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 are introduced to Jerusalem as a holy city for Jews, Christians, and Muslims and read an overview of the experience goals. They then watch the beginning of a video tour of the Mahane Yehuda Market to get a sense of a Middle Eastern souk and post to a collaborative wall describing the sights, sounds, and imagined feelings and smells of walking through the market.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview and objectives, then play the Mahane Yehuda Market video. Prompt students to share and compare their impressions of the souk, highlighting that this type of market is common across the Middle East and Asia, and ensure all students contribute to the wall before moving on.
Students learn that Jerusalem’s markets bring together diverse cultures and that the city contains holy sites for the three Abrahamic religions. They watch a fast-paced video tour of several holy places, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock, and the Western Wall, then briefly research these three sites. Students upload a photo of one of the sites, examine classmates’ photos to identify each location, and complete a drag-and-drop activity matching each holy site to its religion and significance.
Teacher MovesGuide students through the video and clarify that they will deepen their understanding through quick research on the three highlighted sites. Monitor students’ photo selections and their attempts to identify classmates’ images, using this as an opportunity to reinforce visual clues and key features of each site. Support students as they complete the sorting activity, checking for accurate matches between sites, religions, and their importance before advancing.
Students watch Old City of Jaffa Tour to see how artisans and merchants work among ancient structures, then read an explanation of heritage and cultural heritage as traditions, values, and physical remains passed down through generations. They respond to a word cloud prompt by naming something that can be part of a location’s cultural heritage, read about how cultural heritage connects a group’s history and identity across time, and post to a class wall explaining how one artisan or merchant in the video connects their current work to Jaffa’s cultural heritage. If time allows, students may also read the article What is Cultural Heritage? to deepen their understanding of the concept.
Teacher MovesClarify the definitions of heritage and cultural heritage, giving concrete examples such as music, arts, customs, folk tales, and local costume. Encourage thoughtful contributions to the word cloud and help students link their ideas to the formal definition. After students respond on the wall about a chosen artisan or merchant, select and share several strong examples for whole-class discussion, emphasizing how present-day occupations can preserve and express a city’s cultural heritage.
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. Students upload an image of their brochure and then review classmates’ brochures to learn about a variety of cities in the region.
Teacher MovesSupport students in choosing and researching a city, 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 locating reliable information and organizing it into a clear, visually appealing brochure. Once brochures are uploaded, encourage students to explore one another’s work, ask questions, and share new insights about the cultural heritage, foods, and landmarks of different Middle Eastern cities.
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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