Dear Parents, We can't believe we are coming to the end of our room 7 Pre-K journey! We are so incredibly proud of your children and how they have all grown and developed in all areas of school. We have seen them learn, mature, work hard and gain a strong sense of independence. We had had many discussions with the children about how we can be feeling many different emotions/feelings with the end of Pre-K approaching. We explained to the children how it is normal to have many types of feelings, even at the same time. It was great to hear the children's opinions and reflections about how they are going to miss school, but are also looking forward to starting kindergarten. Thank you to all of you for sharing in our closing circle, where we got the opportunity to acknowledge how unique and amazing all of your children are, and what an amazing year we have had in room 7. We are so excited for Pre-K celebration, where we will have a beautiful morning of honoring all of your children and their achievements this year. We feel so proud and blessed to have had your children in our class and truly love and appreciate each and every child. Reminder: Thursday June 7-Pre-K celebration - (CHILDREN NEED TO BE DROPPED OFF AT 9AM AT HERSHENSON FOR A 9:30 START). Warmly, Dani and Karen Dear Parents, We had a wonderful week with your beautiful children, and we are already starting to miss them! From celebration rehearsals to our class discussions, your children certainly know how to make the last few weeks of pre-k as meaningful as possible. Each child created their final journal entry, “My favorite Pre-K Memory.” With love in their hearts and tears in our eyes, we were so touched hearing them speak about their personal growth as well as their memorable moments this year. The children are excited to take home their gorgeous journals next week, and they can’t wait to share them with all of you! This week, the children drew self-portraits, which is a key part of personal development. As they looked at themselves in the mirror, they studied their eyes, nose, mouth, and the rest of their face—and worked out how it all fits together. While doing so, Maxwell said, “I like my eyebrows even if they have hair” and Ella Arden expressed that she liked to watch her mouth move while she talked, and that her bottom lip was bigger than her top lip. Through doing this project, the children learned that they love each part of themselves while working on their fine motor skills. The children worked on their hand-eye coordination and gross motor control during P.E. this week. By playing a game related to tennis, the children practiced court movement, angled ball throwing, balance, speed, agility, and flexibility. We look forward to our closing circle with you all on Thursday, May 31st. Have a great weekend and Shabbat Shalom! Warmly, Karen and Dani Hello Parents, The children have had a lovely week in room 7. They have enjoyed learning about and embracing the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. This holiday commemorates when the Jewish people received the Torah on Mount Sinai from Moses, which was given by G-D. Ella Lando mentioned how the Torah helps us to be good people and make good choices, and Leonardo expressed that rules are important for everyone to be safe. The children made connections (Wise Learning Process) to explore how at school we need rules that help us be happy and not get hurt. Daniel explained how we wouldn't know when to eat or play without any rules at school.The children decorated colorful flower crowns using paper, glue and flower foam pieces, as Shavuot also celebrates the spring harvest. Room 24 came to share a very special experience with our class. They had caterpillars in their room that had now grown and blossomed into butterfly's! Our classes sat together on the yard as the butterfly's were slowly released out into the world. The look of excitement and joy on the children's faces was very special to see. Reminder May 25- Paloma is Shabbat girl Warmly, Dani and Karen Dear Parents, What a beautiful and memorable week it has been here at Wise school. Our hearts are filled with gratitude and warmth, and we are so happy the children were able to share meaningful moments with their mothers and grandmothers. From P.E in the Katz pavilion and music with Maestro in the music lab, to eating lunch in the classroom and participating in morning learning centers, we want to thank you all for taking the time to join us! This week, we played a variety of “mathematical” games and focused on number sense. Number sense encompasses an extensive understanding of the concept of numbers. It refers to a child’s fluidity in numbers including use of mental math, addition, subtraction, naming numbers (number identification), and knowledge of specific quantities. The children always look forward to participating in these kinds of games, which prepare them for future learning in math. Thank you, Alex, for being our library mom this week. The children enjoyed listening to your story about Paris. As you all know, preparing for our end of the year celebration has been very bittersweet. We cannot believe their pre-kindergarten journey is slowly coming to an end, but we have been embracing every last mountain-top moment with them as they transform into beautiful kindergartners. We look forward to another productive week. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend and Shabbat Shalom! Warmly, Karen and Dani Reminder:
