The Kohelet Prize Database

Database Entries Tagged with: Kohelet Prize 2016-17

Tashlich STEAM Waterfall

This project was planned for grades TK-8 to participate in a school-wide STEAM project to learn about Rosh Hashana, Tikkun Olan, Teshuvah, and Tashlich. The project included integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math into Judaic Studies.

By: Ms. Judith Hendlish, Mrs. Marion Schwartz, Mr. Arnon Arad from Abraham Joshua Heschel and Kadima

Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Computer Science, Math, Music, Science, Engineering, Technology, Chagim

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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STEM Fair

In the spring of 2015, ASHAR students presented their projects in a school wide fair culminating a year long focus on combining the learning of science, math, and Torah.

Based on the premise that everything secular can be found in the Torah, our students in first through eighth grade explored the connections between kodesh, holy, and chol, secular.

By: Mrs. Debby Jacobson, Mrs. Jennah Schuh from ASHAR

Grade(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Gemara, Halacha, Math, Mishnah, Science, Tanach

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, 21st Century Skills

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Secret Seders during the Spanish Inquisition

Taking advantage of the learning about Pesach throughout the school, I invite my students to travel back in time when Jews risked their lives to fulfill the mitzvah of having a Seder (among other holidays) during the Spanish Inquisition. My Spanish classes apply relevant Spanish vocabulary and grammar that they currently learning to the mock seder scenarios I create for them in a dark, candle lit room with the windows blocked and rotating students on guard for any visitors.

By: Mrs. Susan Schwartz from Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy

Grade(s): 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Halacha, History, Ivrit, World Language

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, 21st Century Skills

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Psychology and Jewish Thought

In this year-long elective for seniors, we study the basic topics of psychology as any college-level introduction to psychology course might. On an almost daily basis, we provide lesson extensions (class discussions, opportunities for student reflection, and direct instruction) about how these lessons integrate with the discussions found in the discipline of Jewish Thought.

By: Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe, EdD from Maimonides

Grade(s): 9, 10, 11, 12, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Halacha, Science, Tanach, Psychology, Jewish Thought

Pedagogy: UBD - understanding by design

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Project GO FORTH: Lech L’Cha: A Cross-Curricular Study of Immigration and Personal Narrative

Project GO FORTH: Lech L’Cha is a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the immigrant experience in America. Project GO FORTH: Lech L’Cha integrates seventh grade Social Studies, in which students study the history of American immigration, with Language Arts, in which student examine creative writing and sensory language, with Judaic Studies, in which students specifically explore the parsha Lech L’Cha as a lens through which they can understand the spiral of Jewish History with the originating immigrant experience of Avraham.

By: Ms. Ariel Levenson, Mrs. Staci Zeif from Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy

Grade(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: History, Literature, Tanach

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, Constructivist, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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Philosophical Ethics and the Meeting of Minds

We are delighted to share our entry in the Interdisciplinary Integration category: the “Philosophical Ethics” unit of our junior year Integrated American Literature, Jewish and Western Philosophy course, affectionately referred to as “Tikvah. The unit culminates with the Meeting of Minds project.

By: Rabbi Tzvi Sinensky, Dr. Eileen Watts from Kohelet Yeshiva High School

Grade(s): 9, 10, 11, 12, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Gemara, Halacha, History, Literature, Tanach

Pedagogy: Constructivist, IBL - inquiry based learning, 21st Century Skills

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Pesach Haggada Scrapbook

Middle School learned about Pesach from a multiplicity of perspectives and incorporated their learning into a usable Haggada scrapbook.

By: Rabbi Meir Lipschitz, Rabbi Yossi Berg, Mrs. Batsheva Blum, Mr. Craig Brimmer, Ms. Laura Carroll, Mrs. Lexi DiFiglia, Mrs. Bonnie Drazen, Mrs. Gittel Goldberg, Rabbi Avi Herzog, Mrs. Naava Hess, Mr. Sean Lang, Mrs. Barbara Mastic, Mrs. Calah Reisman, Mrs. Aliza Ross, Mrs. Sophia Shweky from Yeshiva at the Jersey Shore

Grade(s): 6, 7, 8, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Gemara, Halacha, History, Ivrit, Literature, Science, Tanach

Pedagogy: Constructivist

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Navi and Business

The course is a combination of business, marketing and leadership classed and concepts of Navi. The students start with learning the topic in Navi in depth. We then take out connected business concepts, while making it relevant and practical.

