We’ve been continuing on in our study of Israel this last week and a half. The girls spent a little more time visiting some websites this week for some virtual tours – which they were thrilled with. In addition we’ve also spent time doing the following:

• Continued practicing our new geography song about the Middle East (from Geography Songs)
• Used the book Welcome to Israel: Talked about the size of Israel (similar to New Jersey), the history of Israel and the birth of Israel as a nation, the first Jews (Abraham and Sarah), the Star of David, and the Dead Sea (lowest point on Earth)
• Mapped a more detailed map of Israel (Enchanted Learning) and also a map of Israel and its neighbors (love this one!)
• Learned about Israel’s currency (and made up a notebooking sheet for it)
• Made a dinner of Baked Felafel Sandwiches with a side of hummus for dipping
• Took a little quiz to see what we had learned about Israel {click on thumbnail below to download pdf}

• Israel Embassy for Kids – a virtual trip to Israel for kids that helps kids learn about Israel’s currency, geography and much more – the girls loved this!
• 100 Ideas for Teaching Israel – some great ideas on this page. We used several of these this week in our study of Israel
• Time for Kids – mapping activity for kids focusing on Israel and its neighbors
• About.com: Judaism – free Israel coloring pages for kids
• Israel currency – notebooking page I made showing the paper currency of Israel
• Yahoo Kids – quick facts about Israel
• Go Israel.com – Israel’s ministry of tourism, includes maps and pictures. Also has some great videos that the kids loved!

Books We Used 

This week we started a 2-week study of Israel. Here’s a little peek into what we’ve been talking about:

• Locate and map Israel
• Talked about the geography/terrain of Israel
• Learn new geography song {Middle East} using Geography Songs
• Read Children Just Like Me pages and completed the notebooking page
• Learned about Israel’s flag and colored it
• Talked about prayer shawls (since the design of Israel’s flagis based on a prayer shawl). The prayer shawl (or tallis/tallit) is a religious symbol, a garment – a sacred and important part of the Jewish life.
• Learned about the currency of Israel {click on thumbnail below to download the pdf file}

 

Books We Used

Sites we visited

• Coloring Castle – blank flag of Israel to color
• Children Like Me notebooking page – notebooking page designed for kids to fill in with their answers after reading Children Just Like Me
• 100 Ideas for Teaching Israel – some great ideas on this page. We are going to be using several of these in the next week when we continue our study of Israel
• Ahklah: Jewish Children’s Learning Network – some great information here. Facts about Israel, all about Jewish holidays, Jewish heroes and traditions.
• Hope of Israel – information about the prayer shawl and other customs
• Recommended books for kids about life in Israel (grades K-12)