Hello Parents! We have had a lovely week in room 7 learning about the Jewish holiday of Lag Ba Omer. Rabbi Josh explained how the Torah is sacred to the Jewish people and contains all of our holidays, ethics and values to learn and live by. A long time ago, the Roman people took over the Jewish people in Israel, and forbid them to study the Torah and practice their religion. Aaron was curious what the Jewish people did when they were not allowed to study Torah, and Leonardo wanted to know if people were too scared to study Torah. The Rabbi explained how the Jewish people would study Torah in secret in the fields. When a Roman person would come near the Jews when they were studying, they would use a bow and arrow and pretend they were hunting for food. A terrible plague then hit the Jewish people as they were not treating each other nicely and comparing who had done the most Torah study. The plague finally came to an end and the people celebrated. In honor of Lag Ba Omer, the children had a beautiful picnic outside on the grass with room 2. We spoke about how important the Torah is to the Jewish people and that it teaches us how to behave towards others including being kind and helpful to one another. During P.E the children practiced many gross-motor skills including kicking and rolling the ball. We are so proud of the children working together as a team and showing school spirit as they cheer and encourage each other during activities. The children had to listen to Coach Danny and follow multistep directions including jumping, running and performing different tasks. The children enjoy being active and learning new skills. Reminders Next week is Grandmother's and Mother's week (feel free to choose, or come to everything if you’d like!): Monday, May 7th: Play with your child during morning centers 9:00-9:45 Tuesday, May 8th: Join your child for lunch from 12:10-12:50 Wednesday, May 9th: Join your child in P.E. at 9:25 (meet in the classroom) Thursday, May 10th: Join your child in the music lab at 9:25 (meet in the classroom) Friday, May 11th: Brunch (for mothers and grandmothers only) will be at 10:00 in ZH, followed by a special Shabbat service at 11:00. We will meet you all in the Sanctuary. We are looking forward to the children sharing some meaningful moments with you all. May 9- Alexx Monkarsh is the library mom at 10:30 May 11- Aaron Zarabi is Shabbat boy Warmly, Dani and Karen Dear Parents, The children have been creating their own story books using a variety of materials, and we have been blown away by their conversations and creations. They have been coming up with a plot—including a beginning, middle, and end. ‘Process’ (sequencing, connections, order) ‘language of the disciplines’ (categorizing, identifying), ‘details’ (descriptions, pictures, proving with evidence), ‘patterns’ (summarizing, relating), and ‘over time’ (order, time line) are all dimensions of depth and complexity—which is a part of our Wise Learning Process. These thinking tools help students dig deeper into a concept (depth) and understand that concept with greater complexity. Your children are utilizing these tools on a daily basis which enhances their ability to think critically. We are always so proud of their incredible work! In honor of mother’s day coming up, the children drew portraits of their beautiful mommies! It was amazing to watch the children plan their drawings as well as study their mother’s eyes, nose, mouth, and the rest of their face, and to work out how it all fits together. Creating this portrait allowed the maximum amount of artistic freedom, and they are all so proud of their work. Underneath their lovely artwork, each child spoke about why they appreciate their mothers. Moms, if you haven’t already, please make sure to check out their projects made with so much love. The children have been practicing counting objects as well as making connections between numbers and quantity. They are demonstrating an understanding of addition and subtraction concepts on a daily basis. Whether the children are setting up the table for snack or calculating the number of children who are and aren’t at school, they are able to make a variety of mathematical connections. These discussions are important for the children to clarify their thinking as well as learn from others. Math conversations occur between the children during activities and through emergent curriculum. We are looking forward to another productive week ahead. Have a fabulous weekend and Shabbat Shalom! Warmly, Karen and Dani Reminders:
