Israel at War Lesson Plans
SEE ALL CHANUKAH RESOURCES

Chanukah, Historically

Grade Level: 7-8 (with more guidance and scaffolding); 9-12
Time:  40-120 minutes, depending on the number of sources, amount of discussion minutes

Rationale

There are two parallel sets of narratives addressing the question, “What are we REALLY celebrating on Chanukah?” One is the fight for religious freedom and the military victory of the much smaller Judean army over the mighty Greek-Syrian army. The other is the miracle of the oil burning for eight days. By viewing the primary sources through historical lenses, students can deepen their understanding of how historical context shapes how events are recorded and how they are commemorated. 

This approach has several strengths: 

  1. It supports engagement and meaning-making by opening several portals to understand a practice that is iconic in Judaism—lighting the menorah. 
  2. It supports interdisciplinary studies. 
  3. It encourages reflective and critical thinking. 
  4. It can be done with Hebrew texts and/or English translations.
  5. It can accommodate either teacher-directed or student-centered learning or a combination of the two.

Driving Questions:

  • How do we view/frame a historical event?
  • How do we commemorate and/or celebrate historical events?
  • How do we connect with our history?
  • What does Chanukah mean for us, historically and presently?

Lesson Overview:

The lesson begins with some conceptual framing that includes how history is recorded (primary sources), the purpose of celebrations/commemorations, what students know about the history of Chanukah and reasons given for why we celebrate Chanukah. Students will read through primary sources dealing with Chanukah and place the authors of those texts in their historical context in order to better understand the authors’ perspectives and goals. They will answer comprehension questions on the sources. Students will then engage in discussion—either among themselves or as a group, guided by the teacher, around the questions of “What is Chanukah REALLY about?”, “What drives commemorative practices?”, and “What does Chanukah mean to me, in my present context?”

Objectives:

  • Either independently or in small groups/hevrutah, students will read four primary sources dealing with Chanukah.
  • Either independently or in small groups/hevrutah, students will record their responses to comprehension questions based on the primary texts. 
  • Students will generate and record analytical questions that arise from comparing and contrasting the texts.
  • Students will reflect on and discuss the purpose and role of commemorative practice in social and religious spheres. 
  • Students will reflect on and record their responses to the driving questions.

Materials needed:

Lesson Sequence:

  1. Begin with one of the following trigger activities:
    • Ask students to complete a KWL chart listing what they already Know about Chanukah (on the whiteboard, Smartboard, Google Doc, etc.). The remainder of this chart can be completed throughout the lesson. (W=What do I Wonder and/or Want to Know?; L=What Have I Learned?) 
    • Lead a discussion, asking students what they think Chanukah actually celebrates
    • Lead a discussion, asking students to reflect on/suggest how holidays/commemorations come to be “institutionalized”
    • Lead a discussion, asking students to reflect on/suggest what types of events should be celebrated and/or commemorated
  2. Since this is a Jewish Studies lesson, the students may not consider concepts that come from history and literature in terms of looking at primary sources. To deal with this, after the discussion around the opening exercise, present the following concepts:
    (a) The presentation of events and facts, regardless of what the medium is—written, oral, visual, artistic, etc.—is influenced by the person recording the events and the historical context (which includes available tools and technologies) in which the person lives.

    (b) When considering “Why Do We Celebrate Chanukah?”, the historical context of primary sources is relevant.

    (c) When we think about, celebrate, or commemorate an event, we do so from our own context and/or by trying to place ourselves in the original context.

  3. These concepts can be presented as part of a larger discussion, with space for student reflection if time allows. 
  4. Hand out or share links to the primary sources (linked above) and the comprehension questions (linked above) associated with each source. 
  5. Students read through the sources and answer the comprehension questions. This can be done individually, in hevrutah pairs, or in small groups. 

Reading through the material and answering questions can be done in one of two ways:

(a) all students read all the sources and answer questions

(b) Jigsaw protocol – different students/pairs/groups read through and answer questions on one source and then “teach” the source/review the answers with the whole group.

6. Students will analyze/compare and contrast the sources. This can be done with:

  • Open questions raised by students
  • Guided questions in hevrutah or small groups
  • Guided questions in groups made up of two or more hevrutah pairs AFTER the pairs consider the questions first (Turn and Talk protocol)
  • As a whole class discussion

7. Wrap-Up/Assessment

Depending on the nature of the lesson—a stand-alone, special-for-Chanukah lesson, or a part of a larger unit—the lesson can be concluded either with a wrap-up discussion, an exit ticket, or an assessment, using the sample assessments (linked above).