Judaic Studies Program » Grade 3
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Humash Curriculum
Students study Humash an average of four to five periods per week. Our goal is to develop students who are capable of reading Humash (textual mastery) with understanding. In grade three, students are introduced to the Rashi letters. Goals include: Introduction to Rashi: recognition of Rashi letters, reading and translating of Rashi and understanding the concept of Shealas and Teshuvas Rashi. Humash is an excellent field in which to introduce Torah as a way of life. It yields many valuable lessons in character perfection that can be integrated in everyday life.
Grade 3
Vayera
Chaya Sara
Toldot
Vayetzei
Criteria for Goal Achievement
- Ability to translate each phrase into English
- Ability to transform Humash phrases into Hebrew phrases that use contemporary Hebrew grammar and include recognition of tense and person and the "breaking up" of possessives
- Ability to recognize words and phrases out of context
- Ability to identify root (shoresh) of each word
- Ability to converse in Hebrew
- Ability to explain basic concepts, ideas, and mitzvot that are contained within the pesukim.
- Ability to read and translate Rashi's commentary and introduction to concept of question and answer of Rashi
- Ability to answer simple recall questions asked in Hebrew
- Ability to locate in the Humash answers in Hebrew
Our studies in Humash will carry us from Parashat Vayera (Avraham and Sarah in the plains of Mamre) through Parashat Vayaitzai (Yaakov's return to Eretz Yisroel). Most of the Perakim will be studies B'iyun (delving within the actual text), while others will be learned less thoroughly. One of the valuable skills our students learn is to "take a posuk apart". They are taught to identify and translate Rosh v'sof hamilah (the beginning and end of a word). The students amass a vocabulary of many shorashim (root words) and their meanings. Skills learned in previous years are reinforced and new skills are mastered. By the end of the year, the children will have a broad base of knowledge in this area, and should be able to translate many pesukim independently.
In Kittah Gimmel we begin the study of Rashi with letter recognition. Eventually the children become familiar with the text and are able to read Rashi without nekudot (vowels). This is a very important skill, one that the children will use throughout their school career. We also emphasize Shealas and Teshuvas Rashi (recognizing Rashi's question and answer).
A strong emphasis is placed on Parashat Hashavua. There are many yediot (required facts) to be found therein, as well as proper middot and hashkafot. To this end, a Parasha booklet is distributed weekly. This booklet contains a synopsis of the actual story of the Parasha in Ivrit. The children are challenged to transpose their skills learned in Humash and independently complete these sheets. This is a method of "whole learning". Also, within the booklet will be a Dvar Torah, with a question, answer, and a mitzvah or middah to be learned. This trains the children to utilize their problem solving abilities.
Hebrew Language Curriculum
The goal of this curriculum is to develop students who are capable of understanding, speaking and writing Hebrew. This curriculum also prepares our students for learning Humash and instills in them a love of Israel and its people. Grades 1-3 utilize the renowned Tal Am Program. This curriculum is based upon the "communicative-heritage language acquisition."
Criteria for Goal Accomplishment
- Ability to write Hebrew sentences correctly
- Ability to correctly respond orally, in Hebrew to oral Hebrew questions
- Ability to read and comprehend Hebrew storybooks
- Ability to write creatively and functionally in Hebrew
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