There are four components to our program that combine to create our fantastic 3rd-6th grade program, an experience of intensive learning, friendship-building, and meaning-making:
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Core: Full-Grade learning on an essential component of Jewish literacy (see below for detailed curricula);
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An authentic practice of Jewish prayer during T’filah, including Chevruta T'filah, when students explore the deep meanings of Jewish prayers through a weekly question with a partner;
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Hebrew Lab: individualized, self-paced instruction with Hebrew tutors and peers, focused on mastering decoding (reading) and prayer chanting;
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“Chug:” students explore Jewish values and holidays using a hands-on, whole-person approach in our elective (Chug) program. Students learn about holidays and mitzvot (commandments/good deeds) and middot (values/virtues) with specialists, ranging from cooking, performing and fine arts, Israeli dance, arts and crafts, sports, nature, and science. Grades are mixed during Chug: students are with 3rd - 6th graders, enabling them to build friendships across grades and feel part of the greater TBY community.
Third Grade Curriculum
The Third Grade curriculum emphasizes developing students’ critical-thinking skills and moral fiber in a Jewish context. Students unpack texts from Torah (the 5 Books of Moses), learn to read Hebrew, prepare for the holidays, and explore middot (values) and mitzvot (good deeds/commandments).
Fourth Grade Curriculum
Fourth Grade continues the Jewish literacy focus, with an eye to preparing students for b’nai mitzvah, lifelong Jewish learning, and an ethical toolkit for life. Students learn prayers through T’filah and Hebrew; Jewish history and stories through Tanakh study (prophets and stories of the biblical period) in Core; and Jewish values and holidays during “Chug.”
Fifth Grade Curriculum
The focus of fifth grade is deepening students’ Jewish roots and relationships while developing their capacity for questioning and evidence-based debate: through learning Jewish history and literature; t’filot (prayer) learning and Jewish values and holidays through “Chug.”
Sixth Grade Curriculum
The focus of sixth grade is deepening students’ Jewish roots and relationships while making sure students have the Jewish literacies that prepare them for the teen years and b’nai mitzvah. Topics covered include Israel, modern Jewish history, Jewish prayers and their meaning, and the middot (values) and mitzvot (good deeds/commandments) of Jewish holidays in “Chug.”
Click here to read grade-level learning benchmarks.
Hebrew Lab
In Hebrew Lab, students will learn to decode (first year) and then chant the Shabbat morning and Shabbat evening prayers. Each child moves at their own pace while mastering reading and chanting, supported by a tutor in small groups. The first few days of Hebrew Lab are "Hebrew Training!" with whole-body exercises modeled after sports trainings to teach and refresh the Alef-Bet (Hebrew Alpha Bet). On subsequent days, students will divide up into smaller groups to learn to read and work on prayers.
Hebrew Lab is 50 minutes (or more). The first half hour or so students are grouped by their current area of learning, with the support of a Hebrew tutor. During the final 15-20 minutes of Hebrew Lab, students get to choose how they want to practice what they've learned. Stations include a chanting station, art station, sensory station and a Hebrew games "station."
Hebrew Lab is designed so that if a student misses they can pick up where they left off, and if a student moves quickly through material, they can continue to advance or do bonus learning about a prayer.
Please reach out to Rabbi Miriam with any questions, rabbiphilips@tby.org.
Thu, November 21 2024 20 Cheshvan 5785