Dead Sea Scrolls:

Words that Changed the World

Intermediate Level Educators Resource:

Developed by the Ontario Ministry of Education
in collaboration with
the Royal Ontario Museum

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Grade 8 Language and The Arts (Drama)

Critical Learning

Guiding Questions

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is one of the greatest

th
archaeological finds of the 20 century.

1.

How do artifacts such as the Dead

Sea Scrolls, and the many items
found from that time period, help
historians determine what life was like
during different periods in history?

2.

What stories do the artifacts and

Scrolls tell us about the people who
lived over 2000 years ago in the area
around the Dead Sea?

The Scrolls and the artifacts found with them can provide us with an
insight into the life of the people who lived 2000 years ago in the area
near the Dead Sea.

Curriculum Expectations
Language, Reading
1. read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of literary, graphic, and
informational texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning
1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them
appropriately before, during, and after reading to understand increasingly
complex or difficult texts
1.5 develop and explain interpretations of increasingly complex or difficult
texts using stated and implied ideas from the texts to support their
interpretations
1.6 extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or
difficult texts, by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge,
experience, and insights, to other texts, and to the world around them

The Arts, Drama

B1. Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to process drama and
the development of drama works, using the elements and conventions of drama
to communicate feelings, ideas, and multiple perspectives
B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the elements of drama by selecting
and manipulating multiple elements and conventions to create and
enhance a variety of drama works and shared drama experiences
B1.3 plan and shape the direction of the drama by negotiating ideas and
perspectives with others, both in and out of role

Instructional Components
Literacy Strategies
Think-aloud
T-chart
Double-entry journal

Drama Strategies
Process Drama
Role Play
Small Group Story Telling
In role and out of role
Tableaux with Transitions
Process Presentation
Teacher Side-Coaching
Voices in the Head

Learning Goals
(Unpacked Expectations)
Students will use various artifacts and
fragments found in the same area and
time period as the Dead Sea Scrolls to
infer meaning about what life was like
during the time of 250 BCE and 68 CE in
the area near the Dead Sea.
Based on their interpretations of the texts
and artifacts, students will engage in
drama conventions and strategies to
express the story of life at that time.

Terminology

Materials

Time capsule
Before Common Era (BCE)
Common Era (CE)
Scroll
Artifact
Fragment
Parchment
Papyrus
Drama definitions

-News articles about time capsules

(Appendix A)
-T-charts (Appendix A)
-Objects from Sepphoris (Appendix B)
- Objects from Jerusalem (Appendix B)
-Objects from Qumran (Appendix B)
-Sample Scrolls (Appendix B)
-Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed
the World (Appendix C)
-Double-Entry Journals (Appendix C)
-What is their Story? (Appendix D)
-Drama Conventions (Appendix E)
-Literacy Strategies (Appendix F)
-Strategy Implementation Continuum
(Appendix G)

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Minds On (pre ROM visit activities)

Grade 8 Language and The Arts (Drama)

Approximately 20 minutes

Whole Class > Modelling > Conceptual Understanding

The teacher reads a news story to the class about opening a time capsule and, using a think-aloud
strategy, models thinking about the information that can be gathered from the contents of a time
capsule. (See Appendix A, Time Capsules) for internet sources of current news stories about time
capsules). The teacher models using T-chart #1 demonstrating how to infer information from the objects
found in the time capsule. (See Appendix A, T-Charts)
Small Groups > Shared Practice > What is my story?
In small groups, students use T-chart #2 and, on the left side, list objects that they would put into a time
capsule to let someone in the future know about them. On the right side, students indicate why they
have chosen each item. When selecting the objects, students consider what the future person might
want to know.

Action! (Pre ROM visit Activities)

Approximately 90 minutes

A) Small Groups > Dramatic Representation > Imagining a Story Divide the class into three small
groups. Students view images and read about some objects that were found near 1. Sepphoris, 2.
Jerusalem, and 3. Qumran. (See three files in Appendix B Objects from Sepphoris, Objects from
Jerusalem, Objects from Qumran and Sample Scrolls) Using these objects as the stimulus, each
group then engages in an imaginative activity and creates a back story for the objects. What do we
know? (Facts), What do we think we know? (Infer), What do we want to find out? (Explore) Groups
shares and discusses their ideas with the whole class.
B) Whole Class > Modeling > Setting the Context The teacher provides background information and
reads aloud sections I and II in the student package Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World
(Summary and An Astonishing Discovery sections) and models the use of a double-entry journal to
respond to information. (See Appendix C Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World and
Appendix C - Double-Entry Journal)
C) Small Groups > What is their Story? Independently students read about their groups location 1.
Sepphoris, 2. Jerusalem or 3. Qumran. Students return to their groups (from activity A) and use a Small
group story telling strategy share to consolidate their understanding of the text orally. (See Appendix D
What is their Story? and Appendix E- Drama Conventions: Teacher Resource) In small groups,
students select one of the locations and engage in a story-telling activity about that site.
D) Whole Class > Independent Practice > The Mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls The teacher
introduces the mystery behind the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and provides some background
information. Students independently read section III in the student package Dead Sea Scrolls: Words
that Changed the World (Mystery: Who Wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls? section) and use a doubleentry journal to respond. (See Appendix C Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World text and
Appendix C Double-Entry Journal)
E) Small Groups > Process Drama Activity > What is the Story behind the Mystery?
In small groups, students work with process drama to explore their understanding of the time and place
and consolidate this understanding by generating a theory in answer to the mystery. Out of role they
will answer questions such as: Were the Scrolls were part of an ancient collection and, if so, whose?
and Who concealed the Scrolls, and why? Students will consider drama elements (e.g., role/character,
relationship) and in role convey their understanding using drama conventions (e.g., tableaux with
transitions). (See Appendix E Drama Conventions: Teacher Resource)

Consolidation (ROM visit and POST ROM visit)

Pause and Ponder

Question Prompts
What random objects would
you put into a time capsule to
let someone in the future know
about you? What your life was
like? How you lived? What
were your interests? What is
your story? How well would
they be able to piece together
your story? How would you
protect your time capsule?
AfL: Assess and provide oral
feedback on the effectiveness
of students choices.
Question Prompts
Teacher models reading
selections from the text and
models making inferences.
Since these objects are an
unintentional time capsule
what do they tell you about the
people that wrote the scrolls,
and that created and used the
objects? What questions do
you have about the people,
their time, and place? What is
the story? What do they tell us
about their daily life and
culture?
AfL: Assess and provide oral
feedback on the double-entry
journals and feedback on
drama in process.
Question Prompts
What is archaeology? How
were the Dead Sea scrolls
found? Where were they
found? By whom? Why do you
think the scrolls were hidden?
What can the artifacts tell us
about life at this time? What
story do they tell? What is the
mystery behind this collection?

