Lotsa Matzah!

 

We jumped right into Pesach preparation this week! 

We began by reviewing the story of Pesach 

The Jewish people were forced to work as slaves for Paroh, building under the hot sun. 

We created our own interpretaions of these buildings with some mixed media art.

His star-gazers looked up at the skies and saw that a boy would be born that would take the Jewish people out of Mitzrayim.

Melting some "hail" and feeling the contrast between cold ice and warm water.

playing a fun bingo game to review the plagues!

When they left Mitzrayim in a hurry, they carried bread on their backs, this bread didn't have time to rise and so it baked flat, that's why we eat matzah on Pesach!

We first learned the process of how matzah is made!

Shmurah matzah is watched from the time the wheat is picked!

After the flour and water is mixed, the bakers only have 18 minutes until the dough is considered chametz. So they have to mix fast!

Making holes in it also helps to keep it flat,

Bringing it to the oven to bake. 

Everyone was eager to try our "matzah" that we baked in under 18 minutes, but many didn't really like the taste.

The matzah bakery in our class was a real hit!

On Pesach we don't eat Chametz, anything that is made from grains that can rise. What does that mean?

We conducted an experiment. in one bottle we put just water, the other had flour and water, after about 25 minutes when we checked back, the one with flour and water had blown up the balloon!

Flour and water create a gas that makes grains rise and puff up.

Sorting chametz from non-chametz

Enjoying some delicious "matzah ball soup chametz" on a cold and rainy day!

Writing our names with playdough

"I Care!"

Two Leaders

The Pesach story came to life by the children helping us create an Egypt/Mitzrayim center in our classroom. It was time to learn about two very different leaders:

King Paroh - he did not like the fact that the Jewish people were getting larger in number. He was an un-caring King and made the Jewish people work hard as slaves. 

Moshe- He was a caring, kind person ; Hashem saw that he had the qualities  to lead the Jewish people out of Egypt!

Our Big idea for our foundation lesson on the Holiday of Pesach, is that we all can be like Moshe and care for one another. Moshe became our role model and leader in our classroom this week.

Menachem, working hard building listening to the two different voices. When Moshe was being so nice it felt so encouraging and we saw the difference in Menachem's performance. 

Building with different size boxes helps us learn about spatial awareness and balance. Menachem, figured out if the bigger boxes were on the bottom it will be more sturdy!

We left Moshe and Paroh at our center for our friends to let their imagination go wild with what it might have been like.

Menachem showing his balancing skills using blocks.

Yakov, brought Moshe to the davening circle to kiss the Torah.

Sensory and building. 

Yakov, creating a Mitzrayim scene using sand and popsicle stickls.

We took the big idea of Moshe caring throughout the whole day. When friends are in each others spaces its a great time to have these conversations about being aware of our friends needs.

We learned that the Jewish slaves built buildings in Mitzrayim. We also heard about what you might find in Mitzrayim which is pyramids. 

Shua, making a pyramid out of cups.

Making a pyramid picture in the salt.

Leah, using magnet tiles to create a pyramid.

We learned it was quite hot in Mitzrayim. Shua, using different mediums to paint a big sun. Menachem, helps stuff the sun!

Happy 3rd birthday to Ben and Yakov!

 

Purim: The power of prayer!

     The Mitzvah Mentchie historians were excited to delve into the story of Purim this week. It was a real treat to look at Gan Camarillo megillahs from the past. Many kids were able to spot siblings or cousins!

Each day we intorduced the next part of the Purim story with a game of hangman. A great way to practice letter recognition! 

Following a directed drawing to draw Achashverosh's palace.

Building our palace and playing in it was a blast!

Everyone enjoyed sitting on the throne under the canopy

Putting on "makeup" in the palace like the girls did. Esther just came with her natural beauty and Achashverosh realized she looked the most queenly.

We went into depth in the story and everyone couldn't wait to hear the next part.                                     Feeling the sackcloth that mordechai wore 

We have been talking alot about how precious our davening is to Hashem, by Davening we learned that the reason our yetzer hara tries to distract us, is because of how much Hashem loves the davening of Jewish children. 

Haman tried to stop the Jewish children from davening, he put them in chains, but they refused to stop davening to Hashem, and when Hashem saw that he decided to stop Haman's evil plan!

Practicing taking turns with a fun Purimland game.

Jewish children getting ready to read with an Aleph Beis game!

fine motor practice.

We filled up everyone's bucket's by creating a hole big enough for everyone's feet!