Dear Parents,

Literacy

Your Purple Room child will have brought home a Homework folder. An introductory letter has been included in the folder. The Kindergarten children are expected to do their homework each day so they can receive the new homework. The Pre K children are to return their homework folders each Monday and should review the homework each day. Some Pre K children can receive homework more often than once a week depending on each child’s level and ability.

 

The Purple Room is focusing on building the sight Word Wall. Some children have already begun working on the Waseca workbooks which helps the children build and spell words with the moveable alphabet. This can only be attempted once the child knows all the sounds of the letters. This is something that is reviewed each day. Please be aware that the Purple Room focuses more on the sound the letter makes rather than the name of the letter. This will enable your child to learn to read faster and will help them understand the mechanics of the words. 

 

Kriyah (Hebrew Reading)

As with general literacy, the Purple Room is focusing on knowing the names of the Hebrew letters before introducing the nekudos (vowels). There are some children who know the names of all the letters and are now learning how to combine the komatz with all the letters.

 

Math

Purple Room has been engaging with the Montessori Math beads and created number pyramids, building from nine beads down to one. This helps prepare them for the ‘Teens Boards’ which will help them understand numbers 11 – 19. They are also working on the concept of subtraction since they have to consider ‘one less than’ in every instance. Depending on each child’s level, they will or have started working with the ‘Teens Boards’. This is an activity which is conducted one-to-one with the Morah. 

 

The children have been practicing writing their numbers.

 

Middos

The Purple Room Polite People are working hard on improving their Middos (character traits) by trying to swallow their food before talking at Snack or Lunch. They know this is also a safe way to eat so the food doesn’t go down the windpipe. They are also focusing on chewing with their mouths closed.

 

Parsha

The Purple Room learned how Hashem told Avraham to pick up and move from one place (Ur Kasdim) and follow Hashem to a place that He would show Avraham. Avraham listened to Hashem without complaint, not even to ask where Hashem was taking him to. The Purple Room Friends discussed what it would be like to travel from one place to another.

 

Have you ever moved from one place to another? What was that like?

 

Leah: Maybe I went on a trip to a playground and we saw a dead bird there. I brought a lot of things: my suitcase with my pillow, my blanket my Mom packed for me. My lunchbox. There was a kitchen there to cook. There’s two rooms. There’s two beds. I kind of sleeped with my mom.  I was crying because I don’t want to share that kind of ice cream.

Ronan: We went to Texas. We got there in a car and a airplane. We brought my suitcase and I packed my toothbrushes so I won’t forget my toothbrush to brush my teeth. We went to my mom’s poppa’s, his name is Grandpère and my mommy’s mom’s name is Nanny. And that’s all.

Angie: I go on trip on the forest. I didn’t take any food. I went with Moriah. Moriah’s at Grandma’s house. We were in the cabin in the forest. In the cabin is a couch, a bathroom, carpets and a box you can put in things. There is nothing in the box.

Bracha: I was sad when we moved because I liked the old house. But I was excited for the new house.

Jemma: When we moved last year. My dad was like “Help me packing”. I was only 3 years old and I didn’t understand my dad. It was very hard for me because my parents didn’t know yet if I understand and they didn’t know if I was able to listen. So I decided to listen so I went and packed my stuff. But I was still very sad. My parents packed. They didn’t give up.

Naveed: I moved into a new house with an orange door. It has a new pool. But not a Jacuzzi. We just packed everything. Even the fridge. They also packed it up my toys.

 

What were some of the hard parts of moving?

 

Jemma: My parents were very upset at me that I didn’t listen the first time. To pack up all my blankets. I couldn’t listen because I was too sad to move.

Bracha: We have some boxes in my dining room but it’s not taped yet. One of the boxes, it’s for our new house. The hard part is unpacking the boxes. When we go to the new house. I keep on asking my mom because it’s very hard to put things in the boxes. But she says no.

Leah: I think I packed my toys. I bought toys. It was easy to move.

 

How do you think it was for Avraham and Sarah to travel in the desert?

