For the educatorJewish Thought, Text, and Traditionsmore
Integral to the Jewish understanding of the human body is that the human body
was created b’tzelem Elohim—in the image of G-d (Genesis 9:6). As such, there
is something holy and uniquely special about us. Our tradition would assert that
our bodies house an aspect of the Divine within. Therefore, we each must care
for our body as if it were the very body of G-d. The Jewish value sh’mirat ha-guf encompasses the idea that we must show the utmost respect and care for our bodies.
Showing respect for and caring for our bodies encompasses a variety of different
things, such as bathing regularly, brushing our teeth, eating healthy, exercising, and
getting an adequate amount of sleep. When we do these things, we are protecting
our bodies from ailments and, in a spiritual sense, protecting the Divine spark within.
Taking care of ourselves brings out the best in us and allows us to do our best.
We learn from the virtue of sh’mirat ha-guf what it means to be responsible for our
actions, appreciate ourselves and our bodies, and lovingly care for this gift that we
have been given.
Another way to understand the value of sh’mirat ha-guf is that we are to guard our
bodies (Deuteronomy 4:9). Medieval philosophers would explain that we need to
protect our body as if it were on loan from G-d. How we use our bodies is our choice.
Taking care of our bodies is as if we are taking care of the Torah. We dress the Torah
ornately to both symbolize how majestic it is and to guard its teachings. We make
sure that we don’t place our fingers directly on the text so our oils will not smear the
Hebrew. We say blessings when we are about to learn from and teach the Torah
as a means of sanctifying its specialness. Like the Torah, we are told not to place
markings on our body, such as tattoos, because they deface it. We wear clothes
on a regular basis as a way to respect our personal selves and as a way to keep
our bodies cool or warm. We say blessings on a regular basis as a way to show
our understanding of our actions but also to celebrate who we are and what we can
become.
This value can be connected to the holidays of Simchat Torah and Tu B’Shevat.
During these holidays, a discussion could focus on the concept of the “Tree of Life”:
In order for a tree to grow, you have to take care of it. Students can be involved in
looking at the Torah, talking about why we can’t touch its letters, and identifying how
special it is. By taking care of the Torah, one takes care of life. By taking care of all
life, one also takes care of the self. During Tu B’Shevat, the theme of taking care of
and protecting the body can be extended to taking care of everything around us. If
we take care of nature, we in turn will be provided with fruits, vegetables, and other
foods that are healthy nourishment.
Questions for Reflection
- What things can you to do become more aware of the Divine within?
- How can we both be and act b’tzelem Elohim—in the image of G-d?
- If you were to more effectively take care of your body, what types of things would you do?
- What can you do to model this value within your life and within the classroom?
Jewish every dayIncorporate Jewish Valuesmore
Once a week, have a special day in which students are introduced to a new and
healthy snack. Ask parents to sign up to volunteer to bring in samples. Give this day
a creative name such as “Tutti-Frutti Tuesdays” or “Fresh, Fun Fridays.” you may
wish to discuss the origin of each food, how it tastes, etc.
Create healthy food stations and have students learn how to clean fruit before eating.
Teach students how to make orange juice using a juicer, how to peel a cucumber
using a vegetable peeler, etc. (For safety reasons, do this with them.) Explain to
students that eating healthy refers both to what we eat and how we treat the food
that we eat. This is also a good opportunity to introduce table manners, how to use
utensils, and how to wash our hands properly.
Sharing The Storymore
Introducing The story
- Show students the cover of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Build background knowledge
on caterpillars. Have you ever seen a caterpillar? What did it look like?
- Have you held a caterpillar? How did it feel? How did it move?
- Give students the opportunity to move like a caterpillar!
Ask students what they see on the cover.
Does the caterpillar look happy?
Why do you think the caterpillar might be so hungry?
As you read the story, have them listen to discover all the foods the Hungry Caterpillar
ate during the week!
Reading The Story
Read the story aloud, stopping when appropriate to explore illustrations, address comments, clarify, predict, and guide students’ understanding of the story and the value to protect the body—sh’mirat ha-guf.
