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Curriculum

K’Tonton / Pre-Kindergarten

The K’tonton / Pre-K program is open to children who will be three and four years old by October 1st. The class meets ten Sundays throughout the year. The major focus of the year is holiday oriented. The holidays and Shabbat are taught through stories, singing, puppetry, cooking, dance and rhythms, dramatics and arts & crafts. The class meets monthy on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:45 am.

Kindergarten

Hebrew: The students will be introduced to basic vocabulary including family, colours, body parts, weather, numbers, seasons, classroom, Shabbat and holiday related words.  The students will learn to recognize the Hebrew letters.

Tefillah: The students will be introduced to the concepts of thanking God including when and how we thank God.  The students will learn basic brachot including brachot over food, and Shabbat and holiday related brachot.  They will begin each class with the singing of Modeh Ani and Shema.

Tanach: The students will be introduced to basic Torah stories, heroes in the Torah and the beginning of the Jewish people.  They will explore the concepts of God as creator of the world, God and the Jewish people and how the Torah is a guide for our lives.

Chagim: The students will learn the basics of each Jewish holiday including Shabbat.  They will learn the customs of how each holiday is celebrated in the home and in the synagogue.

Mitzvot: The students will explore various mitzvot including honouring their parents, visiting the sick, shalom bayit, Gemilut Hasadim and others.

 1st GRADE

Hebrew: The students will learn Shabbat and holiday related vocabulary and begin attaining oral language skills.  With the help of a textbook, the students will work on letter recognition.

Tefilah: The students will begin to learn simple prayer terminology.  They will focus on the following prayers, Shema, V’ahavta, Modeh Ani, Birchot Hanehenin (daily blessings), Shabbat brachot and Shehehcheyanu.

Tanach: The students will revisit the popular stories while engaging in activities that will help the students discover how our ancestors lived.

Chagim: The students will learn about each Jewish holiday and how they are celebrated. Through a Jewish Memory Book, the students will personailze each holiday celebration.

Mitzvot: The students will focus on the mitzvot of Tzedakah. They will discuss ways we can be responsible for others and ways of doing Tzedakah.

2nd GRADE

Hebrew: The students will continue to build their Shabbat, holiday and Siddur vocabulary. The students will begin working on their reading fluency.

Tefilah: The students will continue to increase their Shabbat and Holiday vocabulary.  The students will focus on the following prayers: Kiddush for Shabbat, Shalom Aleichem, Mah Nishtanah, first paragraph of Birkat HaMazon and the first paragraph of Shema.

 Tanach: The students will focus on the biblical period and discuss the Bible stories and the heroes associated with them.

Chagim: The students will learn about all the Jewish holidays, including the home and communal rituals.

Mitzvot: The students will first focus on the mitzvot of Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim (kindness to animals).  They will look at the biblical laws and examples.  They will discuss what they can do and connect it to kashrut.  The students will then focus on mitzvot bain adam l’chavero. They will discuss respect for others, look for examples of laws and look at Hillel.

 3RD GRADE

Hebrew: They will continue to improve their reading fluency, transistion to Siddur reading and, towards the end of the year, begin cursive writing.

Tefilah: Besides the prayers in their book, they will focus on Havdalah, Birkat HaMazon, L’cha Dodi, V’shamru, Ashrei, and Adon Olam.  They will specifically look at the Mincha and Maariv services.

 Tanach: The students will look at the major themes and events in the Torah from Creation to the Exodus.  The students will ponder, personalize and wrestle with the text.

Chagim: The students will learn the Jewish calendar, including the names of the Hebrew months, the difference between lunar and solar, and where the Jewish holidays fall out in the calendar.

 Mitzvot: The students will re-look at Tzedakah focussing on Rambam’s ladder, biblical examples and practical ways of doing Tzedakah.

Israel: An overview of the country.

 4th GRADE

Hebrew: Using a leveled method, the students will work others who are at their Hebrew level. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders will come together for Hebrew. Students will work through various textbooks and increase their tefilot fluency with a Siddur companion.

