The Theory behind Classroom Practice
Writing Activities
Reading in Class
Using Speech
Projects and Research
Pair and Group Work
Art and Music
Multimedia
Games
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The Theory behind Classroom Practice

Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences has had an enormous influence on classroom practice worldwide. In brief, Gardner suggests that people learn through the application of strengths, which he termed "intelligences", that extend beyond the linguistic and logical/mathematical intelligences almost exclusively addressed and valued in our schools. He identified seven of these intelligences, the two noted above as well as bodily/kinesthetic, spatial, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and natural intelligence.

Gardner believes that in concentrating almost exclusively on teaching to and assessing the linguistic and logical/mathematical intelligences in our schools, we are seriously undereducating our children and depriving them, our culture and society of valuable talents.

Listed below is a vast range of teaching devices, spanning the entire range of "intelligences", that can be adapted for any topic. To ensure that your students are stretched and stimulated to the maximum, alternate activities from each of the sections below. Don't stick with the same routine tasks!

• Write a play script to portray one or more chapters in the Book of Jonah.

• Write a journal entry for Jonah as he sits contemplating his life in the belly of the whale.

• Compose a Ne'ilah poem/prayer for yourself or for your whole community.

• Choose the 4 customs or laws practiced between Rosh Chodesh Elul and Yom Kippur that are most meaningful to you. Describe them and explain why they inspire you.

• Fasting on Yom Kippur - no pain no gain? Discuss.

• We read the story of the Binding of Isaac on Yom Kippur.

• Imagine you are Isaac. Write a letter to your father Abraham after the Akeida explaining how you felt during the experience.

• Write a newspaper article reporting any of the following events:
  a) The murder of Gedalia
  b) The binding of Isaac
  c) Jews seen performing Tashlich at the local stream/ Kaparot with chickens on the street. Use man-on-the-street interviews to add a feeling of authenticity.

• Design an enticing advertising brochure to spend Rosh Hashana in a location of your choice. Describe the resort as well as the activity schedule highlighting the significant features of the day.

  
  

• Give students the text of a poignant prayer to read, (Unetane Tokef/Avinu Malkeinu) either unseen or not.
  a) Answer questions on the text
  b) Write a personal response to the prayers.

• Use extracts from the Torah, Maftir or Haftorah readings for the Holidays.
  a) Suggest why these portions were chosen. Could you suggest a more appropriate portion? What would it be and why?
  b) Students should read the text and write 8 questions on it for their partner to answer.

  c) Students exchange their questions and write answers.

• Stories can be an invaluable teaching resource. Click here and discover how stories can transform your classroom.

• The teacher should bring in a press article describing the upcoming millenium celebrations and an English translation of the prayer "Unetane Tokef".
  Based on these texts students write a comparison of the Jewish and secular concepts of New Year. Which aspects of each celebration appeal to you most and why? What do you think is the ideal spirit in which to mark the Jewish New Year?

• Create a multiple-choice questionnaire to check your students' general knowledge of the High Holy Days.

• Discuss and debate ideas either in pairs or in larger groups. A spokesperson from each group will deliver the ideas to the rest of the class. Here are some philosophical discussion ideas:

  a) Wiping the slate clean? How short is God's memory?

  b) Confession and repentance sound very Christian. Does the Jewish concept of repentance differ from the Christian one?

  c) Changing for the better - what do you think our priorities should be?

  d) Dissecting the mechanics of repentance - between man and man and between man and God. Is there a difference?

  e) Why do we fast on Yom Kippur? Surely we'd be able to concentrate on our prayers much better with at least a cup of coffee?

  f) The Book of Life and the Book of Death? It sounds very simplistic. What if I repent after Rosh Hashana?

  g) If God already knows what sins I'm going to commit, can I avoid committing them?

  h) All of my actions are conditioned by genetics and the external influences in my life. I can't affect either of these, therefore God can't blame me if I'm less than perfect.

  i) If God knows everything, why do I have to stand in the synagogue all day, fast and tell him?

• Simulate a court case with a judge, jury, defendant, prosecutor and accused. This flexible scenario can be used to debate abstract issues e.g. the effectiveness of repentance and prayer or to enact a mock 'divine court' in which a normal human being is judged by the angels and God.