Ask the following questions:
- I wonder why there are holes in this book. What do you think?
- How did each of the foods the caterpillar ate make him feel?
- Why do you think the caterpillar felt sick?
- What kinds of food might have given the caterpillar a stomachache?
- What happened when the caterpillar ate the green leaf?
- Why was the caterpillar so hungry?
After The Story
Sh’mirat Ha-guf Week
Discuss specific actions or tasks that one can do that embodies the value of taking
care of one’s body (for example, washing hands after going to the bathroom, drinking
water, eating fruits and vegetables, helping someone carry something heavy, taking
a nap, etc.), List these on sh’mirat ha-guf cards and give one to each student. Place
stickers on the students’ cards as they are earned for each accomplished action or
task. Reward students with extra play time / recess time for their hard work.
Caterpillar Conscience and Naming Ceremony
Have students create individual caterpillars from a variety of materials and craft
items. Involve them in a naming ceremony for the caterpillar and give the caterpillar
a Hebrew name. Students can take home their class-made caterpillars as a reminder
to the entire family to eat healthy in order to protect the body—sh’mirat ha-guf. (See
Home and Community Connections.)
Caterpillar Fruit Salad
Provide the opportunity for students to create their own healthy fruit salads.
- Review the fruits and leaf eaten by the Hungry Caterpillar in the book (one apple,
two pears, three plums, four strawberries, five oranges, and “one nice, green
leaf”).
- Ask students to suggest other fruits they enjoy in addition to those suggested in
the book. Bring in some of these items (parent volunteers can help) and allow
students to go through the “buffet” of healthy fruits to create their own Caterpillar
Fruit Salads.
- Place the fruit salad in individual serving containers and top with a mint leaf.
Explore, Discover, and More Extension and Reinforcement Activitiesmore
Caterpillar to Butterfly Science
A variety of caterpillar kits can be ordered online. Let students experience firsthand all
the stages in the life cycle of the butterfly. Provide sketchbooks or paper so students
can record their observations. When the butterfly emerges, be sure to release it
outdoors to reinforce the Jewish value of kindness to animals and contribute to the
beauty of the world.
Butterfly Finder Nature, Science
Go for a nature walk and look for butterflies and caterpillars. Have students notice the
patterns of the butterflies, the colors and the shapes of their wings, and any distinct
markings. Take pictures of their favorites to be framed and decorate the classroom.
Creative Collage Health , Art
Have students cut out pictures of fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods they
like. These pictures can be pasted on paper plates, or students can draw their own
nutritious food choices. Depending on their developmental abilities, students can
be encouraged to fill their plate with healthy portions of food, using “My Plate” as a
guide: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
Give Me Five a Day! Music, Movement
Reinforce the value to protect the body through healthy eating and physical activity
by sharing the the fun food songs and by engaging students in the fruit and vegetable
dances at http://www.floridahealth.gov/healthy-people-and-families/wic/nutritionmaterials/5-a-day-cd/index.html. Encourage students to dance and move their
bodies to the music!
Retelling of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Literacy, Technology
Play the following YouTube video, an animated reading of the book: http://www.floridahealth.gov/healthy-people-and-families/wic/nutritionmaterials/5-a-day-cd/index.html. Involve students in a Story Retell. (See
Appendix.) Select several pictures from the book, from the beginning, middle,
and end. (See Appendix.) Give each student a different picture and help students
organize the pictures in the sequential order to tell the story of The Very Hungry
Caterpillar. Once the pictures are in the correct order, have students retell the story,
using the pictures as a scaffold.
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly Art , Science
Provide a variety of craft materials so that students can create “artifacts” to represent
the stages of the life cycle of a butterfly, beginning with the egg, then the caterpillar,
the chrysalis, and finally the emerging butterfly!
• The following website offers creative craft tips for making each of the above:
http://suite101.com/article/butterfly-life-cycle-craft-a207499
• Using their “artifacts,” involve students in a story retell of The Very Hungry
Caterpillar. Reinforce the value of protecting the body through healthy eating.
