Bereishit

From JewishMontessori

Contents 1 Bereishis 2 Noach 3 Lech Lechah 4 Vayaira 5 Chayei Sarah 6 Toldot 7 Vayetze 8 Vayishlach 9 Vayeshev 10 Miketz 11 Vayigash 12 Vayechi

Bereishis

Bereishis

The Six Days of Creation

ששת ימי בראשית

Three part cards: Days of Creation Days of the week: Number and Name in Hebrew

Hebrew: Start by reviewing the Alef- Beis. Each week focus on a single letter; learning it’s shape, number, and deeper meaning. A Hebrew language section should be set up in the classroom, accessible to each child’s level of learning. Some children are ready to work with the sandpaper letters, for example by tracing the letters in sand. While others will be busy mastering nekudos , or even reading and writing.

The First Day

…Hashem Creates Light

Day of Oneness, everything was One : יום אחד

Hashem created “Light” the light of Moshiach

• Mural of creation: Throughout the week we will learn about the six days of creation. As we introduce each day’s new creations, add them to the mural.

This project can be introduced in a variety of ways:

• It could be introduced to a small group of children at a time letting them work independently and adding to the mural each day.
• Or each child could create a small version as a project
• Or it could be done collectively - depending on the size of the class.

Place a white cardboard paper on the wall. Take a large thin stick, and glue a large piece of black material to the top of the stick. Screw two hooks on the wall, place the stick on the hooks. You should be able to easily move the material up and down by rolling the sides of the stick with your hands. This represents light and darkness. Present the first day of creation, the child is welcome to work with this material.

The Second Day

…Hashem forms the sky, by separating the upper and lower waters.

• Continue the mural by having the children paint the sky and water on the cardboard.
• Three part cards - types of clouds
• Make sure to have pictures available of the sky and water forming a horizon in the arts and crafts area. The child is welcome to look at or paste onto paper for show and tell. Those children who are writing can write about the picture.

The Third Day

…Hashem gathers the waters into one area letting dry land appear. He calls this earth, and the waters he calls seas…

• Explain how there was a mix of sand and water. Show the consistency of sand and water. Then illustrate how separating the sand from the water creates land.
• Sifting water from sand exercise.
• Forming land shapes with wet sand.
• Exploring liquids and solids.
• Water and land forms.
• Introduction to the sandpaper globe - earth, air and water.

…Hashem creates vegetation, and fruit trees with fruit containing its seed.

• Cut up different types of fruits and vegetables to eat.
• Learn the blessing for fruits and vegetables.
• Display the seeds at the nature table
• Plant the seeds from the Esrog (citron.)
• Grow lima beans, watch the progress of growth.
• Nomenclature cards parts of the seed.
• Go on a nature walk, pick leaves, and look at the seeds from the trees. Then bring the leaves and baby acorns back inside for the nature table. Watch the acorns grow, and always keep a magnifying glass at the nature table.
• Bring extra leaves, for individual projects, to the arts and crafts area.

Other nomenclature cards that could be introduced:

• Parts of a tree
• Parts of a leaf
• Parts of a flower

Puzzles

• Tree puzzle
• Leaf puzzle
• Flower puzzle

Continue the mural letting the children add sand as dry land and greenery they collected from the nature walk.

The Fourth Day

…Hashem positions the Sun and Moon to separate between day and night, and give light to the earth.

• Exploring light and darkness
• The light of the sun, the light of the moon

..The sun and moon serve to define the days and years..

• There should be a lunar and solar calendar in the classroom, for children to update daily. This is a good time to show how the moon and sun serve to define the days and years.

..Hashem reduced the moon in size giving it stars…

• Learning about the universe
• Visit the planetarium
• The solar system
• What is a star?

• Continue the mural adding the sun, moon and stars

The Fifth Day

…Hashem creates all the living things that live in the water.

• Visit an aquarium
• Study animal life underwater
• Animal sorting - underwater animals
• Breathing and living underwater
• Nomenclature cards- parts of a fish
• Parts of a fish puzzle

..and all living things that have wings.

• Go to an aviary
• Animal sorting- animals with wings
• Make bird feeders, let the children be responsible for putting food in the bird feeder weekly.
• Nomenclature cards- parts of a bird
• Parts of a bird puzzle

• Let the children add fish and birds to the mural

The Sixth Day

…Hashem makes every kind of living creature, cattle, living things, wild beast of every kind and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. Hashem sees that it is good.

• Animal matching
• Look at specs under a microscope- Hashem creates all life
• Small objects- animals with name cards
• Let children cut out and paste animals for show and tell

…Hashem creates man by hand molding him in the image of G-d, intellectually endowed, and both male and female. Hashem letting him rule over all other living things.

