I’d intended to include this creative writing activity in our Tu B’Shvat Seder, but there wasn’t time. However, since we’re studying the prayers for the Torah Service, this activity increases understanding in that context as well. Students are given 2 information sheets. One sheet,prepared by Jewish National Fund (JNF) www.jnf.org/treesource contains quotes from Judaic texts including several which compare the Torah to objects in nature. The second sheet presents a tree-shaped graphic made up of phrases telling the benefits we receive from trees. This graphic is from the book, Experiencing the Jewish Holidays by Joel Lurie Grishaver www.torahaura.com Using these 2 sheets as inspiration for their own imaginations, students are to complete the comparative statement, “The Torah is like a tree because…” Students write* their original comparative statements on a leaf shape cut from green paper. As students share their comparisons, they paste their leaves on the top of a brown paper tree trunk mounted on posterboard. The trunk has 4 roots, each representing a Hebrew letter in the word “Torah.” The leafy tree will become part of a classroom display that includes our JNF tree planting certificate and other JNF materials. *NOTE: So that their comparisons would be clear and easy to read, students were asked to write them in their notebooks first. I checked each one for correct spelling and then gave the student a marker to write a final copy on his/her leaf.
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