We always look for ways to tell the story of Jewish Holidays to our students, that will be true to the story- yet at the same time carry a meaningful and relevant LIFE LESSON for our preschoolers!
This Sunday is Lag B'omer- It is the day that the famous sage, Rabbi Akiva passed away. Click here for more on this Holiday.
We chose to tell the children a portion of the story of his life. How he went from not knowing much Torah as an adult, to becoming a most sought after Rabbi, in the hope they can learn from his good character, and implement in their own lives.
We spoke about how he did not give up and that is what brought him the success he experienced! His main message was to have AHAVAS YISRAEL- love each other unconditionally. What a beautiful message for our children!
Puppets to tell the story:
Rabbi Akiva participated (as a student) in one of our circle times this week! It was quite funny to some of the children that he was in preschool, even though we learned he was 40 years old!
Our children taught Rabbi Akiva Alef beis :) At first Rabbi Akiva kept getting the names wrong but with all their help he learned! That is what actually happened: he went to preschool even though he definitely stuck out!
Later in the day, Levi took the Rabbi Akiva puppet and brought him to our Alef Beis chart! :) I guess he needed more practice!
Real Life Example:
What a beautiful example of Ahavas Yisroel from ROBERT & CAROL GOODKIN (of Leisure Village) the children were able to experience this week!
We got a box with a surprise in it!
Ilani couldn't wait to be of assistance to finding out what was inside!
It was a set of Magnet Tiles!!
Thank you Bob & Carol-- it was amazing for the children to see what it feels like when someone is KIND to us (even if they might not know us) and we should do that for others!
Living the Lesson in our own Classroom:
To celebrate Lag B'omer, and to help the children learn this lesson- we created a Classroom Friendship Project!
Each time a child was caught doing an act of kindness to another we wrote it on a puzzle piece and placed it in our heart on the bulletin board.
When we completed the heart we will go on a special class trip (to the park down block!)
We are almost there...
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Different perspective while doing Art!
Yossi tried a lot of positions while making his picture one morning. That's because....
Our Art table was upside down!
(we also placed on each of the four legs a bag of art supplies for easy reach)
This caught the children's attention and was interesting to see what they would do with the change.
Some who usually don't gravitate to the art table were attracted! Some children sat down on a carpet square and made it work by finding a comfortable spot to create their art piece.
Team work by clean up time. We don't usually get to see under the table :) and it was a great detail clean up opportunity for the children. They worked really hard and a great spontaneous motor skill of removing little tiny pieces of tape!
Pre-Writing skills
We didn't want Rabbi Akiva to be the only one practicing his Alef Beis ;)
So for pre-writing skills we placed different trays of either sand or salt or paint with some of the Hebrew letters for the children to copy. Mina (Ilani's sister) was our first to try! :)
Menucha copying the Lamed in her sand. We taught the children to give it a shake to 'clean the slate'
Celebrating Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai:
Lag B'omer is the day we celebrate the life and lessons of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who lived in a cave for many years, and wrote the famous book called the Zohar (Kabballah)
Thank you Noach for sharing your families tent with us- so we can roleplay and learn the story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai!
Notice the Carob tree by the door of the "cave"- which provided food for him,and the river of fresh water which the children created using blue tissue paper, and contact paper to stick it onto!
The children worked on their Hebrew Alef Bet recognition and writing skills!
Paint with New Textures:
We mixed epsom salt with water colors to create a different texture on the paper.
Marbles and Pool noodles!
With one of the pool noodles cut in half, some children made a race which marble would get to the bottom first!
After some time the children were ready to move on from that activity!
Morah Leah thought of a game she played as a child called 'sticks'. The children had to jump in between the pool noodles with out stepping on any of them! It was quite a challenge and they really enjoyed it!
What do we do when its super hot outside?
Turn on the hose and have some wet water fun!
I think the faces speak for themselves!
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