Dear Kitah Bet (2nd-grade) Parents,
It was wonderful seeing so many of our students with their parents, grandparents and other loved ones at Multi-Generations day.
Since the primary reading goal for the Bet students this year is accurate reading, students continue to learn new vowels, letters, and reading rules. Students are also learning Hebrew vocabulary. As they learn new letters, they will sometimes be surprised by already knowing some of the words they are reading in their textbook.
Students are also learning blessings and songs. On Sunday, the students do morning songs, blessings, and prayers. They usually begin with “Boker Tov” and then “Modeh Ani” and La’asok B’Divrei Torah. On Wednesdays, the students study about Shabbat. They are learning the Kabbalat Shabbat blessings. They have also started to learn about the Mitzvot. The study of Shabbat and the study of Mitzvot compliment each other.
In addition, the students are learning about Israel and about the Jewish holidays. For Chanukah, the students learned the story of Chanukah. They are learning the three blessings for Chanukah. They have also learned about the letters on the dreidel. We will be learning about the symbols and customs, as well.
It is a pleasure to teach these students!
Etta Bernstein
BET/GIMEL
Dear Kitah Bet/Gimel (2nd/3rd-grade) Parents,
It was wonderful seeing so many of our students with their parents, grandparents and other loved ones at Multi-Generations day.
The Bet and Gimel students are reviewing / learning Hebrew reading skills, each at his/her own pace. We begin each class with quiet writing/reading practice.
We are also working on reading with comprehension. Students are studying the New Siddur Program, Book 1. This book also has prayer reading selections. We read these pages both with and without the melody.
Once a week, we learn about the weekly Parsha. Recently, we learned about Jacob and Esau. in the first Parsha with this story, it appears that Jacob lies and benefits from lying to his brother and to his father. The next Parsha shows how Jacob’s lies come back to him, as he suffers due to others lying to him. These lessons spurred a lively classroom discussion.
Students are beginning to learn about Israel. They are studying materials that have them learn about the important places in Israel as if they are tourists. They will even have a “Passport.”
In ETGAR, they were doing lessons about Shabbat. ETGAR lessons are designed to dig a little deeper into the subject matter. Throughout the year, students will return to the unit about Shabbat, as well as learn about Rosh Chodesh (the new Hebrew month.)
Students have started learning the ETGAR units about Hanukkah. While learning the ETGAR units, they have additional opportunities to learn Hebrew vocabulary, prayers. Students also improve their ability to read prayers accurately with fluency. In addition to the story, students learn about the symbols, recite the blessings, learning to apply the lessons to their own lives, exploring how they are also Maccabees. Since the students have also been learning about Shabbat, they compare and contrast various aspects of Shabbat and Hanukkah, starting with the blessings, symbols, and food.
Etta Bernstein