As I watched the snow build up and just about cover my entire sliding door that leads to the deck, I thought to myself that there was no way these children would learn all twenty-six letters of the alphabet with all these snow days off! But I realized that even with so many days off, I would have to find a way to make sure the kids didn't miss a beat. The challenge was daunting, but when we came back on Wednesday, your children were waiting for me wide-eyed with anticipation! Benny the Alphabet Bear was exhausted from exercising so much while we were away. He actually became an exercise expert! Unfortunately, he was so exhausted it took the children a whole minute to wake him up. He didn't have a lot of energy, but he was eager to teach the children all about the letter E. Fortunately, we always take two weeks to teach the vowels, so E will be the letter for the week after vacation as well. The children have been practicing writing the letter in its upper and lower case forms. They have brainstormed words that begin with the letter as well.
With the upcoming holiday, the children learned about the lives of Presidents Lincoln and Washington. They listened with astonishment as I read about Lincoln seeing people in chains being sold like animals. They were relieved to hear that he put a stop to slavery, and they made important connections on their own between President Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We discussed the Civil War, and they understood the importance of using words, not weapons. They also talked about what happens when, like the people who lived in the South, you don't get your way, and that violence is never the answer. I am always amazed that five and six year olds are able to think deeply about these issues and can only hope that they carry these thoughts with them as they grow to adulthood.
When discussing President Washington, the children were impressed that he had natural leadership tendencies. We talked about what makes a leader, and how someone can lead people in good ways while others lead people in the wrong direction. They understood the importance of "using their own brains" and making good decisions.
Their spider books, although started last week, were completed and sent home. Their bears will be sent home today (Friday) as well as we complete our unit on bears. Coming up in science shortly after vacation...Dinosaurs!!
Morah Beth and I were so proud of the children at Havdallah! I hope you all enjoyed the presentation and the projects.
Please remember that our 100th day of school will be Monday, March 2, barring any more snow days. This week is a perfect time to get your child's 100 day collection together!
In Hebrew, the children began learning the letter "Vav", its sound and vocabulary words. They created projects for the word "vered" (rose), "veelon" (shade/curtain), and "varod" (pink). They practiced sounding and spelling out words in Hebrew with letter blocks.
This week, we got some new Hebrew games that reinforce letter recognition. The class was so excited to play with the new games that they finished up their projects quickly so that they could enjoy their new things.
In Torah, we reviewed all of the stories that we have learned thus far, and we will continue learning the story of Abraham and his family after vacation.
Have a peaceful, restful Shabbat and a wonderful vacation week!
With the upcoming holiday, the children learned about the lives of Presidents Lincoln and Washington. They listened with astonishment as I read about Lincoln seeing people in chains being sold like animals. They were relieved to hear that he put a stop to slavery, and they made important connections on their own between President Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We discussed the Civil War, and they understood the importance of using words, not weapons. They also talked about what happens when, like the people who lived in the South, you don't get your way, and that violence is never the answer. I am always amazed that five and six year olds are able to think deeply about these issues and can only hope that they carry these thoughts with them as they grow to adulthood.
When discussing President Washington, the children were impressed that he had natural leadership tendencies. We talked about what makes a leader, and how someone can lead people in good ways while others lead people in the wrong direction. They understood the importance of "using their own brains" and making good decisions.
Their spider books, although started last week, were completed and sent home. Their bears will be sent home today (Friday) as well as we complete our unit on bears. Coming up in science shortly after vacation...Dinosaurs!!
Morah Beth and I were so proud of the children at Havdallah! I hope you all enjoyed the presentation and the projects.
Please remember that our 100th day of school will be Monday, March 2, barring any more snow days. This week is a perfect time to get your child's 100 day collection together!
In Hebrew, the children began learning the letter "Vav", its sound and vocabulary words. They created projects for the word "vered" (rose), "veelon" (shade/curtain), and "varod" (pink). They practiced sounding and spelling out words in Hebrew with letter blocks.
This week, we got some new Hebrew games that reinforce letter recognition. The class was so excited to play with the new games that they finished up their projects quickly so that they could enjoy their new things.
In Torah, we reviewed all of the stories that we have learned thus far, and we will continue learning the story of Abraham and his family after vacation.
Have a peaceful, restful Shabbat and a wonderful vacation week!