Approximately 30 minutes

Whole Class > ROM VISIT

Small Groups > Guided Practice > Final Drama Presentation (post ROM visit)
In small groups, students share their story to the whole class by presenting their drama tableaux with
transitions. The class can use the drama convention Voices in the Head to orally gather more
information about the groups theory. (See Appendix E Drama Conventions: Teacher Resource)

Question Prompt
How can taking on the
perspective of a character and
a situation help us understand
the story better?

Next Lesson Connection

Ideas for extension activities:
Write a fictional narrative about an event that may have occurred based on the artifacts selected and developed out of the dramatization.
Write a diary entry in role of a person that may have hidden a Scroll.
Create a news item (article, video report, podcast) about the discovery of the Scrolls.

Appendix A (Minds On Activity)

Time Capsules: Todays Examples

News stories about time capsules:

http://www.thunderbay.ca/City_Government/City_Records_and_Archives/
Web_Exhibits/Time_Capsule.htm
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1563199
http://www.cambridge.ca/mayor_city_council/time_capsule
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1562330
http://www.delhinewsrecord.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1556492

Protecting/Conserving a time capsule:

http://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/publications/cidb/viewdocument_e.aspx?Document_ID=141

Appendix A (for 1st Minds On Activity)

The ________ Time Capsule

T-Chart #1
Object

What does it tell us?

Appendix A (for 2nd Minds On Activity)

Our Time Capsule

T-Chart #2
Object

What will it tell someone about us?

Appendix B (2 of 4) - Imagining a Story Activity

Group 2 Student Handout (Small Group)
Objects found around Jerusalem

Glassware - ROM (Gift of Miss Helen Norton)

Eastern Mediterranean region, 1st 2nd century CE (between the years 0-200)
This was one of the first places in the world where blown glass was created. Glassworkers in ancient Judea and
surrounding areas produced remarkable objects during these eras. Pieces like these would have been a familiar sight in
the homes of the wealthy in Jerusalem. They may have held fine oils, liquids, and perfumes.

Glassware jar - ROM (Gift of Miss Helen Norton)

Eastern Mediterranean region, 1st 2nd century CE (between the years 0-200)
Small glass jar in the shape of a date. Dates grow on a plant that is part of the Palm family. The date palm was
important because it provided sugar and food, and the plant itself provided shade, building materials, animal feed, tools
and rope. The date palm, a symbol of peace, justice and supply, was pictured in early sculptures, and was important to
several of the world's religious groups which were in the area (e.g., the Jews, the Muslims and the Christians).

Clay Storage jar - Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA)

1st century BCE - 1st century CE (less than a hundred years of year 0 on our calender)
These vessels would have stored grapes, olive oil, wine, grain, fish, and other commodities. They were produced in very
large number (on an industrial scale). They are typical of earthenware clay vessels that were produced throughout the
Mediterranean region.

Objects found around Jerusalem continued.

Earthenware (clay) Oil lamp with multiple nozzles - ROM

1st century BCE - 1st century CE (less than a hundred years of year 0 on our calender)
Lamps were the primary source of lighting in the home and workplace at the time. They were filled with oil (e.g., fish oil,
animal fat or vegetable oil) and a woven wick was lit with a flame (similar in use to a modern candle). This lamp has
multiple nozzles for multiple wicks. The second lamp is the more common single wick style. The type of decoration
(geometric, floral, animal or human) can give clues to the archeologist regarding which of the many cultures present at
the time may have used particular lamps.

Earthenware (clay), Cooking pot, flask and jug - IAA

1st century CE (around the years 1-100)
Rich or poor, every household in Jerusalem had to cook meals and these are examples of common kitchenware. Smaller
juglets could have been used to hold oils of a less expensive kind for personal use, while taking a bath for example.
Slightly larger juglets were probably used during cooking, to carry wine, water, or oil.

Limestone Basin/Sink, stone vessel, edge of a carved stone table, olive oil press (crushing platform) - IAA

1st century BCE - 1st century CE (less than a hundred years of year 0 on our calender)
The first object would have functioned as the ancient worlds version of the modern sink. These artifacts were excavated
in a residential area in Jerusalem that was topographically higher than the rest of the city. This was the neighbourhood of
the rich, with large, elaborate dwellings inhabited by the families of the high priests and the local aristocracy. The remains
of many houses have ritual baths as well as elaborate utensils and furniture made of stone. Priests meticulously observed
the laws of ritual purity, not only in the Temple but also in their homes. They believed that stone vessels could not absorb
impurities the way that more porous clay and earthenware did, and highly skilled artisans carved small household mugs,
large water-storage jars even tabletops. The table edge depicts a double cornucopia (A goat's horn overflowing with fruit,
flowers, and grain), a symbol of food and abundance (this type of symbol shows Greek Empires influence).

Objects found around Jerusalem continued.

Glass jars and bootles IAA

1st century CE (between the years 1-100 on our calender)
An oinment jar (far left) and jars for cosmetics (make up).

Limestone - IAA
1st century BCE (between the years 1-100 on our calender)
The first object is a stone building fragment that could be called a no trespassing sign on pain of death. Translation:
"No foreigner shall enter within the balustrade of the Temple, or within the precinct, and whosoever shall be caught shall
be responsible for [his] death that will follow in consequence [of his trespassing]." The second building fragment says,
"To the place of the trumpeting to de[clare?]..." This may refer to a place "...where one of the priests stood..., and gave a
signal beforehand with a trumpet, at the beginning of every seventh day, in the evening twilight, as also at the evening
when the day was finished, as giving notice to the people when they were to leave off work and when they were to go to
work again." (Josephus, c. 75 CE)

Tyrian shekel (Silver) - ROM

Mid 1st century BCE (about 50 years before year 0)
This coin called a shekel minted in a city called Tyre (now Lebanon). The coin bears a symbol of an eagle with a palm
branch at its shoulder. It was the only coin accepted as payment for the Temple tax. Weighing around 14 g, these silver
coins remained the standard payment even after the Romans took over the land. Every male over the age of 20 was
required to pay an annual half-shekel tax. To put this in modern terms, a full days labor in this time was one gerah, and a
half Shekel was worth 10 gerah or ten full days of work.

Appendix B (3 of 4) - Imagining a Story Activity

Group 3 Student Handout
Objects found around Qumran

Earthenware (clay) Juglet - IAA

1st century BCE 70 CE (less than a hundred years of year 0 on our calender)
Small juglets like these were likely used at Qumran as containers for precious or expensive liquids, such as perfumes or
oils, including balsam. Much of the pottery discovered at Qumran appears to have been manufactured locally.

Earthenware (clay) goblet, plate, cooking pot, and dried dates and olives
1st century BCE 70 CE (less than a hundred years of year 0 on our calender)
Remains of an Ancient Pantry? One of the first mysteries that archaeologists unearthed at Qumran was an assemblage
of more than 1,000 dishes plain ceramic cups, plates, bowls, and jugs - which lay neatly stacked, yet broken, on the
ground. Plaster shelves, now deteriorated, had supported them. For many, this is evidence for the practice of communal
dining: a 2,000-year-old pantry of neatly stacked pottery, ready for the next meal. Some scholars reject the communaldining theory and argue that these remains, along with the remnants of kilns, are
evidence of a thriving pottery manufacturing centre.Judging by remains such as these, the inhabitants of the Qumran
settlement ate simple meals, including barley, lentils, olives, and dates.

