Building the Mishkan

Grade/Class: SK

Context: The Mishkan was introduced in parsha study.

Learning: The South campus SK class this year loves tools and parsha, making it a great opportunity to combine their interests and keep parsha study engaging through the more tedious sections. They began by bringing in "terumot" (donations) of supplies, mirroring Bnei Yisrael's generosity. They measured the area for each part of the Mishkan, learned about using various tools that might be useful for the project, and examined many reference images to figure out how to build the different elements of the Mishkan.

One of the highlights of the project was inviting parents to help; volunteers with different skill sets participated and contributed to the project.

The long-term nature of the project allowed ideas to percolate and develop gradually, providing opportunities for problem-solving along the way. The project could be revisited as interest fluctuated and as the school year became busier or quieter. This approach helped bridge personal connections to the Torah and supported the students' understanding of the details of the parshiot. Occasionally, when playing with blocks, students could be overheard "building the Mishkan."