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September 09, 2010 Home | Contact Us | Directions |
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Learning / Limud (Grades K-5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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LIMUD PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT The Temple Beth Elohim Limud Program strives to provide a meaningful and engaging learning program for grades K - 5, including formal and informal experiences and family learning opportunities.
Goals:
Education Program
PRIMARY DEPARTMENT (Kindergarten to 2nd Grade)
Grades K-2 meet Sundays, 8:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. or 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
In addition to the individual programs explained below, students will participate in a fun, engaging music program and social justice projects that emphasize not only giving money, but also doing righteous deeds. Families will have the opportunity to join together for holiday celebrations and special family programs.
KINDERGARTEN - Torah Lens
GOALS:
CURRICULUM:
Our experiential curriculum evolves from the question “Who Am I?” Through a variety of activities, including Bible and holiday stories, music, drama and arts and crafts the children begin to develop a sense of connection from home to the synagogue and to the larger Jewish community. Students learn the meaning of mitzvot and how mitzvot apply to their every day lives. Hebrew is introduced auditorily, building on Jewish vocabulary that relates to family, Hebrew name, holiday and Shabbat blessing. We introduce the Hebrew letters using the book “Sam the Detective.” Families are invited to a special Family Program and blessing of Consecration, a family picnic and multiple community holiday celebrations. Children are also invited to participate in Chalutzim, the junior youth group for grades K and 1 that meets 4 times a year.
Teachers: Marilyn Preman and Michelle Zaff
GRADE ONE – Israel Lens
CURRICULUM:
Our first graders will participate in an interactive curriculum that focuses on holidays, mitzvot and K’lal Israel (Jewish people). Students will read Torah stories that focus on these topics as they explore how we are connected to Jewish people around the world and to the land of Israel. This multi-faceted curriculum includes music, story-telling and arts and crafts. In addition, the children will be introduced to the Hebrew alphabet (aleph-bet) and vowels and will continue to add Hebrew words to their Jewish Life vocabulary. They will be encouraged to explore Jewish literature with regular visits to our TBE library, including the opportunity to take home library books. Parents are invited to a special program recognizing the accomplishments of the first graders. Children are also invited to participate in Chalutzim, the junior youth group for grades K and1 that meets 4 times a year.
Teachers: Sharon Levy and Marcy Lubarsky
GRADE TWO – G’milut Chasadim Lens
GOALS:
CURRICULUM:
As Jewish people, we are commanded to take care of the world. To better understand our responsibilities in the world, second grade students will examine the creation story and other Bible stories, holiday celebrations and customs through the lens of G’milut Chasadim and Tikkun Olam. They will explore the difference between “mitzvah” and “good deed” as they consider our relationship to God and our world.
Building on the previous year's introductory Hebrew lessons, children will review the letters and vowels and will start recognizing sounds and short words. In each curricular area, children will engage in learning in a multi-sensory way, using music, arts and crafts, stories, games and other interactive learning modalities. When students complete their learning of the Hebrew Aleph Bet, families join together at a Siyyum Aleph Bet celebration. Children are also invited to participate in Chaverim, the junior youth group for grades 2 and 3 that meets 4 times a year.
Teachers: Dale Norman, Ellen Lapuck and Fran Slate
INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT (3rd to 5th Grade)
Grades 3, 4, and 5 meet twice weekly:
Sundays from 8:45-10:45 a.m. or 11:15 a.m - 1:15 p.m., and,
Tuesday 3:45–5:45 p.m. or Wednesday 4:30 – 6:30 pm.
GRADE THREE – Torah Lens
GOALS:
CURRICULUM:
In Grade 3, students advance their study of Hebrew by attending mid-week religious school, dedicating additional time to learning how to decode and read in Hebrew. The Hebrew curriculum focuses on B’rachot (blessings), the meaning of the blessings and why blessings are an important part of Jewish liturgy. In this transition year from the primary grades to the intermediate grades, the curriculum weaves Torah into learning at many levels. The students will learn about the structure of the Torah. They will examine the Jewish calendar and, as they study holidays, they will examine Torah texts to better understand the sources for these celebrations. Children will also start to develop an understanding of our siddur (prayerbook), why we pray and different types of prayers.
