interreligious understanding

Interreligious Understanding: Our Traditions, Our World is Tanenbaum’s innovative curriculum on interreligious understanding for kindergarten, first and second grade.
As with all of our curricula, this curriculum is academically integrated. 

The curriculum is designed so that each grade level studies
an age-appropriate theme as it relates to religion and culture. 

Students who work though this curriculum won’t learn the Five Pillars of Islam, the differences between Christian denominations, or to compare Native American harvest festivals.  Rather, your students will gain a broader view of the  world and learn to respect the beliefs and practices of each and every person within it.  The curriculum highlights the many similarities and shared values across various religious beliefs and practices and celebrates the differences.  It helps children appreciate that people believe and practice differently from one another and develop inclusion skills that will form the foundation for them to grow into respectful adults. 

The goal of Our Traditions, Our World will be met when your students are able to appreciate that people believe and practice differently from one another and as they retain and refine these inclusion skills as while growing into respectful adults.

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world olympics

The Olympic Games are a powerful example of people with both vast differences and remarkable similarities coming together in the spirit of respect and goodwill. This curriculum uses the theme of the Olympics to offer multicultural lessons that prepare children to thrive in today’s diverse society and to practice respect toward people of all different backgrounds.

Students in World Olympics study cultures from around the world and then hold their own classroom or school-wide Olympics.  Through hands-on, literacy-based activities, the curriculum stresses the importance of respecting and including everyone and fair play – all while strengthening academic skills. The integrated  academic activities highlight the importance of working together as a team while teaching children to recognize and applaud each member’s strengths.

This curriculum is ideal for the after-school or enrichment setting, as it combines academics, multicultural learning, sports and recreation.

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immigration: passages

In developing this curriculum, we have situated immigration in the context of the United States. In order to best promote respect, it must be understood that the issue of immigration encompasses many different groups and historical issues, including forced migration and institutionalized discrimination against many immigrant groups. We explicitly address some of these issues, and have included built-in opportunities to talk about and explore specific topics on the history of immigration that may interest your students.

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community building

Through the Community Building curriculum, children explore the concept of community, beginning with a study of themselves and building up to world communities.  Learning about their own communities and involving parents and community members helps children understand their network of support. 

Community Building is academic and state social studies standards referenced for New York State.
It includes literacy, math, social studies, science
and art activities.  These integrated lessons also teach the importance of self-respect, respecting others, honoring the environment and becoming responsible global citizens.

Each year begins with the a respect activity to establish ground rules and culminates with an activity that celebrates the children’s learning and involves family, friends and community.

Community Building prepares children to be responsible and respectful global citizens.

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