Hineni! Shmuel’s First Prophecy

  • 2 40 minute sessions
  • Grades: 5-8
  • Lesson Plan

In this Multiple Intelligence lesson, students study the story of Shmuel’s first prophecy and then express the storyline in drama/creative writing/art.

Introduction

This MI unit on Samuel I 3:1-0 utilizes the following intelligences: interpersonal, intrapersonal, linguistic, and visual-spatial.

An essay on using MI in the Judaic Studies classroom is available here.

After studying the text, students are grouped and either write a skit (interpersonal) OR draw a cartoon (visual-spatial) based on the text. For homework, students write a diary (intrapersonal/linguistic), exploring Shmuel’s feelings during the first prophecy.

Lesson objectives

The student will be able to:
a. Describe the prelude to Shmuel’s first prophecy (3:1-10).
b. Express the story in drama/writing/art.

Skills

The student will be able to:
a. Read Biblical text with understanding.
b. Study Biblical commentaries independently.
c. Infer human feeling and emotion in Biblical texts.

Values

The student will appreciate:
a. The magnitude of prophecy.
b. The importance of humility.
c. The importance of honoring one’s parents and teachers.

Procedure

1.Read 3:1-10 slowly and emotively before the class, translating as you read.

2.Briefly discuss.

3.Tell students that they will be split into groups of two/three and have a choice of two assignments to complete. The assignments are as follows: 1) Skit (work in groups of three – narrator, Shmuel, and Eli) – Write a skit based on the text. Use as many words of the text as possible, supplementing extra words when necessary. 2) Comic (work independently or in groups of two): Draw a comic based on verses 1-10. Create a panel for each verse, depicting the storyline. Make sure that the dialogue as it appears in text is included in the panels in conversation bubbles. Don’t forget to draw scenes for the verses that don’t have dialogue.

4.Explain that grades will be given according to the rubric criteria. Quickly go through them with the class.

5.Assign each student to a group OR allow students to choose their group on their own. Each group can choose the assignment they wish to complete. Distribute rubrics.

6.Tell class to read and reread the text two more times in their groups, reading and translating, before they begin their assignments. Distribute the word list (see appendix), and tell them to read Metzudat David and Metzudat Zion to help with comprehension.

7.If there is time, students should present their comics and skits to the class, using the guidelines in Lesson 2. If there is not enough time, presentations will kick off the next lesson.

Homework: Write a diary tracing Shmuel’s thoughts during the beginning of his first prophecy. Use these questions as guidelines:

1. Why does Shmuel say ‘Hineni?’ See Rashi on Bereshit 22:1.

2. What does Shmuel think when he finds out that Eli did not call him?

3. What does Shmuel think as he lies down again?

4. As Shmuel gets up repeatedly, each time thinking that Eli called him, what do you think Shmuel thought? Do his thoughts change? Give an alternate view of what Shmuel could be thinking.

5. How does Shmuel feel when Eli tells him that God is calling him?

6. Why does Shmuel ignore Eli’s instructions and leave out the word “God” when Shmuel speaks to Him?

Assessment: Rubrics help students become more thoughtful judges of the quality of their own and others’ work. If rubrics are used for self- and peer-assessment, students become increasingly able to identify and solve problems in their own and one another’s work. This in turn increases students’ sense of responsibility for their own work.

Skit Rubric Criteria 4 3 2 1 Knowledge of content and quality of script Skit is clear, compelling and based fully on the text. Students added and explained essential information to highlight drama and comprehension. Skit is generally clear and based fully on the text. Students added and explained some essential information to highlight drama and comprehension. Skit is somewhat unclear and somewhat based on the text. Students added and explained some little information to highlight drama and comprehension. Skit is unclear and not based on the text. Students did not add or explain information to highlight drama and comprehension. Depth of comprehension, understanding and interpretation Actors showed full comprehension of the text. The skit fully explores the text emotively. Actors demonstrated good comprehension of the text. The skit explores the text emotively. Actors showed a basic comprehension of the text. The skit somewhat explores the text emotively. Actors showed no comprehension of the text. The skit does not explore the text emotively. Presentation Skit was dramatized, not read. Addressed the audience at all times. Frequent eye contact, loud, excellent posture. Excellent use of simple costumes and props. Skit was dramatized, with little or no reading. Addressed the audience most of the time. Occasional eye contact. Voice could be heard most of the time. Good posture. Good use of simple costumes and props. Read much of the skit. Addressed the audience infrequently. Infrequent eye contact.Voice volume wavered. Some slouching and talking to the floor. Decent use of costumes and props. Read entire skit. Addressed the floor or ceiling, rather than audience. Little or no eye contact. Slouched or leaned against something. Poor use of costumes and props.

Comic Rubric Criteria 4 3 2 1 Knowledge of content and quality of comic Comic is clear, compelling and based fully on the text. Creative, exceptional of pertinent pictures which outstandingly depict the events of the text. High-quality display of dialogue and non-dialogue text. Comic is generally clear and based fully on the text. Good use pertinent pictures which depict the events of the text. Fine display of dialogue and non-dialogue text. Comic is somewhat unclear and somewhat based on the text. Basic-poor use of pertinent pictures which barely depict the events of the text. Weak display of dialogue and non-dialogue text. Comic is unclear and not based on the text. Poor use of pertinent pictures which weakly depict the events of the text. Low quality display of dialogue and non-dialogue text. Depth of comprehension, understanding and interpretation Students showed full comprehension of the text. The comic fully explores the text emotively. Students demonstrated good comprehension of the text. The comic explores the text emotively. Students showed a basic comprehension of the text. The comic somewhat explores the text emotively. Students showed no comprehension of the text. The skit does not explore the text emotively. Presentation Comic was explained, not read. Addressed the audience at all times. Frequent eye contact, loud, excellent posture. Comic was explained, with little or no reading. Addressed the audience most of the time. Occasional eye contact. Voice could be heard most of the time. Good posture. Read much of the comic, with little explanation. Addressed the audience infrequently. Infrequent eye contact.Voice volume wavered. Some slouching and talking to the floor. Read entire comic, with no explanation. Addressed the floor or ceiling, rather than audience. Little or no eye contact. Slouched or leaned against something.

Appendices