Date-palm fibre rope and Basket fragment, Wool hairnet? -IAA

1st century BCE 1st century CE
Date palms not only provided food but their fibres can be used for making ropes, mats, and
baskets. This woven net was also found in one of the caves near Khirbet Qumran. It may be an ancient hairnet, though
this is difficult to say definitively. Some see this as evidence for the presence of women at Qumran.

Objects found around Qumran continued

Boxwood Comb, leather sandal, fabric, Leather Phylacteries - IAA

1st century BCE 1st century CE
The remnants of a pair of leather sandals and a comb are some of the few personal items that survive the people who
once inhabited the Qumran site. Archaeologists discovered several hundred pieces of cloth in the caves around Qumran.
Textiles rarely survive the ravages of time, but the extremely dry climate and protected darkness of the caves helped
preserve them. Most of the textiles from Qumran are linen; the rest are made of wool and goat hair. This scroll wrapper is
made of linen decorated with blue stripes. There were also small leather containers, or phylacteries, which held miniature
scrolls inscribed with various ancient biblical texts were found in the Scroll caves.

Clay Vessel used as a hoard container-IAA

A Silver Hoard. Several clay pots filled to the brim with coins, which were found under one of the Qumran buildings.
Excavators of Khirbet Qumran unearthed 1,251 coins. Most of the coins were pure silver shekels. The same type of coin
was accepted for the poll tax and other payments. One shekel was worth 20 full days of labour.

Earthenware (clay) Inkwell IAA

Small ceramic inkwells were discovered in the ruins of Qumran along with two others. Each had dried ink inside and was
found in a collapsed room with a long plastered bench (table?). Few people could write in ancient times, and inkwells are
rarely found at archaeological sites. Did these belong to scribes, copists, or authors?

Appendix B (1 of 4) - Imagining a Story Activity

Group 1 Student Handout (Small Group)
Objects found around Sepphoris

Earthenware (clay) Lamp fragments - IAA

late 1st to 3rd century CE (between the years 0-300 on our calender)
Oil lamps were the primary source of lighting in the home and workplace at the time. They were filled with oil (e.g., fish oil,
animal fat or vegetable oil) and had a woven wick that was lit with a flame (similar to a candle). This particular type was a
discus lamp, with a flat circular area (discus) moulded into the top of the body that allowed a space for decoration, and
they were pierced with a small hole (for filling the lamp). The type of decoration (geometric, floral, animal or human) can
give clues to the archeologist regarding which of the many cultures present at the time may have used these particular
lamps. For example the one with a depiction of the head of Medusa shows Greek influence. Medusa, meaning
"guardian," had hair made of snakes and a look that would turn people to stone. In classical antiquity this image was
displayed to avert or scare away evil.

Two dice - IAA

These dice were used to play games of chance. The Romans called this type of dice tesserae; the numbers are arranged
such that any two opposite sides add up to seven. Each die is hand-carved from a single piece of animal bone. During the
1st to 3rd centuries CE (between the years 0-300), dice like these were carried across the Roman Empire by soldiers,
who used them to play games in their free time.

Limestone building (cornice) fragment - IAA

Possibly late 1st century (around the year 75-100)
This carved architectural piece is likely a decorative moulding (e.g., around the wall of a room where it joins the ceiling or,
outdoors, on the uppermost part of a building.) It is intended to impress the viewer with the richness of the structure or
with the importance of its patron/owner. It must have been a richly decorated building (e.g., basilical structure, theatre).

Appendix B (1 of 4) - Imagining a Story Activity

Group 1 Student Handout (Small Group)
Objects found around Sepphoris

Earthenware (clay) amphora handle with inscription (writing) IAA

2nd century BCE (less than 200 years before year 0 on our calender)
This is a fragment of a clay handle of an amphora, an ancient jar with two handles and a narrow neck, to hold grain, olive
oil or wine. The text on the fragment reads manager or treasurer which makes it likely that the contents were handed
over as tax to the treasurer.

Glass Cosmetic pots and gold jewelry (earring is 6th century CE) IAA
The object of the far left is a small glass container intended to store cosmetics such as kohl. Kohl is a dark powder (a
mixture of soot and other ingredients) used to darken the edges of eyelids (much like modern eyeliner). As well as gold
jewelry including a gold earring with pearls.

Bronze Figurine - IAA

This bronze figurine was discovered in a cistern (a tank for catching and storing rainwater). It probably represents
Prometheus (a character in Greek mythology). According to Greek myth, he committed a crime (he stole fire from the
gods and given it to humankind) and as a result he was chained to a rock by Zeus to be tortured by an eagle (standing on
his right thigh in the sculpture) continually tearing at his liver, which grew back every night.

Appendix B (4 of 4) - Student Handout for Imagining a Story Activity

All Groups
Sample Scrolls / Texts found in the caves

Date: 130 CE, Discovered in Cave 4

This cave contained scrolls that had 150 poems
including a number of previously unknown psalms.

Date: 10080 BCE (paleographic dating), 93

BCE80 CE (radiocarbon dating), Cave 4
This fragment describes the belief of the author that the
end of times was near and that someone would arrive
soon to save them.

Date: late 1st century BCE, Cave 4

This scroll is a composition that describes a war
between good and evil. The author describes
recruitment, requirements of combatants, roles of the
leaders, rituals of war, soldiers weapons and battle
strategy.

Date: 251 BCE, Discovered: Cave 4

A series of religious verses that include the authors
commentary and provide interpretation of the texts
meaning. The analysis is often related to contemporary
events in their world.

Date: 134 CE, Discovered: Cave of Letters

This scroll was one of six papers that belonged to a
farmer. This document is a lease agreement written in
the year 134 CE. The lessee agrees to pay a certain
amount and to harvest the fruit and crop within the
leased property. The length of the lease is also specified
and extends until the completion of the growing season.
This cave contained other legal documents, personal
letters of the Premier, as well as clothing and skeletal
remains.

Date: 301 BCE , Discovered in Cave 4

Date: 301 BCE, Discovered in Cave 4

Scrolls were found with numerous previously unknown

texts, as well as biblical texts such as the book of
Genesis, the book of Daniel and the Ten
Commandments, in addition to stories found in several
religions (e.g., Judaism, Christianity and Islam) such as
the story of the sacrifice of Abraham. The texts include
languages such as Hebrew, Aramaic (ancestral to
alphabets such as Arabic and Hebrew), and Greek.

This scroll contains a story about a community that fled

from Judea. There is a list of legal rules and rituals. This
fragment has regulations concerning people with
infectious skin diseases in the community (e.g., leprosy).
The text displays basic knowledge of blood circulating
through the arteries, a concept that was not fully
understood until the 17th century.

