Kindergarten Newsletter

Hello Families,

Kindergarteners have been exploring how each of us is unique and discovering our special qualities.  After reading “We are different, we are the same” we explored our faces and the shapes of each feature.  We also compared similarities and differences between faces.  Using mirrors, we sketched out our faces using shapes, traced in sharpie, colored in crayon, and finished with a watercolor resist.  We studied the 3 colors in our skin and how to mix colors!

As a part of learning our letters, we talked about why “A” (Aviv and Asher) is special.  We explored how it’s a vowel letter and how vowels help us open our mouths when we say words and that vowels are in every word. For fun at home, try saying everyone’s name without vowels!

To introduce handwriting, we made mat man!  We learned that every letter and number has a big line, little line, big curve, or small curve. We will start practicing our numbers next week.  Look out for a handwriting email!

As the 25th day of school approaches, we are using our hundreds chart to count the days of school.  Our new favorite game is count around!  Next week we will learn how to use the counting jar!

*****Save the date!  Our first field trip will be to the Botanical Gardens on Wednesday October 23rd.  Lookout for a field trip form with more details.

Have a sweet New Year,

Liz and Talia

Hebrew/Judaics

Dear kindergarten parents,

This week we continued to learn class routines, such as kids names and the days of the week with their corresponding numbers (i.e., Monday and two, as the second day of the week). We also continued to learn colors. We added two colors – black (shachor) and white (lavan). We also learned the words to sit (LaShevet), to stand up (LaKoom), I’m here (Ani Po), and I’m not here (Ani Lo Po). The kids also started practicing writing their names in Hebrew.

I also use a Hebrew songs for classroom management: Boys and girls it is time to clean up – Yeladeem Ve’Yeladot Hegeea HaZman Lenakot.

In Judaic Studies, we continued learning about Rosh Hashana. The kids learned to say Happy New Year in Hebrew (Shana Tova) and words associated with the holiday, such as apple (Tapuach), honey (d’vash), pomegranate (rimon), and shofar. We also talked about Tashlich. Tashlich is a ritual that many Jews observe during Rosh Hashana. It means “casting off” and it involves symbolically casting off the sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread into a body of flowing water.

The kids worked on an art project. They decorated an apple and shofar for Rosh Hashana.

Shabbat Shalom and Shana Tova!

Anat and Tal