6a+-+WebQuest+-+Purim+CSI+Team+Two

 **Purim Chag Sameah Investigators**
 * **Webquest - Purim CSI**

A WebQuest for 6th Grade  Exploring the characters of Megillat Esther  Designed by Alex, Jeff & Lisa  Team 2

__samizeek@gmail.com__ __rabbikuperman@gmail.com__ __morah1@gmail.com__

[|**Introduction**] [|The future is in your hands.] [|Your task?] Go back throughout history and discover who the characters of Megillat Esther really were. It is up to you!  You need to paint a picture about who Mordecai, Esther, Ahashverosh and Haman really were.  You will use the detective tools of the web and Megillat Esther to understand who the characters were and what we can learn from them. Why do we read this fantastical story every year? The characters of the Megillah must be more important than we thought!  You will be asked to create a CSI profile of each of the characters.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Your Mission** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You will discover the theological and historical implications of Megillat Esther and how the characters of the text each teach Jewish values and ideas. You will discover that while there are “villains” and “heroes” in the text, each one representing personality traits that you can examine to see whether or not you would want to emulate them.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> You will create a portrait (CSI) of each of the characters, Mordecai, Haman, Esther and Ahashverosh.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**The Process** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">First, you will need a team name. What will you call the group that will uncover the real identities of the characters of Megillat Esther? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> After you have formed your group, you need a plan. First start by exploring the original evidence that we have about each character. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Megillat Esther__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> (Click to go to the Book)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Read the lines to each member of the group. Try to act out the lines and use different voices when you read to make the text feel more “real”. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Once you think you have a good idea of what the Megillah is telling us about Mordecai, Esther, Haman and Ahashverosh, it is now time to activate our CSI mission! <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> First, <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__CLICK HERE__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> You will be doing some background work on the megillah. Where did these characters come from? Whom are they related to?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Now that you have an idea of the history of these characters, it is time to dig a little deeper. We need to find out what they are trying to teach us. What is their message and mission? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__Click here to continue your CSI mission:__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But before we’re done, take a look at how the rabbis viewed these characters: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Go to <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__**THIS PAGE**__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and scroll down about half-way to “The Protagonists of Megillat Esther” <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Read about the main characters and then investigate further <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__**HERE**__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**.**

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your picture is almost complete--you have discovered so much more about the characters from the megillah. You are almost ready to start creating your CSI! Great job! <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Click here to get your final piece of background intel on the Megillah characters (be sure to crank your speakers!): <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://catalog.shlockrock.com/song_found.php?v=purim&f=attribute_value&s=attribute_value&Submit=+__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now that you have successfully gone on our CSI mission, it is time to create profiles for all of our Megillah characters. Fill out a profile sheet for each character. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> What traits do they have? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Are our heroes “perfect?” <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Are our villains all “bad?” <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> What can we learn from each character? <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.alexweinberg.org/CSIinfochart.pdf__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What did you learn about the characters that you didn’t find in the text?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Evaluation** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your ‘portraits’ will be evaluated. There will be a common grade for your group work as opposed to individual grades. ||

<span style="background-color: #ff9999; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 1 || <span style="background-color: #ffcc99; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Developing <span style="background-color: #ffcc99; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2 || <span style="background-color: #ffffcc; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Accomplished <span style="background-color: #ffffcc; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3 || <span style="background-color: #ccffcc; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Exemplary <span style="background-color: #ccffcc; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> 4 || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Score ||
 * || <span style="background-color: #ff9999; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Beginning
 * <span style="background-color: #cccccc; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">//You have provided up to four ‘portraits’ of the main characters of Megillat Esther.// || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your team has presented one portrait reflecting a beginning level of performance. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your team has presented two portraits reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your team has presented three portraits reflecting mastery of performance. || <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 9pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your team has presented four portraits reflecting the highest level of performance. ||  ||

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Conclusion** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You have, hopefully, learned about the character traits of the various characters in the Purim story. You have determined whether or not they are villains or heroes. Why does Mordechai work behind the scenes? What happens if one looks even further behind the scenes? Was Esther manipulative? Does King Achashverosh demonstrate the qualities of a good leader? Is Haman evil? With which character do you most identify? Which character would you most like to emulate? What famous people in 2011 are similar to each of these characters?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Credits & References** <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__webquest.sdsu.edu/templates/lesson-template1.htm__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://webquest.org/index.php__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__webquest.sdsu.edu/about_webquests.html__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://ohr.edu/holidays/purim/the_story_of_purim/1484__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16474__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Compelling+Content/Jewish+Time/Festivals+and+Memorial+Days/Purim/Exercise+Dramatis+Personae+of+Purim.htm__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://catalog.shlockrock.com/song_found.php?v=purim&f=attribute_value&s=attribute_value&Submit=+__]

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://www.alexweinberg.org/CSIinfochart.pdf__]