Appendix C: Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World

I. Summary
The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls ranks as
one of the great archaeological events of the 20th
century. They are among the earliest records of
Biblical patriarchs and prophets known to Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. Prior to the discovery of the
Scrolls, the oldest known copies of Biblical texts
were written almost 1,000 years later.
Discovered in 11 caves near the Dead Sea
between 1947 and 1956, the Dead Sea Scrolls
consist of over 900 ancient manuscripts, mostly in
fragments. Written primarily in Hebrew, but also in
Figure 1. Caves near Khirbet Qumran. Three-quarters of
Aramaic and Greek, these manuscripts include
the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in this cave (Cave 4)
Biblical texts, other religious writings, poetry,
in 1952. Photo by Tsila Sagiv, courtesy of the IAA.
songs, and lists of rules. Although apparently
deposited in these caves in the late 1st century CE, the scrolls were written over a period between
250 BCE and 68 CE.
The Dead Sea Scrolls have been the objects of great scholarly and public interest, as well as heated
debate, since their discovery over 60 years ago.
II. An Astonishing Discovery
For 2,000 years, caves in the Judaean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea
concealed a collection of mainly parchment scrolls stored in tall clay jars,
untouched by light and other elements. Hidden from human eyes for
millennia, the Scrolls were brought to light in 1947 through a chance
discovery by a Bedouin shepherd. While searching for a stray goat,
Mohammed Ed Dhib, threw stones into one of these caves and heard the
sound of a breaking clay jar. Upon investigating, he and his companions
discovered a few clay jars that held leather scrolls wrapped in linen, the
first of what would become known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. While he
surmised that these manuscripts were ancient and possibly valuable, he
did not know that he had stumbled upon some of the earliest Biblical
writings ever to have been found.

Eventually, the Bedouin took the leather pieces to Khalil Iskander Shahin, known as Kando, an
Armenian shoemaker who also dabbled in antiquities. He purchased the scrolls, promising the
Bedouin of the profits if he succeeded in selling them. It was a tough task. Because of the
excellent condition of these first scrolls, many thought them to be fakes, or perhaps recently stolen
from a local synagogue. Kandos instincts, however, told him otherwise.
Unfortunately, time treated most of the scrolls rather harshly. All suffered some degree of

deterioration, even the best preserved. A large number were found in

fragments, their protective devices long gone, owing to rot, vermin, and
(perhaps) vandalism.
The caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found are located northwest of the
Dead Sea, in an area known as Wadi Qumran. The caves are fairly close, and
in some cases directly accessible from the site of Khirbet Qumran. Until the
discovery of the manuscripts, Qumran had not attracted much interest from
archaeologists, but has since been extensively excavated and studied. Today,
the site is an archaeological park, where visitors can see the layout of the
buildings, pools and the sophisticated water system that allowed residents of
the site to live in this arid area.

Figure 2. 1st century

BCE 70 CE earthen
jar, Qumran - IAA

In the early 1950s, the handful of scholars who laid eyes on the first Dead Sea Scrolls understood
immediately their monumental significance. They spent sleepless nights poring over the writings and
countless days analyzing the texts, carefully considering who could have written these 2,000-year-old
manuscripts. As more and more were discovered, these ancient documents would capture the
imaginations of millions around the world. Most of the Scrolls were found in small fragments, more
than 50,000 in all. In 1952, a team of eight scholars began the decade-long task of piecing them back
together.
III. Mystery: Who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?
The Dead Sea Scrolls teach us much about this period. The texts range from prayers, poems and
prophesies to laws and commentary. Some of the stories and texts had never been seen before, but
others were early versions of texts we still know today in the
Jewish Torah and Christian Old Testament. However, who
wrote them, and how and why they were in the caves
remains a matter of debate. Some scrolls are as old as 250
BCE, while others date to about the year 68 CE, just before
the Romans destroyed both Qumran and Jerusalem. Did the
Scrolls originate with a community that lived in Qumran? Did
the Scrolls come from elsewhere and have no connection to
the community near the caves where they were found?
Perhaps the scrolls were placed in the Qumran caves by
people fleeing from the Romans in Jerusalem. Were they
once part of a broader collection like a library?
Qumran was destroyed and Jerusalem attacked in the year
68 CE and the first Dead Sea Scrolls were found 2,015 years
later in 1947. After 60 years of research by dozens of
dedicated scholars, there continue to be disagreements.

So the mystery remains: Who wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls?

Where did the scrolls come from? Under what circumstances
did they end up in the caves? We are also left with the concerns of the Scrolls authors, such as: How
should we live our lives? How and when will the world end? What then will happen to us?

Appendix C (for Action! Activity B)

Dead Sea Scrolls: Words that Changed the World
Double-Entry Journal
While reading, you can use this graphic organizer to question and
respond to what you are reading. Jot down words and phrases from the
text on the left side. On the right side jot down ideas that come to mind
and any questions that you have while reading. Also jot down possible
answers (e.g., maybe because. )

What it says :
-

Selected words and images from the text

What I think:
-

Visual commentary (drawings, doodles)

Significance
Possible answers: Maybe because

Questions (Clarifying & Probing)

Appendix D (for Group One)

Student Handout: What is their Story?
Location One: Sepphoris
Read to learn about Sepphoris, one of the archaeological sites where the
Dead Sea Scrolls and artifacts were uncovered. What does this time
capsule found at Sepphoris tell you? What questions do you have about
the people, their time, and place? What is their story?
While reading, use the double-entry journal to question and respond to
what you are reading. Jot down words and phrases from the text on the
left-side. On the right side jot down ideas that come to mind and any
questions that you have while reading. Also jot down possible answers
(e.g., maybe because. )
After reading, dramatize the story of Sepphoris.

"I saw Sepphoris in its time of prosperity; and it contained 180,000 booths of sellers of
spices."
- Babylonian Talmud
Let us visit Sepphoris in 100 BCE, a town perched on the top of a hill in Galilee. Streets and
houses are laid in a grid pattern originally paved with a simple mosaic design and lined with
pillars. The market is lined with white plastered buildings, red-tiled roofs, mosaic floors, and
painted fresco walls. Stories tell of a city archive (library) and a treasury.
The climate here is too hot and challenging for material such as paper (parchment and papyrus)
to survive. The artifacts that did survive include bone fragments (e.g., from peoples food
waste), the pools that they had carved into the rock of numerous houses, and a significant
number of stone vessels used for storing pure water and for ritual washing.
Artifacts reveal that there were times of quiet coexistence of cultures, and at one time Sepphoris
proclaimed itself as Eirenopolis (City of Peace). Prior to that time, however, there is evidence of
times of violence and revolt against the authorities and taxation. A later rebellion caused the
Romans to respond by burning the city. Similar issues and tensions can be found in some of the
texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Sepphoris was likely a multicultural city because many influences from other cultures are
evident in the architecture. Fragments from richly ornamented buildings have been found as
well as venues such as a theatre.