By: Mrs. Shaindy Kestenbaum from Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto

Grade(s): 9, 10, 11, 12, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Tanach, Business, Leadership

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, 21st Century Skills

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Mishkan Meets Makerspace

In our “Mishkan meets Makerspace” unit of study, we integrated skills from all S.T.E.A.M. disciplines, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics and enhanced our studies of Parshat Trumah by creating our own three dimensional model Mishkan. Using the chumash text as a foundation for purposeful learning, students worked collaboratively to bring the complex details of the Mishkan to life with excitement and passion. The final product incorporated all four learning modalities and six of Gardner’s multiple intelligences enabling each student to experience, engage and conceptualize ideas according to individual learning style and interest.

By: Ms. Elana Trombka, Mrs. Sarah Hochman from Bi-Cultural Day School

Grade(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Computer Science, History, Ivrit, Math, Tanach

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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עץ חיים היא – The Shtender Project

Cultivating positive associations with Tefillah in our time is a formidable challenge that every day school faces. A response to this universal issue, our Shtender Project fostered an excitement for Tefillah and an opportunity to personalize one's Tefillah experience while building confidence and pride through hard work. While so much of our shcolastic lives are spent fulfilling cognitive goals, this project honed the psychomotor skills of the students, in addition to stimulating the mind, heart and soul. It was a memorable project, and it left each student with something that they can hold onto for years to come.

By: Rabbi Darren Levin, Mr. Dovi Yarmush from Yeshivat Netivot

Grade(s): 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Elementary school, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Math, Tanach, Tefillah, Crafts, "Construction"

Pedagogy: PBL - project based learning

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The Middot Project

The Middot Project blends the emerging wisdom of Positive Psychology with the timeless perspective of Jewish values aimed at a lifetime of meaning and human flourishing.

By: Rabbi Tsafreer Lev from de Toledo High School

Grade(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Mishnah, Science, Tanach

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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The Makers Movement @ Kellman Brown Academy

Kellman Brown Academy is committed to the principle that ALL of our students are critical thinkers and problem-solvers. Through introducing the Makers Movement into the culture of the school, students are challenged to "make" what they need to solve real-world problems using their imagination and any materials they can get their hands on. The Makers culture promotes independence, ingenuity, and collaborative work.

By: Mrs. Chelsea Saraczewski, Mrs. Helene Sterling from Kellman Brown Academy

Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Computer Science, Math, Science

Pedagogy: Constructivist, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, 21st Century Skills

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Technology Opens Our Musical Minds

At Yeshivat Noam in Paramus NJ the use of iPads and a variety of music apps in our music program has opened up an exciting new world for our students. It has sparked widespread interest on the part of our students to eagerly pursue areas of music not only in our classrooms, but independently out of school.

By: Mrs. Adina Mermelstein from Yeshivat Noam

Grade(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Music

Pedagogy: 21st Century Skills

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Sukkah Design and Build Challenge

16 seventh grade students were presented with a real problem -- that MJDS has no Sukkah. Their challenge was to design, prototype, build and decorate a kosher Sukkah in time for Sukkot. The results were stunning; but the process was even more so.

By: Mr. Brian King from Milwaukee Jewish Day School

Grade(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Halacha, Ivrit, Math, Tanach, Structural Engineering

Pedagogy: Constructivist, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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3D Halacha

In this high school Judaic elective class, students learned spatially-related Jewish law while concurrently learning 3D design software. The combination of these two disciplines allowed students to explore difficult Jewish concepts often skipped in day schools, as well as master the incredibly marketable 21st Century skill of 3D design. In this one-year curriculum, 3D software became a powerful tool for empowering students in their Judaic Studies.

