Dear Parents, We started off Monday morning by gathering together for our Havdalah ceremony. It marks the end of Shabbat and the start of a new week. It was a special time for the children as Jen sang, played the guitar, lit the Havdalah candle, and passed around the spices for the children to smell. We continued incorporating different activities to celebrate Tu B' Shevat. The children had the opportunity to do a "Still-life exploration drawing." An observational drawing is drawing what you see. It's as simple and as complicated as that. It's drawing what you see in front of you as realistically and as true to life as possible. The children gathered in small groups and carefully observed a flower that was on the table. They were able to see the shapes, patterns, perspective, colors, shadows, and how all the "details" interact. There was much dialogue about the flower. "Look how long and skinny the stem is." "The petals have purple and white polka dots." "The planter kind of looks like a square." As they made these observations they began to draw with colored pencils and expressed their creativity. This is a different kind of experience that we believe brings additional value to their drawing experience, as it challenges their understanding and ability to look at the finer details of everyday objects in their environment. Please make sure to take a look at their amazing artwork. As the school year goes on, you will notice that on your child's work there will be some stickers of symbols (I.e, lips, a flower, reading glasses, question marks, etc.), all are part of the Wise Learning Process. You may have noticed these signs hanging on our classroom. These symbols identify the context within the lesson plan and the type of cognitive operation involved in the process. You may notice, that on their drawing project there is a "flower." The "flower" stands for "Details," which represents its attributes, characteristics, and specific elements. We are happy to answer any questions you may have about the Wise Learning Process, which has been developed through our partnership with the USC Rossier School of Education. In anticipation of Tu B'Shevat, the children planted seeds. These were special seeds, Microgreens. Microgreens are veggie shoots grown from seeds. We discussed with the children the growth process of a seed and what it has to go through to grow. The children made a wonderful comparison to a seed and their own bodies. They realized that they need to eat healthy, shower, and take care of themselves, in order for their bodies to grow. Just like a seed, they became aware of the importance of caring for it, and giving it water and sunshine. Using Microgreens is a great way to show the children that we can grow our own food and eat it. Microgreens are best eaten fresh and raw, sprinkled on salads, or put in a smoothie. The children enjoyed packing the soil, scattering the seeds, and taking turns watering. This activity is great for children because the seeds sprout up tiny and cute, and they are fast growing. It's a fantastic way to get the children to eat more veggies. As these seeds will not sprout overnight, the children are aware that it's a process, a great lesson in which to teach the children patience. We created a "Diary of A Seed Observational Journal." Every day, the children can help track the growth of the plant. The children are very eager to participate and they are excited for the results. The children enjoyed Shabbat, as they celebrated in the Temple all together. Thank you to the Shabbouei family for joining us and making the day more memorable. "A baby is a gift. There is nothing more precious than watching a child grow. With love and nourishment, that little seed becomes a growing child. And with that growing child, comes a garden full of happiness." Shabbat Shalom, Lindsay and Vera REMINDERS: Feb. 2nd- Shabbat Family Feb. 3rd- Tot Shabbat 10am/Wise School Gala 7pm Below is a link to purchase tickets to the Gala https://wisegala18.auction-bid.org/microsite/register
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TK
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