TEACHING CHUMASH

Faculty In-serviceAugust 09Presented by Rabbi Akevy Greenblatt

Big Ideas in Chumash

Torat Chaim – A Living Torah The concepts are timeless Mesorah- Heritage Our lives are shaped by those of our Avot Kedushat HaTorah The Torah is Min HaShamayim and teaches us how to live Lashon Hakodesh Divine Providence Relationship with individuals, Am Yisroel, and the nations of

the world Layers of Understanding Parshanut, multiple interpretations

Source: Developing and Integrating Big Ideas by Chani Maybruch

Big Ideas in Chumash

Torat Chaim – A Living Torah The concepts are timeless Mesorah- Heritage Our lives are shaped by those of our Avot

Essential Under-Standings

What is essential for students to Know

What is essential for students to be able to do

What is essential for students to understandEssential

Questions

Essential Questions

Essential Questions

Activity Activity Activity Activity Activity Activity Activity

Source: Developing and Integrating Big Ideas by Chani Maybruch

D.I. And Meaningful and Engaging ActivitiesVocabulary on the moveGrouping 3-2-1Choral reading Reading buddies Reading round robinTic Tac ToeMatching Characters/ puppet showPlay

PowerPointGraphic organizersMidot and how the lives of the avot relate

to us Scafolding word bank pictures teacher assisted Other ideas

Identifying Desired Results

Chumash Ability to Navigate through a Tanach Ability to Comprehend Pesukim that were read in class Ability to identify textual difficulties in the narrative Ability to identify and decode familiar roots

Source: Assessing through the prism of D.I. by Rabbi Tzvi Kolslowe

Chumash assessment Breakdown

Question # Tannach Navigation

Pasuk comprehension

Textual difficulties

Root recognition

1

2

3

4

….

Total /8 /60 /20 /12

The categories are weighted based on what you feel are the skills that you want to focus on

Source: Based on Assessing through the prism of D.I. by Rabbi Tzvi Kolslowe

Student reflection

In which category did I perform best and why

In Which category did I perform the weakest and why

Other comments

Source: Based Assessing through the prism of D.I. by Rabbi Tzvi Kolslowe

Chumash assessment Class Breakdown

Student Name

Tannach Navigation

Pasuk comprehension

Textual difficulties

Root recognition

1 8/8 58/60 18/20 12/12

2 4/8 52/60 12/20 10/12

3 5/8 54/60 4/20 12/12

4 8/8 50/50 2/20 10/12

….

Total 75% 92% 60% 98%

Source: Based on Assessing through the prism of D.I. by Rabbi Tzvi Kolslowe

Implications and ApplicationsFor the Teacher

Ability to identify class-wide areas of strengthAnd weakness Ability to adjust learning environment to

match class needs or growth Ability to create homogeneous or

heterogeneous groupings Ability to determine grade level definitions

Source: Based on Assessing through the prism of D.I. by Rabbi Tzvi Kolslowe