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Teaching Guide
produced by
Mrs. Beth Wiesenberg
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Introduction
Aim
Rationale
Goals
and Objectives
Audience
Prerequisites
Subject-Matter
Instructional
Plan
Materials
Assessment
and Evaluation
Resources
Glossary
Introduction
The destruction of Amalek is mentioned twice in the Torah and
once in in the Navi, and is a message conveyed often while teaching
about Purim. This Web Quest is an aid to teaching the
characteristics of this famous nation.
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Aim
To give students an understanding of the characteristics of
Amalek, and how to relate to them in modern times.
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Rationale
Upon learning that we have a special mitzvah to completely
annihilate a nation without mercy and without consideration of age or
physical condition, many students are troubled. As Jews we are
ביישנים רחמנים וגומלי חסדים.
If this is true, how can we be commanded to do something
which seems to be unjustifiably violent?
Students must gain an understanding of the basic nature of Amalek, and
to understand that, as a nation, he is the antithesis of the Jewish
faith. They will view the destruction of Amalek as essential to
perfecting the Jewish nation, and not hatred or vengeance against
people.
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Goals and
Objectives
This task requires students to investigate the personality of
Amalek by learning the sources in which he is found. The student
will:
- review the Biblical texts where Amalek is mentioned
- utilize classic Biblical commentaries to properly understand the text
research sources that discuss the characteristics of Amalek that are
learned from the text
identify historical figures who have exhibited these characteristics
analyze the sources learned to facilitate a thorough understanding
of our mitzvah to eradicate Amalek
relate the mitzvah of destroying Amalek to modern times
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Audience
This task is geared for upper elementary school students at
the Honors level.
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Prerequisites
Students must have a good understanding of Hebrew, and must
be able to make analytical comparisons between sources.
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Subject-Matter
This can be used with instruction of the war against Amalek
in רפידים, which is found in
פרשת בשלח יז:ח-טז,
for teaching
פרשת
זכור, found in
כי
תצא כה:יז-יט, or when Amalek attacks dressed as
Canaanim in פרשת חוקת כא:א-ג.
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Instructional
Plan
Students will be divided into groups of three. For the
first two days they will review the Biblical sources for Amalek with
related
מפרשים. They will use this information on the third day to
create a "crime scene report" for each recorded case of Amalek's
wrongdoing, as well as an "arrest file" for the actions taken against
them.
On the fourth and fifth days the "psychological profile" is
created, where students compile information on Amalek's personality and
traits from various articles and texts which discuss it. The sixth
day is spent choosing three periods in Jewish History where the students
feel their aggressors exhibit these characteristics of Amalek, and
making a "rap sheet" for each of them.
The final project is a complete "criminal report" on Amalek.
The day the project is due, there should be a "debriefing" on
the subject to answer any questions the students may have.
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Materials
Each student needs either a תנ"ך שלם
or copies of each event where Amalek is featured, as well as a
Hebrew-English dictionary.
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Assessment and
EvaluationStudents will
be graded for the group project, as well as their individual
contributions within the group. The content and relevancy of
material to the ultimate goal of uncovering Amalek will be evaluated, as well
as the presentation of the final work.
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Resources
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Glossary
עמלק
(Amalek) - grandson of
Esau whose nation later becomes nemesis of Jewish people
מפרשים - commentaries
רפידים -
place of first battle between Jews and nation of Amalek
נביא -
Book of
Prophets
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Feedback
To leave feedback or ask questions on any part of
this WebQuest, please click here.
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