Books > Miriam and the Sea

Miriam and the Sea

By Mirik Snir Illustrated by: Gil-Ly Alon Curiel

Mirik Snir’s well-loved book “Miriam and the Sea” provides a peek into the world of children, and the ways in which they acquaint themselves with their surroundings, and understand them.

Family Activities

Mirik Snir's well-loved book “Miriam and the Sea” provides a peek into the world of children, and the ways in which they acquaint themselves with their surroundings, and understand them.

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Classroom Activities

Dear Parents,

Mirik Snir's well-loved book “Miriam and the Sea” provides a peek into the world of children, and the ways in which they acquaint themselves with their surroundings, and understand them.

"The bashful person cannot learn" (Ethics of the Fathers, 2:5)

Is it cold? Hot? Big or small? Little Miriam's journey to discover the sea, and with it, the world around her, is comprised of a wonderful question-posing process. Miriam is a curious child who is not embarrassed to ask questions, and finds people everywhere who answer her questions with dignity. Jewish tradition views question-posing as an essential part of education, encouraging both children and adults to ask and learn. Young children tend to ask many questions. But although we should always listen to them, we need not always provide an answer. Sometimes it is enough simply to encourage them to ask, and accompany them on the road to seeking knowledge and discovering themselves and the world.

פעילות בחיק המשפחה

  • You may want to read the story several times, enjoying together the rhyming games and opposites, and accompanying Miriam on her quest for the sea. After several readings, your child will probably be able to complete the sentences, and "read" the story themselves
  • Does your child know the sea? If you do not have a beach close by, you could spend some time at the pool, fill a tub in the back yard, or even have a bath. Take simple seaside playthings along with you, such as a funnel, sieve, and various sized plastic bottles. Have fun!
  • Miriam's questions contain many opposites: hot–cold, big–small, old–new etc. You may enjoy playing an opposites game together. One of you could ask the other: "Is it ______ (hot, big, old…)?" and the other could reply: "No, it's ________ (cold, small, new..)!"
  • You may enjoy playing the "warm-cold" game together. One of you thinks of an object in the room, and leads the other toward it using clues of "warmer" (the object is close by) or "colder' (the object is far away).
  • Following the story, you may like to have a conversation with your child about seasons, and discuss how our activities change in winter when it is raining outside, and in summer, when it's hot out
  • Mirik Snir wrote dozens of wonderful books for young children. You may want to look for them, at home or the library, and read them together.

רעיונות לשילוב הספר בגן

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