Hands On Vayechi

"Hands On Vayechi" is a pun because I am passionate about experiential learning, hands-on learning, but in this case, I made two projects which involved children tracing their hands.  Both projects were related to Yaakov blessing his grandsons, Menashe and Efraim.

Project one was completed by my offspring and pre-K class after learning about Yaakov switching his hands. 

Step one: Trace hands on flesh-tone card stock.

 Step 2: Cut out.

 Step 3: Color picture of the brothers, Menashe on the right, Efraim on the left.

 Step 4: Use a brad to attach the hands over the boys heads.

 Now the hands can more back and forth, as Yaakov switches them.

Project 2: Same theme, but I did it with a class of boys.  We talked about the men mentioned in regular Tefilah. They enjoyed figured out who was mentioned where in davening. Then I mentioned the prayer said to them on Friday night by their fathers. Not every boy knew what I was talking about, so we discussed it further. Then I asked why it is Efraim and Menashe who their parents invoke on their head.  The students had not learned about it previously and I had the pleasure of explaining that it is in the merit of these two not giving in to sibling rivalry (we reviewed each prior generation) and not being negatively influenced by the surrounding culture, These remarkable traits all parents want their sons to emulate. I wanted the lesson to 'stick' with the boys, so they made fridge magnets. (I hope this might inspire homes where it is not currently said, and inspire all the boys who glance at it to keep their sibling rivalry in check).

 1) Trace the oval magnet around the words of the prayer and cut out.

 2)Trace your hand inside of the cut oval

3) Decorate with colored pencils

 4) Glue onto magnet.

I need to add pictures of the finished product. They were lovely.