The Kohelet Prize Database

Subject: Economics

Mishkeh Mechanic / Success Strategist 2.0

Middle school students completed a project in their STEAM cross-curricular class and followed the Teshuva process to "realize," and thus capitalize upon, their mistakes and successes; this highly replicable, easily transferable project took on a far-reaching mind of its own, with students at the helm of the real-life skills ship.

By: Sri Sundaram, Ariella Landy from Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy

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: Art, Computer Science, Economics/ Business, Engineering, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Foreign Language, Gemara, Halacha, History, Ivrit, Literature, Math, Mishnah, Music, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Physical Education/Health, Science, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Studies, Tanach, Technology, Tefila

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, Constructivist, Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, Flipped Learning, Hevruta Learning, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, Social and Emotional Learning, Wholebrain Teaching, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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From Landfill To Life Filled – Applying Israeli innovation to an interdisciplinary project-based learning experience

Hebrew Academy Miami RASG middle school students participated in a interdisciplinary project based learning experience with a global component. They integrated math and entrepreneurial skills, environmental science, tech tools and Hebrew language in order to design a solution for a global environmental issue and do Tikun Olam.

By: Meirav Kravetz, Marie Angie Lopez, Javier Gonzalez from Miami Hebrew Academy RASG

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

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Economics/ Business, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Ivrit, Math, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Science, Technology

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, IBL - inquiry based learning, Language Immersion, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design

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Entrepreneurship and Tzedaka Project

The Entrepreneurship and Tzedaka Project was completed by all 5th grade students at HAFTR, and taught students the collaborative and creative skills of today's startup world, while solidifying the concept of giving back to the community through the power of Tzedaka.

By: Rabbi Baruch Noy from HAFTR

Grade(s): 5, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Economics/ Business

Pedagogy: Blended Learning

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From The Ground Up: A Comprehensive Entrepreneurship Curriculum

If I had to encapsulate the purpose of running an entrepreneurship program with students into one sentence, it would be to give them a chance to find their place in a changing world. Running a business with students gives them the soft skills to successfully navigate the real world while keeping one foot safely in the classroom.

By: Gittel Weiss from HAFTR

Grade(s): 5, Elementary school, Middle school

Subject(s) of entry: Economics/ Business

Pedagogy: Experiential Education

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Statistical Analysis of a Federal Data Set: Project Based Learning in the Introductory Statistics Classroom

Introductory Statistics is best absorbed with active engagement. In this Project Based Learning class, students choose their own "real life" data sets from federal sources, apply newly learned statistical techniques to their data, and use quantitative reasoning to explore their passions. Seminar-style interactions with classmates enhance learning.

By: Rachel Braun from Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy

Grade(s): 12, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Economics/ Business, Math, Social Studies

Pedagogy: Constructivist

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3rd Grade Entrepreneurial Curriculum

To understand the complex structures that work together in an economy, students live and breathe economics through two instructional frameworks: the mini-economy and the classroom business. In the end, they are able to demonstrate their understanding by running their own small-businesses, as well as making informed decisions at our monthly market.

By: Justine Skillman from Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis

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

Subject(s) of entry: Economics/ Business

Pedagogy: Design-Thinking Model

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Austin Jewish Academy (AJA) Fifth-Grade Sustainability Curriculum

As part of AJA's commitment to educating life-long environmental stewards, Ms. Hidalgo developed a reproducible model curriculum to teach sustainability through opportunities for real-world learning. Her program involves innovative classroom study and school-to-farm service learning and has an extraordinary impact on her students and AJA community.

By: Karen Hidalgo from Austin Jewish Academy

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

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Computer Science, Economics/ Business, Engineering, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Halacha, History, Math, Mishnah, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Physical Education/Health, Science, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Studies, Tanach, Technology, literature

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, Design-Thinking Model, Flipped Learning, Hevruta Learning, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, Social and Emotional Learning, Soulful Education, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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From Me to We: Creating and Hosting an Empty Bowls event

We strive to perform Tikkun Olam and assist those in poverty. Through a series of scaffolded skill-building experiences, ranging from letter writing to pottery, we organized an Empty Bowls event; donating proceeds to local organizations dedicated to helping those less fortunate. We transformed our goal into our passion.

By: Noah Kaufman from Milwaukee Jewish Day School

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

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Economics/ Business, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Social Studies

Pedagogy: Design-Thinking Model, 21st Century Skills

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Entrepreneurship in Practice: Teaching Future Jewish Business Leaders

Golda Och Academy’s 12th grade Entrepreneurship Course has enriched the lives of fifty students in the last 7 years who have gone on to become business leaders. The course assesses and analyzes leadership, walks through the steps of starting a business and has a practicum where students turn an idea into a realized business operating in school.

