How Students Think and Learn

Korbon Pesach in Mitzrayim and its role in Yetzias Mitzrayim.

Menachem BornsteinShimon FeigenbaumAvki Klein

May 14, 2012

What was our goal?

To determine how children develop their knowledge within a specific domain.

What was our domain? The role of the Korban Pesach in both the

physical and spiritual emancipation of the Jewish People.

Subjects

Meir Mordechai 1st Grade

Age 6.5 years

Zevi4th Grade

Age 10 years

Both subjects attend the same Yeshiva and both have extensive background in

the domain studied.

Environmental Factors:Classroom settingMorningSubjects eager and enthusiasticTechnical difficulties caused delaySecond subject present during first subject’s interviewDifferent interviewers Interviewers did not stick strictly to scriptFollow up interview one week later took place in the

afternoon at home Subjects were tired, hungry and crankyCard activity unavailable for follow up interview

Which brings us to our main focus…Which brings us to our main focus…

General Topics Within the Domain:

The nature of the slavery in Egypt

The complexities of the master-slave relationship

The role of Makkas Bechoros

The laws of Korban Pesach

The Exodus from Egypt

The Main Focus:

By performing the ritual of the Korban Pesach, the Jewish People separated

themselves from idol worship, thereby earning the privilege of leaving Egypt.

ProcedureInitial interview

Activity

Lesson

Follow up interviewFollow up activity

One week laterFollow up interview

Follow up activity

ShechitaDammashkofmezuzaheizov – hyssop Tzliya - roastingHallel

Achilamatzomarrorshviras etzemzman – chatzoscowsheep

Card Activity

Specific Analysis: Slave Schema

Meir MordechaiQ: A slave doesn’t have much of a

choice. Do you know what it means to be a slave?

MM: To work for someone for like like like um um six years and then you have to let them go.

Q: Um hmm. When the Yidden were in Mitzrayim did they get to go after the 6 years?

MM: No.Q: Why not?MM: Because Hashem said at the

bris bein habesarim that they’re going to be in Mitzrayim for (long pause)

Zevi (Paraphrased)

Q: OK, now explain exactly what does it means to be a slave.

Z: Um, to work.Q: OK, so that means that if I work for a

person and I get paid…Z: They don’t get paid.Q: Is it something that they’re happy to do?

What type of work are they doing?Z: Something that they’re not happy to do?Q: How were they treated when they’re

working as a slave? Is it any different than a regular worker?

Z: Yeah. They had to do the same amount of bricks every single day, so if they made 600 they have to do 600.

Q: OK, so across the street from me, there’s construction workers, they’re putting up a house so they’re working with bricks. Are those considered slaves?

Z: It’s something different.Q: Why is that different from a regular

slave?Z: Because they whip them.

Specific Analysis: Visual Learning

Meir MordechaiQ: On which part of the doorpost did they put

the blood? MM: The mezzuza over here and the mezzuza

over here and somewhere else. I forgot.Q: Let’s say this is the doorpost. Where did

they put the blood?MM: Here, here and on top.

***********************MM: SheepQ: Do you know why they used a sheep? They

could’ve used a cow. You’re right it was a sheep. We’ll talk about why a sheep.

MM: I don’t know.(During lesson)Q: Whatever they wanted to worship they did.

I’m gonna tell you now about a new avoda zara that the mitzriyim worshipped. What do you see on the board there?

MM: A sheep. I know about that avoda zara. And when the yidden tied it to the bed the mizriyim were going to take a sword and chop off the yiddens heads

ZeviQ:Tell me why you’re

separating them in piles and why you’re putting one card with that.

I: Brachos and hallel because you make a bracha on hallel.

Q: OK, good.I: You make a bracha on

matzah….and marror…and potatoes…and on wine.

(Subject was comparing 1st card to 2nd, to 3rd,etc without considering the rest of the cards.)

.

Meir MordechaiOriginal impression: Q: What is the korban pesach?MM: A korban you eat right before pesach.Q: What type of animal was used for korban pesach?MM: SheepQ: Do you know why they used a sheep? They could’ve used a cow.

You’re right it was a sheep. We’ll talk about why a sheep. MM: I don’t know.

One week later:Q: So what are they showing Hashem?MM: That they’re not doing avodah zarah, they’re killing it.Q: Excellent. So they’re showing Hashem that they’re not doing bowing

down anymore. And what’s Hashem going to do?MM: Split the Yam suf

Specific Analysis: Main Focus

.

ZeviOriginal impression: Q: What are things that they could possibly worship as avodah zara?Z: Sheep.

Q: What was the purpose of tying the sheep to the bedpost? Z: For them to show the Mitzriyim that look what we’re using your

avodah zara for.

Student understood connection between the sheep and separating from the avodah zara. (Student may have been influenced by his presence in the room during Meir Mordechai’s interview, age, and knowledge of Parshas Bo.)

Specific Analysis : Main Focus

Conclusion:

Students with preexisting schemata on a particular domain can incorporate new data to develop a more advanced understanding of that topic.