The very best place for a penny!

At first glance stories are just one of may resources we employ to educate our students but the truth is stories have an extra special quality when it comes to education. The power of a story is its ability to convey values and lessons without having to spell them out. It also allows children to draw their own conclusions and emotionally relate to the concept. This week in our 'Book Buddies' unit :

 'The very best place for a Penny'. 

First, we read the book about a penny who finds himself in many different locations till he finds the very best place - Tzedaka box!

We practiced our comprehension skills by trying to sequence the places the penny landed in order.

Hiding coins around the room was a fun way to bring the book to life to try to help them find the Tzedaka box.

Morning centers have been fun using coins for different learning skills.

Axel, catching coins going down ramps and seeing which are the fastest.

Eli and Nechama, categorizing the different coins by looking at the taped coin on top of the Tzedaka box

Can you find coins in the play dough?

Using circle objects to paint the 'coins' on the Tzedaka box.

We love giving Tzedaka!

There is nothing like hot cocoa on a rainy day !

Inside fun on a rainy day! Mordy, offered a ride to Axel.

Making Challah dough together.

 We want to wish a big Mazel Tov to Ayal on his Upshernisht - his very first hair cut and getting a new Kippah and Tzsis. 

We also want to wish a Happy 3rd Birthday to Nechama!

                                                              

Parsha and raindrops

This week our class caught up on the past Torah portions and this week's Parsha Vayigash.

Morah Hadar, using puppets and role play to teach us about the 12 sons of Yakov.

We zoomed in on Yosef, who was so beloved to Yakov and he received a colorful coat as a gift. 

This brought jealousy from the other brothers and we learned a lot about what that can make us do.

Decorating Yosef's colorful coat.

Mendy, helped role play Yosef who was thrown into the pit by his brothers. This seemingly was a very dark time but it was all part of Hashem's bigger plan which was our big idea of this week. 

Yosef, ends up interpreting the King's dream and advises him what to do about the 7 years of famine coming and collect food to sell when it comes. Slowly the plan was coming to light as Yakov who thought Yosef passed away sent his sons to get food from Egypt and this was when Yosef can see if his brothers returned and did Teshuva. 

Leah, painting a gold goblet that Yosef planted in his brothers bag to see if they would stand up for him and save him which would really show him they mended their ways. 

This Friday, is the 10 of Teves which is a fast day to remember when the armies of Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem which was the start of the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash. 

We created a hands on way how we can work on REBUILDING the Beis Hamikdash. on our Kotel picture our friends can use a sticky note pad to add their Mitzvah as another brick to the Beis Hamikdash. 

Brian breaks are so important before we do any of our academics! Having fun doing the hoky poky and a karate class led by master Jack ;)

Kindergarten Kria 

Reading the 3 different vowels takes skill to remember each ones sound. 

Jack, used a straw to 'suck' up the matching sound to correct vowel circle.

Using our fine motor skills to revel and read the sound under each pom pom. 

Prk Kria

We did it! We are up to the next Kria book!

Learning the Hebrew letter kof this week. Creating one out of lego took extra skill.

Academics

Learning addition with stickers.

It is always so exciting when it rains at Gan! Catching the raindrops.

Enjoying a delicious hot cocoa inside. 

 

Chanuka fun at Gan!

This week we enjoyed spending Chanuka together! Each day we added something special for our friends to feel the festive Holiday!

Enjoying delicious friend made latkas in the sun.

Joining both classes for a grand Dreidel game!

We  also made delicious mini donuts together. Mixing, taking turns, and patience while they baked are all part of the process!

Yum!

Snuggling together drinking hot coco and watching a Chanuka video.

The art center behind our school invited us to use their snow they had for an event.

We had a blast sledding and climbing!

Chanuka Party 5784!

Enjoying Chanuka themed centers outside. Enjoying an edible healthy Menorah!

Making a silly Dreidel.

Tossing in Latkas in the frying pan.

O dreidel dreidel dreidel I made you our of clay!

Singing our songs together.

Happy Chanuka at Gan!

We have been having so much fun at Gan during Chanuka!

Each day we enjoyed making or doing something extra special!

Friends, hard at work peeling potatoes to make their very own delicious latkas.

Helping frying outside!

Unique black magic Chanuka art! 

Of course enjoying a group dreidel game!

Academics 

 Mendy & Jack doing tangram puzzles to reinforce shape awareness & strengthen their problem solving skills.

Yossi playing a dice “roll & cover” number recognition game.

Shai &Yakov doing Chanuka themed academic worksheets.

The art center behind our school had an event and invited us to play in their snow!!

Sledding and climbing!

Chanuka Party 5784!

Enjoying Chanuka themed centers that we had to accomplish by using a magic light marker to see it.

Singing our Macabee song loud and proud!

Thank you Rabbi Lang for the Chanuka Gelt and one for Tzedakah.