Shavuot plans using PJ LIbrary Book Sadie and the Big Mountain

Just as we are getting ready to plan for Shavuot I received the Book Sadie and the Big Mountain from PJ Library.  We are acting out the story each day just as it is described in the book.  We will end with our Rabbi dressed as Moshe, on the hill (Mt. Sinai) next to our playground.  The story touches on what it means to be a "leader" and is a great oppportunity to share a time in our lives when we felt anxious.

A Gift for Gal

As the year comes to an end, the children in our four-year-old program decided collectively to make a pillow for Gal, our young emmissary knowing that she will be heading off to serve in the army when she goes home to Israel.  This is a very special pillow with the Israeli flag on one side and the American flag on the other side, made with love using the children's handprints.  We love you Gal!!!

They Will Remember Crossing the Red Sea

The teachers photographed each child dressed as a slave and then cut out and laminated the photos. The children then sponge-painted the parting of the Red Sea.
They then learned how to "accordian fold" a strip of paper that they taped to the back of their photos. This made it more "3D" and then they glued their photo onto the mural. DAYENU!

Reflections from a thoughtful teacher (Process vs. Product)

Jamie,

Today was a very thought provoking day for me. From the very beginning of the Vision Project, I have struggled with product versus process art projects, especially during Jewish holidays when we want to send home usable items and hiddur mitzvah values. So this week in the midst of Pesach prep and all things crafty, I felt a light go on as I had a chance to sit with many children finishing different product oriented Pesach projects.

Matzah Holder:

description- four square Masonite broads, separated by crafty items of children's choice like dice, letter blocks, scrabble letters, etc...children build till they get three slots for matzah. Each project looks different because of the spacers. (see photo)

Here's what I heard and saw that made this a terrific project/process.

"Hey if I use these shells for spacers, I don't think the matzah will slide in" said Jack O "hmm" I sighed. "Can I get a piece for real and try it, it's too hard to estimate it. I want to be sure." Jack O- ***For me this was it- math, spatial relations, using the word "estimate", knowing how to try out his question- it was all there.

Later, we were finishing this project by putting names of the back. (I want children to be able to look back and see what their writing looks like in the 4's. Jack J started writing his name then said " oh no...I don't like my J." For once I stayed quiet. "I'll start again." he said. This is a child who often has a melt down over such "goofs." Then he had a chance to put a small mailing label saying what year it was made and name of our preschool. I thought for sure he'd cover his "goof J' with the label. Nope. For me this was worth a million observations. I will bring this back up with Jack many times the rest of the year about how he just forged on with the task at hand.

Zach came to put his name on the back of his matzah holder and asked "Is this a sharpie? " "Yes," I answered. "I am not allowed to use these at home." Zach stated softly. "Well ,this a beautiful Pesach item you just made and I want your name to last forever on the back. I would really love you to use the sharpie at school today. What do you think? I said . Zach thought about what I said for a full minute and answered, "This must really be important what I made, cause this is for EVER."

I could go on and on but just wanted to share.
Susie Weiner
4'steacher

Sometimes a Picture Just Says it All..........

Asher and Benjamin are exploring the different objects on the Seder plate in their classroom.

Interesting Matzah Holder Part 1

One of our classrooms used plywood scraps and found objects (many recyclables) to create unique matzah holders. The matzah holder is unfinshed; it will have a large photograph of the artist eating matzah on the top. What's great is that they are all different. Some children wanted each section to be the same height and chose objects carefully and others did not. This was an excellent math activity, the children used rulers to do some measuring. Some of the objects used were shells, bottle caps,bolts, beads, and pegs.

Our fours class has been exploring Israel the entire year. Every week our 19 year old Israeli Emissary Gal comes to visit our class. We have passports and have toured all over Israel. Kitat Shamayim adores her and Israel. Last week I told the class my mom, Grandma Judy was going to Israel. Right away they had some questions for her. I asked how we could keep in touch- they all yelled email of course!


Dear Mom,

My preschool class will be writing you with daily questions about your trip...hope your game!

#1 email to Grandma Judy
Are you going to Jerusalem asked Jack J?
Did you see the Bahai gardens in Haifa? asked Alexa
love you tons, Kitat Shamayim

Dear Awesome Kitat Shamayim,

We will be going to Jerusalem in a few days. Today we took a bus then a train to Haifa. We went to the Hecht Museum at Haifa U. Next we went to a mall dug out of a mountain & ate at a dairy Kosher resturant with Ezri's cousin . Didn't go the BaHai Gardens because we saw them last time but a great question.
Love Grandma Judy

During centers today, three children were splashing at the water table saying- I hope you have good trip Grandma Judy. Hope you float in the Dead Sea.

