Behrman House Resource Libraries Curriculum Guide: ISRAEL

Get a head start planning next year’s Israel education program with the new Israel Curriculum Guide to the Behrman House Resource Libraries. The suggestions below can be used to add a lesson or two to your current Israel education program, to supplement your Hebrew program, or to form the core of a completely new approach to your students’ engagement with Israel.

New to the Resource Libraries? Click here to learn all about it.

Choose your Israel resources by grade level or focus on specific goals:

  • Homeland: Israel as homeland and center of the Jewish people
  • History: Israel’s rootedness in history and Bible
  • Diversity: The diversity of Israel’s peoples
  • Geography: The geography of Israel—places and landmarks
  • Life: The daily lives and challenges of Israelis

Simply click the title of the resource to view additional information and to download the materials. Don't forget to rate the resource when you're done—it will help your fellow educators find the same great resources!

 

Goal

Resource Title & Link

Description

Grades 3-4
Geography Dead Sea Dead Sea and the rich minerals extracted from the region
Science article and 50-minute lesson plan
Geography
History
Desert Oasis Formation of a kibbutz in the Negev
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Geography Eilat’s Bounty of Beauty Beauty of Eilat’s underwater observatory
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Homeland
Life
Eric Shachar’s Wild Israeli Ride Young man who bicycled through Israel
Profile article and 50-minute lesson plan
Diversity
Geography
It Takes a Village Yemin Orde, home to thousands of immigrant children
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Homeland
Life
Jake Gering: Biking the Holy Land Father and son who joined the Arava Institute-Hazon Bike Ride in Israel
Profile article and 50-minute lesson plan
Geography Diversity
Life
Machaneh Yehuda, the Jerusalem Open Air Market Erev Shabbat in Jerusalem’s market
One-minute video and 50-minute lesson plan
Homeland Knowledge of the Land of Israel PowerPoint Overview of Israel with texts, images, discussion questions, music, and an activity
11-slide PowerPoint
Grades 4-5
Geography
Homeland
Celebrate Jerusalem PowerPoint Value of Sisu et Yerushalayim with texts, images, discussion questions, a video, and an experiential activity
11-slide PowerPoint
Life Dancing with the Jews Karmiel Dance Festival in northern Israel
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Life Defenders of the Holy Land How IDF soldiers dedicate themselves to the protection of their country
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Diversity
Homeland
From the Four Corners of the Earth Immigrants from differing backgrounds come to Israel
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Homeland Hatikvah Study Hatikvah, with a focus on perseverance
50-minute lesson plan
Diversity Israel Celebrates Ethiopian Jewish Holiday Israel’s celebration of the Ethiopian Jewish holiday Sigd
3.5-minute video and 50-minute lesson plan
Homeland
Diversity
Israel wave your flag Rejoicing in our homeland of Israel
3-minute video and 50-minute lesson plan
Homeland Tefillah L’Shalom Hamedinah The Prayer for the State of Israel with explanation
50-minute lesson plan
Geography Ticket to Israel Israel’s geography
Printable board game
Grades 5-6
History Ashes of History House of Katros in Jerusalem, circa 70 C.E.
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
History Avraham Menachem Mendel Ussishkin: Builder of Israel Zionist leader and head of JNF Ussishkin and his commitment to building Israel
Graphic article and 50-minute lesson plan
Life Democracy Israeli Style Structure of Israel’s government
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Life
Diversity
Heroes of the Israel Defense Forces Profiles of three young Israelis who serve their country in unique ways
50-minute lesson plan
Life Hope in the Holy Land Conversation between  four Israeli teens about hope for peace between Israel and Palestine
Transcript and 50-minute lesson plan
Diversity
Homeland
Ingathering of Exiles to Israel PowerPoint Overview of kibbutz galuyot with texts, images, discussion questions, a video, and an activity
11-slide PowerPoint
Homeland
History
Israel: The Vision and Venture of the Jewish People Israel’s relevance to us as American Jews
7.5-minute video and 50-minute lesson plan
All goals Jewpardy! Israel Trivia with Israel-related questions
Single-player online game
Grades 6-7
History
Geography
The Changing Map of Israel Israel’s changing borders from 3000 BCE to 2006
2.5-minute video and 50-minute lesson plan
Life ‘This Is Where I Belong’ “Lone soldiers” from the U.S. who joined the IDF
Profile article and 50-minute lesson plan
Life Dov Lipman: An American Rabbi in Israel’s Knesset MK Rabbi Dov Lipman and the current conflict between observant and secular Jews in Israel
Interview article, 50-minute lesson plan, and 14-minute video
Homeland Hiking the Israeli Trail Shvil Yisrael, Israel’s national trail, with a focus on how teen hikers felt while walking the land
Feature article and 50-minute lesson plan
Diversity
Homeland
History
Israel Is My Home:  A Ceremony for Yom Ha’atzmaut Firsthand fictionalized stories of seven immigrants to Israel
30-minute scripted ceremony/assembly
All goals ISRAEL21c Current events articles and videos about Israel
Wide variety of “instant” 50-minute lesson plans
Homeland
History
Love of the Land of Israel PowerPoint Overview of Israel with texts, images, discussion questions, video, and an activity
11-slide PowerPoint