Project-based Learning Drives Third Grade Judaic Studies Curriculum

To learn about the holiday of Sukkot, and the specifications for building a sukkah, third graders worked in groups using paper and other materials to build a miniature sukkah they believed met the criteria for sukkot. “Instead giving students all of the rules for building a sukkah,” explains teacher Sharona Israeli-Roth, “I gave them little direction except to build what they believed a sukkah to be.” After all of the groups completed their sukkah, students learned about the rules for the structure—for example, they must have three walls and must have a roof through which people can see the sky—and then evaluated whether their sukkah met that criteria or how they could adjust theirs to meet the criteria. Third grade Judaic studies focuses on project-based learning and inquiry, and this project “allows students to explore some of the rules in Jewish life in a hands-on way,” says Ms. Roth. “When the project began, you could really see the students’ eyes light up with ideas for how to build their sukkah. It’s inspiring to see the students so engaged in their learning.” MORE PHOTOS