Hello Parents, We have had a busy and learning filled week in room 7. The children have embraced Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel's birthday) through discussion, books and short video clips. Our class made a group project based on the city of Tel Aviv. They enjoyed learning about people living in Tel Aviv, the gorgeous beaches, shuk (Israeli outdoor markets) and some famous architectural buildings. Talia explained how Tel Aviv is a city where people walk a lot, and Maxwell mentioned that at the shuk you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables. The children took turns writing all of the letters in "Tel Aviv" and "Israel" on a piece of poster board. We were very impressed with the formation of their letters. The Wise Learning Process (WLP) was incorporated throughout this activity. Through discussion, the children shared their knowledge and information about Tel Aviv, which refers to the language of the discipline (WLP). They also used many details including describing the scenery and experiences in Tel Aviv. The children practiced their cutting skills using colored pictures of Tel Aviv and sticking them on the poster using glue. We were proud of the children's collaborative work in completing this project. Ask your child to tell you all about Tel Aviv! Room 7 was responsible for making lemonade for the Pre-K shuk. Paloma shared how one half of a lemon and another half, make a whole lemon. The children spent time and energy squeezing the lemons. This activity was a great sensory experience which develops hand-eye coordination and builds muscles in the hand. Many children expressed how they could feel their muscles working and that it was not an easy task! The children had a great time at our very own Pre-K shuk (Israeli market). Teacher Shoshi got us all into the spirit through Israeli dancing and songs. We sang a loud and proud happy birthday to Israel! Each class had organized their own food stand which consisted of traditional and delicious Israeli foods including hummus, pita, lemonade, olives and pickles, falafel, Israeli salad and watermelon. The children were each given pretend Israeli money (shekels) that were color coded and corresponded with each food item, for example the green shekel was for the Israeli salad. The children enjoyed their shopping experience with their friends as they traded shekels for the food items. It was a joyous and fun day celebrating Israel's birthday. Reminders April 25- Deborah Arden is library mom at 10:30 April 27- Olive and Hudson are Shabbat boy and girl May 4- School closes at 12:00 for Yom HaMoreh Have a lovely weekend Warmly, Dani and Karen Dear parents, We are so happy to have your children back, and we hope you had a meaningful Passover. Israel turns 70 years young next week, and that means we get to celebrate! In honor of Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day in Hebrew), the children used their fine motor skills to make individual Israeli flags. They created two triangles for the star, and after practicing their shapes, the children used crayons to draw the rest of the flag. Learning to hold and use crayons properly helps young children develop control in their hand muscles and supports the development of small muscle coordination. Each one of their flags are unique in their own way, and we are always so proud of their hard work. The children have been practicing building words. They have been identifying letters within words and correlating them with their sounds. For example, if we are working on the word ‘cat’, we cover the ‘a’ and have the children figure out the missing letter in small groups. We are very impressed, and your children are definitely hooked on phonics! We look forward to another productive week with your incredible children, and the children are so excited to learn more about the holy land of Israel. Have a great weekend and Shabbat Shalom. Warmly, Karen and Dani Reminders:
Shabbat Shalom! We have had a lovely week in room 7. Our class Seder was a special time for your children and they enjoyed helping to tell the story of Passover. They sang all the songs including the 'frog', 'Dayeinu' and 'bang, bang, bang' with enthusiasm and energy. We were very impressed with the children's knowledge and passion during the Seder. Thank you to everyone who could come to the Seder and for bringing the food for us to all enjoy. In P.E the children practiced many different gross motor activities including galloping, side-stepping, running and crab walking. They continued practicing their volley ball skills and hitting the ball over the net. Many of the children have expressed interest in doing puzzles. They work together in groups, and its very impressive to see team work and how proud they are when they complete their puzzles. Reminders: April 11- Tannaz is library mom at 10:30 April 13- Brooklyn is Shabbat girl Wishing you all a safe, happy and relaxing spring break. We will see you back at school on Monday April 9. Dear Parents, We want to thank you all for taking the time to meet with us for parent-teacher conferences this week. We always enjoy discussing your incredible, talented, hard-working children with each one of