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What do robots have to do with Israel and Judaism? This was the question that twelve third and fourth grade students set out to answer this fall. This experimental robotics chug (elective) was part of a larger initiative to infuse the education program at Temple Shalom of Newton – called SHACHARIT – with offerings designed to examine modern innovations through the lens of Jewish tradition.
Our goal was to teach about ancient traditions in a rapidly changing world. We hired two researchers from the Developmental Technologies Research Group at Tufts University to bring the content knowledge of LEGO Robotics into the classroom. Together, the researchers and Temple Shalom’s Rabbi Allison Berry developed a curriculum introducing concepts of robotics and computer programming to explore questions about Israel and the people who live there. Students who had never visited Israel investigated different regions throughout the country, studying geography, culture, and history. They would eventually use that knowledge to create authentic 3D art creations to represent a portion of the geography of the country.Image may be NSFW.
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In order to highlight different aspects of the land of Israel, we investigated several major cities through the study of meaningful historic sites for Judaism, as well as other faiths. We explore geographic features, and even popular tourist destinations that participants or their families may have visited.
While the children discussed the sages buried in Tiberius and studied the architecture of the Bahai Gardens, we also took some time to focus on fundamental aspects of robotics. We explored programming and action commands, discussed sensors and interactivity in the everyday objects around us (i.e. refrigerators, elevators), and even built and programmed our own robotic cars.
Near the end of our chug, we applied all of our learning to create a 3D map of the country. We used robotic media as an expressive tool to teach about Israel. Students worked in pairs to create cities out of recyclable and craft materials like foam, plastic cups, pipe cleaners, and colored paper. They then had a choice about how to integrate the robotic materials. Some students created small cars to act as tour guides, others created geographically accurate terrain for robotic vehicles to navigate, and still others used sensors and text displays to teach about their city. Each group came up with a creative way to show off their city using hand-crafted models and unique robotic parts.
We knew the most difficult challenge to overcome would be introducing the larger Temple Shalom community, most of whom knew nothing about robotics, to the map that reflected such powerful learning and deep investigation. To that end, we hosted a large open house, in which parents and members of the congregation were invited to see and experience the children’s hard work. Our chug students presented their projects and research about the different landmarks and historic events in each of their cities. We included some time for students to show their parents, siblings, and friends how to use the robotics kits, and to become teachers to their peers.
We glimpsed success in real time at the open house. We heard shouts of excitement when one group explained to their friends how they made their cool Dead Sea salt crystals. We listened to parents tell stories of their own visits to Israel, and children asking elders about the historical sites and biblical stories they had been learning.
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So what do robots have to do with Judaism? As it turns out, quite a lot. Learning to program is like learning a language – Temple Shalom’s children now have a whole new way to communicate. However, knowing a language doesn’t matter much unless we are trying to communicate something. For our students, the motivation to learn programming was the ability to communicate about their own Jewish identity in a new way and to discuss a region of the world they had heard so much about but never seen. Now, our eight- and nine-year-olds are imagining and interpreting Israel through their robotic creations.
When we first began to create this curriculum, we had no idea how the kids would react to the idea of using unfamiliar robotic materials to represent a country they may never have visited. We hoped that the intersection of Judaism with modern innovation would be exciting and meaningful. We could never have imagined the interactive, room-sized map of Israel that was the culmination of their work. It was rewarding to see our students confidently mixing gears and computers with colored pens and popsicle sticks as they creatively explored their heritage.
This was a very successful start to the SHACHARIT education program’s new curriculum. In the coming year, we have many more courses planned. For example, one will introduce computer programming with Scratch to develop interactive, animated versions of traditional Jewish stories. As Jews, we are “wired” to be innovators. New technologies and philosophies are not studied in isolation, but are used as expressive tools for the children to develop their own Jewish ideas and identities in a meaningful and engaging way.
For more information about SHACHARIT, please Temple Shalom’s Education and Youth Engagement website.
Amanda Strawhacker, Tufts University Developmental Technology Group Researcher
Mollie Elkin, Tufts University Developmental Technology Group Researcher
Rabbi Allison Berry, Temple Shalom, Newton MA
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