A library of lesson plans for children ages 5-8.
Each of these lessons focus on a single middah, Jewish value. They are stand alone lessons that can be used in a variety of settings to engage families in learning and taking their experience home. Ten of the lessons can also be used for specific holiday programming. If a values curriculum is designed to be used in connection with a holiday, this will be indicated.
Click on a holiday or value to download the PDF.
Holidays
New Beginnings/Hitbonenut [Rosh Hashanah]
Using Words Wisely/Koach Lashon [Yom Kippur]
Welcoming Guests/Hachnasat Orchim [Sukkot]
Trying New Things/Talmud Torah [Simchat Torah]
Creating Light/Yotzeret Or [Hanukkah]
Caring for the Earth/Shomrei Adamah [Tu B’Shvat]
Being Yourself/Tehiyeh Atzmecha [Purim]
Building Resilience/Savlanut [Passover]
This curriculum includes a total of 20 lessons. Each lesson in the curriculum is designed for use with students in grades kindergarten through second. Each lesson is scheduled for a 2-hour learning period.
All lessons follow the same format
- Gathering Activity: a hands-on set induction
- Opening Circle: opening song, theme introduction, Hebrew words of the day
- Story: including asking good questions
- Break
- Activity One & Two: games or craft activities
- Closing Circle: personal link to themes, Hebrew review, closing song
Each lesson includes an “At Home Challenge” for extended learning in the family that can be used as an asynchronous learning opportunity.
Special Thanks
Special thanks to educators Merav Berger, Sue Bojdak, Aliya Fastman, Deb Fink, and Ariela Ronay-Jinich for their work on creating this content.