Purim characters come to life!

 

 

Mordechai and Esther

 

Jewish Holidays are a special time for us to instill life lessons in our students. Purim is around the corner and we will soon be reading from the Megillah.

As an introduction to the story of Purim and the miracle that took place, we first wanted the children to really feel connected to the two hero's of the story: Mordechai and Esther, and to most importantly view them as role models for their own lives.

Mordechai the leader of the Jewish people at that time, was also a 'Rebbe' (teacher) of small children and would teach them Torah!

Esther a modest Jewish woman who filled her day with many mitzvahs, would play a very important role in saving the Jewish nation from harm.

 

How powerful for the children to really get to know them and feel empowered that THEY can be just as great as them, thousands of years later!

 

 

Mordechai & Esther's Jewish home

Our dramatic play center turned into "Mordechai & Esther's  Jewish home." We filled their home with items that might have been found if we went back in time and were invited by Mordechai and Esther themselves. Lots of Judaica, Shabbat supplies: candles, challah, flowers... 

 

 

 

Mordechai & Esther right by the entrance to welcome them :)

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling right at home playing with Shabbos items.

We take these items out every Friday at school. However, this week we had them available all week, this created the opportunity for us to discuss what Shabbos might have been like in Mordechai and Esther's home. It was so relevant and timeless.  

Guests coming and giving Tzedaka (charity) before they ate their meal.

 

Muka, just like Esther lighting the Shabbos candles!

 

 

"Mini  Gan"

Being that Mordechai taught the Jewish Children Torah....we made a miniature "Gan" classroom, as an extension of Mordechai & Esther's Jewish home!

 

It included a circle time center for the children to role play teaching children Torah.

 

Shua Pointing the alef beis for his students.

 

 

Mordechai and Esther loved doing Mitzvah and teaching others to do Mitzvahs.

We placed a miniature 'Mitzvah Tree' for the children to document their mitzvahs or their 'doll students' and proudly hang it on the Mini Gan's tree. 

 

Muka writing her baby's mitzvah note.

 

 

Very quiet students ;)

Dovi role playing Mordechai and handing out the Tzedakah coins.

Devorah Leah the mommy reassuring her baby she'll be back to pick her up.

 

Mitzvah notes get extra recognition from Mordechai and Esther this week!

Every day by snack time when we read each childs special mitzvah note written by their parent their face lights up! This week Mordechai read the boys mitzvah notes and Esther read the girls!

 

On a 'Mitzvah high'! 

Each child drew  a picture of a Mitzvah they love to do and got to share it with their friends. Mordechai and Esther  have become a big part of our week so we took them a long for the journey.

Elizabeth while holding Esther, "I love to make babies happy and give them a bottle"

Devorah Leah, "giving Tzedakah"

Shua, " Making Aron my friend happy."

Max doing a big mitzvah and sharing his mini trains with his friends. "just like Mordechai!"

 

Thank you to Menucha's bubby Randee for helping us out in our classroom this week! The children had a lot of fun singing all types of interactive songs!

 

 

 

Happiness: Can it be learned?

 

 

Yes! It's the month of Adar!!

 

The Jewish month of Adar is the happiest month of the year!

(Being that this year in the Jewish calendar is a leap year, we have two Adars!)

This week we explored all types of feelings and emotions. We learned that it's okay to feel different emotions at different times.

To be HAPPY is a mitzvah, so when we had a child who felt sad or scared- it was a great opportunity to validate their feelings and also help them to become happy again!

 

To add to our simcha-happiness, we dressed up by our davening circle everyday this week!

 

 

 

Devorah Leah davening as a bee ;)

 

Music for Adar!

 

We learned a Hebrew song which transalates to: "When Adar comes we increase in joy!"

Mishe , Mishe, Mishe- nichnas Adar

Marbim Marbim Marbim besimcha

oooooh Meshe nichnas Adar

Oooooh Marbim besimcha!

 

 

Drawing emotions

We displayed different pictures of children showing all types of emotions on our mirror.

This was a three step process:

1) Name the emotion. What emotion do you see on their face?

2) Can you make that emotion in the mirror?

3) Try drawing that emotion on your paper!

 

 

Levi Yitzchak felt for the boy who was crying in the picture and wanted to draw it.

 

 

After some independent drawing we overheard a conversation..

Chani, Devorah Leah and Levi Yitzchak were creating a whole story with all the pictures they saw.

They were connecting the characters and their emotions to a story plot! It was so creative and inspiring to see them blend all their own imaginations together!

 

Emotions through sensory play

 

Empty laminated faces gave the children the opportunity to fill with play dough any emotions they wanted.

Fun slime!
Shua having fun cutting the slime with scissors!

Levi made a huge gooey smile! :)

 

 

Emotions and a charades game 

 

Using a variety of puppet emotions, each child was invited to make the face they picked and have their friends guess the emotion.

Can YOU guess Levi's emotion?

 

We continued learning about different emotions during quiet reading time. Discussing what each character feels like by looking at their facial expressions and words that they said.

 

Silly Adar puppets!

 

 

In our class we love to encourage the children's independence. A classroom pitcher allows the children to help themselves and practicing portion control pouring the right amount of water in the cup.

 

Sharing Rainbow scales continue!

 

Aron and Levi were showing their friends unique balancing moves that they invented!

 

 

 

"We are making mud challah!"

Alef Beis Everywhere!

Alef Beis unit 

Alef beis in salt!

We placed Montessori alef beis letter boards that the children can feel with their finger and try to create it in the salt. Salt was a great way to draw and practice since just by giving it a shake it 'cleaned the slate'.

Levi Yitzchak figuring how much space he needed to create the whole Lamed letter in his salt. 

 It was also a fun place to just create the picture they wanted!

Alef beis play dough

Alef beis letters were hiding under the shaving cream! It feels so good!

Lilah found her letter tes!

Alef Beis bingo

Bingo was a great way to practice recognizing our Hebrew letters, taking turns and  using fine motor skills trying to get the small pieces on the right letter!!

Menucha helping Dovi find the right alef beis letters on the puzzle!

Alef beis and clean up!

Our learning opportunities are not just during circle time but every chance we get to increase our letter recognition and make sure all types of learners get a change to 'get it'!
After clean up, each child receives a sticker to place on their chart. This week each child had to find 'their' letter to receive their clean up sticker.

Muka working hard placing pom poms on the alef beis tape.

The Montessori alef beis letter boards created a fun game on the floor. Max was trying super hard to create the letter samach with the different size pieces.

Devorah Leah figured out how to make a Kuf!

Bridging school and home

Chani was so excited that she brought in a letter Tes card from home. She wanted to find the matching letter on the chart.

She kept on noticing throughout the class 'her' letter Tes! 

Alef Beis art

For those who love art we placed paint and letters all over the table to decorate.

Our art center was a great way to color and talk about the letters.

In the afternoons, Morah Michaela will be focusing on each letter and making sure our four year olds recognize and know the letters of the Alef beis!

Happiest month of the year, Adar!

In honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar we had a Jolly Jumps! 

Just getting INTO the jolly jumps was great gross motor practice!

The Joy!

Waiting patiently on line while balancing on the jolly jumps takes a lot of skill ;)

Elizabeth needed some assistance getting up the ladder. It was so sweet to watch her friends trying so hard to get her up!