Teacher's Guide to Sefaria's Student Course

The purpose of the course is to provide students with a working knowledge of Sefaria, which includes understanding how to navigate the library, how texts are connected to each other, how to search for materials, and how to create a source sheet.

The lessons are designed to be used as a series, to prepare students to be successful users of Sefaria, as well as to empower them to produce Torah content on Sefaria. However, they can also be used individually as stand-alone lessons.

The Student Course consists of the following three lessons:

The three lessons were created with a wide range of teaching environments in mind. However, all Sefaria sheets are adaptable. As a teacher, you may decide that your particular environment and your students require a different approach.

To personalize a source sheet:

1. Copy the sheet

You will now have a copy of the lesson which you can edit.

Here are a few ideas for ways to customize.

In order to complete the lessons on the computer, each student will need to be logged into a Sefaria account. Directions for creating a free Sefaria account can be found here. Students can use their complete name or a first name and initial on their accounts.

Teachers who do not want their students to log into Sefaria can send their students the URL to the sheet (instead of assigning the sheet, as described below) and have the students answer the questions on a piece of paper, Google doc or any other method that students use to complete work.

Sefaria's assignment feature allows teachers to send a copy of the sheet to each student while retaining a template of their own. As students save their work, a link to their source sheets appears on the teacher's sheet.

Explanation and directions for the Assignment feature can be found here.

The Assignment feature is found in the "File" menu.

Although each teacher should adapt the lessons to best serve the particular class, a road map for each lesson is provided below.

Before you begin: The teacher assigns the sheet and sends the assignment URL to the students. Students log into their accounts and open the sheet. In a classroom where students do not log into Sefaria, send the URL of the lesson to the students and follow one of the suggestions in the Logging into Sefaria section above.

1. Welcome to Sefaria -The teacher shows the video on a smart board or students can watch it on their own. Another option is to flip this part of the lesson and have the students watch the video at home in preparation for the lesson.

2. Let's get started - The teacher can demonstrate on the smart board or the students can read it on their own and reference the gif. This also can be done at home as part of a flipped classroom.

3. Now it's your turn - Students can work independently or with a chevruta/partner.

4. Scavenger hunt - Students can work alone so that they each are locating each text.

5. Reflection - Students should write the reflection alone. It can also be assigned as homework.

Before you begin: The teacher assigns the sheet and sends the assignment URL to the students. Students log into their accounts and open the sheet. In a classroom where students do not log into Sefaria, send the URL of the lesson to the students and follow one of the suggestions in the Logging into Sefaria section above.

1. Students can work in pairs or the teacher can work with the whole class, as described in the lesson.

2. and 3. Students can work alone or in pairs as they read through the explanations and try them on their computers.

4. and 5. Students can work on the assignment independently or with a chevruta/partner.

6. Students should write the reflection alone. It can also be assigned as homework.

​​​​​​​Before you begin: The teacher assigns the sheet and sends the assignment URL to the students. Students log into their accounts and open the sheet. In a classroom where students do not log into Sefaria, send the URL of the lesson to the students and follow one of the suggestions in the Logging into Sefaria section above.

There are many different ways that a teacher might choose to conduct this lesson.

1. The student, alone or with a chevruta/partner, reads the directions and creates a source sheet.

2. The teacher models how to make a source sheet to the class and then the students work alone or in chevruta to create a source sheet.

3. Reflection - Students should write the reflection alone. It can be also be assigned as homework.

4. Optional: Students can be given the opportunity to share their source sheets with the class. This can be done in many ways. A few suggestions are below:

Questions? Email Education Associate Rachel Buckman at [email protected].