INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES RESEARCH GUIDES   GLOSSARY   GEOGRAPHY DICTIONARY EXPLORE MORE HOME-SCHOOL CONNECTIONS   CLOSE  
Explore the Ancient World Student Reseach Guide Guidelines
Research Tips

Unit 1
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4

    • Unit 2
  • Chapter 5
  • Chapter 6
  • Chapter 7

    • Unit 3
  • Chapter 8
  • Chapter 9
  • Chapter 10

    • Unit 4
  • Chapter 11
  • Chapter 12
  • Chapter 13

    • Unit 5
  • Chapter 14
  • Chapter 15
  • Chapter 16
  • Chapter 16A

    • Unit 6
  • Chapter 17
  • Chapter 18
  • Chapter 19
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    Unit 5: The Foundation of Western Ideas - Chapter 14: The Ancient Israelites

    Key Words: ancient Israel, Abraham, Moses, Ruth and Naomi, David and Goliath, Yohanan ben Zaccai, Ten Commandments, Judaism, Diaspora
    Fiction Books
    Chaikin, Miriam. Joshua in the Promised Land. New York: Clarion Books, 1990. This novel recreates the Biblical story of Joshua as he leads the Israelites in conquering Canaan. 96 pages. Fiction.

    Gormley, Beatrice. Miriam. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999. Gormley looks at the events of the life of Moses through the eyes of Miriam, his older sister. The story contains events that illustrate the tension that existed between Jewish and Egyptian ways of life. 192 pages. Fiction.

    Lester, Julius. Pharaoh's Daughter: A Novel of Ancient Egypt. New York: HarperTrophy, 2002. This novel explores the early life of Moses through his interaction with the women around him: his birth mother, his older sister, and the princess who raised him. 192 pages. Fiction.

    Manushkin, Fran. Daughters of Fire: Heroines of the Bible. San Diego: Silver Whistle Books, 2001. Manushkin retells the stories of ancient Jewish heroines borrowing from Jewish tradition found in the Talmud, Midrash, and other sources. 88 pages. Fiction.
    Nonfiction Books
    Berger, Gilda. Celebrate!: Stories of the Jewish Holidays. New York: Scholastic Paperbacks, 2002. Berger retells the stories behind the major Jewish holidays. Also included is an explanation of why the holidays are celebrated as they are. The book includes crafts and recipes. An excellent read-aloud book. 128 pages. Nonfiction.

    Sherman, Josepha. Your Travel Guide to Ancient Israel. Passport to History. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications, 2003. The travel guide format of this book transports students into the life and times of ancient Israel. 80 pages. Nonfiction.

    Tubb, Jonathan N. Eyewitness: Bible Lands. New York: Dorling Kindersley Publishing, 2000. This book provides an overview of the life and customs of the various groups living in ancient Canaan. 64 pages. Nonfiction.

    Web Sites
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/heritage/episode1/
    Heritage: Civilization and the Jews. This PBS site delves into the origins of the Jewish people and their religious faith. Scholars not only have Jewish scriptures from which to learn this information, but also archaeological evidence and other writings from the time. Use the interactive atlas and check out the video resources. Also, be sure to visit the historical documents section, where you can read about the story of the worldwide flood and other accounts.

    http://tlc.discovery.com/convergence/moses/moses.html
    Moses and the Exodus. Moses is an important figure in the Jewish faith. Read about the prophet, find out how Jews, Christians, and Muslims view him, go to an interactive map to follow Moses's path according to the Torah, and take a fun, short quiz to test what you have learned.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/world_religions/judaism_links.shtml
    BBC World Service: Judaism. Learn about the different types of Judaism and what Jews believe. Also, you can read about the prophet Abraham and important events in the life of Moses. If you would like more information, check out the links page, which includes sites showing paintings of stories found in the Scriptures.

    http://virtualjerusalem.com/judaism/holidays
    Judaism: Jewish Holidays. A colorful and informative site detailing Jewish celebrations. Each item shows the dates of the holiday and explains its significance. Which holiday is coming up next on the Jewish calendar? Find out here!

    http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
    National Geographic. Discover maps of the world, historical photographs, and interactive adventures on the National Geographic site.