What's in a name? (Beyond the Family Tree Lesson 7)
In this lesson, students examine their own first, middle, last, and Hebrew (or Jewish ritual) names.
About
Summary: In this lesson, students examine their own first, middle, last, and Hebrew (or Jewish ritual) names (as applicable), learn about Jewish name origins and naming traditions, and prepare to conduct research to learn more about names in their family.
Essential Question(s)
- How did Jewish migration patterns impact the expression of Jewish
culture, including names? - How is my family’s story, including stories of our name, connected to
larger stories of Jewish migration and naming?
Objective:
In this lesson, students will learn that:
- Patterns in Jewish family names reflect geography, occupation,
nicknames based on other personal characteristics, and parental given
names. - Their own family histories, including family names and languages, are
connected to a larger Jewish story.
This resource is a part of a larger curriculum: Beyond the Family Tree: Jewish History and Diversity through Family Names and Languages. Within this resource is the singular lesson plan that can be used individually or alongside the rest of the curriculum, as well as handouts that accompany it. The entire curriculum can be found here: https://www.sepharditoolkit.org/jewish-language-project/
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