Lower Elementary Curriculum
Curriculum for students in Kindergarten to Grade 2.
Kindergarten
Hebrew
Ask and answer simple questions
Develop a basic Hebrew vocabulary including everyday objects, colors, weather and more
Identify the names of Hebrew letters and write short phrases and their names
Compare and contrast aspects of Israeli and American culture
Jewish Studies
Recite traditional morning blessings
Recognize symbols that are connected to Jewish holidays and daily life
Describe some details of the weekly Parsha stories
Define key terms that are connected to Jewish life
Language Arts
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words
Write for a variety of purposes with some sense of closure
Print legibly all upper- and lowercase letters
Apply knowledge of phonics to spell grade-appropriate words conventionally
Math
Extend their understanding of counting and the number sequence, building a strong foundation for their work with place value and the operations of addition and subtraction
Focus on the careful observation, description and comparison of two dimensional (2-D) and three dimensional (3-D) geometric shapes
Measure both objects and distances with the understanding that length is a stable and measurable dimension
Carry out their own data investigations, developing a question, collecting the data, representing the data and describing and interpreting the data
Science
Make observations that will heighten their awareness, curiosity, and understanding of Earth’s dynamic atmosphere, the observable patterns of objects in the sky, and the air we breathe
Understand the tools that meteorologists and scientists use to understand and predict the weather, observe changes in air temperature, daylight hours, and the moon, and make connections to how weather works
Explore how to use sound and light devices to communicate information
Observe firsthand the structures of plants and discover ways to propagate new plants from mature plants (from seeds, bulbs, roots, and stem cuttings)
Learn that sound comes from vibrating objects, and develop an understanding of how to observe and manipulate sound (pitch and volume) and light (shadows and reflections)
Understand that light can come from different sources, travels in observable patterns, interacts in different ways with different types of materials, and can be reflected in mirrors
Explore how to use sound and light devices to communicate information
Social Studies
Learn about maps and globes and how they represent the earth
Understand that biographies teach us how different people made a difference in the lives of others
Learn about leadership at many different levels in a family, school and community
Understand that my neighborhood is part of a larger town or city
Grade 1
Hebrew
Use a variety of formulaic responses on a range of familiar topics
Talk about themselves including their likes and dislikes
Recognize all letters and vowels
Independently read and write short texts (1-2 sentences)
Jewish Studies
Read and recite newly learned morning blessings
Describe the narrative arc of the main characters of the Torah
Articulate important connections between the Torah and modern Jewish life
Language Arts
Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
Distinguish long from short vowel sounds in spoken single-syllable words
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words
Write for a variety of purposes with some sense of closure
Print legibly all upper and lowercase letters
Apply knowledge of phonics to spell grade-appropriate words conventionally
Math
Extend their understanding of counting and the number sequence, building a strong foundation for their work with place value and the operations of addition and subtraction
Focus on the careful observation, description and comparison of two dimensional (2-D) and three dimensional (3-D) geometric shapes
Measure both objects and distances with the understanding that length is a stable and measurable dimension.
Carry out their own data investigations, developing a question, collecting the data, representing the data and describing and interpreting the data
Science
Make observations that will heighten their awareness, curiosity, and understanding of Earth’s dynamic atmosphere, the observable patterns of objects in the sky, and the air we breathe
Understand the tools that meteorologists and scientists use to understand and predict the weather, observe changes in air temperature, daylight hours, and the moon, and make connections to how weather works
Explore how to use sound and light devices to communicate information
Observe firsthand the structures of plants and discover ways to propagate new plants from mature plants (from seeds, bulbs, roots, and stem cuttings)
Learn that sound comes from vibrating objects, and develop an understanding of how to observe and manipulate sound (pitch and volume) and light (shadows and reflections)
Understand that light can come from different sources, travels in observable patterns, interacts in different ways with different types of materials, and can be reflected in mirrors
Explore how to use sound and light devices to communicate information
Social Studies
Learn about maps and globes and how they represent the earth
Understand that biographies teach us how different people made a difference in the lives of others
Learn about leadership at many different levels in a family, school and community
Grade 2
Hebrew
Combine several sentences to describe their everyday life (for example, their morning routine)
Identify the main idea and several details in grade level appropriate, authentic stories
Independently read a short paragraph
Jewish Studies
Recite all of the morning blessings and explain the significance of the Shacharit service
Analyze select Torah passages from the stories of Avraham and Sarah
Exhibit empathy for Biblical characters and connect the stories to their own lives
Describe ways that Jewish holidays are celebrated in Israel and around the world
Understand the Jewish calendar including the month cycle
Language Arts
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words, including common spellings of long vowels in two-syllable words
Write opinion pieces stating an opinion and providing reasons
Write informative/explanatory texts that introduce a topic, develop points, and provide a conclusion
Write stories about a well-elaborated event or experience including details, dialogue, transition words, and a sense of closure
Apply knowledge of phonics to spell grade-appropriate words conventionally
Print upper and lowercase letters legibly and fluently
Math
Develop fluency with addition and subtraction within 100
Build and model multiplicative situations
Investigate odd and even numbers and multiplicative relationships in contexts in which there are two equal groups and things that come in pairs
Investigate halves, thirds and fourths of squares, rectangles, circles and prisms
Investigate the structure of rectangular arrays (i.e., made of equal rows and columns of squares)
Work with time and money, develop their understanding of length and how it is measured and solve problems in which they relate addition and subtraction to length
Science
Determine that water is the most important substance on Earth, and humans depend on it
Understand that weather is driven by the Sun and involves the movement of water over the earth through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff—the water cycle
Understand that climate is determined in part by the amount of precipitation in a region and by temperature fluctuations
Appreciate that human societies depend on water, and new technologies are being engineered to conserve and protect this natural resource, to provide for the needs of people around the world
Organisms are complex and have a variety of observable structures and behaviors; Organisms have varied but predictable life cycles and reproduce their own kind; and, Individual organisms have variations in their traits that may provide an advantage in surviving in the environment
Use simple tools to observe, describe, analyze, and sort solid earth materials and learn how the properties of the materials are suited to different purposes
Observe, describe, and compare properties of solids and liquids
See the life cycles of insects unfold in real time and compare the stages exhibited by each species to reveal patterns
Social Studies
Study the basic elements of American culture and geography
Understand how maps and globes help us to understand the earth and different physical features of different countries
Understand how weather and climate affect people’s cultures
Understand that different groups of people have immigrated to the United States over the course of history and explore circumstances that lead people to leave their birth places and emigrate to different countries
Explore Jewish history and immigration patterns from Europe to the United States
Immigrants bring their culture with them as they assimilate into a new community