Chanukah

As Chanukah drew near, the kindergarten children worked excitedly with the Pre-K class to complete their replica of the Beit Hamikadash. Working from the plans the children devised based on what they learned and their vision, they successfully completed this beautiful project. The children’s final task was to make steps leading to the beautiful golden menorah inside the Beit Hamikdash! They finished just in time for Chanukah and our beautiful Temple remains displayed in the hallway between the Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms.

As we learned about Chanukah, the children explored the importance of having a strong moral character and doing the right thing…even when it is not easy! During the day, we would make sure to notice and acknowledge those times when our friends “did the right thing”. The children even choose to focus on certain behaviors that would help them to do the right thing! Here were some of their ideas: “listen to the Morah even if someone doesn’t”, “don’t say, ha, ha, ha when someone is sad”, “not to tattle”, “not to hurt people with my hands when I am mad”, not to fight over toys” and “try my best!” The children were so excited about “doing the right thing”, that we decided to roll play various scenarios to help them make the right choice when a difficult situation arises. One situation was when a friend would say, “don’t be friends with him/her!” The children acted out different ways to handle this situation. They used their words to say, “Let’s all be friends together!” and actions, by giving each friend a hug!

Our classroom has been filled with Chanukah fun and the scent of yummy Chanukah foods! Morah Natasha and Robert Stein joined our class to help us each make a beautiful Chanukah Menorah using colorful Sculpey clay. Each child made a unique menorah that they were able to use at home during Chanukah. Some of us even made dreidels! We sure enjoyed playing the dreidel game with our homemade dreidels. Mrs. Ellen Arian helped us to make the perfect Chanukah celebration in our classroom! Together with her, the children made homemade applesauce and delicious potato latkes! The children set the table, and enjoyed the wonderful treats they prepared!

Perhaps our favorite Chanukah story was Jeremy’s Dreidel by Ellie Gelman and Judith Friedman. In the story, Jeremy makes a dreidel using Braille for the letters because his dad is blind. After reading the story, we talked about other ways people communicate and we discussed sign language. So, as we reviewed letters and the sounds they make, I signed each letter. The children were thrilled to later discover a puzzle that matched the sign to each letter!

We continue to work daily on our handwriting, sight words and developing our reading skills. The children look forward to reading the daily message each morning. The message includes sight words we have learned, familiar words, and words that the children can blend the sounds to read. They eagerly write their response in their journal each day. As they are becoming more independent readers and writers, the children will look for clues in the classroom to help them write their responses!

A new math game was introduced: Dreidel Addition! Each child rolled a die and found the matching number on one set of dreidel cards. Then, rolling a second time, they found the matching number on the other set of dreidel cards. Each time they recorded the number, and finally, they added them together to find the sum! What a fun way to add!

Avery special morning was spent with our dads, “Build it with Daddy!” A Zimmer parent lovingly made a large wooden menorah. Our children then worked with his/her own parent to create a piece of art together that was added to the menorah. The entire Zimmer Community enjoyed helping to create this stunning menorah! Each day of Chanukah, all the Zimmer children joined together to light our beautiful menorah, chant the blessings and sing Chanukah songs. I hope you shared a wonderful Chanukah with your family!

 

December in Kindergarten

As the temperature cools outside, a warm glow of excitement is shinning in our kindergarten class. The children are filled with anticipation as the story of Chanukah unfolds in our classroom. We began our study imagining what life was like when all the Jewish people lived together in Israel. We learned that the Beit Hamikdash was the beautiful Holy Temple, and the center for Jewish ritual and life. As the children closed theirs eyes, they tried to envision what the Beit Hamikdash looked like as I described the appearance of the beautiful structure to them. We tried to feel the happiness and pride the Jewish people felt as they lived their lives together in their homeland so many years ago.

We learned that inside the Beit Hamikdash was a truly beautiful gold menorah. This menorah had 7 branches and was lit by the High Priest each day. The glow illuminated the beautiful Temple. The children were intrigued that only the purest of olive oil was used to light the menorah. I asked the children, “Where do you think the High Priest got the olive oil?” The children responded, “olives!” “Yes, I said, but where did they get the olives?” “From the olive trees”, they said. Finally, I asked, “How did they get to where the olive trees grow?” It was through this dialogue, that the children began to understand how precious olive oil was all those years ago. Certainly, they did not go to the local supermarket to buy it! Rather, they deduced, they had to walk or ride a camel to the olive trees, pick the olives, and travel back with them. Only then could the olive oil making process begin! And, after all that, only the very first drop of oil from each olive could be used to light the magnificent menorah.

Keeping all these ideas in mind, the Kindergarten met with the Pre-K class, and together we wrote up a plan to recreate the Beit Hamikdash based on how we imagined it looked! Many ideas were given, and the children got busy designing and creating walls, a floor, a ceiling and a golden menorah! As our Holy Temple began to take shape, we met again and discussed our progress and the jobs that still needed to be done. This planning session, the children decided to start making a beautiful door worthy of the Beit Hamikdash. The children’s enthusiasm and imagination has fueled this beautiful project. We can’t wait to showcase our finished project at the start of Chanukah!

Our new shared reading book, Duck and Hen, has prompted us to think about what it means to be a friend. What do you do if a friend does not want to play what you are playing? What can you say or do so both friends are happy? The children brainstormed ways they can handle this situation! They offered these ideas: “first play what you want, then play what your friend wants”, “one day play what you want and the next day play what your friend does” and “find something to play that you both like!” By thinking and planning ahead about these situations, we are better able to handle them when they arise! We also learned two new sight words from the story: “Do” and “Went”. We all enjoyed playing sight word bingo together with all the words we know!

A fun new math game was introduced using two dice. The children roll the dice and “add” the two numbers together. Then, they record their responses on their individual bar graphs. Finally, they compare their results to those of their partners! We also used dominoes to help us practice adding and recognizing different ways to add numbers to get the same sum! The concept of lighter and heavier was also explored using a pan balance scale. The children have really enjoyed using the scale in their play as well!

As Chanukah approaches we will be exploring the many values the Chanukah story teaches, as well as engaging in many wonderful projects, which I will share with you in the next blog!


Be sure not to miss these fun Chanukah family events: Build it with Daddy, Monday the 14th at 8:30am and The Chanukah Bubble Party next Wednesday, the 16th at 4:30!