Photograph by George Duffield
The film Jerusalem provides an eye-opening tour of one of the world's oldest and most enigmatic cities. Discover why this tiny piece of land is sacred to three major religions through the stories of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim families who call Jerusalem home. Five thousand years of history have not dulled Jerusalem's appeal or importance; rather, this special city presents an exciting opportunity to engage middle school and high school learners in awe-inspiring content.
Use the activities, reference materials, and other resources in this collection to discover the physical and cultural geography of this special place, dive into the religions that call Jerusalem home, and make learning personal by encouraging learners to cross social boundaries that exist in their own lives.
Use these middle and high school materials in your classroom to teach the physical and human geography of Jerusalem.
Students draw social boundary maps showing the divisions that exist in their community or school and discuss ways to cross them.
Students analyze a variety of maps to create a map of Israel and the Palestinian territories’ physical geography, and reason about Jerusalem’s location.
Students plan a menu for a religious ceremony in accordance with food rituals.
Students examine the concepts of gender roles, cultural convergence, and cultural divergence in the context of Jewish and Muslim religious cultures.
Students learn about and create their own map of Jerusalem’s Old City after watching excerpts from the film Jerusalem.
Read case studies featuring active archaeological sites, and compare and contrast the different technological techniques that are being used to rediscover Jerusalem's past.
An explanation of the technology being used in Dr. Jodi Magness’ archaeological work at Huqoq, Israel.
An explanation of the technology being used in professor Aren Maeir’s archaeological work at Tell es-Safi.
An explanation of the technology being used in professor Eric Cline’s archaeological work at Kabri, Israel.
Learn more about the physical geography of Israel and Jerusalem.
The reliable water source provided by Gihon Spring was important to Jerusalem’s early development.
Download and print this black and white map.
Learn more about how National Geographic Emerging Explorer Aziz Abu Sarah is working to build relationships between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem and throughout Israel.
People from both sides of the conflict discuss how this international dispute impacts their everyday lives.
Read about these inspiring people and organizations working to foster cultural understanding in a region rife with conflict.
Aziz Abu Sarah is a 2011 Emerging Explorer and peace activist dedicated to building bridges, not walls, between Israelis and Palestinians.
The Authority for Community and Youth, part of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, works to deepen the involvement and connections between the university and different communities and populations across Israel.
The Coexist Foundation works globally to build religious literacy and encourage cross-cultural understanding.
Teaching Tolerance is a program of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Its mission is to reduce bias and promote equity in schools throughout the United States.