Each week students in grades 3-5 participate in a brief lesson on T’filah (prayer) in the Sanctuary led by one of our clergy and our music Educator, Matt Stern. Students have the opportunity to practice their emerging Hebrew skills, learn holiday and liturgical music, and become familiar with the choreography of Shabbat services. This year, the 3rd graders will join 4th and 5th grade students in T’filah in January as they gain proficiency in reading Hebrew and can actively participate in the service. Children are also invited to participate in Chaverim, the junior youth group for grades 2 and 3 that meets 4 times a year.
In third grade, we introduce our "Passport to Israel" program which is a partnership among our families, Temple Beth Elohim and the Combined Jewish Philanthropies that facilitates learning about Israel and provides joint financing for a student’s future visit to Israel.
Teachers: Jessica Shore and Caren Swerdlick
GRADE FOUR – Israel Lens
GOALS:
CURRICULUM:
Fourth grade students continue to explore the narrative of the Jewish people, moving from the Genesis stories to learn in depth select texts from the book of Exodus about the creation of a nation – the people of Israel. The textbook “Torah-Toons I” will, for the first time, introduce students to specific texts from weekly Torah portions. This exploration will lay the foundation for the 5th grade when they will study from the TaNaKh (Hebrew Bible).
Students will learn Hebrew through the structure of a Shabbat service. They will focus on the meaning of prayers, and learn Kabalat Shabbat and Shabbat morning prayers in Hebrew, as they increase their fluency with our liturgy. Each Hebrew lesson builds on prior lessons, providing continual reinforcement and progress. The students play a variety of language games to strengthen reading skills and develop fluency. Students participate in T’filah, our weekly prayer service with other students in 3rd and 5th grades. They will also have the opportunity to help lead parts of the service where they have mastered the prayers. In addition, students will be introduced to cantillation to lay the foundation for mastering skills for Torah chanting. Parents are invited to celebrate with their children when they receive their own TaNaKh (Hebrew Bible) at the end of the year.
Children are also invited to participate in Yedidm, the junior youth group for grades 4 and 5 that meets 3 times a year, and participate in one Shul-In (Friday evening to Saturday morning).
Teachers: Yael Misrahi, Caroline Phillips, Melissa Rubin, Shimshon Stu Siegel and Emily Sigalow
GRADE FIVE – G’milut Chasadim Lens
GOALS:
CURRICULUM:
The fifth grade year is designed to challenge our maturing students to discover Jewish life as both a life-long continuum and a daily living experience. The study of the Jewish life cycle enables students to examine celebrations across a lifetime, including procedures at the end of life, and extrapolate meaning from those events. Fifth grade students will also consider how life cycle events have evolved over the years and how they can bring personal meaning to these milestones. Students also revisit the Jewish holiday cycle with an eye toward gaining new understanding through the mitzvot (commandments) associated with each of the holidays. A third piece of the curriculum is The Gift of Jewish Wisdom. Students will examine how the values and ethics found in our sacred texts apply to our lives today. They receive a copy of the Jewish Publication Society TaNaKh (Hebrew Bible) and learn about its structure. During the year, they will explore the TaNaKh through the study of the Jewish imperative to engage in G’milut Chasadim (acts of loving kindness) by reading selected texts in the book of Judges and several prophets.
In Hebrew, students attend T’filah, our weekly prayer service, and refine their reading and chanting skills. Prayers and liturgy serve as a vehicle to introduce and empower students to use their growing siddur (prayer book) vocabulary. Upon attaining a level of mastery, students have the opportunity to lead the other students in prayer. The Hebrew textbook helps students to make a connection between ancient and modern Hebrew. Through the study of liturgy, students develop a fuller appreciation for the Shabbat services at Temple Beth Elohim, both in structure and meaning.
Children are also invited to participate in Yedidm, the junior youth group for grades 4 and 5 that meets 3 times, and participate in one Shul-In (Friday evening to Saturday morning).
In addition to several community holiday celebrations, parents will join us for a Moving On ceremony that recognizes 5th grade students as they are about to enter our B’nei Mitzvah Magical Mystery Tour (BM3T) program for 6th and 7th grade.
Teachers: Maya Dolgin and Miriam Smirnov
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