Hanukkah

Language Arts
Grade(s) 5

Description: Your child will use the words from the word bank to fill in the blanks. Use
resources to find the meaning of any unknown words.

Learning Objectives:
• Your child will use the words from the word bank to fill in the blanks
• Your child will use a dictionary, encyclopedia or computer to find any words that
are unknown.

Keywords:
keyword 1 Hanukkah
keyword 2, Menorah
keyword 3, Dreidel

Materials needed:
• Computer with internet access
• Paper
• Pen or pencil

Activity: Fill in the blanks using words from the word bank. Use a dictionary,
encyclopedia or computer to research any word that you do not know.
Word Bank_______________________________________________________

celebrate Hanukkah wins temple candles

miracle game night dreidle menorah holiday

__________________________________________________________________

Hanukkah, also called the festival of lights is a Jewish ____________ that

lasts for eight days. It is a celebration to remind people of a miracle that
occurred in a temple over 2,000 years ago. The temple needed a light but
there was only enough oil for the lamp to last for one night. The miracle
was that the small amount of oil lasted for eight nights. This gave the people
enough time to get more _________ for the lamps in the _____________.

To celebrate the ____________ at the temple families light a special

candleholder called a menorah. The menorah has eight branches, instead of
the seven branches that most temple menorahs have. There is one branch for
each night that the oil light miraculously burned and an extra branch called a
shamash. The shamash is usually higher or lower than the other branches.
The shamash is lit first and then used to light the other _____________.
One candle is lit for each ____________ of Hanukkah, until finally one the
eighth night when all the candles in the _____________ are lit.

Families get together to ___________ Hanukkah. There are traditions of

foods and games. Latkes, hot potato pancakes, are served during Hanukkah.
Children play a traditional ___________ with a four sided top called a
dreidle. Players sit in a circle and spin the ____________. Each player gets
about 10 chocolates or nuts at the beginning of each game. There are special
chocolates wrapped in gold colored foil, they look like coins. Depending on
how the dreidle lands, players either puts one of their treats into the center or
takes some of the treats in the center out. The player who ends up with
everything _________ the game. Happy _____________!
Answer key

Hanukkah, also called the festival of lights is a Jewish holiday that lasts for
eight nights. It is a celebration to remind people of a miracle that occurred
in a temple over 2,000 years ago. The temple needed a light but there was
only enough oil for the lamp to last for one night. The miracle was that the
small amount of oil lasted for eight days. This gave the people enough time
to get more oil for the lamps in the temple.

To celebrate the miracle at the temple families light a special candleholder

called a menorah. The menorah has eight branches, instead of the seven
branches that most temple menorahs have. There is one branch for each
night that the oil light miraculously burned and an extra branch called a
shamash. The shamash is usually higher or lower than the other branches.
The shamash is lit first and then used to light the other candles. One candle
is lit for each night of Hanukkah, until finally one the eighth night all the
candles in the menorah are lit.

Families get together to celebrate Hanukkah. There are traditions of foods

and games. Some families give a small gift for each night of Hanukkah.
Latkes, hot potato pancakes, are served during Hanukkah. Children play a
traditional game with a four sided top called a dreidle. Players sit in a circle
and spin the dreidle. Each player gets about 10 chocolates or nuts at the
beginning of each game. There are special chocolates wrapped in gold
colored foil, they look like coins. Depending on how the dreidle lands,
players either puts one of their treats into the center or takes some of the
treats in the center out. The player who ends up with everything wins the
game. Happy Hanukkah!

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