Seeds to Trees

Tu B'shvat Unit

Tu B'shvat- 15th of the Hebrew month of Sh'vat is a day that marks the beginning of a "new year" for trees. CLICK HERE to read more about this auspicious day.

The next couple of weeks we will be focusing on how special trees are, the similarity between us and the trees and deep lessons we can learn from the trees.

We started off the week heading outdoors to discuss the different parts of the tree. 

The roots were a bit more tricky to find!

 Batya placing the roots on her tree project.

 Wooden pieces were a fun way to create the trunk and branches and green play dough

became the leaves.

Adelle using her imagination with sticks and play dough.

Painting trees on cellophane!

As a foundation to discuss the growth of the trees, we talked about one of their favorite topics.
When they were a baby! We asked questions like, what did you need to grow? 

We got great answers like milk and sleep. :) 

Sholom showed us how to relax a crying baby. "Sh Sh"

Then we took out a little seed. 

This is a 'baby plant.' How can we help this seed grow? Milk and sleep won't work ;) 

Through discussions we got to the conclusion a plant needs water, soil and sun. 

Mendel demonstrating how we need water too!

 

Exploring different types of seeds.

We wanted to create an experiment that the children can document their own process of what growth looks like.

Each child created their own mini "green house. "

Mendel wetting his paper towel and Mina checking up on her lima bean.

What a great lesson on patience as we will be watching them daily to see if there is any sprouting!

Was fun watching the children visit their own greenhouse by the window.

Thank you Morah Malka for donating plants for our garden! What a great hands on lesson how to care for our plants.

The soil felt so good after a couple days of rain.

Emma found the roots on the flower plant!

Creating our Tu B'shvat project was a fun process.

We headed outdoors and painted under the big blue sky.

 Eli working with such precision as he made a tree out of twigs.

Loving friends.