* Ask students to bring three items that are "sacred" to them to class. Sacred in this context refers to items that have great value to them emotionally, objects to which they are very attached. It is best not to give suggestions of exact objects to bring. Often times you can just say "when you are thinking about what it is that is sacred you may consider the things you would bring from you home if you were not going to return, things that you will always want to have with you." The idea is to start using the language - sacred - and sacred language so that they will be accustomed to the safety in having sacred objects later creating sacred times and space ie. Shabbat. We will be talking about sacredness and sanctity throughout this lesson.
* The phrase " Ta'ashe Lecha Teva " can be written on the board in Hebrew.
* The music "God said to Noah" may be playing in the background when they arrive. The lyrics are readily available in any Sunday School library. The music is a lead way to the piece with Bill Cosby and a way for the kids to have find singing and dancing.

Introduction

Show Bill Cosby's "Cosby Himself", the piece about building the Ark.

Discussion

Why did Noah build the Ark?
What do we call animals and plants today that need protecting? (threatened/endangered)
What do we do for animals and plants and areas that are threatened? ( We build "sanctuaries" /zoos/reserves - we want to solicit the word "sanctuaries". One may want to discuss the implications of zoos today and the difficulty and controversy surrounding that.)
How was Noah's Ark any different than a zoo? (Some give the same argument for zoos today.)
Why do we build zoos and "sanctuaries" in the first place? (biodiversity through protection. Protection is the key word here.)
Where else have you heard the word sanctuary? (the room in the synagogue where the Torah is kept, where we pray, animal sanctuaries, in other religious contexts)
What does that mean? Sacred?
What are some of the things in our lives that are sacred? What are some of the things that are sacred to us as a Jewish people? (the sanctity of life and all life, everyday we recognize the sanctity of life in the morning blessings thanking God for restoring our souls and recognizing God as the Creator of life and the former of all things who daily renews the works of Creation, Torah, ritual objects - we as people have spent much time rescuing ritual objects that were threatened to be destroyed, other people and animals)
So what can we say about the animals and the plants for which we create sanctuaries and havens? ( they are sacred, we need/cherish/respect/love them, we have a God given responsibility to preserve and protect the species. Maimonides in the Guide to the Perplexed talks about the sanctity of all life as well as Rav Kook in his writings.

Story
Once when Rav Abraham Isaac Kook was walking in the fields, lost deep in thought the young students with him inadvertently plucked a leaf off a branch. Rav Kook was visibly shaken by this act, and turning to his companion he said gently, "Believe me when I tell you I never simply pluck a leaf or a blade of grass or any living thing, unless I have to." He explained further, "Every part of the vegetable world is singing a song and breathing forth a secret of the diving mystery of the Creation." For the first time the young student understood what it means to show compassion to all creatures.

You may choose to look in either one of these sources for more on this subject.

Movement: