Dear Kindergarten Parents of the Purple Room,

Parsha + Art + Literacy + Math + Sensory

Because stones are featured in this week’s Parsha, they were utilized in many learning areas this week. The Kindergarten children used the Pointillism technique to paint stones in Art. They used stones to write Alef Beis letters in combination with the Nekudos (vowels) Komatz and Patach. In Math, the Kindergarten Math Whizzes practiced counting in 2’s till 12. In the Parsha Yaakov set 12 stones around his head before going to sleep. The Kindergarten knows how many sons Yaakov eventually had. Yes, 12! They are so proud that two of the Kindergarten children carry the names of two of Yaakov’s children – Shimon and Binyomin!

Morah Perline has a rock collection that came all the way from Lake Ontario to Arizona which she shared this week with the class. The Kindergarten explored the rocks noting the colors, textures and shapes of the rocks. One felt smoother than the next.

Vella: This is red and white and black.

Shimmy: (putting the stones on his cheeks) ‘These feel so smooooooth!”

Nosson: (weighing two smaller stones in one hand and one large stone in the other) These two feel the same as this one.

The ladder in Yaakov’s dream was a stepping stone (forgive the pun) to fun math one to one correspondence games such as Climb the Ladder and a game/craft activity, the Ladder Hunt, which integrated Alef Beis Literacy as well. The children created a ladder with the overhead projector and then modeled the creations with blocks in the Block Center. They had Malachim (Angels) going up and down their ladders!

Parsha Songs:

Three Times a Day

(TTTO: Three Blind Mice)

Three times a day 2x

To Hashem we pray 2x

(Avraham) Shacharis is the morning tune

(Yitzchok) Mincha in the afternoon

(Yaakov) Ma’ariv by the light of the moon

Three times a day.

Parsha Song: (link to tune: https://www.chabad.org/608035)

As Yaakov traveled the sun went down,
He fell asleep on the ground.
In his dream was a ladder so high,
With malochim (angels) climbing to the sky.

Yaakov heard Hashem’s voice,
“For My bracha, you are the choice.”
Yaakov traveled to Charan
He asked the shepherds, "Where is Lavan?"

Rochel said, "Lavan is my father
I’ll take you to him, it is no bother.”
Yaakov stayed for twenty years
For Lavan’s sheep, Yaakov cared.

Yaakov married Leah and Rochel
Their children became the B’nei Yisroel.
Lavan tricked Yaakov, he didn’t pay,
Hashem told Yaakov, "Go away!"

Parsha Discussions:

Rachel really wanted to marry Yaakov, but he was given to her sister. Rachel did not think she would have any chance of marrying him. What would you do if something you were hoping for was given to another?

Ben: I really want a Pinny Galley motorcycle.

Be sad. A Pinny Galley is white and red and black.

Jonah: Maybe they could share with him.

Nosson: Be sad. I would get a different toy. But I really want a scooter. Do you know why? Because one time someone was playing with my blue scooter and it broke. I really want it for Chanukah.

Shimmy: I really want a motorcycle that drives on the sidewalk.

Be sad. I would get something else.

Chanukah Countdown!

The Chanukah Countdown has begun and the children are counting down the days every day till Chanukah! Preparations have begun in class. The children attempted to paint Alef Beis and nekudos combinations with oil this week and observed how the oil seeped through to the other side of the paper. They observed how oil spreads: by the next day, the oil had spread over the entire page!

Please see the CJP Facebook page for pictures of the above and more!

Shabbat Shalom!

Morah Perline

This week was a review week for us as we went back over information we have already learned. We reviewed nouns and verbs. We play a game where the children sit when I say a noun, but act it out when I say a verb. We used a toy catalog to make our own noun and verb book.

We started learning about “L” blends and worked on the blends sl, fl, bl, cl. We learned a new game called “I have, who has” to practice reading our blends. This means that we are also learning to read who and have.  This new game was also used in our math work as we practiced understanding the tens and the ones place in numbers.

We were a little slow on getting our books sent home this week. The book will come home in a bag with a small note to you. My note will let you know any new sight words for your child and the sounds they are working on in the book. We do a lot of reading together, but this will let your child practice at their ability and proceed at rate of progression suited to them. Your child should read the book until they feel comfortable with it and are ready for a new book.

Good Shabbos!

Morah Kristina

Dear Kindergarten Parents of the Purple Room,

Alef Beis Literacy

Kindergarten continued to work on a long term project – the Alef Beis Story Book. They have completed Stage 1: rubbings of the Alef Beis letters and illustrating them with the stories, Stage 2: gluing the letters to colored pages in a pattern, and Stage 3: writing one-two word hints on each page to remind them of the story. Stage 4: writing the title page. They hope to complete their books next week.

Kindergarten played many Alef Beis + Nekudos games this week: Which One Says?, Go Fish for Same Sounding Alef Beis, Roll the Die for Sefer Hamelamed, Alef Beis Dials and Alef Beis Rings to name a but a few. (See CJP Fb page)

Parsha + Math + Literacy = yummy

The Kindergarten Chefs were absolute STARS this week. They peeled, sliced, measured and cooked a delicious Red Lentil Soup in honor of the Parsha and served it to all of CJP on Rosh Chodesh Kislev. (See CJP Fb page.) They were such star chefs that they just HAD to get star glasses in honor of Rosh Chodesh!

Parsha Songs:

Song: (link to tune: https://www.chabad.org/605940)

Rivkah Imeinu had twin sons, Esav was red
He was a hunter, Yaakov learned Torah instead.
Yaakov was cooking beans, Esav was hunting.
"I am hungry! Give me soup!” Esav came in grunting.

"Please sell me your b’chorah, I’ll give you soup so red."
Yaakov told this to Esav, "I’ll take it!" Esav said.

Rivkah put fur on Yaakov as a disguise
Yitzchok touched his son because he had weak eyes.

"It sounds like Yaakov but feels like Esav’s hands"
Yaakov received the bracha of the stars and sand.
When Esav came home, his anger burned.
Yaakov had no choice, to Lavan’s house he turned.

Honor your Father and Mother

(TTTO: The Bear Went Over the Mountain)

Honor your Father and Mother

Honor your Father and Mother

Honor your Father and Mother

Why?

‘Cuz the Torah tells us so.

The Torah tells us so, the Torah tells us so,

Honor your Father and Mother

Honor your Father and Mother

Honor your Father and Mother

The Torah tells us so

Honor your Father and Mother

(TTTO: The Bear Went Over the Mountain)

Honor your Father and Mother

Listen to what they say.

When they tell you something,

Do it right away.

You don’t say, “Just a minute,

I’ll do it in a while.”

Because we love this mitzvah,

We’ll do it with a smile.

Parsha Discussions:

Yaakov liked to learn Torah and Eisav liked to hunt. What do you think about learning Torah and hunting?

Shimmy: They are different. Learning Torah is good because when it’s Shabbos you have to daven.

Vella: Every single day you have to daven.

Shimmy: What if you want a animal to eat? If you need food from it you could hunt. You have to be very quiet.

Vella: It has to be kosher.

Ben: The deer are in the forest.

Shimmy: You can find them in the farm.

Jonah: They are in the snow.

Vella: It’s not fun to kill animals at all. Learning Torah is better than hunting.

Jonah: We don’t use our ‘yadayim’ (hands) like Eisav did.

We learned about Yitzchok this week and how he became blind. How can you help a blind person?

Jonah: Just give them what they need. You could ask them.

Nosson: Help them find their way where they’re going. Ask them ‘where do you want to go’.

Jonah: They don’t know what cereal they need. You could ask them again.

Shimmy: What if they need another thing? You could ask them again. You could get it from the shelf that’s way too high.

Nosson: Or you could ask your Tatty to put you on his shoulders and then you could reach it.

Ben: If they need help getting the paint and they don’t know where the paint is we could get it for them. We could also ask what we can do and we can put it in a cart and we could drive them home. We could make a picture for them. They don’t know whichever color it is.

Jonah: You could ask what color they need and you could pick the color for them.

Even though Eisav did not make good choices, one Mitzvah he kept was Kibud Av Va’Em – Honoring your father and mother. What are ways you could honor your father and mother?

Nosson: If they ask you to go to bed, you have to go to bed.

Jonah: What if you’re not tired?

Nosson: You have to still.

Shimmy: You just listen.

Shimmy: You could say hello to them.

Nosson: If your parents came from a long trip you could give them some food.

Ben: When they’re sick you can give them something like a gift. Like a paintbrush and paint. And a pink paper.

Please see the CJP Fb page for pictures of the above and more!

Shabbat Shalom!

Morah Perline

This week our overall theme was transportation. We used this theme to review shapes and work on our fine motor skills. Students traced the shapes to make a helicopter, boat, bus and truck and place them in a large picture. Each student also created a picture book using pictures of different types of transportation.

We added new sight words to our list. This week we worked on do, many and how. Our journal writing this week asked, “How many do you see?” We used different picture to look at and count objects. If you want to work on sight words at home the current list is she, he, we, see, like, and, the, do, many and how. Practicing these words with flash cards isn't the only way to practice. Ask your child to read the word when you see them in your daily life. You can write them in fun ways, like with shaving cream, and have the student read the word.  Our other big accomplishment was learning about nouns and verbs. We practiced by categorizing them and even acting out the verbs.

Starting next week your child will be bringing home a book to read at the start of the week. Please practice reading this book during the week and return on Friday.

We practiced place value again this week. We did a great job writing numbers in the tens and ones column and even writing in expanded notation. Our number writing is improving every day! We had fun with play doh made with Morah Perline to practice the correct shape of numbers.

Good Shabbos!

Morah Kristina

Dear Kindergarten Parents of the Purple Room,

Ahavas Yisrael

The main theme of the Kindergarten classroom, as can plainly be seen by the huge sign in the Dramatic Center, is ‘Ahavas Yisrael’, loving and caring for another. An opportunity arose this week for the class to act on this Mitzva. They stopped the activity they were involved in to care for the hurt feelings of one of their classmates. The child who felt hurt visited the Safe Place, a safe space anyone can visit if they feel the need to be alone. A short while later, after Morah enquired as to what could help the child transition back into the class, the child expressed the need for the Kindergarten classmates to come and sit by the child. The Caring Kindergarten children stopped eating their lunch, left the table and came to sit quietly for a while with that child. One of the visiting children asked, “What can I do to help you feel better?” Another invited, “Do you want to come eat lunch with us?” Exercising caring in words and actions showed love and caring to the child and very soon the child felt ready to join the class for lunch. Hashem is proud of the caring and loving Kindergarten children. Ahavas Yisrael – loving another as you love yourself. This is the basis of our Torah.

Literacy + Parsha

When Eliezer, Avraham’s servant, searched for the right wife for Avraham’s son, Yitzchak, he found Rivkah and gave her beautiful and expensive presents including jewelry. Utilizing fine motor skills, the Kindergarten Jewelers created Alef Beis necklaces for their mothers this Shabbos. (See CJP Fb page)

Song: (link to tune: https://www.chabad.org/603911)

Now it was time for Yitzchok to marry
Hashem’s bracha, his children would carry
Eliezer was sent a wife to find
She must be good and kind

He took camels and jewelry the best
On his way, he sat down to rest
"Please Hashem", he said with all his might
"Help me find the girl that is just right."

Then he saw Rivkah, B’suel’s daughter
“May I give you and your camels some water?”
At the moment the good deed was done
Eliezer knew that she was the one.

Eliezer and Rivkah to Canaan did ride
Yitzchok took Rivkah, for his bride
Now Yitzchok at last was sure
The anan hakavod (Cloud of Glory), was back at his door.

Parsha Discussions:

How far would you go to help a stranger in need?

Jonah: Give them some water.

Nosson: If they are blind you can help them find their way to go home.

Ben: Making a seat for them so they can relax.

Shimmy: Give them water.

Vella: Go get a grownup.

Nosson: I would ask my Mommy and Tatty if I could show their way.

Jonah: My Mommy and Daddy could help the stranger and my sister and brother can watch me.

The children created a tent for Rivkah replete with clouds, candles and challos – the three things that returned to the tent when Yitzchak married Rivkah.

This week the Kindergarteners were in for a real treat. Even though no camels were present (like Eliezer’s camels!) they had fun playing with the animals in the visiting petting zoo. Thank you, CJP!

Parsha + Math

The children learned how Avraham bought Meoras Hamachpeila so he could bury his wife Sarah. A new business opened this week and customers are coming in droves. The Kindergarten store sells food, fruit and vegetables, cutlery and dishes all are on sales for reasonable prices. The children have priced all of the items quite reasonably and made cost signs for easy reference. They priced the vegetables at only 6c per vegetable, $15 per fruit, $4 per cutlery piece, and only $10 per cup or plate. The children counted out coins, practicing numbers and addition.

Kriyah – Reading

The Kindergarten Readers continued to practice combining letters with the Nekudos (vowels) Komatz and Patach this week.

Since the beginning of the year Kindergarten has reviewed each Alef Beis letter and learned the secret story behind each letter.  For example, the Alef consists of a Yud on top, a Yud on bottom and a Vov in between. This symbolizes Hashem Above and the Jew below connected by the Torah. And so on with each precious Hebrew letter. The children created a crayon rubbing of each letter and then illustrated it with their understanding of the secret of the letter. In the class’s ongoing project, the children are compiling this into a book. They have created the pages and will soon begin working on the cover.

Shabbat Shalom!

Morah Perline

We got this amazing desk in our classroom and the kids love to use it! I decided that we would use it for journal writing. I post a picture, the date and write a question the students can read. Each student has a blank journal in which they write the date and answer the question about the picture. This week our question is “What do you see.” The journals are great for letting them practice recognizing the date, writing and a great way for us to track their progress over the year.

We learned about place value this week. We will only be learning about the tens and the ones place this week. We built numbers with our cubes, write them in the tens and ones columns and even wrote in expanded notation. As we were learning about place value, I realized that we needed to work on number formation. We really enjoyed using shaving cream on trays to practice writing our numbers!

In reading we have focused on comprehension this week. I have read a lot of stories and asked a lot of questions. We also read a lot of Amelia Bedelia. This gave us an opportunity to discuss the double meaning of some words and common expressions. We made our sight word flash cards with pretty stickers to make it more fun. We finished the week talking about character traits and to tie in with the Parsha with this week we made bracelets with words that we think describe us.

Good Shabbos!

Morah Kristina