Fun in The Snow

After noticing the snow is all white the Yeladim helped color the snow by using spray bottles with colored water to color the snow. (no picture - you just might hear about it from your child since they really enjoyed it! The Yeladim did that with the snow they collected in our sensory tub and brought into our classroom.)

Climbing the mountain of snow!

The Yeladim were so engaged with shoveling snow.

 Zalman's boot got stuck deep down so Moshe was nominated to 'dig it out' since he was in full gear.

After trying to retrieve the boot for a minute or so Moshe said, "Looks like I have to chop it out."

Ronny: "My cars of having  sleep over."

At clean up Moshe requested we don't clean up his 'Cafe.'

Inspired by Kadinsky

After reading 'The Noisy Paint Box' the Yeladim learned about colors having sounds to Wassily Kadinsky. We talked about the bright vs light colors and asked the Yeladim if the colors had sounds what sound it would make. Inspired by his abstract art the Yeladim set out to making a beautiful befitting home for our Torah. The Yeladim took a visit to the Shul at our preschool and took a close look at the 'Parochet.'

Ronny: "I see letters!"

Ofir: "and colors"

Shmuli: Orange...Blue...

Binyamin: Red and yellow and green....

We put on classical music while the Yeladim used droppers to add color to our very own Parochet. It was so interesting to observe how the music impacted the calmness in the room as the Yeladim worked. 

Snow!

The Yeladim have been asking about snow since winter started...its finally here! I hope we as parents can look to our children as an example of how to appreciate Hashem's wonders in creating seasons.

Ronny: Let's eat some!

Shmuli: Ewww!

Binyamin: Some snow are clean.....

As the Yeladim climbed up and saw the snow covered play structure they exclaimed,

it's like ice skating!

We collected snow from the playground to bring into our sensory table in the classroom.

Skills in Our Day

Notice the engineering in Benjamin's block structure- big strong base and as he build up each layer is smaller and smaller.

Art History & Fine Motor Skills: The Yeladim chose colors and painted their sculptures today. Being Picasso inspired the Yeladim used their fine motor skills to cut out eyes, nose, and mouth to add to their sculptures.

Literacy: The Yeladim made letters today out of their pretzel snacks. Ofir wrote his whole name!

Ronny: Look I made an 'I'!

Ronny & Benjamin are working with a puzzle which exercises math skills needed to match the colors as well as shapes including parallelograms, squares, scalene, and isosceles triangles.

Introducing lower case letters:

Moshe is noticing lower case letters being paired with upper case letters. He is working on matching the correct letters on the beans with its match in the tray.

Sculptures & Friendship Time

The Yeladim found some chalk on the playground and took turns with it coloring on places the rain will be able to wash it away. As Ayelet was drawing on the fence she said, 'Hey this reminds me of Henri Matisse and Picasso.' (from the book when both painters 'meet')

Second layer to mold our sculptures.

 The Yeladim are completely engrossed with  their work as they concentrate on the strokes.

 Friendship Time: 'Nice things we can say to friends'
The first show featured:
Ayelet - Ayelet
Zalman - Mr. Gassuli
Ofir: Mommy
Binyamin: Efrayim
Some nice things they thought of to tell friends included, 'I love you' and 'you're my friend.'

Mr. Gassuli and Ayelet also thought of a nice gesture to a friend - a hug :).

The next cast featured:

Moshe - Mr. Fire

Benjamin - Ayelet 

Ronny - Ronny

Morah Esther - Joseph

Joseph complimented Mr. Fire on his fire truck he built out of blocks, "You build nice structures!"

Joseph and Ronny were coloring and then in middle Joseph turned to Ronny and said, 'That's a beautiful picture!'

Joseph had a bunch of play dough. Then he though out loud to himself, 'I'm sure Ayelet would be so happy if I give her some.'

When Joseph sat on the rug at Tefillah he asked Ronny if she needed a spot.

Joseph offered some new ideas of nice things to say to friends. While the Yeladim watched as objective onlookers little buds of new nice ideas are sprouting.

Listen to Ronny making the letter 'R'.

Moments In Our Day

Number bottles! The Yeladim were so excited to count their own and each other's items in the bottles. 

Zalman brought in 55 items!

What do you think 55 looks like?

Zalman: 2 and a 3?....

Listen closely to the numbers 'fifty five.'

Zalman: a 50 and a 5

Starting to work on our Picasso inspired sculptures!

As we noticed in Picasso's paintings there are often a few eyes, nose, mouth etc. We had a discussion about what Mitzvot we can do with each of our facial body parts and went on the rest of our body.

Ofir: Nose - smell challah!

Benjamin: hands - wash hands for Challah

Then we read the book 'All About Us' for some more ideas.

When the man wearing 'Tefillin' was on a page for a Mitzvah with our heads Moshe said, 'Hey my Dad has that!'

On Ayelet's 'lunch note' her Dad drew a 'Picasso Painting.' All the Yeladim wanted to see it. When Benjamin saw it he said, 'She's smiling.' (In contrast to the Weeping Woman who is sad)

Ayelet: Benjamin said she was a smiling face but I thought she was crying (she thought her father drew the weeping woman until Benjamin mentioned the smiling face and now as she takes a closer look realizes its a different painting)

Ayelet: That was GOOD Benjamin!

Memories from Friday

Zalman said, 'I dialed the police number.'

When should we call that number?

Ayelet: If someone is hurt

Zalman: If someone crashes a car..

Binyamin: If someone gets on fire.

It was such a great conversation to witness.

Thank you to Moshe's mom for bringing in that interesting new fruit to taste! Sabra fruit!

Final touches to our Children's Art Gallery invite.

Out in the mail!

Analyzing Pablo Picasso's Art

The Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso

We looked at the woman that Pablo made and the Yeladim described what they saw:

Moishe: It looks like the person is cutted

Zalman: Looks like its cracked

Ayelet: Like a rainbow

Bella: She has black hair like Ronny.

 Ronny: No, I have brown.

Then the Yeladim set out to use their own self portrait and work on it to create 'A Pablo Look.'

Ofir noted, "My whole face is funny."

Letters & Numbers Everywhere!

The other day I overheard Shmuli telling a friend, "I know my last name!" I thought it would be a great excercise to see if he and others could actually WRITE thier last name. Below, Ofir is showing the Morah he did it!

Morah, I made and x-ray! (letter 'X' :)

Zalman wrote his last name on a dry erase board. 

As a shopper was done shopping in the 'grocery store' Ayelet said, 'Hey you didn't pay.' The Morah suggested to Ayelet maybe adding prices will remind shoppers to pay. The Morah offered single digits but Ayelet wanted to price it at $100. It's a bit pricey but the produce does look good quality!

Each of the Yeladim circled the Hebrew letters in common with their name.

Binyamin is concentrating while writing out his invitation for the Children's Art Gallery. 

As part of the Reggio Emilia Philosophy letters and numbers are set up as open opportunities all throughout the classroom inviting the children to engage. When children view reading and writing as a useful tool rather than just an academic exercise that they are forced to do, (in contrast to 'the letter a week approach') they are much more motivated to learn, and learning happens much more 

organically.

The Yeladim are still facinated with the frozen sheet of ice at the bottom of our outdoor box. If you heard your child tell you they went ice skating today this is what they are referring to! It was so popular the Yeladim were waiting for turns to go (in their words) Ice skating.