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Tu B'Shvat : Birthday of the Trees

Motivational Tools:

Take a birthday card out of a fancy paper bag , and read the birthday card using words that reinforce the concept that the Jewish people are celebrating the birthday of the trees on Tu B’shvat. It may be necessary to use your own words when reading the card, or ask the students what do you think a card for the birthday of the trees would say to us?  This will allow you to hear what the children have to say about the holiday.  This is a pre-assestment tool to help you gather information as to what students know.

How does having a birthday make us feel? Why would farmers need to know how old trees are? (Certain fruits can only be used from trees that are adult trees, like etrogim trees)  It would be helpful to display these fruits or boxes of these types of fruits.  If you can find a  small tree stump that would be great.  If not use a picture of one.

Lesson One:  Birthday of the trees (20 minutes)

(Have  students seated in a half circle, facing the small display table that is to the left or right of the seated teacher.  In this way, the students eyes will be focused in one direction, facing the teacher. )

 We are reminded during Tu B’Shvat that is important to think about trees and how important they are for us. 

Introduce the song Inch by inch and row by row: members.tripod.com/tiny_dancer/garden3.html

Draw a large tree on white display board before hand
Hand students a precut leave that they will make a picture of something that comes from trees.  Have children one by one glue their leaves on the branches.