By: Jordan Herskowitz from Golda Och Academy

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

Subject(s) of entry: Economics/ Business

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, PBL - project based learning, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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The Architecture of Real-World Learning — A Treehouse Builds Community

Students combined their study of math and science with learning about architecture. This year-long, integrated project resulted in a real treehouse as their graduation gift to the school. They did everything from surveying stakeholders, calling for donations, supply shopping, meeting with the city permit department and designing the final product.

By: Rena Malkofsky-Berger from Akiva School

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

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Economics/ Business, Engineering, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Math, Science, literature

Pedagogy: Constructivist, Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning

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The Innovation Lab – The Space where Maker Ed and Jewish Ed Inspire

We’ve built a culture designed around an open space where students actualize content learned in their Jewish day school & apply it in ways that are most meaningful to them. Students collaborate & think creatively, using 3D printers, woodworking, coding, graphic design, and a host of other tools to create tangible outcomes of their education.

By: Tzvi Hametz from Gindi Maimonides Academy

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

Subject(s) of entry: Art, Computer Science, Economics/ Business, Engineering, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Foreign Language, Gemara, Halacha, History, Ivrit, Math, Mishnah, Music, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa, Physical Education/Health, Science, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Studies, Tanach, Technology, Tefila, literature

Pedagogy: Blended Learning, Constructivist, Design-Thinking Model, Experiential Education, Flipped Learning, Gamification, Hevruta Learning, IBL - inquiry based learning, PBL - project based learning, Wholebrain Teaching, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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Fundamentals of Economics & Business and Jewish Business Ethics

This entry describes a year-long course at Maimonides, enabling Juniors to study the Fundamentals of Economics, both as a rigorously taught social science class, and as a deep consideration of the ethical and moral teachings of Judaism on the topic. The entry focuses on the many opportunities for Real World Learing for students through this course

By: Yaakov Jaffe from Maimonides

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

Subject(s) of entry: Economics/ Business, Halacha, Philosophy/ Values/ Ethics/ Hashkafa

Pedagogy: Constructivist, Experiential Education, PBL - project based learning, Socratic Method, UBD - understanding by design, 21st Century Skills

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4th Grade Business Plan

We introduce students to Tikkun Olam through development of nonprofit business plans. Students work collaboratively to create plans and make presentations. Once presentations are completed, students present plans to judges who help students think critically about plans. Then classes run businesses and help charitable organizations.

By: Rachel Korman, Stephanie Hosansky from Perelman Jewish Day School - Stern Center

Grade(s): 4, 5, Elementary school, Middle school, High school

Subject(s) of entry: Economics/ Business, Math, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Studies, Technology

Pedagogy: PBL - project based learning, Social and Emotional Learning, 21st Century Skills

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Gan Chaiot Chadash–The New Zoo Project

With the goal of designing a habitat for an animal on the endangered species list, the students utilized their knowledge of area and perimeter to create a habitat enclosure to scale, research the taxonomy of their chosen animal, and explore our Jewish duty to care for and protect animals. The unit is infused with Hebrew text and vocabulary.

By: Frannie Magnani, Ruthi Ofek from Shalom School

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

Subject(s) of entry: Computer Science, Economics/ Business, Engineering, English/ Writing/ Language Arts, Ivrit, Math, Science, Tanach, Technology

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

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Mesila Mesivta Program – Financial Literacy Course for Mesivta Students

Through the Mesila financial literacy course, I am helping students in the ultra-Orthodox world develop life-long financial responsibility and skills for facing serious challenges to the Jewish community today: the loud and alluring commercialism and media that pound me-first materialism into our lives; social pressure that causes many Jewish families to live beyond their means and end up in debt; and a general lack of knowledge about smart, proactive financial behavior. Built on a solid foundation of Torah sources and Jewish values, this course addresses the issues of money and money management openly and systematically, through age-appropriate content that includes real-life creative activities and assignments on topics such as responsible spending, understanding consumer culture, withstanding social pressure, budgeting, prioritizing, making informed choices, the potential hazards of credit cards and loans, investments, ethics and integrity and social responsibility.

By: Rabbi Shalom Abramczyk from Yeshiva Emek Hatorah

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

Subject(s) of entry: Financial Literacy / Economics

Pedagogy: IBL - inquiry based learning

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