Lesson Plan

Your Four Sons - Explore the Haggadah

The Haggadah passage about the Four Sons has been a source of inspiration for illustrators of Haggadot over the centuries. In this activity, your students will design their own illustration of the Four Sons after exploring Haggadot from the National Library collections.

See how the passage about the Four Sons has been a source of inspiration for illustrators of Haggadot over the centuries.

Discussion Questions

Look at the illustrations of the Four Sons.

  • Can you identify which are the different sons from the images?
  • What is the same in all of the illustrations? What is different?
  • In what ways are the ancient depictions of the Four Sons different or similar to the modern ones?
  • How do you think society influenced the way in which the Four Sons are portrayed?
  • What clues do the illustrators give you as to which son is which?
  • Why are the sons ordered from right to left? (Hint – think about the direction in which Hebrew is written.)
  • Look at the illustrations provided. Are there illustrations of four daughters?
  • Why do you think the Haggadot show only sons?

Search the internet for alternative texts and illustrations that include the Four Daughters.

  • Why do you think many Haggadot are illustrated?


Creative Activity

Use the online tool - ThingLink as an online analysis tool. Click to access an example.

Upload the image of the Four Sons from a Haggadah of your choice.

Add questions or include links and other images that you find relevant.

Share the link with your students.

Do it yourself!

Learners will create their own version of the Four Sons in Canva or with materials.

Save/Print PDF

Look at the illustrations of the Four Sons.

  • Can you identify which are the different sons from the images?
  • What is the same in all of the illustrations? What is different?
  • In what ways are the ancient depictions of the Four Sons different or similar to the modern ones?
  • How do you think society influenced the way in which the Four Sons are portrayed?
  • What clues do the illustrators give you as to which son is which?
  • Why are the sons ordered from right to left? (Hint – think about the direction in which Hebrew is written.)
  • Look at the illustrations provided. Are there illustrations of four daughters?
  • Why do you think the Haggadot show only sons?

Search the internet for alternative texts and illustrations that include the Four Daughters.

  • Why do you think many Haggadot are illustrated?


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Your Four Sons - Explore the Haggadah

The Haggadah passage about the Four Sons has been a source of inspiration for illustrators of Haggadot over the centuries. In this activity, your students will design their own illustration of the Four Sons after exploring Haggadot from the National Library collections.

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