you! The children have really enjoyed learning about/reciting the Passover story, and discussing the theme of ‘freedom’ aligned with this holiday. We talked about the significance of Moses, and how he freed the Jewish people from suffering as slaves. “He split the sea and they ran through so fast because they were finally free!” according to Talia. After reading stories and discussing the meaning of a ‘Seder’ (which means order in Hebrew), the children were interested in what exactly goes on a Seder plate. From the parsley to the Charoset, the children are aware of the meaning behind each item. Brooklyn stated that “we need to eat the shank bone to remind us of how strong the Jewish people were!” The children completed their Passover journal entries with such incredible detail. Each child drew their interpretation of the holiday, and then discussed the significance of the Haggadah. For example, Ella L. drew a couple of the plagues (such as frogs and blood), and Moses with his stick in the water; and Abby drew baby Moses floating on a basket in the Nile River. It’s simply amazing to see what your creative children come up with on paper. Please make sure to browse through their work. Elijah's cup, which is the fifth ceremonial cup of wine poured during the family Seder dinner on Passover, is left untouched in honor of Elijah. Each child created their own cup using their fine motor skills. They ripped pieces of colored tissue paper and designed their own Elijah’s cup using a variety of materials. They are excited to display their beautiful creations on the Passover table. Big thanks to Mary Itri for inviting us to watch the elementary school children rehearse for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. The children were so impressed with everyone’s talent and we wish them all the best of luck! Have a great weekend and Shabbat Shalom. Reminders:
Hello Parents, The children have been very busy with learning and bringing to life the story of Passover. They have especially enjoyed acting out and talking about the ten plagues including blood, frogs, lice , wild animals and darkness. Abby spoke of how she could not believe all of the terrible plagues that the Egyptians had to live through. The children were shocked at how hard the Jewish people had to work as slaves all day and night, under the ruling of King Pharoah. The children were amazed at the miracles of the burning bush and parting of the sea, which saved the Jewish people and brought them to freedom. We reflected on how lucky we are to be free people now, where we can live life and make our own choices. We will be doing more work on the symbols of the seder plate and the four questions in the upcoming weeks. Ask your child to share with you details about the Passover story! The children have been working hard at using the 'Handwriting Without Tears' program. It builds on their knowledge of letters and fine-motor-skills through a range of fun activities and songs. The goal of this lesson was to reinforce to the children, that all letters when written start at the top. This week the children practiced writing their letters on a white board and molding letters out of plastalina, starting from the top. We were impressed with the children's hard work and effort in practicing these skills. In P.E the children were introduced to the volleyball net in the new gym. They were paired up and rolled and threw the ball to each other under the net. It was challenging for them to get the ball over the high net! This activity allowed the children to build on their hand-eye coordination and throwing and catching a ball, as well as working together as a team. Thank you to Mona for being the library mom this week. The children love when their parents visit and spend time with us! Reminders March 13 - Half school day and pick up at 12 :00 from the classroom (parent-teacher conferences March 14- NO SCHOOL for parent-teacher conferences March 16- SOVA drive (please bring a can for your child to donate.) Hailey Nissani is Shabbat girl Passover Class Seder- 9:30 on March 20th Dear parents, We have had such a fun-filled week in honor of Purim, and the children had a great time making hamantashen. We measured, stirred, rolled, patted, pinched, and ate our way through this delicious pastry. Our fine motor skills were definitely put to work and our taste buds were on fire. The children baked hamantashen for their families and peers as Mishloach Manot (sending portions in Hebrew). Giving gifts of food to others is one of the mitzvot of Purim. We compared this act of kindness with our weekly Sova ritual here at Wise. Talia mentioned that “everybody deserves to have food and not everyone is lucky like us.” The children look forward to accomplishing mitzvot on a daily basis. As you may have noticed, out mitzvah jar in the classroom looks pretty full! They enjoy helping one another throughout the day and caring for their friends. The children were placed in groups of two to discuss the various ways in which they believe they can become better people on a daily basis. We discussed