Kitah Alef Explores the Megillah

"The megillah tell us the Purim story,

the Purim story, the Purim story.

The megillah tells us the Purim story,

that happened long ago."

(Tune of: The Wheels on the Bus)

One central theme of Purim is the reading of the megillah. The megillah is written on parchment in Aleph Bet letters and tells the Purim story. In our introduction of the holiday we've begun familiarizing the children with the concept of the megillah and the Purim main characters. 

First we looked at the megillah's physical properties and compared it to a Torah scroll. We noted that although both are written on parchment, have Aleph Bet letters and handles, a megillah has only one side with two handles while a Torah has two sides with four. The stories told inside also differ.

 

We each took a turn to look carefully at the Aleph Bet letters of the megillah.

We've been using little people puppets to tell the Purim story. After the story, we pass around the characters for the children to see and feel.

During morning free play we make the characters available in activity trays for the children to use to tell the story themselves. This helps them learn the skills of storytelling, pretend play, and social-emotional awareness.

Purim Songs:

(Tune of: London Bridge)

Chag Purim is coming soon,

coming soon, coming soon, 

Chag Purim is coming soon,

the next holiday.

We will hear the megillah...

We will give tzeddakah,

We will eat a big seudah (meal)...

We will send mishloach manot...

on Purim!

(Tune of: I have a Little Dreidel)

My gragger likes Queen Esther,

it likes good Mordechai,

it listens to the megillah,

as quietly as I.

But if you mention Haman,

it makes a great big sound,

so don't you mention Haman when my gragger is around!

(Tune of: Di, Dayeinu)

Boo, boo, Haman,

boo, boo, Haman,

boo, boo, Haman,

on Purim day!