Pirkei Avos - Lesson 1

I am teaching Pirkei Avos to a 3/4 mix of girls while the 3/4 boys learn Yuma. Thursdays is a double period with lunch in between.

First two lesson:

Intro: Think of different people in your life. Grandparents, teacher, come up with things they say.
Draw a picture and put in speech bubble what they are saying in bubble. Draw someone famous - what is in their speech bubble?

Explain connection to Pirkei Avos.

Why write Pirkei Avos?
Who are the Avos? Where do we learn about our 3 Avos? Why are those stories in Torah?

What are Pirkei Avos? What does words mean? Who are the Avos there?

What is Mishna?
What is Mishna?  Great intro chapter from online gemara workbook
Why is Pirkei Avos in Mishna?
When was the Mishna written? why would Pirkei Avos be so important to include at this time?
What section of Mishna should it be in?   Which section is it in?

דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה?

First Day of School 2012

Well, tomorrow is the first day of school. The class room is all set up with a new tefillah bulletin board.

I can't imagine I'll have a ton of time to post but in brief  - this year I'll be teaching Pirkei Avos to a 3/4 Girls mix in addition to regular learning.

Tomorrow's lesson plan is . . . Drum roll please

1. Welcome! Students fill “All About Me”
2. בקר טוב  Routine (on desk siddur and pencil ready for tefilla lesson)
3. תפילה - outloud with chazzan per tefilla
4. Putting away Supplies 
5. Practice getting into group tables from U
6. חומש - With group come up with events, people, places and numbers learned about last year
7. חגים - with a different group using chayenu as a reference, put the months in order, glue holidays on to back of month names
8. Class Meeting - with Mrs. Stoll  
1. develop class rules and charter
2. behavior system
3. homework
4. binder
9. Set up binders with Sheet Protectors
1. Class Schedule
2. Classmate List & Phone #s
3. School Year Schedule
4. Hebrew Letter - Print, Script, Rashi Reference
5. Trop Signs 
6. Avar, Hoveh, Atid Reference
7. Prefix/Suffix Reference
8. Chayei Sarah verbs
9. Chayei Sarah nouns
10. Homework 
1.  Parent Letter
2. Welcome Questionnaire
3. Welcome letter Judaics
4. Read Perek 23, pesukim 1-5, don't translate
5. look up 16 words in binder for homework