to discuss their own personal experiences with death, and family experiences. 6. Students will learn skills for expressing sympathy, responding to a death, attending a funeral, and paying a Shiva call. Death and Mourning Discussion Topics: -Life after Death—Olam HaBa -Saying Goodbye -A Kid’s Guide to Bad News -Judaism’s Guide to Healing: The Hevra Kaddisha, Funeral, Torn Black Ribbon -A Plain Pine Box -Time to Mourn: The Mourner’s Kaddish, Shiva, Paying a Shiva Call -A Return to Life: Shloshim, the Unveiling, Yahrtzeit, Yizkor Key Concepts: -Olam Haba Key Skills: -How to Express Sympathy/Respond to Death -How to Behave at a Shiva House Key Terms: -Hevrah Kaddisha -Kriah (Torn Black Ribbon) -Plain Pine Box -Funeral -Eulogy -El Malei Rachamim -Mourner’s Kaddish -Shiva -Shloshim -Unveiling -Yahrtzeit -Yahrtzeit Candle -Yizkor Special Activities/Projects: -Visit Temple Cemetery -Guest Speaker from Hevrah Kaddisha -Perform Play “The Last Days” - Invite the Rabbi in to speak about the concept of Olam Ha Ba Assessments: Class discussions Have students list 5 important facts about death and dying Oral quizzes .
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