December 5-9, 2022

Garinim

This week was all about our bodies—in between getting ready for Hanukkah, that is! 

Each morning at circle time we discussed some parts of our body and what they do for us! The children especially enjoyed reading the book Here Are My Hands by Bill Martin, Jr., and filling in the different parts as they saw the illustrations or became more familiar with the book.

They also enjoyed creating their own faces using cut out ovals and gluing on yarn hair, googly eyes, and pipe cleaner mouths that they could bend into any shape they wanted. Some got pretty interesting! We can’t wait to show you.

Our most popular practical life activity this week has been using a spatula to flip pretend latkes in a frying pan. It’s a little tricky to balance everything and get it to flip and many children have returned to the activity again and again to practice getting it just right!

Judaica:

We have been reading some amazing Hanukkah books that the children have thoroughly enjoyed. “Hanukkah at Monicas” by Varda Linvey, “Rainbow Candles” by Myra Shostak and “Hanukkah Lights” by Dian G Smith.

 

We have been discussing vocabulary in English and in Hebrew for Dreidel, Menorah and Gelt in song, practical life and art.

The children are learning about parts of the body in their secular curriculum and we are connecting the words for the different parts of the body in Hebrew as well.

 

Anafim

What a great week we had together.  This week we dove right into chanukah.  We started talking about the story of chanukah and some of the symbols of the holiday.  We also started making our very own hanukiyah to bring home.  It’s a pretty big job, so we will finish it up next week. We also began learning our song for the Chanukah production.  The children have been working hard on the words and towards the end of the week we started to introduce some dance moves.  Next week we will be practicing it all together, making our costumes, and even taking a trip down to the stage to try it all out on the big stage.  We hope you will all be there on December 19 at 6:30 to see these little ones shine. 

In practical life this week we added a frying pan with cardboard latkes and a spatula and the children have been busy learning how to flip them over (thankfully without splashing oil), we have also introduced sandpaper and the children have been sanding the edges of wood nice and smooth.  These pieces of wood will be the base for their hanukiyah.  We stamped a dreidel shaped sponge into paint as one of our art activities and honed our fine motor skills by trying to spin dreidels. 

In the chapel on Friday, we were joined by Benji’s parents, Morah Lana retold the story of Hanukkah with some exciting moves and props.  The children have really gotten into the swing of how it works and all the different songs and joyfully sing along while doing the accompanying hand movements. These songs have quickly become such a meaningful part of the children’s shabbat experience.  

Next week we will continue talking about Hanukkah and all things associated with it!

 

Alim

This week the classroom transformed to Blue and White for the upcoming Holiday of Channukah.  We had a lot of new materials on the Art and Practical Life shelves.  There were fun activities for Channukah.  In art, there was snowflake cutting and other sheets to color in and explore.  In the Practical life area, there was a Brass Polishing activity involving a Menorah that the children enjoyed cleaning. Also, there was decorating a menorah work with candles and a new water transferring work using a funnel. projects in the classroom.  The children are enjoying working on our special holiday project…

On Tuesday,  we had fun with Coach Oren in the gym.  The children played a fun freeze tag game.  The kiddos were laughing and running around … having a good time.

On Wednesday, we talked about the Parsha of the week and did an overview of the Hebrew letters.

On Thursday,  Morah Dawn went over the song that we have been practicing for the Chanukah production.  “Oh Chanukah” is the name of the song the children have been working on.  The kids are having a blast singing the song and doing the dance moves that go along with it.  

On Friday,  we went down to the chapel with our special Alim guests,  Zevi’s parents.  We all enjoyed the fun Shabbat Songs and Parsha story with Morah Lana.  The Shabbat Box went home with Levi and we are so excited to hear all about Levi’s adventures with our classroom fox “Shual”. 


Keshet

We spent so much time working on ongoing projects, the students were surprised that there were barely any papers going home this week! Some journals are completed (now working on their second journal) - enjoy! Others will bring theirs home soon. The science of the Body Systems continues; this week we completed the respiratory system and added more to the ‘body’ (take a look as you pass through the hallways en route to the social hall for the Channukah production). In addition, we made models of the respiratory system - ask your child what they breathe in and how the oxygen gets into their lungs. 

We’re learning the story of Channukah, asking questions and some made the connection between King James (reason for Pilgrims leaving England) and King Antiochus, both trying to coerce the Jewish people to abandon their religion. 

I’m sure you may have heard some songs sung again and again this past week - we’re practicing for the Channukah production on Monday, December 19th. It’s sounding pretty good!  Our props are coming along too.  You won’t need to make any costumes - we’re making our own! (You’re welcome.) 

 

See this week’s photos here https://photos.app.goo.gl/5NEdMXjuyjSwqoth6



 

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