different acts of kindness, certain goals we have for ourselves, and the many things we can do for our community as Jewish boys and girls. We expressed why it is important to practice caring and gratitude. Caring takes consistency, caring takes repetition. “If we care then other people will care too,” according to Abby. We will continue to expand on this activity throughout the course of the school year. Your children are full of love and light and that deserves to be recognized through their own beautiful words and artwork. We are excited to dig deeper on this topic and continue to make great happen here at Wise. We can’t forget the evil Haman! The children created groggers in order to drown out his name. We are always so impressed with their hard work and originality. As a class, we gathered a variety of recycled goods including tin cans, plastic bottles, caps, yogurt cups, and so much more. The children came up with their own creations and designed their own groggers using tape, paint, and markers. This type of learning (emergent curriculum) occurred naturally, where they were able to create their own ideas using many different materials. They are so proud of their own work, and they were so excited to shake their groggers during services on Friday. Huge thanks to Sherry and Natalie for reading to the children in the library this week! It is always so exciting to listen to stories and flip through pages together. If you have not done so already, please make sure to sign up for parent-teacher conferences. We look forward to meeting with you all on March 13th and 14th. We have posted the Passover potluck sign-up sheet in the classroom. We thank you in advance for your contributions, and we are very excited to have a cozy Seder with you all on March 20th at 11:00am. Have a great weekend and Shabbat Shalom! Reminders:
Hello Parents, We have had a lovely week with your children in room 7. During P.E with Coach Danny, the children had a great time completing a series of activity stations in the gym. There were four stations, and the children were placed in small groups. All of the groups participated in each task. The children practiced their hand-eye coordination through throwing footballs, and bouncing and catching a variety of balls. The class works well as a team, and they help each other during P.E. The children’s Purim journals came to life through color and details. Many children illustrated characters from the Purim story including Haman and Queen Esther. The children are experts on the Purim story! Many of the children enjoyed explaining how mean Haman was, and that Queen Esther was the hero in the story. The children had their last visit to the Farmer’s Market. They enjoyed selecting the fruit they wanted to eat and ‘shopping’ for themselves. The children are proud to know they are making a difference to Nika and BIS in Israel. Mitzvahs are a big part of room 7, and the children are reminded that they are lucky and others are not as fortunate. Reminders: February 25- Purim Carnival February 28- Sherri and Natalie are the library moms March 2- Purim Dress-up day-NO MASKS AND PRETEND WEAPONS Leonardo Lavi is Shabbat boy March 3- Tot Shabbat Hi all, The children are doing an amazing job signing in their names every morning. We have been working on understanding the relationships between letters and sounds, as well as identifying the beginning and end sounds of words. The children have been demonstrating phonemic awareness and they have come such a long way. In addition, they have been signing in their names on the floor laying on their stomachs once a week. This enables the children to position their (writing) arm in a 90 degree angle and helps increase upper torso strength. The children are doing a fantastic job recognizing letters of the alphabet which are not in their own name. We are so beyond proud of your hardworking children! We are looking forward to bringing in the Purim holiday spirit for the next couple of weeks. The children have been excited to celebrate, hear stories, sing songs, and most of all—dress up in costumes! This week, we discussed the heroes within the Megillat Esther (The Book of Esther) as well as the concept of heroism. What are the values of heroes? What are their actions? How does a Jewish hero effect the Jewish community? The children took this conversation to a whole new level. According to Maxwell, “A hero has to change someone’s life because they save people.” Each child selected a hero from the Purim story or from a book, and had the opportunity to act as the character of their choice. They dressed up in costumes and applied their creativity/imaginations. Next Friday, February 23rd, from 8:00-12:20 pm, the Beit Issie Shapiro Committee at Wise School is having our last farmer's market next to the Katz Pavillion. Our class is assigned to provide whole apples (min. 6 and washed) no later than Thursday morning, February 22nd. We appreciate all of your contributions! Have a wonderful weekend and Shabbat Shalom Reminders:
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