Gan-Bet (K-2)
The K-2 curriculum is designed to be engaging and exciting – using a variety of hands-on media including stories, arts and crafts, drama/storytelling, music, movement, etc. The main goals of our K-2 curriculum is to offer experiences that : nurture a child’s personal Jewish identity (“I’m Jewish! – and I’m learning more and more about what it means to be Jewish.”), to instill a joy of Jewish learning (“Being Jewish is fun!”) and a sense of Jewish community (“I have Jewish friends and Temple Isaiah is my synagogue!”). We also offer family education programs that strengthen the connections between school and home.
Our K-2 curriculum includes the following core concepts, which we approach from a different perspective at each grade level. Please see the chart below:
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Core Concepts
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GAN (Kindergarten)
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ALEF (First grade)
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BET (Second grade)
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Jewish Holidays
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What do we celebrate with (symbols) and How (with our families in our homes)
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Who are the holiday
Heroes/”Mitzvah Makers”?
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Becoming Holiday Experts: How and Why we celebrate as a community and When (understanding the Jewish calendar)
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Jewish Values and Mitzvot
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Shalom Bayit
(Peace in our home and classroom)
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Mitzvot
(Commandments for Jewish Living)
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Hoda’ah
(Thankfulness)
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Torah/Bible Stories
God and Spirituality
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Creation story
Stories that promote Shalom Bayit
Up Close with the Torah Unit
Shema Unit
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Torah Stories and Torah Midrashim (creative/ interpretative tellings) that focus on Mitzvot/Heroes
Mitzvot and Blessings
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Making Room for God Unit
Shabbat Morning Blessings
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Ivrit:Hebrew Language
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Holiday symbols and terms, everyday words (manners, greetings, etc.)
“Short” Food Blessings
Alef-Bet Exploration Center
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Introduction of Alef-Bet letters; mitzvot terms
Hebrew name Unit
Blessings: “Short” food blessings and Mitzvot blessings
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Reading Readiness Hebrew (letters and vowels);
Blessings: Chanukah, Shabbat and Havdalah, Passover 4 Questions
Jewish time and calendar terms
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Israel
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My Israel: Meeting Children in Israel through Shalom Sesame and stories
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Mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael (love of Israel)
Jerusalem through our mitzvah and holiday stories
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Explore sites and cities of Israel alongside the Alef-Bet learning
Holiday celebrations in Israel
Israeli Astronaut, Ilan Ramon
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Grade Specific Special Units
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Shema Unit
Up Close with the Torah Unit
Creation
My Jewish Homes: My Fmaily Home, My Synagogue, My Israel
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Mitzvahland Unit
Mitzvah Makers
Hebrew Name Unit
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Setting Your Clock to Jewish Time Unit
Rosh Chodesh
(the new Moon holiday)
Making Room for God Unit
Hebrew Name Unit
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For the Special Events Calendar for Sunday families, click here.
For the Special Events Calendar for Thursday families, click here.
Gimel (3rd Grade)
Kitah Gimel (3rd grade) students become Hebrew readers over the course of the year. They also explore their questions and ideas about God and delve into the Torah texts from the first chapters of the Book of Genesis through study, discussion, drama, and arts & crafts.
Becoming Hebrew readers
- Students learn to read Hebrew words and phrases using the text book, Alef Bet Quest, and by participating in a variety of group reading games and activities. Students are encouraged to use the The Alef Bet Quest DVD for home practice.
- Students learn to write in Hebrew script
- Students participate in class checkpoints when children each have one-on-one reading time with their teacher to assess their progress.
Thinking about God
Using the book, I Have Some Questions About God, as a jumping off point, students think about questions that children typically ask about God. The book poses these questions and then provides three different rabbis’ answers as expressed through a story. At the end of the chapter, the children review what the three different views were and are encouraged to think about which view is similar to their own or to express their own view. We will be sending home the questions of the month with the rabbi’s answers, so that parents and children can continue the conversation at home.
Exploring Torah
The children explore several Torah texts in a more mature and analytical way than they have in the past. They study:
- The two stories of Creation
- Cain and Abel
- Noah
- Tower of Babel
Students read the text looking for hints on the important ideas, people and events. After reading the text of the story, students analyze the story in partners, small groups or as a class. The discussions focus on what we can take away from these stories today and how they apply to our lives. Then, the children spend one or two classes doing hands-on activities to help them engage with the stories in a variety of learning styles.
Milestone Event in Kitah Gimel
At the end of the year, after the children have learned to read Hebrew, they prepare for the Siyyum Hasefer (celebration of the book) ceremony. Each student reads a phrase in Hebrew from Psalms, and the students and the cantor lead a variety of fun Hebrew songs for their families. Students receive a copy of the Mishkan T’filah Prayer book inscribed with their English and Hebrew names and a dedication plate written by their parents.
