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Sixth Graders Mint Hasmonean Coins
They might not be legal tender, but the “Hasmonean coins” minted by sixth grade Judaic studies students look amazingly authentic—as if freshly unearthed by an Israeli archaeologist. Sixth graders, now exploring the Age of Hellenism in their Judaic studies classes, learned that Jews during this period were under Greco-Roman rule, and that the Hasmoneans—descendents of the Maccabees—created coins that had both Greco-Roman and Jewish symbols on them, so as to adapt to the Greco-Roman culture while still remaining Jewish. Using Sugru (a silicone rubber material that resembles modeling clay) and Field’s metal (non-toxic metal with a low melting point), students designed and cast “Hasmonean coins,” incorporating Hellenistic and Jewish symbols.
“It was so much fun to watch the students in the science lab cast and recast the Field’s metal in their molds until their coins came out perfect,” says teacher Jody Bloom. “They were able to incorporate what they have learned about this period in history and bring it to life.” MORE PHOTOS
