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Holidays Around the World: Hanukkah
Description:
This lesson is designed to teach 1st grade students about the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. The students will listen to a story titled THE CHANUKKAH GUEST by Eric Kimmel (or similar story) , make a craft (paper menorah), and learn a Hanukkah song. A dictionary will be used to define unfamiliar words. This lesson is designed to be taught collaboratively between the LMS and the classroom teacher and integrated into the curriculum for holidays around the world.
Goals & Objectives:
The students will be able to:
1. share previous knowledge about Hanukkah.
2. understand how to use a dictionary to look up unfamiliar words.
3. listen attentively to a story.
4. respond to questions posed about the story.
5. construct a paper menorah.
6. use the menorah to participate in a sing-a-long.
Materials & Sources:
  • THE CHANUKKAH GUEST by Eric Kimmel ( or comparable story);
  • dictionary;
  • craft materials for paper menorahs: pattern pieces, construction paper, and glue;
  • song chart (words to song written on a large chart paper);
  • audio cassette and player or CD and CD player;
  • real menorah with candles and matches
Procedures:
1. Ask the students and classroom teachers to share aloud (or brainstorm a list) about what they have already learned in their classroom about Hanukkah (or other December holidays around the world).

2. Model how a dictionary is used to look up words such as: rabbi, latkes, dreidel, and menorah. Have students take turns reading the definitions aloud.

3. Introduce and read aloud THE CHANUKKAH GUEST; discuss after reading.

4. At tables, model and assist with the construction of the paper menorahs. (patterns are available in teacher's magazines or on the Internet. Check this site: (http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/menorah.html )
Have the students glue previously cut paper menorah pieces to construction paper. Glue on previously cut paper candles and flames.

5. Have the students bring their paper menorahs to the story area.

6. Play an easy Hanukkah song on a cassette or CD player. (Songs and lyrics are also on the web - check this site: http://www.geocities.com/ohtoad/HanukkahSongs2.html
Teach the children the song using the song chart.

7. Dim the lights. As the class sings the song, light the candles of the real menorah. As you light each candle, ask the students to touch each of the candles on their paper menorah to pretend to light them.

8. Close the lesson by allowing the children to share what they have learned. You may also have the students display their artwork and sing the song for other students in the school or for parents, etc.
Assessment:
1. The teacher and students will interact with questions and answers throughout the lesson.

2. The teachers will observe the students: reading definitions aloud, listening to the story, creating the menorahs, and singing a song.
Sources:
THE CHANNUKAH GUEST by Eric Kimmel.
Print this Lesson Plan
Presented By: Cynthia Tidd
Website by Data Momentum, Inc.