Teacher's Guide for CALLIOPE: Dead Sea Scrolls

• to develop an appreciation for the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls
• to increase understanding of diversity
• to increase historical perspective
• to improve comprehension skills (particularly by practice in summarizing)
• to practice writing skills through a variety of activities, both practical and creative
• to utilize a study skill for memorization
• to develop and enrich vocabulary
• to participate in small group and whole class activities

1. Provide students with a world map.
2. Provide students with an enlarged section of the same map with the Mediterranean Sea centered.
3. Assist students in labeling countries, the Dead Sea, etc. on their own maps. (Save these for use in the final activity.)

1. Ask students to study the man in the center of the picture on page 6. Explain that "the Syrian Metropolitan" is a title (head of the Syrian Orthodox Church) and that his name is Athanasius Yeshue Samuel.
2. Point out to students that this article shows that the Metropolitan was a key player in much of what happened with the Scrolls.
3. Ask students to create a first person diary in which the Metropolitan writes one diary entry for each event related in this article. (For example, the first entry might read as follows: "Today something exciting happened. For very little money I bought four old, old scrolls from Kando, a shoemaker in Bethlehem."

1. Why was the war (called the "Sinai Campaign") started and what happened to the scrolls as a result?
2. Why did the work on the scrolls stop in 1960?
3. What are four reasons scholars stopped working on the scrolls?
4. What did the Jordanian appointed International Team refuse to do?
5. How did it happen that control of the Palestine Archaeological Museum was passed to Israel?
6. What was it renamed?
7. What happened - and is still happening - in Qumran?
8. Where did they find the Temple Scroll, what condition was it in, and what price did it bring?
9. What is an added reason that some people would really like to decipher the Copper Scroll?
10. What is the largest task that still faces scholars?

For "At Work on the Scrolls" (pages 15 - 18)

Here's an intriguing method to increase understanding of just what a difficult task scholars faced in making sense of the Dead Sea Scrolls (Note: Although this lesson calls for rather involved preparation, the materials can be used repeatedly from year to year in many contexts, particularly whenever you want to make the point that it is impossible to be accurate about anything unless you have all the information.)

Preparation:

Gather up (or purchase from a thrift store) five used jigsaw puzzles. Bend, moisten, and color some of the puzzle pieces with black markers. Pour all of the pieces into a large plastic trash bag. Shake well. Next, separate the contents of the bag into five paper grocery sacks. (Hide the boxes.)

In Class:

Divide class into groups, give each group a sack, and without further comments, ask each group to work the puzzles. It won't take long for students to realize they are working several different puzzles - and that some of the pieces are ruined.

Ask students to try to determine the subjects of the puzzles based on this limited information. When they have been given enough time (perhaps a few minutes at a time over several days), ask them to "interpret" their findings. When all groups have reported, show the pictures on the front of the boxes.

1. Ask students to summarize what the title of this article means in one sentence no longer than 15 words.
2. Ask students to explain why, according to a quote from page 23, " . . . we are now on the threshold of a new age of scrolls research."

1. Teach students the "rhyming acronym method" for memorizing the four methods for dating the Dead Sea Scrolls (and other archaeological finds as well).
   1. Make an acronym:   PARR

      P:     paleography
      A:     archaeology
      R:     radioactive carbon-14 testing
      R:     references to historical events / persons in the scrolls

   2. Make a rhyme:   "PARR tells me how old you are."
2. Students can create a simple time line from the information on pages 26 - 27. Adding machine tape works very well, but you can improvise with strips of paper.
   • Divide the time line into seven sections. Label each as follows: 599 - 500 B.C.E., 499 - 400 B.C.E., etc.
   • Using the dates in the article as a guide, have students fill in dates and events (summarized) in their appropriate slots.
   • To help students understand the historical perspective of just how long ago all these dates really are, roll the adding machine tape down a long school corridor until you reach the proportional equivalent of the year 2001.

1. If students prepared the time lines (above), ask them to add dates and events from the first column of page 31.
2. Learning about the Essenes: Students are divided into two groups. One group are all time-traveling reporters; the other group are all members of the Essenes at Qumrun. The reporters will prepare questions about how the Essenes live and what they believe. The Essenes will be prepared to answer the questions. When the interviewing is completed, students will work in pairs to write up the interview for "publication." (wall display).

News Broadcast: The Discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls

1. Explain to students that although the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered just over 50 years ago, for purposes of the newscasts they are preparing, we will say the Scrolls have just been discovered.
2. Divide students into groups of three: one student will serve as the news anchor, the other two will play the roles of in-depth reporters. Provide each group with 2 large sheets of poster board.
3. Role of the News Anchor: You will tell the listening audience that the news tonight begins with an exciting new find: The Dead Sea Scrolls have just been discovered. You will give these news basics about the event: What they are, where they were discovered (use the map you created in the first lesson for this issue), when they were written, who discovered them and who wrote them, and how they were discovered.
4. Role of In-Depth Reporter #1: You will give the following why: "Why is this discovery important to Jews in the world?" (Include information about what the discovery adds to Jews' understanding of their heritage.)
5. Role of In-Depth Reporter #2: You will give the following why: "Why is this discovery important to Christians in the world?" (Include information about what the discovery adds to Christians' understanding of their heritage.)
6. Information in bullet form from the reporters should be printed on the two sheets of posterboard. As each group gives its newscast, the posters can be hung on the wall. When all the groups are completed, students should have no problems turning the information into a three paragraph paper: the facts of the discovery, the significance for Jews, the significance for Christians.

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Updated: 3/17/10 08:25 pm
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