39 Melachot of Shabbat—Connecting the Past to the Present

By: Rabbi Eliezer Kessler
from Yeshivat Torat Emet

Categories:
Interdisciplinary Integration, Real-World Learning

Subject(s) of entry:
Halacha, Science

Pedagogy:

Grade(s) to which this was taught:
4, Elementary school

Grade(s) for which this will be useful:
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Elementary school, Middle school, High school

A curriculum on the 39 melachot of Shabbat that connects how life was in the past before the advent of electricity to modern times that we live in, with an emphasis on the hands-on and practical understanding of science and engineering and how that affects Shabbat observance. The students are fascinated to see how science plays a role in their everyday life and this heightens their motivation for learning and creates a plethora of practical questions which we examine and research.

Entry Narrative