7th Grade – High Holidays and Personal Interest Project
To learn about the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and to get our Personal Interest Projects started, we are...
- Playing High Holidays Balderdash, to learn about the modern day customs of both holidays.
- Hearing about the history of Rosh Hashanah customs and how they’ve changed over time, seeing pictures of how Rosh Hashanah is celebrated around the world today, and playing a group drama game to reinforce what we learned about the diversity of Judaism around the world.
- Connecting Yom Kippur to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, comparing how its practices changes after the Temple was destroyed, and journaling on Yom Kippur Introspection pages.
- Ask your student: How are Rosh Hashanah customs different or the same around the world? What were some talents and interests that you wrote down? What are some topics that you are thinking about for your Personal Interest Project?
6th Grade – Patriarchs and Matriarchs
To learn about the Patriarchs and Matriarchs of Judaism, we are...
- Playing games that focus on leadership and discussing what being a leader means to us.
- Identifying family tree of the patriarchs and matriarchs, and comparing it to our own family trees.
- Doing a craft with the Shabbat blessings for children, which connect us to the patriarchs and matriarchs by blessing us to be like them.
- Writing letters to our great-great-grandchildren to help understand the idea of a legacy.
- Playing games around specific virtues of each patriarch and matriarch – like Abraham and Sarah’s hospitality and Rebecca’s kindness.
- Creating our own “Chesed (Kindness) Challenge”, which we will use to keep track of the acts of kindness we perform this week.
- Discussing the mistakes some of the patriarchs and matriarchs made, and brainstorming how we can recover from making mistakes of our own.
- Ask your student: What is one quality of a patriarch or matriarch that you admire? What can we learn from our patriarchs and matriarchs? Why do you think we still learn about the patriarchs and matriarchs?
5th Grade – Loving Our Neighbors
To learn about the Jewish value of V'ahavta L're'acha Kamocha, or loving one's neighbor, we are...
- Expanding our definition of neighbors! They come in all forms, from the people who live next door to people who live around the world.
- Taking the time to learn similarities and differences between ourselves and our classmates–and how to love and respect them.
- Designing a yard sign to let our neighbors know we value everyone who comes by, no matter who they are, where they’re from, or where they’re at in life.
- Ask your student: Is there anyone in our neighborhood that you think could use some help or company? What are some ways that you can help the people around you?
4th Grade – More Patriarchs and Matriarchs
To learn about the stories of Jacob, Esau, Rachel, and Leah, we are...
- Reviewing what we learned about Abraham and Sarah last week, and hearing the stories of Jacob and Esau switching birthrights, and the story of Rachel and Leah switching on Rachel’s wedding night.
- Connecting the stories to themes in our own lives – like conflicts with siblings or friends.
- Creating comics depicting the real stories, as well as versions in which the characters treat each other with kindness and respect.
- Discussing ways we can build strong connections with our siblings and family, and creating skits of DO/DON’T scenarios for how to treat each other.
- Ask your student: How did the families in the stories today treat each other, and how did it affect their relationships with each other? How can we build strong connections with our family and friends?
3rd Grade – Being a Mensch
To learn about the Jewish value of Derech Eretz, or being a mensch (good person), we are...
- Reading “Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed” and discussing what it means to be a Mensch (a good person).
- Brainstorming ways we can go out of our way to make new and old friends feel welcomed.
- Playing games (Torah Slides & Ladders, similar to Chutes and Ladders; Mighty Mensch, similar to Old Maid; and "Mizvot and Aveirot", similar to Red Light, Green Light) – that each focus on reminding us what “menshchy” qualities we should possess in our everyday lives.
- Ask your student: How did you act as a mensch today? Why is it important to be a mensch? Is there anyone you know who you consider a real mensch?
2nd Grade – Creation + Adam and Eve
To learn about the stories of Creation and Adam and Eve, we are...
- Unrolling a mini Torah and pointing out where the story of Creation and Adam and Eve are (at the very beginning!)
- Watching a video of the story of Adam and Eve, and discussing whether we think G-d’s punishment for Adam and Eve was fair.
- Reviewing the days of Creation and making a class quilt to represent each day.
- Ask your student: What day of Creation did you work on? What happened in the story of Adam and Eve? Where in the Torah are these stories?
1st Grade – Kindness to Animals
To learn about the Jewish value of kindness to animals, we are...
- Playing animal-themed Simon Says and discussing five rules from the Torah about how to treat animals.
- Reading the book Stork’s Landing, about a daughter and a father’s work to save an injured Stork, and connecting it to the five rules.
- Making bird houses so that birds can rest on Shabbat.
- Playing “Yes, Let’s” to act out ways that we can be kind to animals.
- Ask your student: What does the Torah say about being kind to animals? How do we show kindness to animals in our everyday lives?
Kindergarten – Giving Tzedakah
To learn about the Jewish value of Tzedakah, or charity, we are...
- Playing “Kindness Dominoes” to demonstrate how one good deed can lead to another.
- Reading “Joey and the Giant Box” and decorating tzedakah boxes.
- Drawing ways that we can help others, and creating bird feeders to help birds in our neighborhood.
- Playing games that let us act out ways to be kind to each other.
- Ask your student: What is Tzedakah? What are some ways to help people in need?
Pre-K – Giving Tzedakah
To learn about the Jewish value of Tzedakah, or charity, we are...
- Making thank you cards for someone in our lives who has been kind to us.
- Decorating tzedakah boxes and brainstorming ways to be nice to others.
- Playing games that let us act out ways to be kind to others.
- Singing kindness songs and creating bird feeders to help birds in our neighborhoods.
- Ask your student: What is Tzedakah? What are some ways to do tzedakah?
Preschool – Giving Tzedakah
To learn about the Jewish value of Tzedakah, or charity, we are...
- Making thank you cards for someone in our lives who has been kind to us.
- Decorating tzedakah boxes and brainstorming ways to be nice to others.
- Playing games that let us act out ways to be kind to others.
- Singing kindness songs and creating bird feeders to help birds in our neighborhoods.
- Ask your student: What is Tzedakah? What are some ways to do tzedakah?
