The Kohelet Prize Database

Database Entries Tagged with: Research

“Kids around the world do the same things in different ways.” Kindergarten students create The Museum of the Universal Languages of Childhood

The Kindergarten theme of community was woven into all aspects of our curriculum and was explored through the lens of global competency. Our multidisciplinary curricular approach to learning culminated in the creation of The Museum of the Universal Languages of Childhood that represented the languages of celebrations, games, and fine arts.

By: Xani Pollakoff, Lisa Davis from Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School, Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School

Grade(s): K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Elementary school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Engineering, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, History, Literature, Math, Music, Science, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Studies

Pedagogy: Constructivist, Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, PBL - project based learning, Social and Emotional Learning, 21st Century Skills

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Cosmic Ray Research During The 2017 Solar Eclipse

Students developed a research question and carried out an investigation studying cosmic rays during the solar eclipse. This process involved designing, testing and building a muon telescope. Students carried out the investigation, will be presenting academic papers, and created data that is being used in physics classes at our school.

By: Allen Sears from Ida Crown Jewish Academy

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

Subject(s) of entry: Science

Pedagogy: Experiential Education, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning

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Alternative Energy Exploration Unit

This integrated writing and science unit focuses on energy, and asks the driving question “How and why should we use energy wisely?” Students investigate what energy is, where it comes from, and how we use it. They conduct research on sustainable fuels, write persuasive essays advocating for the use of a particular source of energy, design billboard advertisements for their chosen energy source, and participate in a debate judged by industry experts on different forms of sustainable energy. Finally, students design and create their own tikkun olam service-learning projects to make a positive difference in our community’s use of energy.

By: Ms. Rebecca Sheinbaum from Denver Jewish Day School

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: Literature, Mishnah, Science

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

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The Jewish Academy’s Reflection Integration

Our team integrated the theme of reflection across all grades as well as across all subjects. Reflection is an overall strategy and theme for the school. Laying the groundwork in our first unit is key to a successful year of reflection and revision.

By: Miss Colleen O'Brien, Mrs. Sarah Kugelman, Mrs. Yudit Kasowitz, Mr. Dani Hak, Mrs. Chaya Teldon from The Jewish Academy of Suffolk County

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

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

Pedagogy: 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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Non-Fiction Research about Teeth

In this lesson, student use skills learned to navigate non-fiction texts in order to do research and learn facts about teeth. This topic is relevant to first grade students as they often begin losing their baby teeth at this stage of life, and it provides them with the scientific reasoning behind this occurrence.

By: Miss Hillary Edelson from SAR Academy

Grade(s): 1, 2, Elementary school

Subject(s) of entry: Literature, Science

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

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Kindergarten Community Library Project

Using the Design Thinking Model, the Kindergarten classes redesigned and created a more efficient and organized library based on the needs of our school community. The children researched, interviewed, and engineered in order to enhance our JPDS-NC South Campus Community Library which houses picture books, non-fiction, fiction, easy readers, Hebrew, and Jewish values books in an inviting environment which is conducive to learning and reading for fun.

By: Lisa Davis, Vas Pournaras, and Xani Pollakoff from JPDS-NC

Grade(s): K, Elementary school

Subject(s) of entry: Art, History, Literature, Math, Science, Social/Emotional

Pedagogy: PBL - project based learning, Design Thinking Model

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Environmental Education Across the Curriculum: Developing Connected Thinkers For Our Global Future

I teach my students that all of learning and all of life is connected. When we realize connections, we celebrate our
learning. The attached PDF titled Real-World Learning explains how my students learn about the environment and the real world around them by being exposed to connections inside and outside of the classroom and by being encouraged to question and to create ideas.

My presentation begins with the PDF titled Real-World Learning. Thank you!

By: Mrs. Jodi Deichman from Katz Hillel Day School of Boca Raton

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

Subject(s) of entry: Computer Science, History, Literature, Math, Science

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

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Fernald School PBL

Students in our 11th grade US History classes researched the Fernald School, a defunct school for students with
disabilities right next door to Gann! They did 2 site visits, developed strong historical questions, and did research in both primary and secondary sources to learn more. Rather than "learning" history, they "did" history, and produced an excellent website documenting their work, which will hopefully be used to lobby the city of Waltham regarding how best to use the site.

By: Ms. Lily Rabinoff-Goldman from Gann Academy

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

Subject(s) of entry: History

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

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