Concept:

• Adam HaRishon crowned G-d King, using his intellect he gathered all creatures and accepted G-d’s Kingship.
• Adam was created as an individual - one person is able and obligated to perfect the entire world.
• Man has the power to illuminate the physical world.

• Gather a small group of children, place certain objects in the mystery bag, the child guesses the object, holds on to the object. As we go around the circle again the educator asks each child to think of ways we can use these objects for good in the world.
• Same exercise can be done during circle time with specific pictures.
• Booklets- making the world a better place
• Place a child in charge of a duty within the environment
• Taking care of animals and plants and all living creatures

…Hashem blesses them.. “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth...

• Talk about the family
• Booklets- ahavas yisroel - caring for each other
• We are one community- show how everyone has a particular job within a community
• The community in the classroom

…”I have given you plants of all kinds and fruit bearing trees with seeds in them to provide food for you and all the living things in the sea, on the earth and in the sky.” Hashem sees all that He had made and finds it very good!

• Thank you Hashem - learning our brochos over food
• Brocho cards and booklets
• Bitachon - Hashem provides for our needs

The Seventh Day

…On the seventh day Hashem rests from the work He has done, He blesses the seventh day and makes it holy.

• Discuss shabbos.
• Ask each child what is their favorite part of shabbos, record the answer or let the child write it themselves drawing a picture
• Prepare for shabbos:
• Cleaning candles- practical life exercise
• Make challah
• Learn shabbos songs
• Brocho on candles
• Brocho over kiddush
• Let the children set up their own shabbos table

There’s a lot to cover during parshas Breishis. The main idea is to introduce these concepts to the child - later go more into detail. Children should know that everything was created by G-d and these teachings are in the Torah.

We will be visiting the Zoo during parshas “Noach”. Make sure to keep some of the projects and things shared by each child during this week’s parsha, to discuss during next week's trip.

Always supply the reading area with books according to the particular subject being introduced.

There should be live plants in the environment, as well as a fish tank or a small pet, for children to take care of responsibly.

Children should be learning to be independent in their own environment taking care of their surroundings, some steps to that goal is:

• Eating is part of learning
• Utensils and dishes should be accessible to the child for lunch time.
• Children take turns setting the table
• The dishware should be glass. Children become aware that glass breaks! They learn to be careful with materials in their environment.
• Each child is responsible to clean up after themselves. (The educator should have a prepared environment for the child, having the broom , sponges or anything necessary in the corresponding area.)
• Children wash their own dish after finishing.

Noach

LIVING WITH THE PARSHA:

Hashem instructs Noach to build the Teiva (Ark.)

• Discuss the building of the Teiva - its size, measurements, and compartments.
• Build a Teiva with three floors. One for Noach and his family, a second for the animals , and a third for the garbage. Let the child organize the miniatures by placing them in the appropriate floor.
• Make a small version of the Teiva for individual use.
• Using a measuring stick or ruler, follow the measuring instructions on building a Teiva.

Hashem instructs Noach to make a light for the Teiva.

• Discuss what kind of light the Teiva had.

Hashem instructs Noach to finish the roof with a slight slant.

• Display how a slanted roof lets the rain water run down the sides of the roof. Place this exercise in the practical life area for the child to experiment with.
• Hashem commands Noach and his family to come into the Teiva. He then commands Noach to bring the animals.

Hashem cares for the preservation of His creation.

Preservation - how we can preserve and care for Hashem’s creation.

“Bring to the ark a male and female of each non-kosher animal, and seven pairs of each kosher kind.”

• Kosher and non kosher animal sorting
• Animal matching
• Animal habitats

Noach and his family care for the animals in the Teiva

• Discuss caring for the animals, using the Teiva as an example.
• Visit the Zoo, notice how the Zoo-Keepers feed and care for the animals.
• Animal folders

There is rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights…

The rain cycle- sequence cards

• Sinking and floating- practical life
• Concept: the floodwaters came for forty days, like a mikveh which contains a minimum of forty se’ah of rainwater if it is to purify the ritually unclean. (Torah Ohr) The world became cleansed through the waters.

The waters come to rest on the Ararat mountains.

• Possible locations of Ararat mountains

Noach sends out a raven but it only circles the ark. Seven days later he sends out a dove but the dove cannot find a resting place for his feet, so he returns to the ark.. Seven days later Noach again sends out the dove, this time the dove returns with an olive leaf in it’s mouth.

• Ravens and Doves - Personality traits and differences

Hashem says “From time to time my rainbow will appear in the clouds as a sign that I remember my promise not to bring another flood.”

