Creating an immersive lesson

A November 29 activity in the immersive room

A journey through Palestine–Eretz Israel in 1947 through the eyes of the UNSCOP committee members

Rationale: Through the immersive experience, we move between times and places: Jerusalem today, the Jewish community in 1947, the celebrations when the partition decision became known…

Objectives:

• Students will experience, as far as possible, the historic moment of the UN decision on November 29, 1947.
• Students will learn about the preceding events…

Room design:

The room can be decorated in the atmosphere of 1947, as a reception for the committee: Israeli flags…

Activity format

The activity combines presentations and independent group work, led by the facilitator as follows:

Opening remarks: This month, 75 years ago…

1. A presentation of the partition decision in a home in Jerusalem in 1947 (1–2 minutes)

The presentation includes: the partition decision and the public's response to it.

The facilitator's linking remarks: So much joy, hora dancing in the streets, celebrations… Yes, you can clap…

2. A presentation of the partition decision, the UNSCOP committee and the preceding events (2–3 minutes)

The presentation includes: the YMCA building in Jerusalem, where the committee met, and continues with an explanation…

At the end of the presentation, the facilitator should check understanding with an interim summary:

• So what does the UNSCOP committee need to decide?
• Who sent its members, and why?
• Why are the British asking to leave the country?

The facilitator's explanation before group work: Now that we understand what this committee is, you won't believe what has come into our hands. We managed to find a copy of Enrique Rodriguez's photo album…

1. Group work in Genially (about 15 minutes)

View the photo album and write impressions on the yellow notes.

Each group that finishes should call the facilitator, who will show them how to copy the arguments into Padlet so we can present their conclusions to the whole group. (If there is no internet, it is better not to use Padlet; the group will present directly from the “album”.)

4. Summary by the facilitator (15 minutes) – background: a panoramic slide or Padlet

***Use Padlet only if the internet connection works properly and the teacher knows how to use it***

At the end of the group work, the students return to the plenary session. The facilitator then summarizes the conclusions using each group's Padlet, displayed on 3walls. Using the conclusions on the board and through discussion, the facilitator summarizes:

So what did you see in Rodriguez's album?…

5. Closing presentation (2–3 minutes)

The presentation includes: a return to the November 29 decision, responses among Jews and Arabs, the War of Independence and the establishment of the State of Israel.