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.