September 2010

 

 

Dear Parents,

 

As we begin a new academic year, I am delighted to have the opportunity to share with you some of the topics Year 6 will be studying.

 

Tefillah

Shaharit, or morning Tefillah, takes place between 8.30am and 8.50am every morning.  This year we shall be reciting most of the main Shaharit prayers so that children will become familiar with them.  We shall also be reciting topical prayers on special occasions, for example Musaph, or Additional Prayer, on Rosh Hodesh and various Shabbat Amidot on Fridays.  We shall also study in some depth various parts of Tefillah in order for the children to appreciate their meaning and relevance.  In this term, we shall be focusing on Birkhot Hashahar.  We will continue to discuss and develop themes of belief and trust in Hashem through a weekly session with the book ‘Living as Partners with G-d’.

 

Humash

Humash is studied five times a week.  This year we shall be looking at Moshe’s life, from cradle to grave, examining his qualities as a leader and as a man.  There are two Humash groups both learning the same text, with lessons adapted to suit their abilities.  In studying about Moshe we shall be focusing on many different texts in the four Books of the Torah, from Shemot to Devarim, which throw light on Moshe’s life and character.  A range of methodologies will be used to reinforce children’s awareness of the richness of Torah text and of the way grammatical anomalies and nuances of language help us uncover deeper meanings.  Throughout the year we will use the text being studied to build up a store of Humash vocabulary and sharpen our Hebrew grammar skills.  We shall be using a range of commentaries to help deepen our understanding and train the children in analytical thinking.

 

Weekly vocabulary tests take place using familiar words from the text.

 

Homework will be given daily.  Children should spend 15 minutes on their homework.

 

Hebrew Reading

To enhance Hebrew reading skills thus achieving a high level of fluency and accuracy, each Humash lesson will begin with a ten minute reading practice.

 

Parashat Hashavuah

Each week we shall be looking at the main topics of the current Parashah and focusing on one of them.  For example, the first Parashah of the Torah Beresheet deals with many topics: the Creation, Adam and Hava’s expulsion from Gan Eden, the murder of Hevel by Cain; we shall focus on the sentence “Kee Betselem Elokim Bara et Haadam”, Hashem created human beings in His image, thus giving us the ability to distinguish between good and evil and to try to emulate Him.  It also teaches us about the sanctity of life of all human beings having been created in the image of G-d.

 

In order to reinforce the lesson learned in Parashah, homework in the form of a weekly page, or daf, will be given to the children and should be completed and handed in for marking on Monday.  Children will be encouraged to share the storyline and message of the Parashah daf with you, and I shall welcome your comments on it and the ways the focus of the week might have impacted on your child.

 

Jewish Living (JL)

In JL, we learn about Jewish values, Commandments and Festivals.  These will include all Festivals and Fasts, the Calendar, Kashrut, Shabbat and Berakhot.  We began the year by learning about the month of Tishreh and its many Fasts and Festivals, which we will cover in some detail.  For example, our focus for Succot will be the Arbaah Minim, or Four Species (Lulav, Etrog, Hadass and Arava), which we are commanded by the Torah to “take” on Succot.  We shall be examining the Lulavim and Etrogim of all children and decide, using what we have learnt, if they are Kasher.

 

Read with Me Library

Once every half term, your child will have the opportunity to take home a book from our ‘Read with Me’ library.  This book is for ‘shared reading’ with parents and children reading together over the weekend and should be returned the following Monday.

 

I look forward to teaching your children this year and will make every effort to ensure that it will be a rewarding experience for all of us.  Should you have any concerns or would like to clarify areas addressed in this curriculum document, I shall be pleased to meet you at a mutually convenient time.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Zvi Amroussi

Jewish Studies Class Teacher Year 6