3rd Grade: Nature and Judaism
The Netivot Third Grade takes four deep dives into “Nature and Judaism”
Mountains
Trees
Rocks
The Sea
3rd Grade Deep Dive #1: Mountains
To the teacher:
The mountains lift us up out of our ordinary lives. From the top of the mountains, the houses, roads, cars, and people that fill our days all become small. What seemed important when we were down at sea level now appears small and insignificant. The worries and hassles of everyday shrink away. On the mountaintop, we are literally up there “above it all.”
From the mountaintop we can see a great distance.
This is why so many peoples all over the world have regarded the mountains as “the dwelling place of God” or “the gods.” Mount Olympus. Valhalla. Mount Sinai. Jerusalem.
Here in Santa Barbara, we live our days in the daily presence of the Santa Ynez mountains, with four bigger and more rugged ranges of mountains behind them, in the back country. With time and a little effort, we can make our way up into the mountains, and even find ourselves at the very top, with glorious views of the Santa Barbara Channel Islands to the south, and range upon range of mountains to the north.
“Upon the mountain of God, there is vision.” (Genesis 22)
This is where we live!!
Primary text: Exodus 19 The Standing at Mount Sinai
When the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, they came to the desert of Sinai, and there Israel camped before the mountain.
Moses went up to God, and God called to him from the mountain, saying,
“Tell the people of Israel: You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. Now, if you will obey my voice, and keep our agreement, then you shall be my own treasure among all peoples; a holy nation.”
Moses came and placed before the people all the words which God commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that God has spoken we will do.
And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and the sound of a shofar very loud; so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood beneath the mountain.
Mount Sinai was all in smoke, because God had descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace; the whole mountain shook. When the voice of the shofar sounded long, and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice. God came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain; and God called Moses up to the top of the mountain; and Moses went up.
Primary mitzvah/custom
Aliyah laTorah: being called up for the blessings before and after the Torah reading
Enduring Understandings:
1. Mountains have always been connected with God, in Judaism and other religions.
2. The two most important mountains in Judaism are Mount Sinai, where we received the Torah, and Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, where the Temple stood for almost 1,000 years in ancient Israel
3. Here in Santa Barbara, our mountains can be a place for us to step out of and above the noise and bustle of our daily lives, to find a connection to nature, and to God, and to look out and see a long way.
4. The honor of being called to the Torah is called “taking an Aliyah,” which means “going up.”
Possible projects:
· A mural depicting one or both of the two great mountains of Judaism—Sinai and Jerusalem.
· The curriculum does not at this time include a class trip to the mountains in this Deep Dive, but with some planning and parent help, the class could drive to the top of La Cumbre Peak….or take a hike in one of the canyons with good mountain views and gain of elevation. The project could involve photography from the mountaintop, followed by assembling a photo album or slide show, accompanied by Biblical verses about mountains
· Put together a songbook of songs about mountains….learn them as a class and perform a “mountain musical”
· Prepare a dramatic presentation of the story of the “Standing at Mount Sinai”. This could be prepared with an eye toward Shavuot (on May 30-31), which is the festival marking the revelation at Sinai.
3rd Grade Deep Dive #2: Trees
To the teacher:
The Netivot third grade year explores Judaism through the natural world, and this Deep Dive turns to Trees—source of food, spices, medicine, shade from the sun, home for birds, insects and animals, wood for shelter and for fire, olive oil for sacred lighting, and even the oxygen we breathe.
In addition to all of these material benefits, trees also provide us with some of our most powerful symbols: The Torah is our “ Tree of Life.” We compare a righteous person to a Date Palm, or a Cedar of Lebanon. We picture ourselves, our ancestors and our children on a “Family Tree.” And the graphic logo for our Congregation is a tree, with the spirit/wind of God blowing through its branches.
The primary text for the deep dive is the world famous story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, succumbing to temptation and eating from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge, and consequently losing the way to the Tree of Life. The symbolic meaning of both trees of Eden is the subject of unending speculation and commentary. You the teacher and your students should explore your own thoughts and feelings about what those trees represent, and why God forbade the first people to eat from the tree of Knowledge, and why God put it there if it was forbidden.
A final important dimension of this topic is the devastating loss of forests, including mighty and magnificent old growth trees in California, in the Amazon, and across the face of the planet.
Primary Text: Genesis 2: , 3:1-
The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life
Primary Mitzvah:
Bal Tashchit (“Do Not Destroy”) Deuteronomy 20:19-20.
