Elements of This Teaching Guide
1. Aim: To provide students with a deeper appreciation of the current catastrophe confronting the world community in light of the recent Tsunami in southern Asia. Students will also better understand Judaism’s view on tragedy and what we can do to assist those in desperate need of help.
2. Rationale: The recent Indian Ocean tsunami that struck south central Asia on December 26, 2004, has had a devastating effect on numerous countries in the region, most notably Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India. Scores of thousands have perished. Countless others have been injured, and / or are without food, shelter, and basic life necessities. It is imperative that we, as educators, do whatever possible to inform our students of these events, both in terms of how they came to be, and what we can do to make a difference. Students also stand to gain much with an introduction to the Jewish view of tragedy and hardship.
3. Goals and objectives:
· Students will chart the events leading up to the recent Tsunami
· Students will evaluate the destructive effects of the Tsunami on coastal lands throughout south central Asia
· Students will survey organizational efforts on behalf of the victims and beleaguered nations, including governmental, corporate, and private contributions
· Students will become sensitized to the ongoing issues and struggles confronting hundreds of thousands of people the world over as a result of the tsunami’s devastating effects
· Students will become familiar with the Jewish view on death and destruction, including core issues such as why the righteous suffer
4. Audience and pre-requisites: The project is designed for Jewish high school students with a basic understanding of world events and Jewish philosophy. In addition to possessing basic web navigation skills, students involved in this project should be able to use a prepared resource list to research historical information and engage in comparative analyses of maps and images.
5. Description of subject-matter: This is an inter-disciplinary process that is rooted in current events and the Jewish ideals of charity and tikkun olam, but also introduces the students to the areas of the social sciences, and the skills of map and chart analysis.
6. Instructional plan:
Each group will possess each of the following:
1) Geologist / Historian – Provides a scientific explanation of tsunamis and draws historical parallels to earlier tsunamis and their respective effects on communities worldwide
2) Rabbi – Accountable for defining and applying the idea of tzedaka[1] by identifying the necessary requirements for assistance and moral support. Also responsible to project and clarify the Jewish understanding of suffering and death
3) Fundraiser – Charged with providing interested donors with ways in which they can assist, together with current ways that local, on-site volunteers and nations worldwide are helping
4) Reporter – Provides live, updated information about the tsunami, including loss of life, locations, provisions deliveries, etc.
5) If Needed: Writer / Consolidator – Keeps the group on task, assists others with research / ideas, organizes the group’s ideas, and presents the platform to the class
The students will be involved in researching and organizing their own individual information outside of class. On the appointed date, the students will present their findings to others in the group. The students will use that class period to prepare for their presentation to the class.
During this process, the teacher will be involved in facilitating the learning process. The teacher will clarify the instructions when necessary, answer questions, and assist students in their research. They will also explain any unclear areas of study.
7. Materials: This lesson is wholly web-based. All of the necessary information is included in the links below. All hardware should be capable of handling extensive web navigation and the downloading of large files and images.
8. Plans for assessment and evaluation: A scoring rubric will be utilized for assessment. The rubric contains a list of the required tasks to be completed and provides a sliding point system with which to assess each group’s fulfillment of its tasks.
[1] Literally, “righteousness”, but loosely defined as charity
Rabbi Naphtali Hoff Last updated 1/3/05