This was a big week in kindergarten! The children began learning about their five senses. On Monday we focused on the sense of sight. We took a walk around the school to make observations of things they see in school. They documented these things on paper as they sat in the lobby with clipboards. They also studied a poster that showed the different parts of the eye and learned what each part was for. They also learned how difficult it would be if we did not have sight. Each child got to wear a blindfold and play games such as "who is missing?" and "what is missing?" as they explored how they could use other senses to compensate for their lack of sight.
We also began the discussion of light and how it is made up of many colors. Some of the children used the light table to explore prisms, mirrors, colored cellophane, and other materials.
Our new color word this week was green. Ask your child to sing the color songs! They did activities to help them learn to read the color words, and they experimented at the light table and the easel with mixing colors to make green
The shape of the week was a square. We brainstormed things that are shaped like squares, and the children drew, cut out, and pasted things that were square. Some of their ideas were robots, picture frames, and windows. The children are beginning to apply what they are learning to the world around them. During snack, they were making observations such as, "My water bottle cover is shaped like a circle!"
Our work with patterns continues as the patterns become more challenging. We have gone from clapping and slapping an AB pattern to using unifix cubes to create ABBCC patterns. They are beginning to see patterns everywhere, on charts, clothing, etc. Ask your child to watch for patterns as you drive in the car or take a walk this weekend.
We continue to explore the world of writing as the children become more confident to write the sounds they hear at writing center. Eventually they will be writing complete sentences!
G'mar Chatima Tova!
Have an easy fast and a wonderful weekend!
From Morah Beth:
This week in Hebrew the children began learning to recognize the letter bet and its sound, and they also learned the Hebrew word for balloon (balon), lightning (barak), and egg (baytzah). In Jewish Studies, we discussed Yom Kippur with its customs and traditions. The children listened to the story of Jonah and the Big Fish and enjoyed doing related projects.