Students learn how geography and the exodus from slavery in Egypt affected the ancient Israelite religion. First, they learn that drought is common in this region, and famine led the Hebrews to migrate to Egypt. Then, they learn about Moses, the exodus, and Passover, and how they are central to Judaism. Next, students learn about the Israelites’ entrance into Canaan, the peoples that were already living there, and the settlement of the twelve tribes. Finally, they analyze the relationship between the Israelites’ religious festivals and the agricultural seasons.
Objectives:
- Locate and describe the physical geography of ancient Israel.
- Identify the ways that geography influenced ancient Israel.
Scene 1 — Engage
Student Activity
Students are introduced to the focus of the experience: how water availability, drought, and famine shaped the history and religion of the ancient Israelites. They read background text explaining the region’s rainy and dry seasons, how droughts led to famine, and how famine in Canaan led Jacob’s family to seek grain in Egypt. Students read a passage from Genesis describing famine and Joseph opening Egypt’s storehouses, then examine two artworks depicting Joseph’s dream and Joseph distributing grain. They respond on a class wall to a prompt about which image best represents how a historical Joseph may have dressed, using what they know about ancient civilizations.
Teacher Moves
Preview the experience and objectives, and, if needed, plan to teach the lesson over two sessions. Clarify the terms Hebrews, Israelites, and Jews/Judaism and how they relate to different historical periods. After students post to the wall, ask them to explain their choices and highlight that Medieval and Renaissance artists often portrayed biblical figures in clothing and settings from the artists’ own times rather than from the historical period being depicted.
Scene 2 — Explore
Student Activity
Students read narrative text summarizing the biblical story of the Hebrews’ enslavement in Egypt, Moses’s leadership, the ten plagues, and the exodus through the parted Red Sea. They view artworks illustrating a plague and the crossing of the Red Sea. Students then read about the Israelites’ forty years in the Sinai desert, receiving the Torah and Ten Commandments, and Moses’s death before entry into Canaan, and use the article Hebrews and the Land of Milk and Honey to construct a four-event sequence of key developments in Israelite history during Moses’s lifetime in a graphic organizer. Next, they read about the Passover seder and the commandment to retell the exodus story, and respond on a wall to explain why each generation of Jews might retell the exodus to their children.
Teacher Moves
Use the suggested answers in the graphic organizer as a reference while reviewing student sequences of events. Select and share one or more thoughtful student responses about the importance of retelling the exodus story, and guide a brief discussion emphasizing that the exodus is central to Jewish tradition, symbolizes God’s deliverance from slavery, and helps participants personally connect to the values of gratitude and freedom.
Scene 3 — Explain
Student Activity
Students read a verse from Exodus describing God’s promise to bring the Israelites to “a land flowing with milk and honey,” then respond on a wall about what they would expect to find in such a land. They read additional biblical text and explanation showing that when the Israelites entered Canaan, various other peoples and kings already lived there. Students learn that the Israelites were organized into twelve tribes, each settling in different parts of Canaan, sometimes purchasing land and sometimes fighting for it. Using a map of the tribal settlements, they answer multiple-choice questions about which tribe straddled the Jordan River, which tribe was surrounded by Judah, and which neighboring people lived to the north of Israel.
Teacher Moves
Share an interesting or exemplary student response about the phrase “flowing with milk and honey” to spark discussion about how the description suggests a fertile, desirable land. Use student answers to the map-based questions to check understanding of where the tribes settled and who their neighbors were, and to reinforce how geography and neighboring peoples shaped Israelite settlement.
Scene 4 — Elaborate
Student Activity
Students are introduced to the agricultural basis of Israelite life, including semi-nomadic herding, gradual village settlement, and terraced hillside farming. They view images of ancient terraced agriculture and a modern celebration of Sukkos, then watch the video Agrarian Life to deepen their understanding of how the Israelites depended on land and weather. They read descriptions of three major Jewish holidays—Passover, Shavuos, and Sukkos—and how each is tied to specific harvests and seasons. Students choose one of these holidays to research further online and write a paragraph explaining how it shows the connection between the Israelites and the agricultural seasons, then read classmates’ posts and respond to at least two with a question or positive comment.
Teacher Moves
Explain that this scene focuses on the agricultural aspects of three major Jewish holidays that later became pilgrimage festivals, and note that Temple rituals will be addressed in a later experience. Use student paragraphs and discussion posts to highlight how each holiday reflects dependence on seasonal cycles and reinforces the relationship between religious practice and the agricultural year.
Scene 5 — Evaluate
Student Activity
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher Moves
Facilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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