Our Jewish sages of the Talmud set forth a basic ethical principle of not destroying anything unnecessarily, and derived it from the verse in Deuteronomy which forbids cutting down fruit trees when laying siege to a city. The most obvious applications of this mitzvah are not chopping down trees (especially old and magnificent trees) simply to provide wood for firewood or for home building. But in Jewish life, bal tashchit is the principle that teaches us to reuse and recycle rather than just throw things out—including not wasting food, or discarding clothing, tools, cars, anything that can be put to a new use.
Enduring Understandings:
Our lives are completely intertwined with trees: our food, our shelter, the air we breathe...and so much more, all come from trees.
Trees as a metaphor represent: the Torah, a righteous person, our family, our congregation.
The very first story the Torah tells about human beings is of two trees in the Garden of Eden, one of which was forbidden...and that is the one we went and ate from.
Judaism teaches us not to waste or destroy anything without a good reason, and especially not to destroy trees
Guiding Questions for Teachers:
Is there a tree in your life that you particularly love or about which you have strong memories?
What are some trees that you can identify by their leaves, shape, bark?
What do you think is the meaning of the Biblical verse which we sing when returning the Torah to the Ark: “She [the Torah] is a Tree of Life to those who hold fast to her, and those who support her are happy. Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace”?
Why do you think the Tree of Knowledge was forbidden? Do you think it was a bad thing or a good thing that we were banished from the Garden of Eden?
What are some ways you might apply the mitzvah bal tashchit in your own life?
Project Suggestions:
Build/create/decorate a tree for your classroom....perhaps representing the Torah, or the Jewish people, or the members of your class and their families, or all of the commandments. Think about what the trunk represents, the roots, the branches, the leaves....
Guide the students in learning some of the biology of trees. Bring in a tree expert, to teach about photosynthesis, or about different kinds of trees, fruits, wood.
As a class, learn about ways that we can help save forests by avoiding using exotic wood products
Make a bal tashchit guide: ways that students and their families can reduce, reuse and recycle instead of wasting and destroying unnecessarily
With help from the Temple staff, identify all of the trees on the CBB campus and make signs teaching about them and their uses...and any connections to trees in the Bible.
Choosing the Project:
The most important considerations in choosing a project are:
It should be age appropriate, that a 8-year old or group of 8-year olds can complete successfully.
It should require learning, practice, time, and attention to complete
It should be something the student will want to take home and keep (unless you create one project as a whole class, in which case the final project would stay at CBB, but each student could receive an album with photos of the project)
It must feature the story of the trees in the Garden of Eden
Incorporate the ethical message of bal tashchit, “do not destroy.”
If the project is going to be individual art projects, you should prepare for the unit by making one for yourself, and adding your own personal touch, and being ready to share with the kids what it means to you.
3rd Grade Deep Dive #3: Rocks
To the teacher:
Rocks challenge us with their silence. Unlike the animals and the plants, rocks do not move, do not grow, and make no sound. And yet....the rocks tell stories. Stories of massive forces deep inside the earth, Stories of earth-shattering events: ancient upheavals, volcano, earthquakes, And the formation of the earth itself, which is still happening, deep beneath our feet.
The Native Chumash of our region left us a hidden treasure of rock paintings, full of beauty and mystery. Our ancient ancestors and the Chumash believed that spirits inhabited rocks. Our Torah story of Jacob’s Dream seems to preserve some of that ancient imagining, in which God makes a rock his house, and Jacob makes that rock his first house of prayer.
Primary text. Genesis 28:10-22 Jacob’s Dream
Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. He came upon a certain place, and remained there all night, because the sun was set. He took one of the rocks of that place, and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep.
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, with its top in the sky; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, God stood above it, and said, “the land on which you lie, I give to you and to your children; Look, I am with you, and I will protect you.”
Jacob awoke from his sleep, and he said, “Ahhh! God is in this place; and I did not know it.” He was afraid, and said, “This place is holy. It must be the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillow, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon its top, saying “This stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house...”
Primary mitzvah
Prayer. Jacob is said to have been the first Jew to pray at night, out under the stars.
Enduring Understandings:
1. Our sages divided the whole world into 4 “kingdoms:” people, animals, plants and rocks. They called rocks “the silent ones.”
2. But rocks awaken our questions: how was it formed? How did it get here? What has it seen and heard; what stories would it tell if it could?
3. Human beings have used rocks to leave a lasting sign for the future: gravestones in a cemetery, Chumash rock art, the Washington monument, Mt Rushmore,... Rocks endure much longer than plants and animals...but not forever
4. In a dream, Jacob saw the invisible world of God and angels, the messengers of God. When he woke up, he called the rock he had slept upon “the house of God.”
