THE CURRICULUM
HOW IT WORKS
Teacher's Guide
A weekly lesson, clearly laid out and fully prepared to be taught using stories, activities, and visuals.
Powerpoints
Beautiful, colorful powerpoints to accompany each lesson and bring the words to life for the class.
Student Book
Each Dvar Torah is broken down into 5 sections, making it easy for students to understand and share.
THE TEACHER'S GUIDE
Title
Provides the teacher with a clear and concise way to introduce the class. Teachers may want to use this as a hook to engage and raise the curiosity of the students.
Peek Into the Class
Gives the teacher a summary of the lesson in a few sentences. This way the teacher approaches the full lesson already understanding the point of the Dvar Torah.
Parshah Summary
Gives the teacher a summary of the Parshah which can be used as introduction for the lesson or as a way to refresh the students' memories on the background for the Dvar Torah.
Five Part Dvar Torah
Each Dvar Torah is comprised of five parts, giving the lessons a clear structure. The student book contains these five parts, with fill in the blanks to keep the students focused.
Story
Everyone likes a good story, it captures the imagination. This section provides the teacher with a story, anecdote, or moshel to drive home the main point of the Dvar Torah.
Activity
Provides the teacher with practical demonstration that brings out the main point of the Dvar Torah. This can also help students who are kinesthetic learners.
Questions and Answers
Each lesson has three comprehension questions, allowing the students to demonstrate that they understood the Dvar Torah. The teacher's guide includes the answers to these questions.
Practical Lessons
Action is the main thing! It is what the Rebbe always demands. This section provides the teacher practical ideas of different takeaways and lessons which can be discussed with the students.
Powerpoints
Each Dvar Torah comes with a beautiful Powerpoint. One of the five parts of the Dvar Torah is beautifully illustrated on each slide to enable the teacher to incorporate the slides into their lesson.
NEW - Sicha Excerpt
In both the student book and teacher's guide there is a paragraph from the Sicha with nekudos. Translations for difficult words are located in the word banks, and previous words are referenced in the underline section.
NEW - Guided Questions
Guided questions and a highlight section are provided to help the students as they learn and master the paragraph. Additionally, in the upper level book, the students will be asked to summarize the paragraph in their own words.
NEW - Pisgam
Each Dvar Torah is accompanied by a pisgam or possuk connected to the theme of the Sicha to help drive home the lesson.
PURCHASE
REVIEWS
It was amazing to see how they took Sichos and made them so accessible, and easily understood for kids at a young age. The power points added a whole new dimension to the class, the images really brought the class to life. The fill in section of the student book really made the class interactive and kept the kids engaged. I received a lot of positive feedback from parents how they enjoyed hearing such a nice short Dvar Torah on the Parsha from their children. ~ Rabbi Levi Raskin, Cheder of New Haven
My students were really engaged and really enjoyed the classes and were interested through out the class. The fill in the blanks is what really made it engaging kept the Talmidim occupied through out the class. ~ Rabbi Sorkin, ULY
I'm always looking for curriculums to enhance my classes. I was delighted to come across Living With the Times. It really gave structure to my lesson, the Divrei Torah were presented in such a clear and precise way, and the images on the powerpoints really brought the class to life. ~ Teacher, Mazal Day School
FAQ
How many volumes are there and what is the source of the Divrei Torah?
There are two volumes: Volume one is adapted from Lekutei Sichos - Chalokim Aleph and Bais. Volume two is adapted from Lekutei Sichos - Chalokim Gimmel and Daled.
What age is the curriculum geared toward?
The curriculum was designed with students in grades 5-7 in mind. Last year we had a number of schools who used volume one in younger grades, even as young as second grade due to its clear presentation and style. Volume two is new this year and includes a number of Sichos with more difficult concepts and is not recommended for students younger than fifth grade.
Is the curriculum designed for Anash schools only?
It was originally intended for use in Anash schools. However, last year there were a number of teachers in day schools who felt it could be used in their classrooms and whose students really enjoyed learning it.
How much does this incredible curriculum cost?
Each student workbook is just $9.99 and the teacher's guide is just $24.99. The Powerpoints are included complementary with the teacher's guide. There is a minimum order of 5 Student books and one teacher guide. Shipping is free in the continental US.