5th Grade Jewish History and Tanakh
Curriculum created by Jennifer James, Congregation Rodeph Shalom Director of Youth Education
Enduring Understandings
- History illuminates our present.
- Jewish literature and literacy
Unit 1: Setting the Stage Creates a Foundation for Making Informed Choices about Living a Jewish Life
- Why study history?
- The architecture of the Tanakh
- Tradition, Fact, and History
Unit 2: Origins
- Understanding history vs. tradition
- Origin stories of the Jewish people: Avot v’Imahot
- Origin stories of the Jewish people: Exodus
Unit 3: Kingdoms
- The first kings of Israel
- The First Temple
- Divided kingdoms of Judah and Israel
- Prophets
- Assyrian conquest
- Babylonian conquest
Unit 4: Exile
- Exile in Babylonia
- The first diaspora
- The choice to return
Unit 5: Rebuilding
- Return to Jerusalem
- The Second Temple
Unit 6: Rebellion
- Maccabees and Hasmonean dynasty
- Roman domination
- Challenging Roman rule
- Rise of Rabbinic Judaism
Unit 7: Diaspora
- Diaspora in Christian Europe
- Diaspora in Muslim lands