Hungry Hebrew Caterpillar Hebrew
Watch a kindergarten class present the story in Hebrew with props to help children
understand the story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRAha2iBRk
Food Match-Up Science, Math
Visit http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/ and explore the different food
group items. Share images of foods from each food group with the children. Ask
students to identify which food group each image belongs to: meat and protein,
grain, fruits, vegetables, oils and fats, or dairy.
Music Connectionsmore
Inspiration Text
“For in the image of G-d, did G-d make humankind.” -Genesis 9:6
“When injury is likely, one should not rely on a miracle.” -Babylonian Talmud,
Kiddushin 39b
Activity
Before introducing this tune, ask students to create a list of the ways they protect
their bodies, and then compare their ideas to the ideas included in the lyrics of the
song.
Find the beat and move your body! Invite students to create gestures that match the
chorus’ lyrics and encourage students to move in a variety of ways to the beat of the
song for each verse. For example, clap the beat on the first verse, march to it on the
second, and do jumping jacks on the third. Invite students to think of new ways to
exercise their bodies each time you share the song.
Lyrics
CHORUS
I protect my body, I’m telling you the truth
I protect my body, in Hebrew, sh’mirat ha-guf
I eat and drink and bath and brush to keep my body right
I exercise and choose good foods and sleep every night, to keep my body right
My body is amazing, it is one of G-d’s creations
With bones and muscles and skin to feel all the world’s sensations
I am thankful every day for the body G-d gave me
So, I will show respect and love, keeping it healthy, keeping it healthy!
CHORUS
I’ll listen to my body, I’ve got to stop and think and feel
Sometimes my body tells me what it needs to grow or heal
I’ll keep my body busy and make my body strong
I’ll stretch and move and dance for fun, remembering this song, remembering
this song!
CHORUS
So, since I want to be happy and spend time with my family
We’ll all make choices that will keep us healthy
Protecting our bodies is like a gift we keep on giving
We enjoy our time together, sharing healthy living, sharing healthy living!
CHORUS
Additional Music Connections
Evidence of Learningmore
The children can substitute different nutritious foods eaten by the caterpillar during
the first five days. For example, ask, “What could the caterpillar have eaten instead
of two pears?” Responses could include items such as two carrots, two walnuts, two
celery stalks, two bananas, etc.
Students are able to identify foods that are nutritious in various activities included in
the lesson.
Students will be able to describe ways in which they can regularly take care of their
bodies.
HOME AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONSmore
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Guide to Healthy Eating for Young
Children and Families
Share this link with families to explore healthy eating habits:
http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/features/hungrycaterpillar/downloads/vhc_online_guide.pdf
Eating Healthy, Growing Strong
Suggest that parents download the growth chart based on The Very Hungry
Caterpillar and discuss how we keep our bodies healthy through good dietary habits
and physical activity. The chart will help them keep track of their children’s journey
to becoming stronger and healthier. http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/
features/hungrycaterpillar/downloads/vhc_growthchart.pdf
Caterpillar Conscience
Have students take home the caterpillars they made and named. (See After the
Story.) Encourage families to display the caterpillars as a reminder to eat healthy
in order to protect the body—sh’mirat ha-guf. Families may wish to display the
caterpillar on their refrigerator, take it to the grocery store, place it as a centerpiece
on the dining table, etc.
Caterpillar Snacks
Send home a list of the foods the Hungry Caterpillar ate that were healthy. Suggest
that families make a game out of snack time and give their children the option of
selecting good snacks from a variety of foods that the caterpillar ate. Encourage
parents to take their children to the grocery store to shop for additional healthy
snacks to add to the list. They can tell children that these are “caterpillar snacks,”
which helped the caterpillar turn into a beautiful butterfly and will keep their bodies
healthy as well.
Suggest that parents model eating a balanced diet and include weekly physical
activity into their routines. Tell them to use “teachable moments” to explain how a
balanced diet and physical activity help children grow and develop, concentrate and
learn, build strong bones and muscles, and maintain a healthy weight. Encourage
parents to find creative ways of keeping children active. Share the government’s
web resource on “My Plate”: http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers.html.
Lesson Contributors
Susan Massey, Ph.D.
St. Thomas University, Miami, Florida