Library Trip - Time to be Thankful

 Presenting our thank you gift to the Librarian.

The Yeladim helped choose lots of new books to bring back to our classroom!

A big THANK YOU to 'Morah Tasha' - Moshe's mom for helping to drive and chaperon our trip! We could not have done it with out you. The Yeladim loved your motherly touch.

Checking out our books.

Minutes of Our Day

Ronny is using her pre- math skills to sort colored 'dreidels.'

Out on a short walk for some fresh air and to taste the rain drops.

Thank you to the Kaplan family for being our Fruit Family of the week!

'Look! We built a train track out of blocks!'

A Chanukah Provication

Chanukah inspired activities were set out today for the Yeladim to explore their senses and sharpen skills. By the time the Yeladim had exhausted the setting up the Menorah activity most of the candles had broken. What should we do with the broken candles? Binyamin suggested we make crayons like he has done in the past with broken crayons. (bake broken crayons in a muffin pan to make new crayons) This was going to be an interesting science experiment for the Yeladim to explore.

The Yeladim helped to cut the cracked candles and sort the colors. Then the pan was placed in the oven.

Shmulie: Its gonna be big! (the melted candles)

Zalman: Bigger than you.

Ophir: Its going to be big in Hashem!

Binyamin: Nu uh, its how big its in (the size of a muffin tin), I once made a crayon thing like this.

When it came out it looked like colored water. The Yeladim were excited at the new form of the candles but quite surprised as well.

Moments after it started cooling the Yeladim noticed the form slowly changing. It was fascinating to watch their discovery. Then a new discovery and conversation broke out that went like this:

Binyamin: Look what happens when we blow it

Moshe: (updating Morah Oshrit) When we blow so hard on dat thing

Benjamin: Dat one is frozen.

Binyamin: No it has a cover to cover the water (its a gradual process)

Zalman: Guys its all dried up!

Bella: There's wholes cuz everyone touched it.

Shmulie: Feel the yellow its so smushy.

As the teacher, facilitator and observer its delightful to watch as the Yeladim acquire knowledge on their own. With no explaining to do, the Yeladim now understand the process of wax.

Thanksgiving Preperation

For the last few weeks every day when we sit down for Tefillah each of the Yeladim think about what they are thankful for that day. Then we write it down and add it to our Gratitude jar.  Our intention is all about helping children develop an attitude of gratitude. Today the Yeladim commented, 'its so full!' This is also a wonderful idea to do with your own family at home. Keep a jar in your kitchen and at Dinner model for your children what you are thankful for that day and ask them to name a few as well.

Today the Yeladim baked pumpkin muffins for a special Thanksgiving treat to deliver to our Librarians on Wednesday. Baking reinforces literacy skills as well as numerical skills. Before each ingredient the Yeladim read how many of that measurement we needed and held up their fingers corresponding to that quantity.

The Yeladim figured out what ingredient was next based on looking at the first letter of that ingredient. When we got to the oil Bella commented, "O like in Ronny!"

Ophir and Shmulie are pointing to the O on the oil.

Before smelling the cinnamon we thanked Hashem by making a bracha on the delicious smelling spice.

Water was placed in the sensory tub this week for the Yeladim to experiment with. Cranberries were added to the water for a Thanksgiving twist and for the Yeladim to experiment with the the science of cranberries floating.

Self-portraits

Drawing self-portrait helps preschool aged children learn about what people look like,  how people are different and how they are alike. There are many skills being acquired as your child creates their self-portrait. They are developing basic math skills such as shape recognition and understanding the part to whole relationship. They are naming facial features and learning color recognition. Additionally, they are learning to follow steps in a sequence.

When Shmulie Looked in the Mirror to see what to draw in his self-portrait he noticed a birth mark on his cheek. He stopped mid sentence and tried to take it off until his face was red. Morah told him Hashem made him that way and I also have some and pointed them out to him.

Then Zalman showed Shmulie he had it too on his leg.

Moments From Our Day

All the chairs at the Reading center were being used so Ayelet and Zalman sat at the kitchen table to read a book together.

Ophir is skillfully creating all sorts of geometric shapes.

Ayelet found a turkey in the farm animals.

A favorite from indoor rainy day play - the parachute!

Ronny: "I am going to work"

Bella is mixing the Gluten Free challah dough as we prepare for Shabbat Live tomorrow! 

 Math in blocks: Notice how the Yeladim arranging the blocks as they played figured out the math of two small rectangles = one large rectangle.

 Below: two squares = one small rectangle.

Snack Prep

Our snack preparation center is becoming quite popular. The skills practiced are great as well as the confidence built in the children when they feel they are able to accomplish a meaningful task. At snack the Yeladim thank those that helped prepare it.

Shmulie used his inner core body strength to push the apple slicer through the apple. After some hard work Shmulie did it! He felt really good about it.

After Binyamin pealed an orange he tried the apple slicer on it but it did not work well. Trial and error is a wonderful thing to experience in our life of learning. A great book on allowing children to make thier own mistakes and learn from it is 'The Blessing of A Skinned Knee.'

The Mango was so much fun to cut, the pieces kept on getting smaller and smaller :). The finished product ended up being diced size pieces.

Giving Box is growing!

Our Giving Box is getting filled will all sorts of games and toys to donate to friends that don't have. Thank you parents for your participation! Each day a child comes in with an item it reinforces the idea of giving and the Yeladim feel very proud.

Our Giving Box

Today the Yeladim put their donations into the giving box they decorated. For those who forgot to bring Binyamin suggested, "the extra clothes (in the Yeladim's cubbies) can be donate." Its not too late though and the Yeladim will still have a chance to add items to our giving box for the next few days.

Special Moments from Discovery Time

Preparing snack - using fine motor skills.

Ayelet;"These oranges are so tight."

"Setting up for snack time is even funner!"

                                                                     "I found the L"

Morah: '' What are you making?"

Moshe: "I'm just making the sand flat."

The Yeladim sorted through letters and found the ones in their name. Then they glued them in order of their name. This activity requires many skills - sequencing, fine motor, sorting, knowledge of letters, focus and concentration (two step activity) to name a few - and it was very impressive to watch each child complete the task.

Ronny: "I made an O" (out of the glue)

Zalman asked why the sand was not falling through the strainers as usual.

Ayelet suggested, "cuz its watery maybe...a little bit." Yes! We added water to it for an added building element. Now the sand can be used in other ways. Shmulie noted, "we can make sand castles!"Zalman tried it and when he turned a cup over, it did not collapse. Feeling a sense of accomplishment he exclaimed, "I did it!"

Ophir used our shape cards creatively. He flattened play dough over it and then cut out a triangle.

Shmulie: "And this letter is in my name!"

Binyamin packed an orange in his backpack before school because he wanted to juice it. While preparing snack Binyamin shared his orange and gave his friends turns to squeeze.

When Ayelet asked for help to zipper her jacket, Benjamin offered to help.

"I like painting with blue cuz blue is from the sky."