5. We call God Tzur Yisrael. And Maoz Tzur. “Rock of Israel” “Rock of Ages.”
Possible projects:
· Make a class rock collection, displaying difference types of rock, formed in different ways
· Learn about Chumash rock art, the images they used, and theories about what they mean
· Make rock art of your own, depicting the story of Jacob’s dream
· Make a study of all the large rocks on the Temple property and map them....tell stories about how they got there
Choosing the project:
1. It should be age appropriate, that a 8-year old or group of eight year olds can complete successfully.
2. It should require learning, practice, time, and attention to complete
3. It should be something the student will want to take home and keep (unless you create one project as a whole class, in which case the final project would stay at CBB, but each student could receive an album with photos of the project)
4. It must feature the story of Genesis 28:10-22
5. Incorporate the mitzvah of prayer
6. If the project is going to be individual art projects, you should prepare for the unit by making one for yourself, and adding your own personal touch, and being ready to share with the kids what it means to you.
3rd Grade Deep Dive #4: The Sea
To the teacher:
We come from the sea. Most of the surface of the earth is covered by the oceans. The first animals to appear on earth came out of the ocean.
The Chumash Indians who lived here before we arrived lived for 10,000 years in a healthy relationship with the ocean. Eating fish from the ocean. Building ocean going canoes (Tomols) on which they traveled back and forth between the mainland and Channel islands.
Our civilization has damaged the health of the ocean, dumping non-biodegradable garbage in the ocean, over-fishing many fish populations, raising the temperature of the ocean through human caused climate change.
In Exodus 14 and related midrashim, we tell the story of our own people emerging “out of the sea”, born into freedom, as we passed through the waters of the Red Sea.
Primary text: Exodus 14 The Parting of the Red Sea
The people of Israel were on the run. Pharaoh the king of Egypt had finally let them go, But then changed his mind and came chasing after them.
When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them.They were very afraid and cried out to God. Then God said to Moses: “Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it.Speak to the people of Israel, tell them to go forward; and the people of Israel will go on dry ground through the middle of the sea.”
Then angel of God, who had been going in front of the camp of Israel, shifted and went behind them; The pillar of the cloud went from before them, and stood behind them. It came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. It was a cloud and darkness to the Egyptians, but it gave light by night to the Israelites.They did not come near each other all night long.
During the night, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and God caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night long, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. At sunrise, the people of Israel walked into the sea upon the dry ground; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on a wall on their left. The Egyptians chased in after them, and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
God said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea again, so the waters will come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.” Moses stretched his hand out over the sea, and the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. But the people of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and a wall on their left.
Primary mitzvah
Shmirat haTeva: safeguarding nature generally and specifically the health of the ocean.
Enduring Understandings:
1. All living creatures live in relationship with the ocean, and especially those of us who live in a city on the ocean like Santa Barbara.
2. The Chumash Indians lived in harmony with the ocean
3. Although the ocean looks very big and impossible to hurt, it is actually fragile…and changing. We have a mitzvah, a responsibility, to take care of the ocean.
4. There are great organizations like Heal the Ocean which are working hard to take care of the ocean, which we can be part of
5. The Torah tells a dramatic story in which we emerge from the Sea at the beginning of our life as a people: The parting of the Red Sea.
Guiding Questions for Teachers:
· Is the ocean an important presence in your life?
· If so, how do you like to experience it? Swimming? Surfing? Walking on the beach? Scuba diving or snorkeling?
· If you were attempting to come up with a naturalistic explanation for the parting of the Red Sea [in Hebrew, “The Reed Sea”], how would you explain it?
· Do you prefer to imagine the parting of the Red Sea as a “natural occurrence,” like a high tide, or tsunami, or as a completely supernatural event, with two walls of water opening up?
· What is your favorite sea creature? What sea creatures do you fear? Which fascinate you? Which disgust you?
· Have you eaten seaweed?
Possible projects:
· A dramatic acting out of the story of the Red Sea
· Art projects: either individual or a major full class mural or clay model of the story
· A class social action project in support of Heal the Ocean or some other organization or a campaign to raise awareness of ways kids, adults, families in our community can take better care of the ocean
· A beach cleanup as part of the hike to Ellwood…and report back to the congregation on what we found and cleaned up
· Learning about the new Santa Barbara Desalinization Plant and environmental impacts and what might help
Choosing the Sea Deep Dive project:
1. It should be age appropriate, that a 8-year old or group of eight year olds can complete successfully.
2. It should require learning, practice, time, and attention to complete
3. It should be something the student will want to take home and keep (unless you create one project as a whole class, in which case the final project would stay at CBB, but each student could receive an album with photos of the project)
4. It must feature the story of Exodus 14: The Parting of the Red Sea
5. Incorporate the mitzvah of shmirat hateva: safeguarding nature generally, and specifically the health of the ocean
6. If the project is going to be individual art projects, you should prepare for the unit by making one for yourself, and adding your own personal touch, and being ready to share with the kids what it means to you.