Limudei Kodesh
curriculum
kriah
In 1st grade, students learn how to read using the Aleph Champ program. This systematic approach takes students from reviewing letters and sounds to combining letters and vowels, and all the way through the process of learning how to read. Students reinforce their reading skills by using a booklet called chazara b’kriah which aids in the final preparation to read from their siddur. In the spring, first grade students receive their first siddur, a significant milestone marked by a special siddur play.
Ksiva
Students in kindergarten through second grade also focus on writing Hebrew letters and handwriting. Utilizing worksheets, the Aviva K’siva and Avi Ksiv booklets, and Ksiv Nachon, our students are taught how to properly form the letters in block and cursive, as well as proper spacing between letters and words.
Tefillah and Beur Tefillah
As soon as our students begin reading from their siddur, the world of Tefillah is opened up to them. Each year we add new tefillos to their repertoire, and each year we focus on learning various tefillos more in depth in beur tefillah. Many tefillos are learned through song, which both allows students to learn the tefillos better and makes them more meaningful. In addition, the laws of davening are incorporated into our daily learning of the tefillos.
Chumash
Students in 1st through 3rd grade learn Chumash Bereishis. As they continue to acclimate to Hebrew reading they begin learning Chumash from a special packet, and transition into the Artscroll Chumash (Tiferes Michoel). In these grades, our goal is to build a strong familiarity with the structure of the pesukim, learning how to decode a word, and building a large database of “Chumash Key Words” which are mastered and reviewed cumulatively. In 3rd grade, students start learning Rashi, developing an understanding of the different letters, practicing reading Rashi script and discussing the reasoning behind Rashi’s questions and comments. This is reinforced and built upon in 4th and 5th grade.
Navi
We begin learning Navi in 3rd grade with sefer Yehoshua, and continue to learn one sefer of Navi each year through 8th grade, thereby having learnt the Nevi’im Rishonim upon graduating Arie Crown. A major focus in the learning of Navi is the storyline, along with life lessons that we can extract from the Navi. All this is taught based on the meforshim.
Gemara
- Familiarity with the “tzuras hadaf”of the traditional vilna shas
- An understanding of the correlation and unique roles of the chumash, mishna, and gemara
- A basic understanding of the history of talmud bavli
- Brief list of key terminology unique to learning gemara
In 6th grade the text learned is the second perek of meseches bava metziah. In addition to the knowledge contained in the text studied, the following skills are focused on:
- A thorough review of skills acquired in 5th grade
- Level one accumulative learning of our “shas milim” list; words common to almost any daf in shas
- Proper reading and punctuation inside the text of gemara
- An understanding of the flow within a “sugya” of gemara
- Higher levels of analysis synonymous with gemara study
- Understanding the role of rashi in the study of gemara with learning of select rashi
- Chavrusa style learning
In 7th grade the text learned is the first two perakim of meseches makkos. In addition to the knowledge contained in the text studied, the following skills are focused on:
- A thorough review of skills acquired in 5th and 6th grades
- Level two accumulative learning of our “shas milim” list
- Consistent study of rashi
- Introduction to the role of tosafos in the study of gemara
In 8th grade the text learned is the sixth perek of meseches bava kamma. In addition to the knowledge contained in the text studied,the following skills are focused on:
- A thorough review of skills acquired in 5th, 6th, and 7th grades
- Level three accumulative learning of our “shas milim” list
- Exposure to a wide range of rishonim and acharonim
- Consistent study of rashi and tosafos
- “chabburah” style presentation to peers
- Ability to produce written chiddushei torah
Halacha
Yedios Klalios
Ivrit
The boys’ Ivrit program has recently been revamped under the direction of Mrs. Tali Wasserman, incorporating her new workbook series Ivrit 1, 2, 3 into grades 1-5. By next year we look forward to incorporating grade 6 as well. Grades 7-8 focuses on conversational and Ulpan-style learning.
The Girls’ Ivrit program is under the direction of Mrs. Debbie Leibenstein. It is a comprehensive program utilizing sources such as Ivrit Shitotit, Yesodot HaLashon, and various workbooks that our teachers have developed.
Parsha
As students develop throughout their years at Arie Crown, their constant review of the weekly parsha becomes a crucial part of our curriculum. Parsha is used utilized as a way of a) solidifying students’ knowledge of the stories and laws in the Torah, b) reviewing the Parshios that have already been learned in depth in younger grades, and c) learning some of the deeper lessons that each parsha has which can be applied to our daily lives. In younger grades, Parsha is mainly taught using classic resources such as Rabbi Juravel’s Parsha series and The Little Midrash Says. In the upper grades, the parsha is learned via worksheets and discussions, and often via multimedia resources. Classes also learn the parsha through age appropriate question/answer sheets and prepared divrei Torah which families are encouraged to review at their Shabbos table.
Chagim
The Yomim Tovim come alive at Arie Crown Hebrew Day School. Utilizing our “Detailed Chgim Curriculum” binders, teachers at every grade level are instructed as to which elements of each Yom Tov they are to teach in their class. This allows us to make sure that all areas of each subject are learned throughout our students’ years in Arie Crown. Students learn basic terms pertaining to each holiday, as well as halachos, minhagim, tefillos, special Torah readings, and some of the deeper lessons that can be learned from each holiday. Special projects and activities are incorporated into making the preparations for the Yomim Tovim extra special.
