Language and Literacy

• Children begin to understand print conventions such as directionality, top to bottom and progression.
  
• Children learn to recognize alphabet letters and corresponding sounds.
  
• Children engage in various reading activities such as read aloud, paired reading, books on tape and library center.
  
• Children learn to form and write letters in numerous modalities such as Handwriting Without Tears, and other writing tools.
  
• Children create books through dictation of experiences and stories.
  
• Reading Comprehension: analysis of characters and plot, sequences of events, retelling main ideas, problems and solutions, retell stories through puppets and performances.
  
• Phonemic Awareness: Children engage in rhyming activities. Children practice segmenting and blending skills. Children learn to recognize beginning and ending sounds of words. Children begin to write meaningful text through phonemic spelling.
  
• Children begin to recognize words.

Judaic Studies

Chagim

• Students learn about each holiday through songs and hands on activities, art and drama.
  
• Students learn how to perform/partake in the mitzvot and customs of each holiday
  
• Students are inspired with a sense of pride and joy in their Jewish heritage and tradition.

Hebrew Language

• Students acquire a beginner's vocabulary of Hebrew words.
  
• Children interact with Sherut Leumi girls and Ivrit teacher.
  
• Classroom instruction and direction in Hebrew language and expressions.

Kriah/Alef Bet

• Students will be exposed to the Aleph Bet letters in creative and meaningful ways.
  
• Children learn to recognize and begin writing Hebrew names.

Mitzvot/Middot

• Children learn good character and middot from stories within the Torah
  
• Instructional lessons on proper performance of mitzvot in children's daily lives ex: Berachot, Tzitzit, Kashrut, Tefilah and Tzedaka
  
• Students gain an awareness of the significance of the Torah as the focal point of their lives.

• Yom Ha'atzmaut
  
• Yom Yerushalayim
  
• Songs of Israel
• Special places
  
• Love of Israel
  
• Israeli Flag/blue & white

Math Curriculum

Through everyday play/discovery activities, we strive to provide the children with a solid foundation of basic mathematical concepts. The goals of the math curriculum include developing the following skills:

• Numbers: Children are taught the concept of numbers. They learn to count, recognize and write numbers.
  
• Patterns: Children are taught how to recognize patterns in a mathematical setting and make related associations, recognizing and creating patterns
  
• Logical Thinking: Children are given problems that require sorting and classifying, further developing their analytical ability
  
• Measurement: Children use rulers, scales and other measuring tools to learn concepts of more, less and equal.
  
• Tally and Graph: Children learn to read and create tally and graph sheets.

Science Curriculum

Children learn science by manipulation, observation of the results of their manipulations and discovery of relationships and effects. Science is investigating, wondering, questioning and finding out. As children work in science, they are constantly using science rocesses. The use of the science processes plays an important role in the children's intellectual growth. The processes make children more aware of their surroundings and enhance curiosity, a powerful motivator for learning. The goals of the Science Curriculum include the development of the following scientific processes:

• Observing
  
• Measuring and using numbers
  
• Communication
  
• Ordering
  
• Classifying
  
• Predicting
  
• Inferring
  
• Using time and space relationships
  
• Life cycles
  
• Hands on experiments

Motor Skills

Throughout the school year we design activities to promote the growth of the children's gross and fine motor skills. Such activities include the following:

Gross Motor Skills

• During playground time, the children are involved in running, jumping and skipping
• Children engage in music and movement activity in conjunction with units and lessons

Fine Motor Skills

• Activities which include Play Dough, lacing, sewing, painting, cutting and gluing
  
• Correct pincer grasp through coloring and handwriting activities

• Grandparent Day and concept of Hachnasat Orchim
  
• Tzedaka Unit/ Trip
  
• Berachot Brunch
  
• Israel/Yom Ha'atzmaut
  
• Butterfly Festival

Other

• Physical Education
  
• Music
  
• Rosh Chodesh program
  
• Oneg Shabbat program
  
• Read Aloud

Social Skills

• Students will be encouraged to play constructively and form positive friendships.
  
• Students will be encouraged to exercise their problem solving skills when faced with a social conflict.
  
• Through various means and modalities (puppets, discussions, stories etc.) students will learn about and practice Middot Tovot throughout the year.
  
• Students will learn to express their negative feelings verbally rather than physically.
  
• Students learn to differentiate their feelings and how to express each one appropriately.