Bring Hebrew Alive with Ten Minutes of Active Fun: Here's How
Looking for fun and energetic ways to start each Hebrew session, whether remote or in person?
Introduce conversational Hebrew for 10 minutes each session through active games, movement, and role playing using techniques from Hebrew Alive! Talk, Move, and Play the Ulpan Way, a curriculum guide for second- through sixth-grade teachers.
The more often students are exposed to Hebrew and practice using it, the stronger their language skills will be. Research shows that effective Hebrew learning comes from regular exposure to authentic language in various ways, including listening and speaking. Further, the best language connections come from using Hebrew in creative ways.
Below are some activities drawn from Hebrew Alive that give students a way to have real fun with real Hebrew, and provide a strong support for your classes. Each of the activities takes about ten minutes.
Download the activity guide and directions for these eight activities.
Your students will learn to practice conversations in real-life everyday situations, such as introducing themselves, going shopping, inviting a friend to a birthday party, ordering food in a restaurant, telling time—even playing the Hokey Pokey. All activities include children responding to or producing Hebrew language.
Hebrew Alive ideas are especially useful for video conference learning to get children up and away from their screens, and using Hebrew in an authentic, functional, and fun way. It’s the perfect change of pace, especially if your program is prayer-based.
Here's what's included in the activity guide:
- Session 1: Getting to Know You Know You. Students act out the multiple meanings of the word shalom (hello, good-bye, peace).
- Session 2: Whose Name Is It? Students learn to say their own names and the names of other students, and to greet one another. After the session, continue the learning and create a Hebrew-rich environment by regularly calling on students using their Hebrew names. This will not only help them feel more comfortable with spoken Hebrew, but will also reinforce a sense of Jewish identity and belonging.
- Session 3: What Time Is It? Learn numbers and how to tell time in Hebrew by playing a movement game.
- Session 4: How Do You Feel? Students learn to associate motions or actions with Hebrew terms or expressions for different feelings.
- Session 5: Where Am I? Learn the names of rooms in a house and common places in a neighborhood.
- Session 6: What Sport Am I Playing? Use movement and props to learn the names of various sports.
- Session 7: Let's Talk About It. Role play a conversation to put new vocabulary into simple sentences.
- Session 8: Drawing My Family. Practice names of pets and family members through art.
Download the activity guide and directions for these eight activities.
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