Students learn about some of the cultural features of Jerusalem by exploring its holy sites and its market. Then students explore the cultural heritage of Jaffa. Finally, students research and create a travel brochure for a city in Lebanon, Syria, or Jordan.
Students read an introduction to Jerusalem as a holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims and review the lesson objectives. They then watch the beginning of a video tour of the Mahane Yehuda Market and post to a collaborative wall describing the sights and sounds they observe and what they think it would feel and smell like to walk through a Middle Eastern souk.
Teacher MovesPresent the overview and objectives of the experience. Facilitate a discussion of students’ impressions of the Mahane Yehuda Market video, highlighting that this type of souk is common throughout the Middle East and Asia, and connect their observations to the idea of regional culture.
Students read about how various cultures come together in Jerusalem’s markets, then watch a fast-paced video tour of several holy sites in Jerusalem to see examples of important religious locations. They conduct brief online research on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock, and the Western Wall, select a photo of one of these sites to upload to a shared space, and examine classmates’ photos to identify each site. Finally, they complete a drag-and-drop activity matching each holy site to its associated religion and its significance.
Teacher MovesGuide students through the exploration of Jerusalem’s holy sites, prompting them to notice similarities and differences among the locations. Monitor students’ research and image selections, and use the drag-and-drop review to reinforce accurate connections between each site, its religion, and its importance.
Students watch a video tour of Jaffa to observe how artisans and merchants work among ancient structures and to see examples of cultural heritage in a modern city. They read an explanation of heritage as something passed down through generations, including physical artifacts and cultural traits, and contribute to a word cloud by naming something that can be part of a location’s cultural heritage. After reading about how cultural heritage represents a group’s history, identity, and sense of belonging, they post to a class wall explaining how the occupation of one artisan or merchant from the video connects to Jaffa’s cultural heritage.
Teacher MovesClarify the concept of cultural heritage using examples such as music, arts, customs, folk tales, and local costume. Encourage students to generate diverse examples in the word cloud and discuss how these elements link past and present. Highlight and share several strong student responses about Jaffa’s artisans with the class, using them to deepen understanding of how contemporary work can reflect and preserve cultural heritage. If time allows, direct interested students to read What is Cultural Heritage? for additional context.
Students imagine themselves as tour guides for a city in Syria, Lebanon, or Jordan. They select and research an important city, then create a travel brochure that includes three culturally significant sites with explanations of their importance to the country’s cultural heritage, three local foods with brief descriptions, a map of the city center, and at least one photo of the city. They upload an image of their completed brochure and review classmates’ brochures to learn about additional cities and cultural features.
Teacher MovesSupport students in choosing and researching a city by suggesting options such as Amman or Petra in Jordan; Damascus, Aleppo, or Palmyra in Syria; and Beirut, Tyre, or Tripoli in Lebanon. Provide guidance on incorporating cultural heritage elements into the brochures. After students upload their work, encourage them to explore one another’s brochures, ask questions, and share new insights about the region’s cities and cultures.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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