6th Grade News: 1/7 – 1/18/19

HUMANITIES

It was a pleasure to experience several special programs this past week in Humanities, including a special workshop on The Giver and a visit to the United Nations Headquarters.

Mara Stephens, otherwise known as “Vera’s mom,” came in on Tuesday for an interactive program related to Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Mara actually used to performed her own one-woman show about this book, and we were so lucky that she was able to share some of her performance with us. She also led several movement and acting-based activities with the class, bringing the story in The Giver to life. As the students followed firm, sometimes random orders and received life-long jobs or “assignments,” they learned what it might feel like to have no freedom of choice — just like the characters in the novel. We’re grateful to Mara for helping us dive deeper into our reading!

See the Google Photos album here to view pictures of our time with Mara: https://photos.app.goo.gl/R8yaD6xbzCNGf5Xy7

Then on Thursday, we ventured out on the subway to the United Nations headquarters for a special tour and briefing. Our tour guides spoke about sophisticated topics like diplomacy and peace-keeping processes, nuclear disarmament, and the role of the UN Security Council. We saw several digital exhibits and various artwork that demonstrated the UN’s role in our world, and we even got to sit in a few cavernous meeting rooms where high-level decisions are made. The students asked astute questions during both our tour and briefing, impressing the teachers and chaperones with their thoughtfulness. We’re grateful to Jack Abel, Natan’s grandfather, for helping us set up this wonderful opportunity!

See the Google Photos album here to view pictures of our day at the United Nations:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/xLZRRRfAFn2ucjHE7

Have a shabbat shalom,

Naomi

JUDAICS

Please click on this link and share it with your children so they can see their projects and their classmates’ projects!

In Chumash we just had an epic finish to Perek Bet (chapter 2). Moshe strikes and kills an Egyption who was beating an Israelite. Moshe runs away, saves the daughters of the Cohen of Midian from some rowdy shepherds, waters their flocks, marries one of them and then has a baby! To top it off, the King of Egypt dies and Bnai Yisrael cry out to G-d from their slavery and G-d remembers the promise G-d has made with them. SO MUCH happens in so few psukim. To break it down and really feel the drama in each scene of the epic end to chapter 2, we divided the psukim among groups who chose to present their text through different artistic media: Comics, puppet shows, songs and interviews. I was blown away by the depth of their presentations! They all had to include a Kushiyah, commentary, moral lesson and all of the verbs. They presented to their class in a special cafe style and their peers were captivated. We will be moving forward into our Tu bshvat unit.

Shabbat Shalom,

Laura

HEBREW HERITAGE