The amazing quality of a child's curiosity makes it even more important for us to give them the knowledge and tools to know how to act around a flame!
To make the learning more real we had our circle time take place in the kitchen this week! We wanted the children to really understand, and make the association between their own kitchens that might have a fire on the stove or other hot surfaces.
Our parsha project of making a veggie soup made the learning ever more real, as we were able to see a REAL pot cooking, and know how far to stand, and not touch!
We reenacted different flames they might see and we talked about how to stay safe around them.
A Shabbat candle is another flame the children might come across! Perel showed us a safe distance from the flame.
One of the side reasons we chose to do a fire safety unit at this time- was to prepare the children for the next Jewish holiday, Chanuka! With flames of the candles or oil burning in the home we wanted the children to know exactly how they can safely be a part of the Mitzvah.
While telling the children it was NOT yet Chanuka, we lit one candle and showed them this is also EISH (Hebrew)- fire
Our Fire song we have been singing:
Eish is fire and fire is hot
do we play with fire? I will not
Eish keep away because Eish is hot
do we play with fire? I will not!
Our next topic on safety was being aware of strangers!
Some of the children acted out getting lost and couldn't find their mommy. With role playing and putting very worried facial expressions on our face we all felt how scary it can be!
What should you do?
First we should shout "mommy"
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| They did the shouting part real well! :) |
What if she doesn't hear you?
We spoke about what a cashier person is and if they see a police officer in a very special uniform.
Now with the correct information, we were ready to throw a curve ball at the children.
What if a stranger who you don't know comes to you and says I have yummy candy come with me i'll help you....
Questions marks on all their faces... what do you do??
- We need to run away and say NO!
To help the children really understand, we made puppets using different random photos of people on pop sticks. we role played a stranger having a conversation with each kid.
We also had some familiar pictures of their parents or cousins or the Rabbi and with a big smile they immediately recognized and said "that's not a stranger!"
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| Levi H. said "your not my tatty" |
After all the children with much excitement told us how much they love their Mommy and Daddy, we gathered at the table and made a special project for their parents and each child said why they love their parents so much!
The responses were priceless. :)
Ellah decided to do her project next to Itamar (on a popsicle stick) her cousin and best friend that we used during circle time.
Appreciation of our parents is so important. The mitzvah of "Kibbud Av Vaeim" "Honoring/Respecting one's mother and father" is something we try to instill in the children. It is such a gift for them to realize how much their parents do for them and care for them!
Here at circle time before we even start davening we sing a special blessing thanking Hashem for creating the food we eat AND thank you to mommy and daddy for packing our lunchboxes ! :)
Parental love inspiration art.
In our kitchen area we display each child's family pictures, because we view our classroom like a home, and the children as part of a "Gan Camarillo Family." We want them to feel warm and cozy like in their own home, so the pictures foster that feeling!!
We took the family portraits and set them on the art table, along with paper and pencils to see what they would come up with!
Rochel kept asking her Mommy (Morah Leah)
"Do you want to be green Mommy??"
Levi Lang decided he wanted to draw Levi Heidingsfeld family.
This was a great transition into the theme we chose to teach from this weeks Torah portion Toldos!
We zoomed into one part of the biblical story of the twins named Yakov and Esav. We touched upon their different personalities. Yakov always wanting to do good and keep the Torah way and Esav always wanting to (on their level) not be so nice, take people's things etc.
However both the boys loved their parents!!!
Yakov made a delicious lentil soup for his father Yitzchak and before he tasted it himself, he served it to his beloved father.
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| Puppet yakov making soup. |
It was outside time but look where we found some of our friends? Role playing the whole story and they decided to actually feed Yitzchak!
Levi liked our Yakov and Esav puppets.
We connected this lesson to our parents and how much we love and appreciate them. Our class gathered around and made some soup of their own to give to their parent who will be picking them up from Gan!
It was another great opportunity to talk about how to safely hold a plastic knife as well as great motor skills in cutting the Zuccini, celery carrots, mushrooms and more!
Levi "cucumbers!" (zucchinis :)
Happy parents tasting their child's chef work!
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