Appendix D (for Group Two)

Student Handout: What is their Story?
Location Two: Jerusalem
Read to learn about Jerusalem, one of the archaeological sites where the
Dead Sea Scrolls and artifacts were uncovered. What does this time
capsule found at Jerusalem tell you? What questions do you have about
the people, their time, and place? What is their story?
While reading, use the double-entry journal to question and respond to
what you are reading. Jot down words and phrases from the text on the
left-side. On the right side jot down ideas that come to mind and any
questions that you have while reading. Also jot down possible answers
(e.g., maybe because. )
After reading, dramatize the story of Jerusalem.

"Whoever has not seen Jerusalem in its splendour has never seen a fine city."
- Babylonian Talmud
Jerusalem has been inhabited for some 5000 years; some texts say King David made the city the political
and religious capital of ancient Israel just over 3000 years ago. It is located in the centre of the Judean
mountains, which made the city a challenge to enemy invaders. Jerusalem is an important site for the
people of several major religions (i.e., Christians, Jews and Muslims). Its mountainous location also made
it a demanding hike for religious pilgrims. Jerusalem evolved during this time period (583 BCE-70 CE)
from a small, ruined settlement to a city of monumental cultural, political, and religious importance. It grew
from 30 acres to almost 450 acres and from 5,000 inhabitants to over 60,000.
Many Scrolls mention Jerusalem as the "contemporary city" or current reality and also refer to "visions"
of it in a perfect future age. Over these 600 years Jerusalem was absorbed into the Persian Empire, the
Greek Empire, had periods of independence, and the Roman Empire in 63 BCE. During the era of King
Herod, he sought to transform the city into a grand, capital city. Herod built massive fortifications (military
constructions and buildings designed for defense in warfare), a theatre, a hippodrome (arena or stadium)
for horse and chariot races, government council buildings, streets lined with columns, marketplaces, and,
perhaps most importantly he renovated the Temple.
Also during this time period, the religious leadership in Jerusalem became contentious and politicized.
This role was limited to a group of men because it was hereditary (they were related). They were the
officials at ceremonies and taught laws, and cultural traditions. During this time some saw the High Priest
as a glorified civil servant. Divisions arose, and there were competing ideas about leadership, authority,
and maintaining tradition.
Historical sources say that a variety of Judean groups disagreed, sometimes strongly, with one another
about how best to maintain rituals and traditions. For example, the priesthood and the aristocracy were
most often associated with a group called the "Sadducees." Similarly, the "Pharisees" were an educated
group of "common" leaders who represented the "common" people. The "Essenes" supposedly lived a
very simple life secluded from everyone else. But recent scholarship says this might not be entirely true
and the lines between one philosophy and another may not have been so definite. For example, Essenes
may not have lived in seclusion, some Pharisees may have served as priests, and not all Sadducees
were aristocratic.

Appendix D (for Group Three)

Student Handout: What is their Story?
Location Three: Qumran
Read to learn about Qumran, one of the archaeological sites where the Dead Sea
Scrolls and artifacts were uncovered. What does this time capsule found at
Qumran tell you? What questions do you have about the people, their time, and
place? What is their story?
While reading, use the double-entry journal to question and respond to what you
are reading. Jot down words and phrases from the text on the left-side. On the
right side jot down ideas that come to mind and any questions that you have while
reading. Also jot down possible answers (e.g., maybe because. )
After reading, dramatize the story of Qumran.

"I give you thanks Lord, because you have set me at the source of streams in a dry land,
at the spring of water in a parched land in a garden watered by channels...hidden among
all the trees at the water which shall make a shoot grow in the everlasting plantation."
- Hodayot [Thankgsgiving Hymns], Scroll A (Dead Sea Scrolls)
The small settlement of Qumran would have offered a striking contrast to the cosmopolitan cities of Jerusalem and
Sepphoris. The isolated settlement stood beside the lowest place on Earth, the Dead Sea. In comparison to the city
of Jerusalem which stands 1040 metres above sea level, Qumran was by the Dead Sea which lies at 402 metres
below sea level. The site remains a puzzle to archaeologists. Was it a military outpost, a manor house, or a ceramics
factory? Or was it the centre for a group of monks who copied and composed the scrolls?
The caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found lie close to Khirbet Qumran. Some people have a theory that it
was inhabited by the Essenes, a group that lived a simple, communal life apart from the mainstream society. There is
some evidence at the site that could support this theory. This desert city contained many baths which could have
been used to support the groups beliefs about ritual purity. They also found a room with a plaster bench and three
inkwells. Perhaps this was the "scriptorium" where the Scrolls were copied and composed. Few people could write in
ancient times, and inkwells are rarely found at archaeological sites. Of the 43 graves excavated from a much larger
cemetery, most contained skeletons of adult males.
Other people have different theories. Perhaps it was a fortified mansion or an estate that was involved in some form
of farming. Still others view it as a centre of ceramic production where they made clay pottery. The site contains
numerous ovens, furnaces, and pottery kilns, suggesting an industrial use, and perhaps explaining the large quantity
of pottery.
How did the inhabitants of Qumran survive in such a hot, dry location? Their lives depended upon their ability to
capture and store water. Qumran was carefully located so that the people could take advantage of rainwater from the
mountains. The settlers constructed a dam, built an elaborate aqueduct 210 metres long, and cut water channels into
the rock to direct water into pools found throughout the site. Creative engineering made use of every drop of scarce
rainwater. Archaeologists suggest that the water captured from one flash flood could last for six months to a year.
The community used water for more than drinking and cooking. Ritual bathing seems probable.
Archaeologists also found several clay pots filled to the brim with a horde of 1251 pure silver coins under one of the
Qumran buildings. Most of it was composed of Tyrian shekels. A half shekel, which every male over the age of 20
was required to pay as tax once a year, was worth ten full days of work. The horde was worth over a hundred full
years of labour. Imagine its worth at five 5 days of work a week all year...no holidays...for over a hundred years!
Some view this coin horde as further evidence of a religious community at Qumran, in which new members
surrendered their worldly goods to the community treasurer.
Or are there other theories?

Drama Definitions
process drama. Unscripted and improvised drama activities. Role play is a key component of process
drama, and the activities are intended to promote learning, inquiry, or discovery rather than to create drama
for presentation to an audience. The focus is on the exploration and investigation of human dilemmas,
challenges, and relationships.
conventions of drama. Practices and forms of representation that are widely accepted for use in drama
instruction as ways to help students explore meaning and deepen understanding. Hot seating, voices in the
head, and tableau/freeze-frame images are a few examples, among many.
tableau. A group of silent, motionless figures used to represent a scene, theme, or abstract idea (e.g., peace,
joy), or an important moment in a narrative. Tableaux may be presented as stand-alone images to
communicate one specific message or may be used to achieve particular effects in a longer drama work.
Important features of a tableau include character, space, gesture, facial expressions, and levels.
voices in the head. A convention used to deepen students understanding of a conflict or a difficult choice
facing a character in the drama. The student representing the character remains silent while others standing
behind speak out to express the thoughts and feelings the character might be experiencing at this point.
role playing/role play. An instructional technique in which a student and/or the teacher acts the part of a
character in an imagined situation, usually in order to explore the characters thoughts, feelings, and values.
out of role. Not acting a part. The term may be used to refer to discussions that take place out of character
to further the drama or to plan or discuss artistic choices.
side coaching. A non-disruptive instructional technique used by the teacher to help students working on an
exercise or improvisation. As an onlooker, the teacher quietly makes suggestions that the students can use
as they develop and shape their drama.
process presentation. The informal presentation of a drama work to peers for the purpose of feedback. The
feedback can be used to inform further revision.

