CU3-9

**Goal:** Students will use the midrash of Abraham destroying his father’s idols as a way to discuss appeals to authority vs appeals to evidence and to look at what are some of the idols of today? **Materials:** crayons, paper ** 1. **** Gain attention of the learner**: Teacher will display some examples of idols, modern and ancient and see which the students can identify ** 2. ** **Review relevant past learning:** Review what they learned about polytheism, monolatrism and monthesism during the museum trip and the idea of idol worhship? What were some of the attributes of the imaginary family members they created? ** 3. **** Present new material**: Abraham traveled from Ur to Canaan. Read or retell the story of Abraham and the idols. What kind of person was Abraham that he was willing to defy his family and ruin his father’s business? Why do they think this story was created? How does that compare to how humanists use the story? ** 4. **** Provide guided practice**: Idols were created for many different purposes. Ask students to brainstorm a list of different types of idols. What are examples of modern idols (rabbit’s foot, lucky penny, mother earth, sun)? What are often mistaken as idols (Crucifix – it is not powerful itself, it represents someone who is supposed to be powerful – if you are afraid to touch it then you are making it an idol). What causes fear and superstition (Lack of knowledge vs. searching for knowledge.)? How do idols help (feel save, help to focus, remind of important values)? ** 5. **** Provide independent practice**: Student groups should then draw or model in clay a representation of an idol and the expected gifts they would give to the idol to please it and what they could expect in return for their sacrifice.
 * 3-9 Authority and evidence – Midrash of Abraham destroying the idols **
 *  6. Close the lesson **: Students will share their statues with the class. Students will discuss that as humanists we don’t need idols to gain power and strength, but rely on our own skills. Class will end with students tearing up their drawings and throwing them away (discuss resistance, if any, to tearing up pictures)