TeachersFirst Collection: Jewish Americans' Contributions to American Culture
The tapestry of American culture is richly woven with the contributions of Jewish Americans, a narrative that spans the breadth of the nation's history. From the earliest days of independence, Jewish citizens have played a pivotal yet often unrecognized role in shaping the United States, infusing the American ethos with a spirit of innovation, resilience, and a profound commitment to community. This collection of resources explores the influence of Jewish Americans and their impact on everything from the arts and sciences to politics and social reform. It celebrates the indelible imprint of Jewish intellectual, artistic, and ethical contributions to the American landscape. View our collections related to Hanukkah, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.
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The Jewish Educator Portal - The Jewish Educator Portal
Grades
K to 12
tag(s): holidays (292), jews (65), yom kippur (14)
In the Classroom
Students can compare and contrast Jewish holidays and traditions. Use a tool like Canva's Venn Diagram Creator reviewed here. Students can create videos to share the importance of the holiday and how it is celebrated with younger children. Finally, students can share their favorite Yom Kippur book with others.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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The Institute for Curriculum Services (ICS) - The Institute for Curriculum Services
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): arab (9), bias (35), environment (245), immigration (86), israel (15), jews (65), maps (222), religions (120)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of this site's many offerings to find lessons and support materials for teaching about antisemitism, the Middle East, and Ancient Israel. For example, maps can be shared with students to provide the context of the changing regional boundaries in the Mideast over time and ask them to research events that led to changing boundaries. Engage students while sharing maps and documents by using Annotate, reviewed here to create flipped lessons. While using Annotate, create clips with video explanations and add assessments to your documents. Extend learning by asking groups of students to choose a topic or specific region to actively explore the events and problems and how they relate to modern-day difficulties in the region as a project-based learning activity. Find more information and resources for project-based learning at TeachersFirst Special Topics Page: Project-Based Learning, here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Jewish Interactive: Yom Kippur - Jewish Interactive
Grades
K to 12tag(s): holidays (292), yom kippur (14)
In the Classroom
In the classroom, students can play the games that are on the Jigzi site. Students can discuss their traditions on Yom Kippur by using Book Creator, reviewed here. Finally, students can create short skits to teach younger students about the holiday of Yom Kippur.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Torah Tots - torahtots.com
Grades
K to 6This site includes advertising.
tag(s): hanukkah (22), holidays (292), jews (65), puzzles (178), religions (120), rosh hashanah (12), yom kippur (14)
In the Classroom
Keep this site in mind as an easy place to find lists of the Jewish months, Jewish symbols, information about Judaism, and plenty of information about Jewish holidays. Classes studying world cultures, the Hebrew language, and/or international holidays can learn from this site and also use it as a model to create similar games and projects for other cultures and languages. Select music for students to listen to while completing coloring pages and puzzles. Engage students and replace paper and pencil and use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast traditional Christmas activities with Hanukkah events.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Jewish Women's Archive - Jewish Women's Archive
Grades
8 to 12tag(s): biographies (102), jews (65), women (194), womens suffrage (64)
In the Classroom
This site offers an outstanding addition to your resources for student biographical projects, particularly focused on Women's History Month. Students will find stories of women from every walk of life, whose stories have not been often told. Consider browsing the lesson plans and incorporating one of them into a preexisting unit to provide balance and diverse viewpoints.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Hebrew Stamps Tell Stories - Jacob Richman
Grades
4 to 12In the Classroom
Use this site when studying world cultures, particularly the Middle East. Have students prepare a similar project on stamps from other countries. Use the stamps on holidays as a jumping off place to study Israeli holidays. If you have created a class wiki, have students add to it using information gathered here. Not comfortable with wikis? Check out the TeachersFirst Wiki Walk-Through.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Judaism 101 - Tracey R Rich
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): rosh hashanah (12), yom kippur (14)
In the Classroom
Use the resources on this site to supplement a classroom a lesson or unit on prominent Jewish holidays such as Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. Use the information on the site to create lessons for your students. Have students use the site to research Jewish holidays or customs and create a report or presentation. Redefine learning by having your students create an interactive multimedia poster using Genially, reviewed here.Keep in mind that this site does encompass everything about the Jewish faith including marriage, divorce, and sex. For that reason younger children should be closely monitored on the site.
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The Jewish Trivia Quiz - https://jewish-trivia.com/
Grades
3 to 12tag(s): rosh hashanah (12), yom kippur (14)
In the Classroom
Make a shortcut to this site on classroom computers and use it as a center. Divide students into cooperative learning groups to explore the site. Working in groups have a class competition to see who can answer the most questions in the shortest amount of time. Introduce this site on an interactive whiteboard or projector and use it as a springboard for a unit study on various Jewish holidays. Have cooperative learning groups replace paper and pen by creating a quiz online to test their classmates. Use a site such as ProProfs Quizmaker.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Telling Their Stories
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): 1940s (68), 20th century (170), holocaust (42), jews (65), world war 2 (169)
In the Classroom
Beyond the obvious testimonials this provides to the content, this site can also be used as the perfect example of how students can complete a similar project. During a modern history unit, select a topic that students have the potential to interview their own family members on. Instead of the typical tape recording, try a new technology similar to one used on the website. Use a site such as PodOmatic (reviewed here).Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Elie Weisel - First Person Singular - PBS
Grades
6 to 12tag(s): holocaust (42), jews (65), nazis (7), world war 2 (169)
In the Classroom
This site is a very moving resource for covering WWII and the Jewish Holocaust. Take advantage of the free lesson plans and activities offered in the teaching guide on this site. US and World history teachers will appreciate this one.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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