ChanieGeisinsky
Chabad of GreatNeck
Cohen Chabad Hebrew School
516-528-6033
chabadgn@hotmail.com
Curriculum for First Grade in Chabad of Great Neck Hebrew School
Teachers: You can’t create a recipe without your menu, you can’t design a room without
knowing the look you want.. you can’t teach a class successfully without understanding
your goals- the big picture, the general curriculum ,and the needs of your students.
First and foremost, always remember:
“Teach me and I’ll forget,
Show me, I may remember
Involve me, and I’ll show interest,
Excite me and I’ll ask for more”
We need to use all our senses, learning styles, and creative ideas to make a
successful teaching experience!
#1 Know your goals!
You can’t do everything well in a 4 hour a week , 54 lessons a year setting. So.
prioritize!! What is your goal??
Our goal for the first grade at the Great Neck Chabad Hebrew School is
________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________
#2 Pace yourself!
It will only work if you have the big picture in front of you. Don’t plan week by week
but split the year into three segments :
1. September-October- warming up
2. November- March (Pesach)- bulk of year
3. April- June- winding down
With this in mind, and seeing the general projects and programs in our schoolyear, you
will be able to make a better assessment and see how far you need to reach each month.
I will help you with the yearly outline.
#3 General Curriculum
Below is your general curriculum and tools to implement it. Trial and error- it works!!
We’ve done it and have been very successful.
However, you are the teacher and if you feel you have a better technique, discuss it with
me and if I agree will be happy to implement it.
#4. Put yourself in your student’s desk!
Understand that your student is 6-7 years old. He/she has had a full day of school,
perhaps an art or karate class and is now in “ end of the day” mode. His stomach may be
growling and he may be thinking of his favorite show that he’s missing.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO KEEP HIM INTERESTED AND ENTHUSIASTIC??
Think about it!
Helpful hints:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
vary activities_________________________________
vary position____________________________________
routine___________________________________
excite students__________________________________
preparation____________________________________
incentive______________________________________
General Schedule
schedule of the day/week
4:15-4:25- Optional Lineup(The whole school lines up. However program may be too challenging for
your kids, instead alef bet games, center time in class as a warm up)
4:25-4:45- tzedaka
Intro song in Hebrew
Davening
Mitzvah notes
4:45-5:15- Aleph Bet
5:15-5:25- snack/break
Monday:
5:25-5:50- history
5:50- 6:10- Jewish home/ yahadus
6:10- pack up and lineup
6:15-dismissal
Wednesday:
5:25-5:50- yahadus/ music (alternate weeks)
5:50- 6:10- Hebrew funwork
6:10- pack up and lineup
6:15-dismissal
Miscellaneous:
1. Every Rosh Chodesh Torah token store
2. Yahadus before a yom tov will take the place of history
3.
You may need more time for organizing dismissal- packing up including giving
out notes, checking h.w. folder…
4. You can be flexible with your break time (later..) but be consistent so students
know routine
GENERAL CURRICULUM
General Idea to keep in mind:
1. As discussed above, at this stage, Quality is much moreimportant than quantity.
2. Hebrew skills must be taught by teacher and learned by students.
3. Students will keep projects that are either a. cumulative b.conclusion of many
weeks 3. includes a picture of themselves.
With this in mind, understand the guidelines for your specific subjects described below.

I have samples to show you of the finished product.
Davvening
Method:
Davening should not be done by desks.
Either sit on carpet or semi circle.
Tefillos to include and build up: Modeh ani, Netilas yadadyim,Tzedaka, tzitzit, torah,
haraini, shema, Ein kailokainu
Project: Laminate and compile tfillos into a “custom made” siddur. Each siddur will be
half oak-tag size. Each tefila will have picture of child doing that part. It should be
bound with loose-leaf rings and distributed at end of year. (see sample)
Aleph Bet
This is the “meat and potatoes.”
Method:
In class:
1. sing and point the alef bet song . Use chart daily
2. Use our custom made booklets in class.
3. Each child compiles a sketchbook- after every letter they place it in the book,
draw it, 3D, or use sound of letter to illustrate. (ex: Draw big Gimmel in green
with glitter..) If possible glue on word that starts with letter ( see sample)
4. index card ring- great reinforcement at home. Each card- front letter, vack picture
and sound. See sample
at home:
1. review index cards
2. yellow fun-work folder. signature of parents and review papers each night
Goal- finish letters by March/ April.
Alef Bet party/ play in April- to be discussed
History
Your curriculum begins with Adam and Chava and proceeds through the entire Beraishis.
Method: Keep a file folder for each student. There are approximately 22 lessons.
See history statements (separate file.)
Each lesson, every student receives sentence strip and a construction paper. One
statement is written on top and while you speak they color underneath. At first they
cannot read but by mid year they can and are very excited to see their own history
book. At the end of the year you will have 20-25 pages of a beautiful scrapbook.
We make a title page, “ My Beginnings..” with picture of child . They are
“interviewed” and it is placed inside. We bind it and we present it by graduation
together with siddur and aleph bet scrapbook.