Third Grade meets two days per week. Choices include:
- Sundays 9:00-11:00 and Wednesdays 3:40-5:10
- Sundays 9:00-11:00 and Thursdays 3:30-5:00
- Sundays 11:15-1:15 and Wednesdays 3:40-5:10
Click here for Gimel Class (Third Grade) Special Events/Family Programs Calendar.
Dalet (4th grade)
Kitah Dalet (4th grade) students strengthen their connections to their religious school community as they hone their Hebrew and text study skills. Fun and learning are interwoven as students participate in a Hebrew carnival, compete in the Bracha(blessing) Cup Games, attend the Schlogworts Mitkadem Academy for Hebrew Wizards in Training, participate in the Four Question Olympics and track the journeys of the first Jewish families in the Torah.
Hebrew/Prayer
Mitakdem
The students learn Hebrew blessings and prayers using URJ’s Mitkadem prayer program. Mitkadem is an innovative and comprehensive prayer curriculum. Students work individually and in small groups within the class to progress through the levels (ramot) allowing students of varying abilities to work at a pace that is comfortable for them. Teachers and Hebrew aides guide the students through the process. Every level (ramah) includes the following components:
- Kri'ah/Reading
- Otzar Milim/Vocabulary
- Dikduk/Grammar
- Divrei T'filah/Words of Prayer (students investigate the central themes of the prayer book and what they mean to them)
Since prayer in Jewish tradition has a strong communal component, the small group and individual work is balanced with large group Hebrew games and opportunities for students to practice prayers together in the classroom In addition, students participate in monthly t’filah (services) during religious school led by fellow students and participate monthly in a teaching t’filah session with the entire 5th grade led by Cantor Doob.
Schlogworts Mitkadem Academy for Hebrew Wizards in Training
Here at Temple’s Isaiah’ Hebrew Academy students learn to become Hebrew Wizards by learning such things as the “Blessing Formula”, the proper blessing for various foods – HOW to say them and WHEN to say them. They will become word detectives by learning the Hebrew Codes (Shoreshim or Roots) of Hebrew words and of course, much, much more. Hebrew Wizardry Learning Games will sharpen their skills and allow for great interactive activities that all students enjoy! Students are sorted into one of three houses: Gimmeldoor, Hamanpoof, or Reishinclaw
Torah Study
During Torah study, the students work in pairs, small groups and as a whole class to explore the family stories found in the book of Genesis (from Abraham and Sarah through Joseph) and the journeys of the Children of Israel in the Book of Exodus (from Moses’ birth through the exodus from Egypt). After reading the text of the story, the students discuss what ideas and lessons they can take away from these stories and how they apply to their lives today. The following two classes are spent delving further into the texts using a variety of learning activities from dramatics to journal writing to art projects.
Kitah Dalet finishes the year with exploration of the Ten Commandments.
Fourth Grade meets Sundays 11:15-1:15, Mondays 3:40-5:10 and Wednesdays 3:40-5:10.
Click here for the fourth grade Special Events/Family Education Calendar.
Heh (5th grade)
Kitah Heh (5th grade) students extend their sense of Jewish connection to include the land and people of Israel through a variety of hands-on learning experiences. Students increase their mastery of prayers and their understanding of how the Hebrew language works with the continued use of the mitkadem program.
Hebrew/Prayer
Mitakdem: The students learn Hebrew blessings and prayers using URJ’s Mitkadem prayer program. Mitkadem is an innovative and comprehensive prayer curriculum. Students work individually and in small groups within the class to progress through the levels (ramot) allowing students of varying abilities to work at a pace that is comfortable for them. Teachers and Hebrew aides guide the students through the process. Every level (ramah) includes the following components:
- Kri'ah/Reading
- Otzar Milim/Vocabulary
- Dikduk/Grammar
- Divrei T'filah/Words of Prayer (students investigate the central themes of the prayer book and what they mean to them)
Since prayer in Jewish tradition has a strong communal component, the small group and individual work is balanced with large group Hebrew games and opportunities for students to practice prayers together in the classroom In addition, students participate in monthly t’filah (services) during religious school led by fellow students and participate monthly in a teaching t’filah session with the entire 5th grade led by Cantor Doob.
To help familiarize the students with some basic conversational Hebrew phrases, the Kitah heh students will participate in an Ulpan (conversational Hebrew sessions) using some of the roots that they have learned in Mitkadem. The ulpan will culminate in a Hebrew camp during the last few weeks of religious school.
Israel: Yesterday and Today
Through an exciting series of hands-on activities, the students learn about the people and events that led to the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948. Using the book The Wonders of Israel they connect to the people and places found in Israel today.
Israel activities include:
- Meet the movers and shakers in Israel’s history
- Exploring Theodore Herzl and his dream of creating a Jewish homeland culminating in a party celebrating the birth of the state of Israel.
- Foundations of Modern Israel: the Kibbutz experience (explored at a one day retreat)
- Builders of Israel Hall of Fame: In partners, students study a historical figure from early Zionism and teach other students about their historical figure.
