Hanukkah Day 4 - Latkes

Ingredients:

 • 1 egg
 • 1 t. milk
 • 1 large potato
 • 1/4 c. cheddar cheese
 • 1 T. flour
 • salt and pepper to taste
 • oil

Directions:
 1.  Carefully grate the potato and the cheese.
 2.  Beat the egg, milk and flour together with a whisk.
 3.  Combine all of the ingredients and add salt and pepper if desired.
 4.  Heat a frying pan and add just enough oil so the potatoes don't stick.
 5.  Drop the potato mixture by spoonfuls into the hot pan and fry until lightly browned on each side.
 6.  Serve with applesauce and sour cream.
 7.  It's best when it's hot.

Journal Jumpstart 12/19

Create a story about a new tradition you would like to observe during the holiday season when you have your own family.

Hanakkah Day 3 - The Dreydl

   A dreydl is a special four-sided top.  The Hebrew letters "N", "G", "H" and "S" are written on the sides of the top.  These letters stand for the words "Nes", "Gadol", "Haya" and "Sham", which mean "a great miracle happened."  Long ago, Jewish people were not allowed to come together and pray.  In order to practice their religion, they pretended to play games with this top. 

     We made a dreydl and played the game using beans instead of coins.  To play the game, each player gets 10 beans.  The players take turns spinning the dreydl, before each spin every player puts one bean into the pot.  If the spin comes up with a "G" the player gets all of the beans in the pot, "N" the player gets no beans, "H" the player gets half of the beans in the pot and "S" means the player must put an additional bean into the pot.  A player wins when they have all of the beans in play.

     Our dreydl pattern came from the December Idea Book (from Teacher's Friend). If you would like to make your own dreydl, you can use the pattern available on the Crayola website.

Journal Jumpstart 12/18

As you go to the shelf to get your lunch box one day, you find it is not where you left it. What will you do for lunch today, and how will you begin to track down your lunch box?

Hanukkah Day 2 - The Menorah

   Today, Jewish families celebrate by lighting a special candelabra, called a Menorah.  The holiday begins the first day by lighting the first candle.  A "servant" candle is also lit each night and used to to light the other candles.  Each evening an additional candle is burned until all eight candles are burning together.

We learned about the Menorah and made our own mixed media Menorah art project. I used a pattern from the December Idea Book (by Teacher's Friend) and traced the menorah shape onto heavy card stock. We covered it in foil. The candles are colored and the flames are torn bits of tissue paper.

Journal Jumpstart 12/17

Describe your favorite weather. What do you like to do when the weather is like this? Who else could enjoy sharing a day like this with you?

Hanukkah Begins

As part of our December social studies we enjoy learning about how other countries and cultures celebrate winter holidays.  There are so many to choose from it will take us several years to complete them all!

The Story of Hanukkah

   Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by the Jewish people.  The holiday begins with the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev (December 16, 2014) and lasts for eight days.

   King Antiochus, of Palestine, tried to make all of the Jewish people in his country leave their own religion and follow the Greek religion he did.  Under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus, the Jewish people rebelled and after three years of fighting the Greek soldiers were driven away.

   The Macabees wanted to rededicate their temple, but there was only enough sacred oil to light the menorah for one day.  But, through a special miracle, the lamp continued to burn for eight days.  This is why the celebration of Hanukkah is also known as the Celebration of Lights.

   After lighting the Menorah, Jewish families pay games and exchange gifts.  The ancient game of using a four-sided top, known as a dreydl is played and traditional holiday goodies such as "latkes," potato pancakes, are served.