Appendix E

Drama Conventions: Teacher Resource

Small group story telling (for Action! Activity C)
In groups of 5-6 tell the story of your location. Have the students number
themselves off (e.g., 1 to 5). Give the number 1s a small object such as a scarf, a
pencil, or a pebble. The number 1s hold on to the object and begin to tell some
aspect of the story of the location text. After a short time, they pass the object
to number 2 who continues the story who then passes the object on to number 3,
etc.
Everyone should have an opportunity to tell a part of the story. If a student cannot think of
anything to say or is not yet comfortable, let him/her just pass the object on to the next person in
the group. In that way, the flow of the story is kept constant and no one feels embarrassed. If you
do not have an object, have the students clap their hands when they have finished their storytelling and want to pass the story on to others.

Process Drama (for Action! Activity E)

Working in their small groups (from Activity A), students use the drama convention
tableaux with transitions to convey their groups understanding of the information
and their theory about the mystery. Students think critically out of role to
determine the specifics about the character/role of someone from that time and
place. Students work together to decide the tensions in the time and place and
relationships between roles.
The teacher can help students establish relationship while working out of role by asking guiding
questions about the characters gender, age, name, family background, education, special talents or
skills, social class, occupation, and role in society. Teachers and peers questions can be in three
categories: 1. Seeking new information (e.g., How old is your character? How long have they
known that the scrolls would be hidden?, 2. Shaping understanding (e.g., What do you know
about the time and place that can help you to understand/portray this character? What can we
learn from the artifacts and history of the place?), 3. Prompting reflection (e.g., What do you
suppose your characters life was like? Would he have any friends that he can confide in? I
wonder what happened to these people before the scrolls were hidden? What does your character
want/need in the scene? Where and when is the scene taking place?) These kinds of questions
help delve beyond the known into the world of the imagination.

Drama Definitions
process drama. Unscripted and improvised drama activities. Role play is a key component of process drama, and the
activities are intended to promote learning, inquiry, or discovery rather than to create drama for presentation to an
audience. The focus is on the exploration and investigation of human dilemmas, challenges, and relationships.
conventions of drama. Practices and forms of representation that are widely accepted for use in drama instruction as
ways to help students explore meaning and deepen understanding. Hot seating, voices in the head, and
tableau/freeze-frame images are a few examples, among many.
tableau. A group of silent, motionless figures used to represent a scene, theme, or abstract idea (e.g., peace, joy), or
an important moment in a narrative. Tableaux may be presented as stand-alone images to communicate one specific
message or may be used to achieve particular effects in a longer drama work. Important features of a tableau include
character, space, gesture, facial expressions, and levels.
voices in the head. A convention used to deepen students understanding of a conflict or a difficult choice facing a
character in the drama. The student representing the character remains silent while others standing behind speak out
to express the thoughts and feelings the character might be experiencing at this point.
role playing/role play. An instructional technique in which a student and/or the teacher acts the part of a character in
an imagined situation, usually in order to explore the characters thoughts, feelings, and values.
out of role. Not acting a part. The term may be used to refer to discussions that take place out of character to further
the drama or to plan or discuss artistic choices.
side coaching. A non-disruptive instructional technique used by the teacher to help students working on an exercise
or improvisation. As an onlooker, the teacher quietly makes suggestions that the students can use as they develop
and shape their drama.
process presentation. The informal presentation of a drama work to peers for the purpose of feedback. The feedback
can be used to inform further revision.

Tableaux with Transitions (for Action! Activity E)

1. Students plan a series of tableaux (2-4 tableaux) that tell theory about the
story of their characters and the scrolls. Students need to determine 2-4 key
moments in their story, and create still or frozen images using their bodies to
crystallize those moments or ideas. Out of role students discuss, negotiate, and
decide upon the images that will communicate or represent their story/theory.
Each tableau should be connected to the next with carefully thought out
movements. Students need to consider the involvement of all group members as
well as ideas such as dramatic energy, focus and emphasis and sense of time.
During in- role play, teacher is side- coaching and observing for active listening, focus and character
motivation. Side coaching is a non-disruptive technique which relies on the teacher working
alongside the students providing feedback. The teacher is outside the work in progress, making
suggestions, which the students may choose to incorporate into their drama.

Prior knowledge about tableaux include:

- multiple levels: body positioning should include high, medium, and low levels in space
- relationship: in space, with others, physical distance or proximity to other characters
- focus or emphasis: eye line, eye contact; what is the scenes focus?
- role/character: feelings conveyed through gesture, body language, and facial expressions
- tableaux are shared in stillness and silence.

2. Students may share a process presentation with another group for feedback.
Discussion points can include body positions at definite times, knowing positions and roles in each
tableaux, establishing a signal to move and shift, with no disruption, to the next tableau. When
tableaux are shared, it is important to emphasize that there are many messages contained within a
single image and that they are all valid. There is the intended message of the students who
designed the tableau and there may be many interpretations offered by students who bring their
own meaning making process. The teacher and the students may also use questions help delve
beyond the known into the world of the imagination (see Process Drama Activity).

3. Students can think-pair-share in pairs and their small groups about the
feedback and how to revise their work in order to clearly convey their message.

Tableaux with Transitions Presentation (for Consolidation Activity)

Student engagement statement said by the teacher, To seek answers, we
must traverse an immense interval of time, and take a journey through the
world that created the Dead Sea Scrolls. Lets meet some people from
(Sepphoris, Jerusalem, Qumran).

Have students share their tableaux with transitions in a large group presentation
format.
The class can use the drama strategy Voices in the Head to have students
verbalize information about their character. For example, have one student from
each of the other groups walk over to the tableau, put his/her hand on a
characters shoulder, then (the still frozen) character can speak in role (e.g., what
he/she is feeling and thinking, about who they are, what they are doing and why).
The teacher might question the talking character further to find out more
information about him/her. This can help the class elicit oral information about the
groups theory from the presentation.
The teacher facilitates a debrief of the presentation. Students may share at the end as a large
group or in small groups their reflections and/or glow and grows through discussion (e.g., I
learned., I felt., I wonder.).
The teacher could also facilitate discussion of critical literacy questions:
What perspectives are missing? What voices are left out?
How does taking on roles in drama help us to see or understand people, times and places?
How can taking on the perspective of a character and a situation help you understand the story
better?
How does pretending to be someone else during a certain situation help us understand what the
other person is going through?

