LOWER SCHOOL CURRICULUM

Overview

Every day at the Beth T loh Lower School is lled with warmth, enthusiasm for learning, and the joy and pride of being Jewish and American.

Through a supportive network of highly quali ed teachers and administrators, students are provided with both a challenging and nurturing intellectual atmosphere where foundational skills for future academic success and strong character development are born. Most importantly, they discover a thirst for knowledge, and the courage and support to take the necessary risks to be life-long learners. Our specialists, in collaboration with classroom teachers, foster a student-centered learning environment. In addition, our MakerSpace o ers students the opportunity to solve problems, investigate interests and extend their learning through authentic experiences.

Students with a range of learning styles are able to enjoy and bene t from our enriched academic environment. The success of our children is fostered through the careful attention given to each child. By di erentiating instruction, we are able to address the varying learning needs of our students. Our sta assures that each child’s abilities are recognized and enhanced. Academic support is provided through small group instruction in the area of reading to provide the earliest intervention possible.

The Lower School’s stimulating program includes the following curricular areas: n Reading/Language Arts n Mathematics n Social Studies n Science & Engineering n Technology n Art n Music n Library Studies n Physical Education n Hebrew Language n Torah n Prayer n Character Education n Shabbat & Holidays

The General Studies Program

Our General Studies Program keeps a clear focus on the development of oral and written language literacy skills which students use throughout their Reading, Writing, and Social Studies classes. Starting with phonemic awareness in Kindergarten, the curriculum moves towards decoding, encoding, and reading uency. The development of reading comprehension skills begins with literature discussions as early as Kindergarten. As their intellectual capacity grows, strategies are taught to enable students to increase understanding and further develop their analytical skills.

Our math curriculum emphasizes the acquisition and application of mathematical concepts and skills in a wide range of situations, including non-routine, open-ended and real-world problems. The learning process gives students a solid math foundation upon which to build increasingly complex skills.

Lower School students also bene t from the integration of technology throughout both their General and Judaic studies curricula. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) is a highlight of the school-wide curriculum.

The Judaic Studies Program

Our Judaic Studies Program provides a contemporary approach to the transmission of traditional Jewish values and commitment to Torah and the State of Israel. Children learn to speak, read and write Hebrew and to recite daily prayers. Classes emphasize moral and ethical behavior, character development and civility (derech eretz). Youngsters learn at an early age that they are part of a diverse Jewish family where every voice is heard and respected.

Starting with Hebrew instruction in kindergarten, followed with an introduction to Bible study in second grade, our students develop textual skills along with an appreciation for the timeless lessons that strengthen Jewish identity and Jewish connections.