Brachah-Blessing on Rainbow

• Colors of the rainbow
• Vocabulary- colors: Hebrew-yiddish
• The color chart: primary-secondary colors
• Color mixing
• Color tablets
• Prisms

MATH IN THE PARSHA:

Introduction to the decimal system:

It is important for children to have a feel for numbers as quantities. They should have a clear understanding of the difference between the number one and the number one thousand.There are plenty of wonderful examples of numbers in this weeks parsha. These numbers can be introduced through the decimal system incorporated within the parsha.

• It took Noach 120 years to build the teva
• There was rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights
• The waters surged on the earth for 150 days

Lech Lechah

פרשת לך לך

Lech lecha

G-d said to Avram go from your land to the land which I will show you..

• Discuss moving
• Traveling then and now, sequencing cards
• Means of transportation cards
• Parts of a camel cards
• Map of Eretz Yisroel
• Water in the dessert
• How to pack a bag- practical life exercise
• Dramatic circle packing and moving:

Write a chart, together with the children, of the necessary things needed for the trip. Talk about the desert, and show pictures - this will allow the children to visualize their own trip through Avram’s desert. Pack the bags, and start your journey. Sing a song as you travel along - following a cloud that guides you through the desert. After a while you should finally arrive in Eretz Cana’an, the area of Shechem where G-d says to Avram “I will give this land to your descendants.” Avram was thankful to Hashem. Take a rest here, and unload your necessary luggage. Eat a little snack and set out mats and then blankets to sleep for the night. Show the children the traveling map of Eretz Yisroel. Point out Shechem. “Oh No!” there is a famine in the land… As you continue traveling, notice that the rain had stopped, the land is dry and the trees have no fruit (set props to show this.) “There’s a famine here, we must go down to Egypt where there is still food”(follow your journey with the map, together with the children.) Reenact or tell the story of going down to Egypt. Finally journey back to Cana’an with all your gifts (silver, gold and cattle.)

Learning Derech Eretz From Our Forefather Avraham:

• Derech Eretz booklet
• Discuss and roll play manners during circle time

A quarrel erupted between the herdsmen of Avram’s cattle who rebuke the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle for grazing in other’s people’s property

• respecting others property

Avram said to Lot, “It’s not good that we should quarrel”.. It’s better if we separate, you may choose where you want to settle..

• discuss solving problems

“Wherever you live, I will not distance myself from you, and I will stand by you as a protector and a helper”

• Avraham’s goal was that even Lot should come to appreciate G-d

(more coming soon…)

Vayaira

פרשת וירא

A lot of this parsha comes to life through dramatic play.

…It was a hot day, Avraham sat down in front of his tent looking for guest to invite for a meal.

Avraham’s tent had four entrances , to be able to have guests from all directions.

• Build a tent in the classroom with four doors, set up the tent with the children, once finished notice how empty it is without guests.
• Guests in our home
• Bruchim habaim door signs
• Compass- North, south , east, west
• Desert climate

…It was the third day after his bris mila, he was weak and in pain.. Hashem saw how unhappy Avraham was and send three angels that looked like men.

the angel Raphael was sent to heal avraham

• Visiting the sick- bikur cholim
• Phone book with number name and picture of the children of the classroom

…Avraham serves his guests.

• Welcoming guests- hachnasas orchim
• Divide into groups take turns at the tent serving each other a snack
• Have another classroom come in to be a guest

Avraham would always make his guests bench after the meal

• Brochos over food
• Bentching, making bentchers

…While they sat under the shade of a tree

• Shade in the heat of the day, experience the shade of a large tree.
• Bring a small tree into the classroom , discuss the benefits of trees

…the angels (michael) tell Avraham that Sarah will have a son, Sarah laughs because of her old age..

• trust in Hashem

…Abraham escorted the angels

• mitzvah of escorting out guests

…The angels Gavriel and Raphael go to S’dom to destroy the city

…Avraham prays for S’dom.

• introduce subtraction

Avraham whose nature is kindness overcame his personality in order to save someone’s life:

• Saving a person’s life physically (one can break Shabbos to save a person’s life)
• Saving a person’s life spiritually -Mitzayim even if it is not our nature

Hashem destroys Sodom and Amorah primary because of the failure to be charitable

• The importance of Tzadakah

Chayei Sarah

פרשת חיי שרה

It’s good for children to have pictures to visualize the different events throughout the parsha.

…Sarah passes away.. Avraham eulogized Sarah and weeps over her.

• Sarah’s tent: you can use the same tent as last week or have a different tent for Sarah erected in the classroom. Place the shape of a cloud resting on top of the tent to represent the Shechinah. Inside there should be shabbos candles and challah. Talk to the children about Sarah and how special she was - how her Shabbos candles stayed lit from Shabbos to Shabbos. When Sarah passed away the Shechinah departed and the flame from the candle went out. Show this in the erected tent. This tent stays in the classroom.
• Polishing candlesticks- practical life area
• Braiding boards
• Shabbos table setting

…Avraham buys the cave of Machpaila.