• Write the names of Rosh Hashana/Yom Kippur customs on small flashcards. Get students to mime these activities while the class guesses what they are doing.

• Students take on the role of rabbi and prepare short speeches to inspire their congregates on Shabbat Shuva. They then deliver them to the class.

• Play a game of devil's advocate.
  A rabbi and a DJ are both arranging their respective "New Years" activities. One student takes the role of talk show host to chair a televised debate between them. The rest of the class are the studio audience asking questions. At the end of the debate, students vote for the most convincing way of marking the "New Year".

• Refer to familiar examples of soap personalities whose interpersonal relationships are extremely complicated. Students work in groups to decide on ways in which these people can solve their problems and make perfect amends with people they have wronged. Solutions are presented to the class in the form of short skits.

  
  

• Conduct a survey among family and friends to reveal attitudes towards Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Compile a list of about 6 questions to ask your family and friends. Present the information in chart form and analyze the results.
  Here are some examples of questions:
  a) Do you fast on Yom Kippur?
  b) Do you attend synagogue on Rosh Hashana?
  c) What is the difference between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur?
  d) Do you think Yom Kippur is a waste of time and energy?
  e) Do you believe that God will forgive you if you repent?

• Create a multiple choice moral dilemma/personality quiz for your classmates to determine how they would react in certain situations. Include ways of improving faulty personality traits in your conclusions. Or, get students to write self improvement tips.

  
  

• Write a list of New Year's resolutions. Read your list to a friend and read theirs. Advise your friend on other areas to consider and on how to set more realistic goals. Give your lists to your teacher who will return them to you (UNREAD) in six months, when you will assess reassess your progress with the same friend.

• Help your students develop a charity project they can work on throughout the year. They should develop ideas in groups e.g. sponsored sports events, competitions, magazines, selling food in recess, visiting old people, organizing big brother/sister projects in school, tutoring younger students etc. Students can either work on their project in small groups or the most viable idea can be adopted as a class project. Regular progress reports (either in writing or as an announcement to the class,) should be provided by students.

  
  

• Don't let art and music be restricted to art and music teachers! Stimulate and inspire your students by allowing them to use their strong points and talents to express themselves and be creative in the Limmudei Kodesh classroom.

• Visit our Arts and Crafts Center and we'll show you how to make a calendar, a card, a mitzvah chart, a tzedaka box and even how to design your own Yehi Razon.

• Set a Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur prayer to music.

• Design High Holy Day greeting cards - produce and sell them for charity.

• Design an explanatory, user-friendly High Holy Day order of prayers brochure.

• Paint a classroom High Holy Day mural.

• Present the Yom Kippur prayers in a clear diagram or chart.

• Create a menu to accompany a Rosh Hashana seder.

• The Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur liturgy is poignant and beautiful. Study the texts with your students and then play a cassette of the prayer being sung. As follow-up, students can discuss their response or even write a personal response just for themselves.

  
  

• Allow your students to do online holiday research using Virtual Jerusalem's Days of Awe site, http://www.vjholidays.com/rosh/index.htm. Exploiting the Internet in the classroom demands the total participation of your students and serves as an unparalleled motivator.

• If your school has the facilities, let your students design e-cards for Rosh Hashana greetings.

• Record a radio interview or film a video interview with one of the following personalities:
  a) Jonah - after his experience in the belly of the big fish
  b) A criminal expressing remorse over his life of crime
  c) A young Jew explaining the High Holy Day customs to a non-Jewish audience
  d) Rabbi Amnon of Meintz, author of the "Untane Tokef" prayer.

• Record a radio or film clip in which classmates, other students and teachers are interviewed about their New Year's resolutions.

• The popular movie "Flatliners" dramatizes the themes of sin, repentance and punishment. Although parts of the movie are unsuitable for a classroom showing, excerpts can be used as a stimulus/trigger for a presentation or discussion of these themes.

• Musical recordings of the High Holy Day liturgy can be played to the students and used in a number of ways. It can be especially effective if your aim is to familiarize students with the most important sections of the prayer service.

  
  

• However old your students are, a quick, fun game or quiz will always rouse an apathetic class and win you their attention. Get hold of a good games book or brainstorm with other teachers but don't neglect this powerful pedagogic tool!