Curriculum
GAN KATAN (2 & 3 year old attend with a parent)
Goals: Introduce students to the concept of “What is Jewish.”
Objectives: The students will:
1. know the basic Jewish signs and symbols – where they are seen in our congregations and in our community and how they connect us as Jews.
2. celebrate the Jewish holidays as they occur incorporating sounds, sights, smells, tastes and textures. This class will be held as a parent-child class with parents learning along with their child to help integrate learning into home participation.
Structure: One hour class with parent/guardian every Sunday from 10:35-11:30am
PRE-KINDERGARTEN (4 & young 5 year old)
Goals: Understand the concept of “being Jewish” and having a Jewish identity – develop a connection to the Temple/Synagogue and Religious School.
Objectives: The students will:
- using the Shalom Sesame curriculum: be introduced to customs, ceremonies, symbols and foods of Shabbat and the Jewish holidays.
- be involved in playful activities which will introduce them to the Mitzvot that every Jewish child is expected to fulfill, including honoring your parents, telling the truth, and returning lost property.
- Using Aleph Bet Yoga: recognize and demonstrate the Hebrew alphabet.
Structure: 30 minutes Tefillah, 15 minutes community building activities, remainder of time spent rotating classroom activities with our specials: Art, Music, Baking, Rabbinical stories, and Bible Stories with Cantor.
Kindergarten through Seventh grade are also using a Schoology platform developed by Jewish Educators called “Shalom Learning”. This is a Jewish Values Curriculum with 28 complete lesson plans providing students with stimulating, interactive hands-on activities to explore and engage with these Jewish values and holidays:
KINDERGARTEN (5 & 6 year old)
Goals: Students explore Jewish values and holidays through the senses. Young children experience the sights, sounds, tastes and feels that connect us to Jewish tradition and learning
The Kindergarten curriculum will explore Jewish values and holidays through the senses using the Shalom Learning curriculum and other learning resources. Students will experience the sights, sounds, tastes, and feels that connect us to Jewish tradition and learning. Through art projects, games, picture books, videos, and songs, the students will learn Jewish holidays, customs, values, and some Hebrew words and phrases. The students will learn about and put into practice values like kavod (respect), shalom baayit (peace in the home), ometz lev (courage of the heart), tzedakah (charity, justice), hachnasat orchim (welcoming guests), and more!
As the students are learning at their age to empathize with others, our curriculum will focus heavily on the Jewish value of “love your neighbor as yourself.” Rabbi Hillel famously said, “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole of the Torah; the rest is commentary.” The Kindergarteners will practice doing mitzvot for others, talk about ways they can care for their world, act out this value through play, and learn about Jewish holidays through this lens.
Structure: 30 minutes Tefillah, 15 minutes community building activities, remainder of time spent rotating classroom activities with our specials: Art, Music, Baking, Rabbinical stories, and Bible Stories with Cantor.
Grades 1 through 7 will be using the Shalom Learning Schoology curriculum, based on Jewish Values like Thankfulness, Giving to Others and the Land of Israel.
FIRST GRADE
Students will continue to explore Jewish values and holidays through the senses. A variety of hands-on activities and choices give teachers options to personalize the learning.
Objectives: The students will:
- Over the course of the year, students will learn a number of Hebrew words and simple phrases related to the values and holidays including: Shalom, L’hitra’ot, Tz’dakah, ner, and more!
- Students explore T’hillim with the Shema, Chanukah Candle Blessings, Bore pri ha’etz and more!
- Through the values-based curriculum, students learn to apply the traits to their everyday life.
Structure: 30 minutes Tefillah, 15 minutes community building activities, remainder of time spent rotating classroom activities with our specials: Art, Music, Baking, Rabbinical stories, and Bible Stories with Cantor.
SECOND GRADE
Shalom Learning’s second grade curriculum explores Jewish values and holidays through literature and art. Each lesson includes an introduction to an artist, author, or musician. Students create-an original piece of work connected to the theme of the lesson in the style of the artist.
Objectives: The students will:
- Learn all the letters of the Aleph-Bet and two Hebrew words for each letter including: Ahavah, Torah, Tzdakah, Chanukah.
- understand that Jewish celebrations and rituals help us express our relationship with God.
- learn that we can make the world a better place by performing g’milut chasadim – acts of loving kindness in our everyday lives.
- develop basic reading skills by starting Let’s Discover the Aleph-Bet
Structure: 30 minutes Tefillah, 15 minutes community building activities, remainder of time spent rotating classroom activities with our specials: Art, Music, Baking, Rabbinical stories, and Bible Stories with Cantor.
THIRD GRADE – SIXTH GRADE
In third grade, we incorporate Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills that enable students to build positive relationships and make responsible decisions. Through the values, students explore Jewish text, history, tefillah, and holidays.
Objectives: The students will:
- Increase Hebrew learning with one session totally devoted to study of Hebrew
- Learn through the Jewish Values how to apply these to their lives at home and in the community
- appreciate that each individual act of kindness brings a peaceful home and world
Structure: 30 minutes Tefillah, 15 minutes community building activities, remainder of time spent rotating classroom activities with our specials: Art, Music, Baking, and Rabbinical discussions. 5th & 6th grade also will experience Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness.
Supplemental Hebrew will be conducted virtually at the discretion of the family and Hebrew teachers. This is in addition to the Hebrew focus during UJS.
SEVENTH GRADE
Enduring Understanding:
Our development as emerging Jewish adults is closely linked to our ethical behavior (middot) and the performance of acts of g’milut chasadim.
Objectives: The students will:
- develop a personal sense of Jewish identity through Torah and prayer
- apply Jewish ethical behavior (middot) and gimilut chasadim to become Jewish adults and members of the community
- investigate the significance and customs of Jewish lifestyle events
- explore issues that teens face in daily lives using debate and role play
Structure: 30 minutes Tefillah, 15 minutes community building activities, remainder of time spent rotating classroom activities with our specials: Art, Music, Baking, Rabbinical discussions, and Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness.
EIGHTH GRADE
Enduring Understanding: Our development as emerging Jewish adults is closely linked to our ethical behavior (middot) and the performance of acts of g’milut chasadim.
Objectives: The students will:
- develop a personal sense of Jewish identity through Torah and prayer
- apply Jewish ethical behavior (middot) and gimilut chasadim to become Jewish adults and members of the community
- investigate the significance and customs of Jewish lifestyle events
- explore issues that teens face in daily lives using debate and role play
Structure: 30 minutes Tefillah, 15 minutes community building activities, remainder of time spent rotating classroom activities with our specials: Art, Music, Baking, Rabbinical discussions, and Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness.
NINTH – TWELTH GRADE: MITZVAH CORE
“Mitzvah Core” reimagines and how we engage our teens at UJS through a highly interactive learning model. We will explore Jewish education through service projects in the community, leadership opportunities, community building, and deep conversation in Jewish topics. Mitzvah Core will also include a special trip for the students. Structure: This is service project based, and meets Sundays from 12 until 2pm, including lunch.