- The students create a travel brochure to learn teach about the geography of Modern Day Israel.
- Israeli rotations: Israeli Dance, Israeli crafts, and Israeli cooking
Fifth Grade meets Sundays 9:00-11:00, Mondays 3:40-5:10 and Wednesdays 3:40-5:10.
Click here for the Fifth grade Special Events/Family Education Calendar.
Vav (6th grade)
Kitah Vav (6th grade) students have the opportunity to hone their skills as service leaders and teachers of Torah as they explore what it means to become a bar or bat mitzvah (son or daughter of the commandment). Students are encouraged to think about the history of bar/bat mitzvah as a rite of passage as they explore how other traditions mark rites of passage at this age.
In addition, to classroom and grade-wide activities, the students attend a weekend retreat (Bar/Bat Mitzvah Kallah) where they build a stronger sense of community, experience the joy of Shabbat, and have time to delve more deeply into their B’nai Mitzvah Torah and Haftarah portions. This is all done in a fun camp setting along with the education staff, teen Madrichim (counselors) and clergy.
Hebrew/Prayer
In addition to continued use of the mitkadem program Hebrew program, 6th grade students learn Torah trope (cantillation). Through a series of activities they become familiar with the symbols and their corresponding melodies. The students lead a Shabbat morning service for their families at the end of the sixth grade year. This gives them an opportunity to use their trope skills as they chant a line of Torah and to build up their confidence about leading services in advance of their becoming a bar/bat mitzvah.
Living Jewish Values
Our Kitah Vav students are inheriting a legacy of Jewish values and they learn about some individuals in recent Jewish History who have put those values into action and made a significant difference as a result.
Sunday rotations
On Sundays, the students are broken into 3 groups or tribes and rotate through 3 activities in 35 periods. This gives the students an opportunity to learn with a different cohort of the class and to work with 3 different teachers than they do on Wednesdays. The rotations encompass the following topics:
Traditions of the Jewish Tribe: The students study mitzvot (commandments) and traditions that are part of their Jewish inheritance. This includes learning Torah Trope as well as exploring the meaning of ritual items for use at home and at synagogue.
Mitkadem: In this rotation, the students will continue to work on Mitakdem individually and in small groups and to work as a class to discuss the concepts and ideas found within the prayers.
Parshat HaShavuah (Torah portion of the week): Students will engage in Torah study through discussion and interactive activities. Special sessions with one of the rabbis and the cantor include “Choreography of the Torah Service” and “How to Approach writing your Dvar Torah.”
Sixth Grade meets Sundays 11:15-1:15 and Wednesdays 5:25-6:50*
*On Wednesdays (3:40-5:10) there is one 6th grade class offered for students who have younger siblings (3rd-5th grades) that attend the early session.
Click here for the Sixth grade Special Events/Family Education Calendar (which includes parent and family Bnai Mitzvah Workshops)
Vav (7th grade)
Hillel says, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?" -- Ethics of the Fathers, 1:14
The foundation of the Kitah Vav (7th grade) curriculum encourages the students to focus on themselves and their behavior, attitudes, and sense of accountability, Judaism, and the world.
7th Grade students learn about themselves and Judaism through the study of different mitzvot and Jewish thought including:
- Tikkun Middot (The term middot refers to measures -- measures which determine our character. The practice of tikkun middot is a process of defining and refining our moral compass when we are faced with competing urges and do not know which path to follow.") Tikkun Olam (repair of the world)
- Tzedakah (justice)
- Hachnasat Orchim (hospitality)
- Feeding the Hungry: Hunger and Homeless
- B’Tzelem Elohim (created in the image of God), Special Needs
- K’lal Yisrael (the unity of the Jewish people)
- Honoring our Elders
- Ethics and Jewish life
Family Education
Family B’Mitzvotav Program
(Families participate in Mitzvah Projects; families can participate and help lead projects organized by the religious school and/or work on an independent project). These projects are not designed to be completed by the date a child become bat/bat mitzvah but rather to be an on-going experience.
Special Programs
T’fillah & Kehillah Kedoshah (self-lead services and celebration of students who have become bar/bat mitzvah in the past month
Economic Reality Simulation
Mock Shabbat Dinner with Friends
SAGE Interviews
Family Dinner & orientation to 8th grade
7th grade meets Mondays, 5:25-6:50 and Wednedsays, 5:25-6:50
The B'nai Mitzvah experience combines the most joyous and solemn of moments among all of our rites. Welcoming young people as adults into our Jewish community enriches us all. At Temple Isaiah, our staff, clergy and families collaborate to make the experience one of deep meaning for our youth, while at the same time helping them to celebrate a milestone in a way that will be memorable.
Click HERE for complete Bnai Mitzvah Planning information and the Bar/Bat Mitzvah Handbook.
Click HERE for Overview of Bar/Bat Mitzvah Preparation
Click HERE for Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tzedakah Ideas