The holiday of Purim commemorates the salvation of ancient Jewish peoples from the Persian empire, as told in the Book of Esther. During this celebration, people send mishloach manot (like gift baskets!) to friends, family, and those in need; eat Hamantaschen cookies to celebrate Haman’s defeat; dress in costumes; and read the Book of Esther to recount the story behind the holiday.
You can bring diverse perspectives into your ELA and social studies classrooms by sharing Purim activities with your students:
Help students explore the role scriptures and other texts play in the joyous Jewish celebration of Purim with nonfiction articles on topics like:
After students explore these resources, pair them up for small group discussions. Have them research answers to the following questions:
Finally, have them use their knowledge to create a party invitation to a Purim celebration. The invite should include:
Purim is just one of many holidays Jewish Americans celebrate each year. Teach students about these cultural and religious traditions with relevant social studies resources.
Teach students more about Jewish culture and how it influences our broader American culture with resources like:
Whenever and wherever people gather together, they create communities. Students can explore hallmarks of Jewish American communities by reading articles on topics like:
Purim is one of many religious and cultural holidays celebrated during the Spring. With Newsela’s suite of subject products, you can access various content and resources—like news articles, primary sources, literature selections, and interactive videos—to help you teach about all of them!Not a Newsela customer yet? Sign up for Newsela Lite for free and start your 45-day trial. You’ll get access to our premium content and activities for everything you need to teach about every holiday this spring.
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