I have a few Ancient Israel fun activities middle school if you’re learning about Ancient Civilizations. Also, look on my page Ancient Civilizations.
And I created one and then rounded up whatever else I could locate to create a fun unit.
There is just nothing like a hands-on project to help your child dig deeper and understand better whatever topic they’re learning about.
Today we are going to make a topographic relief map of Israel, using a somewhat unusual art medium, beans.
Using different colors and shapes and sizes of beans helps differentiate the different areas of this Middle Eastern land.
From the Mediterranean sea to the mountains in the coast of Blaine, we are outlining the major topographical differences of Israel.
Ancient Israel was a small country in the Middle East that existed from about 1200 BC to 586 BC.
It was home to the Israelites, a people who believed in one God.
The Israelites were originally nomads, but they eventually settled down in the land of Canaan.
They built a kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital.
The Israelites had many kings, including King David and King Solomon.
David was a great warrior who defeated the Philistines, a powerful enemy.
Solomon was a wise king who built the first temple in Jerusalem.
The Israelites were conquered by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
The Temple was destroyed, and many of the Israelites were taken into exile.
After 70 years, the Israelites were allowed to return to their homeland. They rebuilt the Temple and re-established their kingdom.
The Israelites were later conquered by the Romans in 70 AD. The Temple was destroyed again, and many Israelites were killed.
Despite these setbacks, the Israelites have survived as a people.
BOOKS ABOUT ISRAEL FOR KIDS
Next, look at some of these books to add to your unit study.
Books About Israel for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To
Grab some of these fun books for your home library or to add to your learning day.
After Daniel bar Jamin's father is crucified by the Roman Empire, Daniel wants nothing more than to rid his land of Israel of Roman control once and for all. Yet when David meets Jesus of Nazareth, a traveling carpenter with a gentle message of love and forgiveness, David starts to realize that the hate festering in his heart might be his true enemy after all.
oseph Heller tells the story of the complex and often conflicting political calculations that led directly to the founding of the independent Jewish state of Israel in the aftermath of World War II and the Holocaust. Examining the positions of many competing parties, he explains how and why the charismatic David Ben-Gurion prevailed: by shrewdly maneuvering between radical extremes on the left and on the right, Ben-Gurion managed to steer a successful middle-of-the-road policy in favor of partition.
Tells the story of how the nation of Israel was founded, as well as the stories of its heroes, villains, battles, and miracles, with clear, accessible text that traces its history from biblical times to the nation's birth in 1948.
Like the other Sasek classics, these are facsimile editions of his original books. The vibrant illustrations have been preserved, remaining true to his vision, and where applicable facts have been updated, appearing on a "This is...Today" page at the back of each book. The charming illustrations, coupled with Sasek’s witty, playful narrative, make for perfect souvenirs that will delight both children and their parents, many of whom will remember them from their own childhood. This is Britain, first published in 1974, encompasses the nation’s many facets, from the mystery of Stonehenge to the monuments of the British Isles. Among his stops are the White Cliffs of Dover; Brighton’s Prince Regent’s Royal Pavilion; the castles and Tintern Abbey in Wales; and Scotland’s four Royal Palaces and long lochs. This is Israel, first published in 1962, visits the Promised Land, a sun-drenched panorama of many hues and many traditions. From the Sea of Galilee to the Red Sea (it’s really blue); from modern Tel Aviv to Jerusalem new and old; from Mt. Zion to King Solomon’s mines; Sasek presents the biblical glory of its past and the golden hope of its future.
They continue to practice their religion and celebrate their culture.
Jump into learning more about the ancient and modern-day people of Israel with these activities including our topography map tutorial.
6 ANCIENT ISRAEL FUN ACTIVITIES MIDDLE SCHOOL
- Encourage your middle school kids to engineer a model of Masada with this STEM Challenge while Studying Ancient Israel.
- History of Ancient Israel and Judah explained in 5 minutes
- History Unboxed offers a subscription box but you can also purchase individual boxes like this one for Ancient Israelites Unboxed. It can be specified for youth or young adult and includes everything you need to make a rams horn trumpet, try an ancient treat of real honeycomb, and what you need to make and use your own oil lamp.
- I originally did this with younger kids but I think it has great benefits for middle school too- Hands-on Ancient Egypt: Israelite Mud Bricks for Kids.
- Try a dish that the ancient Israelites would have enjoyed like this Jacob’s Lentil Stew, by this time you know how wonderful cooking is as part of the learning experience.
- Learn to read Hebrew in just 6 weeks with illustrations, memory tricks, and 12 lessons to have you on the road to learning this ancient language.
Finally, look at how to make this topography map of Israel.
HOW TO MAKE A TOPOGRAPHY MAP OF ISRAEL
You will need:
- Heavyweight cardboard/cardstock.
- Tacky glue
- An assortment of dried beans
- Sharpened pencils
The first thing we’re going to do is print off a simple topographical map of Israel, like the one I found here at Geography Realm Map of Israel.
We printed a simple map outline and then referenced topographic maps to fill in each section.
Next, you are going to flip over your printed map and lay your pencils sideways, almost flat and rubbing lead by scribbling all over.
You want a good thick coat that covers all the map parts you want to trace.
Now you’re going to take a piece of cardboard or cardstock and slip it behind your map print out.
Take a pencil and trace the outline of your map of Israel onto the blank piece of paper.
This will transfer the lead that you scribbled on the back to the new page.
Lift slightly and be sure that it has been traced everywhere before you completely move it.
This will give you your basic outline.
First decide which beans will represent which topographical feature and create a little key in the bottom corner by gluing the bean and writing what it represents.
You can also use one type to mark the capital.
To create the blue for water you can toss white navy beans into a ziploc bag with food coloring or liquid watercolor and then allow to dry.
Now take your school or tacky glue, and “paint” the section that you want to start with. You have a little bit of working time but I do not recommend painting the entire map yet.
Press the correct beans into the thick glue until you have covered the entire area you need to then move onto the next section.
Repeat until the map is fully covered; to seal the map you can brush a layer of glue over the top of the beans if you like.
