GRADE ONE JUDAIC STUDIES

Overview

First grade students are immersed in a Hebrew environment based on the Tal-Am Hebrew Language curriculum. Instruction is exclusively in Hebrew, and students are encouraged to express themselves in Hebrew. Major emphasis is placed on the experience and content of tefillot and berakhot. Students learn the importance of the middot of fairness, honesty, and sensitivity, much of which is derived from their study of parashat ha-shavu'a.

Safah -- Language Arts

The goal of learning Hebrew is to integrate the language throughout the Judaic studies curriculum. Linguistic elements are derived directly from the curriculum, and grammar is taught within the context of the material being studied. Based on their ability, students are divided into varying skill and challenge levels. Students learn to listen and comprehend both teachers and fellow students, answer questions in full sentences, read and understand the stories and songs taught, and master the Hebrew print alphabet. The Tal-Am curriculum is used to reinforce these goals.

Texts:

Selections from the Tal-Am curriculum:


אריאות •

שלום בבית ובחוץ •

אלבום הכיתה •

שבת שלום •

אני והעץ •

Limudei Kodesh -- Judaic Studies

Students study the holidays, their laws and customs, create holiday-related projects, and participate in special events and trips. They discuss parashat ha-shavu'a and become more familiar with Bible stories, with a focus on the middot and mitzvot that have their roots in these stories. Tefillah is a vital part of the school day. Students begin with the tefillot that they learned in kindergarten, and add new tefillot as the year progresses. They are aided by colorful illustrations and charts from the Tal-Am program. As often as possible, berakhot are taught experientially, through varied snack foods and in relation to upcoming holidays.

Chag ha-Siddur - Prayer Book Celebration

This highlight of first grade occurs in February, when the students receive their first siddurim. In preparation for this important milestone, students work on their own personal siddurim, which they illustrate with expressions of their own connections to the various tefillot. At the Siddur Celebration, the students perform their Siddur play, entirely in Hebrew. Parents play a vital role in the preparing for the performance the play, which unforgettably recreates the students' weekly experiences using music, humor, and drama.
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