Appendix F
Literacy Strategies
Think Aloud
To model for students the thought processes that take place when difficult
material is read. When using think alouds, teachers verbalize their thoughts while
they are reading orally. Students will understand comprehension strategies better
because they can see how the mind can respond to thinking through trouble spots
and constructing meaning from text.

T-Chart
A T-Chart is a graphic organizer in which a student lists and examines two facets
of a topic, like the pros and cons associated with it, its advantages and
disadvantages, facts vs. opinions, etc. For example, a student can use a T-chart to
help graphically organize thoughts about:
- Making a decision by comparing advantages and disadvantages
- Evaluating the pros and cons of a topic
- Enumerating the problems and solutions associated with an action
- Listing facts vs. opinions of a theme
- Explaining the strengths and weaknesses of a piece of writing
- Listing any two characteristics of a topic

Double-Entry Journal
The Double-Entry Journal allows students to record their responses to text as
they read. In the left-hand page or column, the student copies or summarizes text
which is intriguing, puzzling, or moving, or which connects to a previous entry or
situation. In the right-hand page or column, the student reacts to the quotation or
summary. The entry may include a comment, a question, a connection made or an
analysis. Entries are made whenever a natural pause in the reading occurs, so that
the flow is not interrupted constantly.

Strategy Implementation Continuum

Pearson and Gallagher (1983) developed the gradual release of responsibility model, or framework. The model emphasizes a
controlled shift of the balance of joint responsibility between teacher and students. Rather than linear and sequential, the
model outlines a negotiated, iterative and recursive process of shifting. It is possible to beginas many literacy strategies
dowith open-ended, generative questions about the topic of new learning in order to assess students readiness, and
provide authentic opportunities for formulating inquiry and engaging in problem solving.

Metacognition

The teacher considers:

Why am I teaching the strategy? How does use of this particular strategy make students more literate? more strategic?
To what extent does the strategy reflect the kind of thinking were doing? Am I teaching the strategy as well as the content?

Modeling
Modeling means the teacher assumes
responsibility to demonstrate the use of
and the thinking behind the strategy.

The teacher

Shared Practice
Shared practice means that the
teacher provides explicit instruction
and feedback as the students
participate in the strategy.

The teacher

Guided Practice
Guided practice means students use
the strategy as the teacher provides
targeted and differentiated support.

The teacher

creates conditions for effective

creates conditions for effective
creates conditions for effective
independent practice experience,
guided practice experience, including
shared practice experience, including
including building students confidence
using flexible groupings based on
building community, inviting
assessment data
questions

introduces terminology/language
related to the strategy

engages students in using

continues to use
terminology/language related to the
terminology/language related to the
strategy and provides opportunities
strategy and invites students to begin
for students to talk about the use of
to engage in talk about the strategy
the strategy, e.g., be metacognitive
for the purpose of assessing for
learning

Instructional Approach

TEACHER

provides an appropriate context for

modeling, e.g., the teacher uses the
strategy with familiar texts

provides an appropriate context for

shared practice, e.g., the teacher
and students use the strategy with
familiar texts

invites students to work

independently or in small groups
through a task, using the strategy

gathers assessment for learning

information through observation

gathers assessment for learning

information through observation,
particularly from students who may
find the strategy challenging

responds strategically to challenges

or difficulties experienced by
students

makes decision whether to move to

guided experience based on
assessment information

makes decision whether to move to

independent practice based on
assessment information

anticipates the challenges or difficulties anticipates the challenges or

difficulties some students may have
students (as a group) may have in the
in the acquisition of skills and plans
acquisition of skills and plans support
supports for those students

makes decision whether to move to

shared experience based on
assessment information

Whole class or small groups

engages students in using

terminology/language related to the
strategy and provides opportunities for
students to talk about the use of the
strategy, e.g., be metacognitive for
assessment as, for and of learning
purposes

provides an appropriately challenging

context for independent practice, e.g.,
students use the strategy in new contexts
and/or with unfamiliar texts
invites students to complete the task
independently (or with appropriate
supports)

gathers assessment as, for and of

gathers assessment for learning
learning information based on
information, including collecting
independent practice, and provides
student work, and observes students
feedback and next steps
in action, providing feedback and
targeted support, e.g., additional
opportunities, alternative approaches

provides opportunities for students to invites students to think about situations

when they may self-select or adapt the
explore possible adaptations of the
strategy in future learning
strategy, as appropriate
makes decision whether to provide
additional and/or more appropriate
independent practice experiences for
students who may need to improve

Independent or small strategic Independent (or small groups,

groupings
if appropriate)

To encourage independent use of the

To provide opportunities for
strategy
practising use of the strategy
To provide differentiated support for To apply the strategy to similar, unfamiliar,
or innovative contexts self-identified by
the application of the strategy in a
student
similar or new context, based on
student need
To provide opportunity for students to
reflect metacognitively

Students

Students

Students

participate within the conditions set for

learning, e.g., prepares to use the strategy
with minimal support

connect to modelled experience

connect to shared experience

connect to guided experience

actively listen to the talk about the

strategy and notes any
terminology/language related to the
strategy

become familiar with terminology and

form related to strategy

talk about strategy, using

terminology and form, and
reflecting metacognitively

actively observe teacher

demonstration (i.e., think aloud)

use the strategy, following along with

teacher instructions

ask questions related to the strategy

ask questions related to the strategy

and respond to teacher prompts
related to the strategy

use the strategy, independently or

with peers, with targeted teacher
support and/or peer support where
appropriate

clearly articulate why the strategy was

selected and how it supports learning
can explain the think process behind the
strategy

make connections to previous relevant

experiences, if applicable

Participation

Whole class or small groups

connects independent practice with

modeled, shared and guided experiences

To engage students in using the

To introduce the strategy
strategy
To show how experts use the strategy
To provide explicit instruction on the
or a new application of it by exposing
use of the strategy in the context of a
the steps involved in using the strategy
supported opportunity for hands-on
effectively
learning
To make explicit the what, when, how,
and why
participate within the conditions set for
learning (e.g., focusing on what the
teacher does and says)

STUDENT

provides an appropriate context for

guided practice, e.g., students use
the strategy with familiar texts

provides a shared experience and

models the strategy, using a think
invites students to follow along using
aloud, to make explicit rationale, steps,
the strategy
and skills

shows possible adaptations of the

strategy, as appropriate

Purposes

The teacher

creates conditions for effective

modeling, including helping students
focus on the demonstration, using
effective materials and/or choosing
appropriate technology to demonstrate
strategy

activates prior knowledge related to the connects the shared practice with the connects the guided practice with
strategy
modeling of the strategy
shared and modeled experiences

Groupings

Independent Practice
Independent practice means that the
students use the strategy as the teacher
provides supports, as needed, and gathers
assessment information.

participate within the conditions set for participate within the conditions set
for learning, e.g., being open to
learning, e.g., including taking part in
feedback
effective collaboration using the
strategy

respond to teacher feedback

share thinking processes in

response to teacher prompts and
ask questions related to the
strategy
assist/collaborate with peers where
appropriate
use specific teacher feedback to
make improvements and reflect on
learning of the strategy
share thinking processes of next
steps
reflect on achievement and the
strategys impact on learning

Students

intentionally use the strategy

independently, or in small groups if
appropriate, with minimal teacher support

are able to think aloud the process of the

strategy as they are doing it

use specific teacher feedback to make

improvements and reflect on learning of
the strategy

are able to anticipate use of the strategy

for future learning

are able to self-select the strategy in other

appropriate contexts and be able to
explain why other strategies would not be
effective
Metacognition

Students consider:
Why would I use the strategy? When would I use this strategy? How does using this strategy support my thinking and learning?
How does the strategy help me learn the content?

