Imagining Our Future Selves
In this activity, students will explore the importance of the bat/bar mitzvah in the Jewish life cycle. They will examine events that are or will be important to them throughout their lives and will imagine their future selves in order to reflect on their beliefs and hopes for their lives.
Overview
Enduring Understandings
- Imagining ourselves as adults can help us determine what is most important to us and what kind of people we want to be
- While bat/bar mitzvah signifies the beginning of adulthood in Judaism, there are many different ways to think about what comprises adulthood and when it begins
Essential Questions
- What is adulthood and when does it begin?
- What is the significance of the bat/bar mitzvah milestone as a life cycle event?
- What are the important events that mark transitions, changes, and achievements in our lives?
Materials Required
- Dry erase/chalk board or butcher block paper
- Writing implements (markers, chalk, pens, pencils)
- Photocopies of the My Future Self profile worksheet
- Craft supplies (markers, crayons, glue, etc.)
- Tape
Notes to Teacher
The lessons included in the My Bat Mitzvah Story curriculum are intended to take much longer than an average class period, and they offer many options for extended projects. Please feel free to pick and choose what will be most practical and useful for your own classroom, and do not feel obligated to complete the lessons in full.
These lessons are intended for b’nai mitzvah students and draw on the Bat Mitzvah experience in particular. While they can certainly be completed in all-girl classrooms, teachers are encouraged to use these lessons in multi-gender classrooms as well. While the lessons are rooted in the Bat Mitzvah experience, the themes are applicable to all students in this age group.