Shekel Game and New Stumpers

During the weekday sessions following our Crypto-Jewish Seder (see previous post), we played the Shekel Game. I always schedule a Shekel Game following the completion of a unit of study for the students.  The students have fun betting that they can recall the answers to questions relating to the unit just completed, and by the end of the game I have a pretty good idea of how much important information was absorbed by them. In this game, we covered information shared during our unit of study about the Jews of Spain, as well as what we had learned about Pesach and its rituals.

The treasurer is carefully guarding the Israeli shekels in the group's "bank."

The recorder has written down the amount of money the group decided to bet before the question is asked.

Before deciding on the amount of the bet, the treasurer has to be sure how much money is in the "bank" so that the group doesn't bet more than half the amount of money they have when the question is asked. (Notice the large poster hanging on the white board - we used our entire Hebrew Through Movement session prior to the Shekel Game to practice chanting the "Mah Nishtana.")

It's always nice to have so much money that you need help counting it!

Once the question has been asked, the group is given 30 seconds to discuss the answer. 

The reporter is just about to give me the answer the group has decided upon.

The Shekel Game was the final activity in our classroom before the students were dismissed for Pesach and spring break. Hopefully, you all enjoyed the time with family and friends, and, as usual, the time flew by quickly and we were back in class this week.

Just prior to the start of class this past week, I changed our "Stumpers and Challenges" questions on the bulletin boards to reflect the holidays coming up on our Jewish Calendar - Lag Ba'Omer and Shavuot. We'll be learning more about these two holidays over the next few weeks, but in the meantime I always like to have those students who participate in the program do a little research on their own to find answers to the stumpers. I also added new stumpers to our "Jewish World" bulletin board, to reflect the final edah (Jewish Diaspora Community) that we'll be studying this year - the Yemenite Jews, and to share stories I've discovered in newspapers relating to Jewish Values. 

Below are the new Stumpers:

Lag Ba'Omer Stumpers:
1.  According to Rabbi Akiva, what was a person's dearest possession?
2.  Why did Rabbi Akiva give Shimeon (Simon) Bar Kosiba the name "Bar Kochba?"
3.  What is another name given to Lag Ba'Omer, and why?
4.  Why do Jewish children in many countries shoot bows and arrows on this holiday?
5.  According to legend, how strong was Bar Kochba?

There are also 3 worksheets relating to the Shavuot holiday which are worth one sticker each.

Jewish World Stumpers (Jewish Values):
1.  Why was Dr. Arno Motulsky so passionate about trying to contribute something with his life?
2.  Which Jewish values did Sanford Diller care deeply about?
3.  What did a medical student say to Dr. Gold in 1988 that caused him to start a foundation to help 
      doctors treat their patients compassionately?
4.  What did the 4 chaplains do during World War 2, and what do we want to learn from them?

Jewish World Stumpers (Edot):
1.  Who was Hazana, and how has he brought Muslims, Jews and Christians together in Amadiya,
      Iraq?
2.  What is the "Hinne" ceremony?

As I mentioned in a previous post, now that Toys 'R Us is closing, I am switching to Amazon gift certificates (each worth $10.00) awarded to those students who have collected 20 stickers. If you do happen to have any Toys 'R Us gift certificates awarded by me or from other sources, the Concord store is accepting them until April 15th (this coming Sunday)!