Grade 6 Ancient Hebrews
6.3 Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the early civilizations of the Ancient Hebrews, in terms of:
1. The origins and significance of Judaism as the first monotheistic religion based on the concept of one God who sets down moral laws for humanity.
Language Arts Standards Addressed
1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development:
Students use their knowledge of word origins and word relationships, as well as historical and literary context clues, both to determine the meaning of specialized vocabulary and to understand the precise meaning of grade-appropriate words.
1.0. Writing Strategies:
Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays.
Student writing exhibits awareness of audience and purpose.
Essays contain formal introductions, bodies of supporting evidence, and conclusions.
Research and Technology:
1.3. Use organizational features of printed text (e.g., citations, end notes, bibliographic references) to locate relevant information
1.4. Create simple documents using electronic media, employing organizational features (e.g., passwords, entry and pull-down menus, word searches, thesaurus, spell checks)
Revising and Evaluating Writing:
1.6. Revise writing to improve the meaning and focus of writing by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifying, and rearranging words and sentences
The gold leaves, that had once adorned the facade, had been stripped away. The beautiful fabrics, that once hung within the Temple doors, had been torn off and sold. Even the holy vessels had been used and thrown around, and there on the altar stood a likeness of the god Zeus.
There was, however, something even more disturbing. The lamp of the Temple stood cold and dead, its wick black and dry. The oil had run out and no one had bothered to refill it.
Judah knew that his first task was to rededicate the Temple. He gathered the priests and holy men, and ordered them to cleanse the Temple.
When this was done, Judah entered the Temple and looked about him. There was a sense of calmness.
1c. Guerrilla Warfare:
They attacked from the hills under cover of night. They led the enemy into traps where they surrounded and attacked them.
Judah Maccabee had far fewer men than the enemy but his detailed knowledge of the country allowed him to organize surprise attacks.
3. Students may provide a variety of answers, the following are a selection of possibilities.
The people were held together by their religion. It was a religion shared by all the people and so it became a binding force.
The Ancient Israelites were separated from other nations by their religion. The religious beliefs were monotheistic and, therefore, different from other nations.
The Israelites had strong religious leaders that kept alive their religious beliefs.
The religion of the Israelites was not only a spiritual code but also the law by which they lived.