- a comprehensive teaching aid

- an aid to planning not only the teaching and learning of knowledge but 

  also understanding and "ability to..." 

     The Laws of Chanukah
     Chanukah Quiz Cards
     Mitzvas Ner Chanukah: A Passage from the Chayei Odom
     Chanukah Candle-lighting and Songs Sheet

      Pen Pal in the Past
    You have a pen friend who is in Ancient Israel right now, experiencing the
     hardships of living under Syrian Greek rule.  Read his letter, then write back.
     Try to give him the kind of advice he asks for in his letter.
     I'm sure the idea is not a new one, but it is effective in making the story accessible
      and meaningful to the pupils, who enjoy the discussion and work that flows from it.
      When using this "letter" you must emphasize the need to imagine that this pen pal
      is living through the Syrian Greek persecution 'right now.'  In this way, pupils will
      more easily relate to the author of the letter and, by extension, to the whole
      historical context in which the events of Chanukah took place.
      Your job is also to get your pupils to relate in a concrete way to the task
      of replying to Alexander's letter with advice and chizuk.
      Click here to see your pen-friend's letter
     
     More on Chanukah ~
      Watch some great videos at Chabad.org!
      Particular recommendations:
    "Miracles"
    "An Astronaut's Chanukah Adventure"
    "Miracle Lights"

4.  Purim:
     Megillat Esther Study Sheet  (web page, with introductory notes.)
     Megillat Esther Study Sheet  (pdf format, good for printing)
     -  Here is an interesting idea for teaching the concept of
      "Mishenichnas Adar Marbim Besimchah" -when Adar begins
     we increase our rejoicing.  (pdf)
     Megillat Esther - The Play!  (pdf)
     Listening to Megillat Esther  (pdf)
     
     Is your school Megilla reading becoming too long and too noisy?
     This may be the solution!
     The Megilla - Full text with alternate Hamans highlighted.  (pdf)
     Print it out directly on to OHP film and project on to a screen during
      Keriat haMegilla.  Someone must point all the way through,
      an explanation must be given to make clear that noise may be made
      only at the highlighted Hamans and clear signals must be given
      to start and stop the noisemaking.  You've also got to get the Ba'al K'ria
      'on side' - i.e. he must know not to stop at every Haman!
      Hatzlacha Rabba!
     
5.  Pesach:

     Pesach Revision Quiz
     *  Use this either:
           1. at the start of your Pesach studies,
           to get a feel for what your pupils know and to help you
           launch your Pesach work, or 
           2. at the end of your studies, as a summative assessment.

     *  This is also useful simply as a guide to help you decide
          on your learning goals, since it addresses  many important areas
          of learning you are likely to want to cover.

       *  Note that the format of the questions is often designed to address
           and remedy some common misconceptions.
           For example, section 2, no. 6 deals with the difference between shemura
           matza and 'regular' matza.  Is the difference that one is square and one round?
           Or is it that the former is made by hand and the latter by machine?

           I hope you find this useful.  Do let me know!

     Pesach Seder Q & A Cards - Great for class, great for the seder!
     *  Cut out these cards and use them for fun lessons 
         (there are loads of ways to use them in class!)
     *  Use these as preparation material for a grand Pesach quiz!
     *  Give a set to every pupil to use at the seder, e.g. the question
     cards are given out to the children and the answer cards are
     handed to parents.  Now children have plenty of questions for
     the seder...and parents and other adults are  well equipped with
     the answers!
     (fuller explanatory notes and ideas for use coming soon, I.Y.H.)

    "My Own Haggadah" (pdf files)
      ("pick-n-mix" the different sections according to
       your needs / levels of ability, etc.)
    Front Cover   *   Haggadah   *   Haggadah Work   *   Pesach Calendar

    Bedikat Chametz & Biur Chametz
    (Great section, with pictures, for older classes)

    The following pages are for pupils to write explanations
    of different areas of Hilchot Pesach.  I use "Halachos of Pesach"
    by Rabbi Shimon D. Eider (2 volumes) as source books.
    Dinim 1   *   Dinim 2   *   Dinim 3

    Demonstration Seder, Programme and Guide (pdf file)
    Just decide which teachers, pupils and classes
    are saying and singing what, write them in on the dotted lines,
    photocopy, hand out and enjoy a smooth demonstration seder!

6.      Lag Ba'Omer 
         Lag Ba'Omer, and the Story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
         (an Aish haTorah article)

http://www.rashbi.org/
“Kupat Tzidkat Rashbi” supports the residents of Tzfat and Meron
and the many visitors who come there daily to pray.  Tzidkat Rashbi’s huge air                 conditioned Hachnasat Orchim food tent, together with the Chai Rotel distribution on Lag Ba'Omer, is one of the Lag Ba’Omer highlights in Meron.
(From the home page)

Tzidkat Rashbi Lag B'Omer in Miron
This wonderful video about the LagBa'Omer
celebrations at Meron highlights the incredible
scale of the event, the enormous joy of the participants,
the great atmosphere of achdut ~ togetherness ~
...and, of course, so much food!

7.  Shavuot:
     Two Readings of Matan Torah:
     A Reading of Matan Torah
     1.  Ask your pupils to read this account of the lead up to Matan Torah.
          Don't give any guidance with regard to reading with expression, etc.
     2.  Learn through the text with your class.  Once they have some idea
          about what is going on, ask them to read the passage again, except
          with more expression in the voice.  They can be directed to
          practise this in partners first.
     A Dramatic Reading of Matan Torah
     3.  Now hand out this version.  Ask the pupils what they see.
           How has this been printed?  Why?
     4.  Now let them practise reading this text with their partners.
     5.  Hear individuals or pairs read the passage as they have practised it.
     6.  You can now read it to the class yourself.  You can experiment
          with other ideas, too.  For example, organise a reading that
          begins with just one person but additional readers come in
          every new line or so, thereby increasing the volume and drama.
          They can additionally be directed to increase the volume in their
          voices as the group of readers grows.
     7.  Now you switch on your CD/tape player, or even DVD & interactive
          whiteboard, and treat the class to a full sound and light show
          replete with thunder, lightening, shofar blasts, the works!
          One Rav said that Har Sinai was the ogiginal and best ever
          multimedia experience!
     8.  Give out the "A Dramatic Picture of Matan Torah"  page and explain
           that you want the pupils to draw what they imagine the scene to have
           been like based purely on their reading of the Chumash text.
       9.  It is up to you now whether you wish to introduce the many wonderful
            Midrashim that can be discussed and added to the general picture
            and the children's pictures in particular!

            The point of this exercise and the gradual build up in particular is to show the
            children that there is enormous drama in the Torah, in the simple 'pshat',
            before venturing into the Midrashim.  It just takes a more thoughtful and
            alert reading of the text to see it.      Behatzlachah!

            More on Shavuot
            ...at Aish
            ...with Chabad
            ...at Ohr Somayach
            ...with Torah Tots

            Rabbi Akiva Tatz, at TorahAnytime.com:
            "Miracles and the Sinai Experience" (Video Shiur, advanced)

            Rabbi Paysach Krohn, at TorahAnytime.com:
            "The Importance of Learning Torah" (Video Shiur, intermediate)

8.  Succot:

Get Real - Be Happy (The message of Simchas Beis Hashoeva)
Dayan Yonason Abraham
written when he was
Rabbi of the Caulfield Hebrew Congregation, Melbourne
http://www.shemayisrael.com/yomtov/sukkot/happy.htm