Our Curriculum
At the Silver Academy, Judaic studies and General studies are interwoven to create a challenging, integrated curriculum that nurtures skills in analytical reasoning and critical thinking from the earliest grades. Our school embodies Judaism’s rich, intellectual heritage, which values literacy, inquiry through questioning and spirited debate. Through study of classical Jewish texts, we teach the most profound ethical concepts to our children. We are thus a community of learners deeply informed by Jewish values, in which students and staff are expected to model the highest standards of ethical behavior toward one another.
The Silver Academy Judaic Studies program is designed to meet the needs of students from varied Jewish backgrounds. The program combines a core curriculum with a system of electives that allows families to customize a student’s academic program. The Core Curriculum at the Silver Academy emphasizes those subjects that are fundamental to a Jewish education for every child in our community. From the earliest stages, the cornerstone of this curriculum is the study of Hebrew language. Building upon that foundation, the curriculum develops age-appropriate emphasis on the study of Torah, Jewish history and Jewish culture, all within a framework that highlights the relevance of these subjects to modern life. Students in Preschool and Kindergarten are immersed in an environment where Hebrew language is spoken as children learn about Jewish holidays, culture and values. In First Grade, students begin using TAL AM (Technological Approach to Language and Heritage), a renowned curriculum based on the principles of communicative-heritage language acquisition. The TAL AM educational philosophy is that the best learning environment for children is one in which knowledge is acquired through a variety of activities, using each of the five senses. In addition to studying from textbooks, students use music, games and visual aids to learn the Hebrew language and to develop a keen understanding of Jewish concepts and values. The Electives Curriculum provides students with choice as they advance to the upper grades. Books of the People is an elective track that provides intensive focus on the study of classical texts, The Talmud, and traditional Jewish values. In the upper grades, these electives are designed to prepare students to meet the academic requirements necessary for Jewish day school education at the High School level. People of the Book is an elective track that emphasizes Jewish thought and culture, while providing basic literacy in synagogue skills appropriate to diverse facets of the Jewish community. In the upper grades, students have the option to gain the skills that will prepare them to become Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
The Silver Academy Judaic Studies program is designed to meet the needs of students from varied Jewish backgrounds. The program combines a core curriculum with a system of electives that allows families to customize a student’s academic program. The Core Curriculum at the Silver Academy emphasizes those subjects that are fundamental to a Jewish education for every child in our community. From the earliest stages, the cornerstone of this curriculum is the study of Hebrew language. Building upon that foundation, the curriculum develops age-appropriate emphasis on the study of Torah, Jewish history and Jewish culture, all within a framework that highlights the relevance of these subjects to modern life. Students in Preschool and Kindergarten are immersed in an environment where Hebrew language is spoken as children learn about Jewish holidays, culture and values. In First Grade, students begin using TAL AM (Technological Approach to Language and Heritage), a renowned curriculum based on the principles of communicative-heritage language acquisition. The TAL AM educational philosophy is that the best learning environment for children is one in which knowledge is acquired through a variety of activities, using each of the five senses. In addition to studying from textbooks, students use music, games and visual aids to learn the Hebrew language and to develop a keen understanding of Jewish concepts and values. The Electives Curriculum provides students with choice as they advance to the upper grades. Books of the People is an elective track that provides intensive focus on the study of classical texts, The Talmud, and traditional Jewish values. In the upper grades, these electives are designed to prepare students to meet the academic requirements necessary for Jewish day school education at the High School level. People of the Book is an elective track that emphasizes Jewish thought and culture, while providing basic literacy in synagogue skills appropriate to diverse facets of the Jewish community. In the upper grades, students have the option to gain the skills that will prepare them to become Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
| kindergarten_curriculum-_harrisburg_jewish_day_school.pdf |
| 1st_grade_curriculum_harrisburg_jewish_day_school.pdf |
| 2nd_grade_curriculum_harrisburg_jewish_day_school.pdf |
| 3rd_grade_curriculum_-_harrisburg_jewish_day_school.docx |
| upper_elementary_curriculum_-_harrisburg_jewish_day_school_.docx |
