GUIDELINES FOR TORAH CURRICULUM FOCUS

LOWER SCHOOL FOCUS:
Creation
Noah’s Ark
Value: Being good when everyone else is bad (righteousness)
Abraham discovers 1 God
The 10 Commandments
Love Your Neighbor as Yourself
Know that there are 613 commandments
Vocabulary suggestions:
Torah (teaching/law/etc.)
Tzadik (someone who is righteous)
Tzedakah
Echad (one)
Erev (evening)
Boker (morning)
Tov Me’od (very good)
Ahavah (love)
Mitzvah (commandment)
Hebrew names of animals
Shemesh (sun)
Yareiach (moon)
Chaver (friend)

MIDDLE SCHOOL FOCUS:
The Akeidah
Distinguishing right from wrong (value of wisdom)
When to say no to those in authority
Being tested
Isaac & Ishmael
Value: Sibling relations
Value: Jews & Muslims (interfaith relations)
Skills: Learn about verse & chapters & know how to find things in a Torah commentary
Skills: learn the Hebrew symbols for numbers
Vocabulary Suggestions:
Torah
Tzedek (justice)
Chochma (wisdom)
Yetzer ha’ra (evil inclination)
Yetzer ha’tov (good inclination)
Achim/achot (brothers/sisters)
Mishpacha (family)
Perek (passage, section of Torah)
Pasook (verse of Torah)
Hebrew letters as numbers

UPPER SCHOOL FOCUS:
Jacob & Joseph narratives
Jacob as a model of changing identity (i.e. growing up)
Jacob & Joseph: family dynamics (values)
The Prophets as moral exemplars (values)
Skills: Adding our own voices to the text – commentary & midrash making
Skills: Be exposed to Torah w/in the context of TaNaK, have an awareness of the books of TaNaK
Vocabulary Suggestions:
Torah
Achim/Achot
Ani (I am)
Mishpacha (family)
Malach (angel)
Hebrew words for