By: Ari Kelleman from Robert M. Beren Academy

Grade(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Halacha, Mishnah, 3D Design

Pedagogy: PBL - project based learning, 21st Century Skills

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Jewish Folktales

The folktale unit is a culminating cross-curricular project for students in fifth grade, integrating Jewish Studies, reading, writing, and public speaking. Students read a variety of Jewish folktales and choose one to study in depth. We strengthened this project by partnering with a local theater company, Wolf Performing Arts Center, to work with the students to present it effectively, analyze the setting and values, and reflect on the morals of the tale.

By: Mrs. Mindy Civan, Mrs. Abbye Cornfield from Perelman Jewish Day School

Grade(s): 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Computer Science, Literature, Mishnah

Pedagogy: PBL - project based learning, 21st Century Skills

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JEHMS Program- Jewish Education for the Humanities, Math, and Science. Does your Jewish Education Sparkle? Rigorous Middle School Fusion Program to enhance Secular Studies with Jewish Concepts

JEHMS is a middle school fusion program (adaptable for K-12) which employs original, distinctly Jewish lesson plans to communicate required secular concepts, thereby blending secular and Jewish education to better streamline, unify, and integrate Jewish Day School dual curricula. JEHMS is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary curricula in math, science, social studies and English Language Arts, aligned with the Common Core Curriculum, to teach secular skills and knowledge by employing Jewish concepts. JEHMS does not replace Judaic studies, rather is revolutionizes the content of secular classes to seamlessly include Jewish learning as it explicates secular concepts.

By: Mrs. Nomi Feinberg from Katz Hillel Day School of Boca Raton

Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Elementary school, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Halacha, Literature, Math, Science, Tanach, Hashkafa

Pedagogy: 21st Century Skills, Interdisciplinary - Original Works

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JanTerm Integrative Research Project

The JanTerm Integrative Reseach Project is a month-long (in January) intensive project where students learn and practice research and writing skills across content areas. By reconfiguring the students' schedule, students are allowed longer blocks of time to conduct research, write a formal research paper, meet and edit with a mentor-teacher, as well as work on hands-on projects. In this time, our Judaic Studies curriculum works in tandem, guiding the students to study the same theme from a Jewish lens. The students also work on creating a final project that reflects their learning of the Jewish texts and principles related to the overall theme.

By: Mrs. Rachel Zivic, Ms. Jessica Broomfield, Mrs. Ellen Barmach, Rabbi Michah Liben from Kellman Brown Academy

Grade(s): 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Elementary school, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Gemara, Halacha, History, Literature, Math, Mishnah, Science

Pedagogy: Constructivist, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, 21st Century Skills

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Israeli Art Masters

Our multi-modal arts program offers an innovative approach to Jewish arts education which includes our Israeli Art Masters Program. The goal of this program is to weave together the study of fine arts with learning about the Land and history of Israel, appreciation of the Israeli landscape, exploration of Jewish artistic inspiration, the study of Hebrew vocabulary and Positive Discipline Social Emotional Learning. Through this program students have studied various artists from Israel as well as the inspirations and techniques used in their art. In parallel the students compare the color wheel to the Positive Discipline "wheel of choice" which relates the processes of an individual's problem solving decisions to an individual artist's thoughtful artistic choices.

By: Mrs. Anat Levi from Irvine Hebrew Day School

Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, Elementary school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, History, Ivrit, Tanach, Jewish History

Pedagogy: Constructivist, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills, Social-emotional learning

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Interface Between Science and Religion

Examine scientific data regarding the early stages of the universe. Identify 7 recent scientific discoveries. Show how these scientific discoveries are contained in the first 3 verses of the Torah, as interpreted by Ramban, Rambam, and Chazal.

By: Mrs. Kochava Yitzchak from Ida Crown Jewish Academy

Grade(s): 10, 11, 12, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Science, Tanach, Jewish Thought

Pedagogy: IBL - inquiry based learning

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