Tefilah: The students will focus on the Friday evening home rituals, Shacharit service, basic Siddur terms and an introduction to the Amidah.  The students will review and learn the following prayers: Friday evening home rituals, Shalom Aleichem, Sim Shalom, Ayn Kaylokenu, Baruch She-Amar, Amidah (first three brachot) and Brachot Hatorah.

Tanach:  The students will learn about the Nevi’im (prophets) and Ketuvim (writings). They will look at the transition from a people to a nation beginning to understand prophets and prophecy, kings, kingdoms and their problems. In addition, they will

Chagim: The students will focus on the Shalosh Regalim (Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot).  They will concentrate on the following areas: ties to Jewish history and agriculture, ties to Eretz Yisrael, basic observances, names of the holidays and terminology.  They will also focus on Shabbat as they prepare for their Friday evening service.  They will discuss Shabbat as a day of rest, and as remembrance of Creation and Exodus. The students will learn the customs and observances associated with Shabbat.

Mitzvot: The students will focus on the mitzvot of Gemilut Hasadim and Kashrut. The students will specifically focus on Maot Chittin – providing assistance to Jews in need to meet the holiday’s special

 5TH GRADE

Hebrew: Using a leveled method, the students will work others who are at their Hebrew level. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders will come together for Hebrew. Students will work through various textbooks and increase their tefilot fluency with a Siddur companion.

Tefilah: In addition to the prayers learned in their textbook, the students will focus on Kriat Shema and Maariv.  They will learn the following prayers, Barechu, Kel Adon, Vayomer, Ahava Rabah/Ahavat Olam, parts of Hallel, Birchot HaHaftarah, Kaddish, and Aleynu.

Tanach: The students will use the Torah text to study the Book of Beraisheet.  They will also do a more indepth look at certain prophets and Midrash.

Chagim: The students will focus their studies on the minor holidays, Chanukah, Tu B’Shevat, Purim and the spring holidays.  They will learn basic observances and explore historical dating and Jewish identity and identification.

Mitzvot: The students will explore the Jewish Life Cycle.  They will understand the terminology, concepts and how to make it part of their lives.

Israel: Through history, the students will take a “tour” of Israel.  Along the way, they will learn Hebrew words, Jewish values, intriguing information and geography.

 6TH GRADE

Hebrew: Using a leveled method, the students will work others who are at their Hebrew level. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders will come together for Hebrew. Students will work through various textbooks and increase their tefilot fluency with a Siddur companion.

Tefilah:  The students will focus on the Amidah and Musaf service.  The will learn all the parts of the Amidah, High Holiday Kiddush, Passover Kiddush and key brachot, and will review Bircat HaHaftarah and Bircat HaTorah.

Tanach:  The students will use the Torah text to study the Book of Exodus. They will be introduced to rabbinic commentary and the structure of the Tanach.

Chagim: The students will focus on the Yamim Noraim, Pesach, Tisha B’Av and minor fasts. They will look at Biblical and Rabbinic sources, Teshuvah/Tefilah/Tzedakah, detailed study of the Seder and Haggadah and kashrut of Pesach.

History: Through a textbook, the students will consider how their lives compare with the lives of those who came before them, how Judaism has evolved in every generation, and how the decisions of our forebears to adapt Judaism to their times and circumstances influence our own decisions today.

Mitzvot: The students will explore various Jewish values through their everyday relationships and decision making .

Bnai Mitzvah: Students will explore Jewish values through their everyday relationships and decision making.

7TH GRADE

Hebrew: The students will study conversational Hebrew.  They will learn simple grammar and begin to express themselves in Hebrew.

 Tefilah: The students will review all tefilot – specifically Shabbat Shacharit and Musaf.  They will study the tefilah structure and the structure of various services.

Chagim: The students will trace the laws of Shabbat through the Torah, Talmud, Mishneh Torah, Shulchan Aruch,

Mitzvot/B’nai Mitzvah:  Using the textbook, Making a Difference, and other instant lessons, the pre-B’nai Mitzvah students will discuss issues relevant to the Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

History: The students will study American Jewish history.

Seminars: The students will meet monthly on Sundays and participate in workshops related to various Jewish topics. An up-to-date schedule will be published seperately.