Literacy & Science through Pesach

The Yeladim wrote on lables what ingrediants were placed in each bottle.

Making predictions:

Moshe: It's gonna explode!

Binyamin: The water is going to go to the baloon.

Ofir: Nothing is going to happen.... (a minute later)...see nothing happened!

Making predictions is an important math and thinking skill that helps with probability and hypothesis. 

After about 10 minutes....

Ofir: Guys come look!

Ofir: ...this is SO cool!

Shmuli: Awesome!

Morah: Why did the other baloon expand?

Moshe: Because you didn't do yeast. Yeast explodes it!

About every 10 minutes when the Yeladim remembered about it they were thrilled to notice more changes!

Binyamin: How is it getting bigger?

Shmuli: Cuz the yeast is up to the bottle.

Moshe noticed the bottle with the yeast was warmer than the other bottle! (which made the rest of the Yeladim curious and had to touch to see for themselves ;)

Bella noticed it smelled!

End results.

Based on the understandings from this experiment, the Yeladim will be able to transfer this information to explaining what Chametz is.

Show & Share

Zalman brought in...."I don't know what its called...."

as he took out the stuff from the bag another child commented,

its a carrot.

"Carrots are orange not white."

Binyamin noticed in his book he had many similar items to Zalman's show and share on one page.

Ronny brought in Matzah that looked similar to the ones in Binyamin's book!

"Except mine is square."

"Hey! Shmuli is in here!"

Ronny also found a picture on the back of her matzah similar to Binyamin's and Zalmans! (Seder plate)

Moshe showed his show and share that had all the same items too! He also brought in what his friend thought was a challah cover that was 'broken' until he explained you put Matzah in it.

Snack preparation:

Ronny counted out 20 baby carrots.

Moshe cut up most of the honey dew.

Binyamin was honored to be the Fruit Family this week! He brought his favorite fruit to share with the class - a star fruit!

The Yeladim were excited to taste it. Since it is a new fruit to some Yeladim we recited 2 brachot - shehecheyanu and haeitz.

Binyamin used a carrot in the center of his starfruit to create a star lolly!

The Yeladim learned a new hebrew vocabulary word through snack today!

Self Portraits

The Yeladim's drawings today say more than just a self portrait, they tell a story. 

-Some have an extra person on it with whom the portrait is interacting with.

-others have a red face from playing outside, 

-glasses from  face painting at a birthday party

- colors of pink and purple to add humor to the color of her hair ('even though my hair is really brown').

-describe their identity - kippah and tzitzit.

-and some even had details like a belly button ;0 and eyebrows!

Each unique with a lot of thought and intention.

Fascinating to hear the Yeladim describe their portrait which really describes a peek into their life and their making sense of the world around them.

Bella made a trampoline out of blocks!

Sharing the Happiness

Thank you to the Kaplan Family for being the fruit family this week! The plums were a favorite and the Yeladim also learned a new Hebrew word!

The Yeladim wrote Happy Purim and Purim Sameach on the Mishloach Manot gift bags they prepared for the seniors.

They also decorated them beautifully with water colors.

Our Yeladim made all the Jewish residents so happy! 

The Yeladim sang some Purim songs and that really brought out the Purim spirit.

Who was having more fun? This lovely woman put out her hand for the Yeladim to slap her five but they kept on missing :)!

Birthday & Baking Activity

Happy Birthday to Zalman!

                             All the Yeladim enjoyed celebrating Zalman's birthday with him.

 Today the Yeladim baked Funfetti Hamantashin! We drew up the steps before actually getting 'down and dirty' so they Yeladim could shape them independently.

Roll.

Shape.

Fill.

Fold.

A Gragger Provication

The Morah brought in a bunch of cans as a provication for our Graggers and asked the Yeladim:

What will we use to make noise during the name of Haman? Can we use these?

After checking out the cans and noticing the loud noise the tin made....

Binyamin: "Get a stick!..Oh yeah drums!"

Experimentation & Hypothesis: 

Which way is louder?

We tried banging the drums with the cover and with out to see what was louder....

Bella quickly ran to the easel and brought some paint brushes to bang on the cans. 

Zalman tried using a cap he found to bang the drums.

(Do sticks really matter?)

Ofir and Shmuli tried banging with their bare hands.

Shmuli: "I have one of these at my house...I'm gonna bring it."

At snack Moshe said: 'I pretend the banana was jelly" (He made a hamantash out of snack!)

Following Binyamin's idea about using sticks, the Yeladim went on a walk to gather sticks and enjoy the beautiful weather.

On our walk, for a few minutes the Yeladim worked on isolating one sound. We tried being quiet, closing our eyes, and listening to the sounds outside. Each of the Yeladim hear something else.

Cars.

Doors opening and closing.

Birds.

A plane.

This exercise is great for working on concentration.

While reading the Megillah today the Yeladim practiced with their emerging drums.