Then, I read Grandma's reply and they all had more questions.
We were sitting before lunch and every single child wanted me to type their questions- they sat for 20 minutes. (Not that typical)

Did you stick a note the Western Wall ? Jack O.
Are you going to that snowy place Mt Hermon? Sophia
Can you visit us when you come back? Logan
What food did you eat? Mia
Are you going to float in the Dead Sea? Jack J
Are you going to that sandy part, the Negev? Alexa
Are the buildings taller that New York in Tel Aviv? Zach

Then I asked if she could bring us back a treat from her trip but there are 17 of us hmmm what could she bring us ? I thought for sure they would all say candy or food.

Mia-- a cool puzzle
Jack j- a game with pictures of Israel
Mack- Something kids play there

I love this job- I have asked my mom to mail us a postcard with cool stamps and we'll keep emailing I guess.

Susie Weiner

Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind

After some research we found Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind so we will share the tzedakah money we raise. The website is www.israelguidedog.org

Tzedakah money raises funds for new police dog in town

Our three-year-old program started an investigation about dogs. This week they are learning about "working dogs" and we invited Lola and Elsie, Westport's two police dogs and their handlers to come for a visit. Lola (the German Shepherd) is retiring after 10 years of service. Our tzedakah money is going to help purchase a new police dog for the town. We are going to see if they have police dogs in Israel too. We will get back to you on that.........

We are also researching whether dog food needs to be kosher and also kosher for Passover. We will let you know our findings!

Queen Esther had courage and so does Kitat Shamayim

Purim is over and the costumes are packed away and yet our spectacular teachers revisited the story yesterday and decided to write a class book about "courage". See below for some of the responses from the children. Each child illustrated their
picture after dictating their words:

Pearla: At Compo Beach, I played on the tire swing on the playground. At first I was nervous to try it.

Alexa: At the beach, I was afraid of the big waves but I went in the water anyway, holding my mom and dad's hand.

Sabina: One time I fell off a bumpy slide, but I tried again.

Jack O: Once I got a blood shot. I was scared but I did it. I didn't cry.

"One can learn modesty from a cat" (Eruvim 100b)

This week we began an investigation all about dogs. Each child has their own beanie baby puppy to take care of. We began the unit by learning about the section in the Talmud that talks about the mitzvah of attending to the needs of our animals before our own needs. (Brit, Ohev et HaBriyot). This has been reflected in the children's play all week. They are taking their responsibilities very seriously.

Finding ways to integrate Hebrew in the classroom

Our pre-kindergarten class otherwise known as Kitat Chamayim, just finished a Class Book of Patterns. Each child created their own pattern that was documented with a photograph. The colors were written in Hebrew and english to demonstrate their growing Hebrew vocabulary. These teachers are experts at looking for ways to integrate both languages. The book is in the library corner for all to see and each child got a copy to take home so that parents can learn the colors and reinforce what the children have learned at school. The class library is full of these types of books that the children can revisit all year long. The actual Hebrew is being printed as I blog this and will go next to the transliteration.

Singing and dancing with Miss Riki

The children look forward to spending time with Miss Riki during the week(our Hebrew teacher). The children are often up and moving learning so much vocabulary through song, dance,and movement in general. She taught them Letzan Katan just in time for Purim and now they are creating their very own clown to use as a game at the preschool Purim carnival.

Great Tree Resource for Tu B'Shevat

This is a great tree resource, the tree is actually a puzzle that goes together by size order. The pushing and pulling to put it togehter is a great fine motor activity. The company who makes it is Schleich.

Jewish twist on a fine motor activity

A Jewish twist on a fine-motor activity using mini challah counters and magen david pasta!

Color Song Kach Nolad

What do Bone Button Borscht and Stone Soup have in common?

The children in our three-year-old program are reading the old classic Stone Soup by Marcia Brown.Recently we received a copy of Bone Button Borscht by Aubrey Davis, from the PJ LIbrary. This book is a retelling of the Stone Soup folk tale with a Jewish twist. The children will be comparing and contrasting the two versions. The Jewish values central to this story are ma'akhil re'evim (feeding the hungry) and hakhnasat orchim (welcoming guests). The children are planning to make 2 pots of soup, one to share with the rest of the school and the Synagogue clergy, and one to take to the shelter in our town. Thank you PJ Library for this wonderful opportunity to compare an old favorite and make a difference in the lives of our children and the community we live in.

Car Invesgtigation leads to tzedakah for ARMDI

In our preschool there is an investigation all about "cars and trucks" right now. Our education director is also an EMT and he has volunteered to bring the ambulance to our school. The children will get an up close look at what an ambulance looks like both inside and out. This is going to lead to a discussion about our tzedakah project, raising money for American Friends of Magen David Adom (ARMDI)in Israel. Each class has a cardboard ambulance tzedakah box (see photo)and the children will have a real understanding about where the money is going and why.