BS”DCenters and Stations

10th Grade, Chumash Beresheit

Learning Goal: Students will engage in learning in three different stations that will deepen and/or reinforce their understanding of the sale of Me’arat HaMachpela.

Instructions: Upon entry into the classroom, students will get together with their groups, which are organized on the board. They will start at the station stated next to their group on the board. After 15 minutes, each group will rotate clockwise to the next station. Groups who finish early should engage in their anchor activities. Questions should first be asked from 2 peers before directed at the teacher. At the end of the lesson, each group should have submitted 3 assignments (1 from each station) to the teacher.

Station A: Efron’s CharacterMaterials: Chumashim, paper, pencils, markers, dictionary. (Please try not to use dictionary. If it is of necessity, please note in your submission that it was used.)

Goal: The students will gain insight into Efron’s character (strengthening their analytical skills in the process). Learn the Rashi on Efron HaChiti “Vayishkol Avraham Le’Efron” (23:16) Learn the Kli Yakar on “Vayishkol Avraham Le’efron.”

Directions: - Student 1 will function as the reader, Student 2 as the translator, and Student

3 as the summarizer/recorder (who will record the key points). - Reflect on the trait of “Emor Me’at Va’aseh Harbeh” and “Ayin Tova.”

Where do we see this around us and where do opportunities arise in which we can act in this way?

- Pick one of these messages and create a comic strip, depicting a scenario in which an individual acted like Efron or Avraham. Submit: Meforshim summaries and comic strip. Make sure to write the names of your group members.

Station B: The Holiest Cave Materials: Chumashim, paper, pencils, highlighters, English source sheet (“The Midrash Says”), voice recorder.

Goal: The students will deepen and demonstrate their understanding of Me’arat HaMachpela’s holiness and history.

Learn the Source sheet from “The Midrash Says.”

Directions: - Student 2 will function as reader. Student 3 will function as explainer.

Student 1 will function as recorder- highlighting and recording key points. - Imagine you are a tour-guide in Israel. You are taking your group to Me’arat

HaMachpela. What are the most important points you will make sure they will know? Write up or record on a voice note the commentary you would give as they enter the fortress. Make sure to include at least 4 points from the Midrashim.

Submit: Your commentary as a tour-guide, in audio or written form.

Station C: Review CenterMaterials: Chumashim, laptop, paper, pens, bring your notes and handouts*Goal: The students will reinforce their knowledge of this unit by highlighting key points in the creation of a review sheet for the entire class.

Go through the Pesukim 1-20 in Perek 23.

Directions: - Take turns reading and translating the Pesukim with your group members. - Design 5 questions that address Peshat. - Pick three commentaries out of your Essential Meforshim List which you

received at the beginning of the unit. Record what you have chosen on the paper provided so that other groups will know to choose other meforshim.

- Review each of your chosen meforshim. Take turns reading and translating. - Design both basic and analytical questions, at least 2 per meforash. - Type your review questions on a Word Document and save as a file on the

desktop. Make sure to include your names.

Submit: A review sheet on a Word Document, with a total of 5 Peshat questions and 6 Derash questions. THE MIDRASH SAYS PG 211-214

BS”D

Lesson Reflections

There is only so much patience we can expect of a school child, or anyone, for that matter. By designing lessons that involve learning centers throughout a classroom, students will constantly be on the move, and thereby engaged. Centers and stations demand organization, clarity, and an interactive plan for each location. There is a specific goal for each learning center. Each student is involved in an explicit task when at each center with her group. Tasks for each student are thought-out beforehand to meet his/her learning profile and level of readiness. The learning is student-centered. Instead of the teacher lecturing and requiring students to continuously listen attentively, the students do most of the talking and the teacher observes, circulates, and guides.

My lesson plan on “Me’arat HaMachpela” is one of my first Centers and Stations plans. Designing a lesson of this form demanded creativity, plus implementation of student differentiation, and a focused mindset on the end goal. It has inspired me to devise my future classrooms with learning centers, as opposed to the traditional style.

What I love about this lesson is that it consists of goals in the cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains. Students will know about the sale of Me’arat HaMachpela, Efron’s character, the holiness of the Cave, and have an in-depth review of the perek. Learning goals are broken up into bite-size pieces. They will also have strengthened their Chumash decoding skills and critical thinking skills. Even better, they will gain an appreciation of proper Middot and valuing one’s own words, plus an appreciation for holy sites and the greatness of our ancestors. One 45-minute session with a class can be packed with so much learning! At the end of the lesson, students can walk out of the classroom tasting accomplishment.

This lesson plan was designed as an assignment in the course “Differentiated Instruction” with Dr. Laya Salomon. In addition to meeting various learning profiles and levels of readiness, the lesson offers students unique forms of producing work such as art, writing, audio, and through other forms of technology (laptops for review center). In this way, diverse interests are met as well.