• The cave of Machpaila- discuss it’s importance
• Machpaila puzzle
• Caves
• Weight scale

…Avraham asks Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak …Eliezer davened to Hashem.

• Roll play Eliezer’s journey
• Personal Tefillah

…Hashem accepted Eliezer’s tefillah …Rivka comes out to the well.

• Disscuss: What is a well, and how it works.. How does water travel to our homes?
• Build a well

…Rivka gives Eliezer and his camels water.

• Chesed: Rivka’s kindness. Our kindness to others
• The weight of water: Pitchers with and without water
• How much water camels drink

…Eliezer gives Rivka presents

• Making bracelets

…Eliezer returns with Rivka to Eretz Canaan. Yitzchak was just returning from davening mincha. Rivka sees YItzchak, a tzaddik. …She gets off her camel and modestly covers her face with a veil.

• The mincha davening
• Modesty

…Yitzchak brings Rivka to Sarah’s tent to see if she was righteous.

• Bring back the cloud, the shabbos candles and challah to the tent
• Making Challah
• Bracha for separating Challah
• Challah covers

Toldot

פרשת תּוֹלדוֹת

…Rivka carries twins.. when they were born they looked completely different

• Discuss twins, pictures of twins, different personalities
• Matching game

…The older baby’s head and body were full of hair and his skin had a deep red color, he was called Aisav. The younger baby was smooth skinned, he was called Yaakov…

…Yaakov enjoyed learning Torah, Aisav was wicked and a hunter.

…Aisav sells his first born right to Yaakov.

…Aisav comes home from the field tired from hunting, he finds Yaakov cooking red lentils

• Avraham passed away, Yaakov cooks lentils for his father Yitzchok since lentils are given to mourners:

• • Its roundness refer to the cycle of life

• • Lentils do not have a “mouth” like other beans. so too everyone was speechless.

• Cook lentil soup

• Bring lentils and other beans to compare their differences

• Bean sorting

• Grow lentils

learning the senses:

• Sense of smell: Aisav smell the lentils
• Introduce the smelling bottles
• Sense of taste: Aisav tastes the Lentils
• Introduce the tasting bottles

…King Avimelech’s servants stuff the wells which Yitzchak digs.

• Yaakov’s three wells
• Continue learning about wells and water sources

…Yitzchak turns blind, he was old and felt he would soon die, he calls his older son Aisav to bless him. Rivka calls Yaakov telling him to pretend he’s Aisav so that he will get the blessing. Rivka covers Yaakov skin with goats hair to make it feel hairy she gives him Aisav’s hunting outfit.

• The sense of touch
• Introduce the touch boards
• Introduce the fabric box
• Make a touch cube, on each side have a different texture, children can take home
• Mystery bag game
• Aisav’s hunting suit

…Yitzchak hears Yaakov’s voice

• The sense of hearing
• Introduce the sound cylinders

Vayetze

Vayishlach

פרשת וישלח

…Yaakov and his family travel back to Eretz Cannan.

• Following the map as we travel with Yaakov..
• Yaakov sends a messenger- Shliach

…Aisav was coming with four hundred generals with four hundred men

• hundreds, thousands
• Multiplication

…Yaakov prepares to meet Aisav.

• Yaakov prepares in three ways:
• Davening: the meaning of davening, personal prayers
• Prepared presents
• prepared for battle
• discuss this and role play circumstances, tell a story.

…Yaakov fights with the angel at night

• Personal angel
• what is the Gid hanasheh
• At dawn the angel begs Yaakov to let him go since that morning he was singing to Hashem.

…Hashem gives Yaakov a new name Yisroel

• The importance of our names
• Going through each child learning each child’s name and meaning
• Naming our environment
• Everything has a name

…Yaakov and Aisav make peace

• making peace with our rivals

Vayeshev

Miketz

פרשת מקץ

Mikeitz

…pharaoh’s dreams.

• Demonstrate during circle time

…Yosef interprets Pharaoh’s dream

• Yosef spoke of Hashem

…Pharaoh appoints Yosef over the land of Egypt

…Pharaoh gives Yosef a new name.. Yosef marries Osnas.. they have two children Menashe and the younger Efrayim.

…Yosef prepares for the seven years of hunger

• Planning and preparing
• Food storage
• Make a cheshvon of food

…Yosef sells grain

• Sorting grain- types of grain
• Grain table
• Scales for weighing the grain
• Buying and selling
• Currency
• Grocery list
• Bank materials
• People helping others

…Yaakov sends ten sons to Egypt

• Discuss Joseph’s feelings
• Kiddush cup in the grain
• Role play

Vayigash

Vayechi