For more, see Differentiated Instruction for Literacy GAINS on the EDU GAINS site: http://www.edugains.ca

SECTION 4: FEEDBACK
Feedback describes student performance. Its purpose is to reduce
the gap between the students current level of understanding
and/or performance and a desired goal. Depending on the nature
and delivery of the feedback, it can have powerful effects on
student engagement and learning.
Feedback helps students consolidate new learning by providing
information about what is being done well, what needs
improvement and how to take steps toward improvement.
Feedback supports differentiated instruction by responding to
an individual students needs identified through assessment.
Considerations:
Effective feedback is:
Descriptive rather than evaluativefeedback should
identify what the student is doing well and what needs
improvement and, most crucially, provide next steps to
guide the student on how to improve.
Focusedon the learning goals and the success criteria.
Limitedto a few traits or characteristics of student
performance. It is tempting to point out all the areas where
improvement is needed; however, feedback is more likely
to improve learning when it is focused on a few priorities.
Timelythat is, offered just in time and at regular
intervals to support students in continuously monitoring
their progress toward a learning goal.

Feedback is one of
the most powerful
influences on
learning and
achievement, but
this impact can be
either positive or
negative (Hattie &
Timperley, 2007).

To craft teacher
feedback that leads
to learning, put
yourself in the
students shoes
(Brookhart, 2007).

Learning is more
likely to be fostered
when feedback
focuses on features
of the task (success
criteria) and
emphasizes
learning goals
(Kluger & DeNisi,
1996).

Implemented by students and monitored by the

teacherStudents are expected to act on the feedback. This
means that they must be provided time and opportunities to respond with teacher
support and that teachers need to follow up on the students responses.

ILLUSTRATION:
Ineffective Feedback
Good work.
Well done!
Needs more effort!
C+ or 67%

Effective Feedback
Your paragraph has a clear and engaging topic
sentence. Provide at least three details from the text
to support your opinion.

13.

Further Reading:
Brookhart, S. M. (2007). Feedback that fits. Educational Leadership. 65(4),
5459.
Hattie, J. & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of
Educational Research. 77(1), 81112.
Kluger, A. & DeNisi, A. (1996). The effects of feedback interventions on
performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis and a preliminary
feedback intervention theory. Psychological Bulletin. 119(2), 254284.
Nicol, D. & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and
self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good
feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education. 31(2), 199218.

14.

SECTION 3: QUESTIONING
Through questioning, teachers gather evidence about their
students current level of knowledge and skills, as well as their
attitudes, interests and learning preferences. Strategically planned
questions guide students thinking on a topic, and focus their
efforts to achieve learning goals. The evidence of learning
gathered from questioning can provide teachers with information
they need to differentiate instruction. Further, questioning makes
students thinking visible so teachers can detect confusions and
misconceptions.
Considerations:
Classroom interactions that model effective questioning have the
following characteristics:
A safe emotional climate
Students need to feel confident that their responses will be
listened to respectfully and accepted by their teacher and peers.
A risk-free environment, where mistakes are seen as learning
experiences, will encourage students to share their thinking.
A focus on the learning goals
Questions should be designed to help students achieve the
learning goals, and to help the teacher identify students
misconceptions and challenges.

There can certainly

be no change in
understanding unless
the question holds
the possibility of an
answer with personal
meaning for the
student. The more
you know about
students backgrounds,
interests and
experiences, the
greater chance you
have of choosing a
question that holds
that possibility
(Morgan & Saxton,
1994).

More effort has to

be spent framing
questions that are
worth asking; that is,
questions which explore issues that
are critical to the
development of
students
understanding
(Black et al., 2003
p. 42).

Variety
There are numerous frameworks, or taxonomies, to help
categorize questions by type. Blooms Taxonomy identiies
questions on a range from lower-order to higher-order. A very
simple organizer refers to questions as closed or open. Closed
questions have a limited number of acceptable responses
(Blosser, 1994), and can be used to check understanding and recall
of facts. Open questions anticipate a wide range of acceptable
responses (Blosser, 1994), and often require students to
demonstrate higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis
and evaluation. They have no single correct answer, but rather,
encourage students to explore their thinking on a topic or issue. Research shows that up to
80% of teachers questions are closed or related to management of the classroom.
Think time
Waiting three or more seconds before eliciting a student response, and before speaking
after a students response, results in substantial benefits for student learning.

11.

 Probing
Teachers who use questioning effectively build on students initial responses to seek
more information, clarify thinking or extend the answer to engage the students to think
more deeply.
Planning
Effective questioning results from strategically planning a variety of questions to elicit
information about what students are thinking. When planning questions, teachers
should anticipate students responses, particularly those that demonstrate misconceptions
or challenges.
Further Reading:
Blosser, P. (1991). How to Ask the Right Questions. Arlington, VA: National
Science Teachers Association.
Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom Instruction that
Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD, 112117.
Ministry of Education. Professional Learning Guide: Questioning.
Connecting Practice and Research in Mathematical Education.
Available; http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/studentsuccess/lms/questioning.pdf
Morgan, N. & Saxton, J. (1994). Asking Better Questions: Models,
Techniques and Classroom Activities for Engaging Students in Learning.
Markham, ON: Pembroke Publishers.
Rowe, M. (1986). Wait time: Slowing down may be a way of speeding up!
Journal of Teacher Education. 37(1), 4350.
Saphier, J., Haley-Speca, M. & Gower, R. (2008). The Skillful Teacher: Building Your
Teaching Skills. Action, MA. Research for Better Teaching, Inc.

12.

From: Julian Kingston [mailto:juliank@rom.on.ca]

Sent: September 4, 2009 2:42 PM
To: Orchard, Susan (EDU)
Subject: Release for Dead Sea Scrolls lesson plans
Dear Susan Orchard
The ROM grants the Ontario Ministry of Education permission to use the images
and text within the lesson plans and appendices currently titled *The Dead
Sea Scrolls - Grade 8 Language and The Arts (Drama)* and "Dead Sea
Scrolls:Law Codes - Grade 11 World History to the Sixteenth Century" on the
Ontario Educational Resource Bank (OERB) Website for educational purposes.
Sincerely,
Julian Kingston
Head, Education and Programs