 

Bracha: I feel bad for the man in the front. Because he’s walking (in front of the camels).

Naveed: Their feet hurt and they get a splinter.

 

Shabbat Shalom!

 

Morah Perline

 

Dear Parents,

Science

This week’s Parsha which tells of Noach and the Flood presented the opportunity to learn about the water cycle.

 

Song:

(TTTO: She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

 

Water travels in a cycle, yes it does 2x

It goes up as evaporation

Forms clouds as condensation

Comes down as precipitation, yes it does!

 

The Purple Room noticed that Rainbow’s (class fish) water level went down in his fish tank. They hypothesized why this was:

 

Jemma: Morah took him outside and the sun went on it and the water went up.

Leah: Rainbow drank the missing water.

 

The Purple Room Scientists did an experiment of their own using cups of water which they filled and marked. They are monitoring the water levels every day to see what will happen.

 

Social Emotional

The people in Noach’s time would get angry and make not good choices. It was a shame they didn’t learn from Noach’s ways and make good choices. Noach was a Tzaddik (a righteous person). This week the Purple Room discussed making choices and it fascinated them that human beings are the only creations that can truly make choices. They practiced deep breathing and reviewed the Conscious Discipline song:

 

Song:

When you’re feeling really angry

No matter where you are

There’s a way to feel better

There’s a way to be a star

With this one thing to remember

To stop anger in its tracks

 

Just Stop!

Take a deep breath

And relax 3x

 

Art

After Hashem brought the mabul (flood) upon the world, He promised He would never flood the entire world again. This promise is represented by the keshes (rainbow) which Noach saw when he came out of the teiva (ark). The Purple Room created their own keshes, beading (fine motor) rainbow colored pipe cleaners and painting colors with water. Huh? Painting with water creates color? Ask your clever Purple Room Artist how he/she managed to create a colorful keshes with water.

 

Song:

(TTTO: I Can Sing a Rainbow)

Red and yellow and pink and green

Purple and orange and blue

Noach saw a rainbow, a rainbow

Saw a rainbow true.

 

Discussion

What would you do if you were living in Noach’s time and you saw people taking things without permission?

Jemma: I would say, "That’s not nice. Give it back to the person and ask before you take things".

Bracha: I would call the police.

Naveed: The same thing like Bracha.

Ronan: I would say “Stop it from stealing from people”.

 

Which materials do you think Noach needed to build his teiva?

Bracha: A hammer and needles. And wood.

Naveed: Extrechion (construction) workers and tools.

Leah: A hammer and some tools and something to put on and that’s all.

Angie: He needs a roof.

 

Shabbat Shalom!

Morah Perline

 

 

 

Dear Parents,

 

The Purple Room Friends enthusiastically welcomed each other on the return to CJP after the Succos break. Now that we have finished learning all the Parshios (Torah portions) of the Torah, The Purple Room Friends got straight into the swing of things learning about the very first Parsha of the Torah – Parsha Beraishis. They learned how Hashem created the world and what He created on each day. They learned that even though Hashem didn’t need any time at all to create the world, He chose to create it in seven days (on the seventh day Hashem created rest).

 

They have been singing the ‘Creation’ Song (see this link for the tune https://youtu.be/w5qBnlKFQFs):

On Yom Rishon [Day 1] there was light
Hashem created day and night.
On Yom Sheini [Day 2] from the Torah we know
The shamayim [heaven] showed.

On Yom Sh'lishi [Day 3] the earth and seas
Flowers, grass and all fruit trees
On Yom R'vee'ee [Day 4], moon stars and sun
To bring light for everyone

And on Yom Chamishi [Day 5]
Birds that fly and fish of the sea.
On Yom Shishi [Day 6], Hashem did create
Animals, Adam and his mate.

Yom Sh'vee'ee [Day 7], Hashem's day of rest
Shabbos Kodesh, we love best.
Hashem made the world and to show it's true
The Mitzvos of Shabbos we do.

 

The Purple Room Friends created many items that Hashem created with individualized play-doh containers. They filled their World Mats with items they felt Hashem created in the beginning of the world. (See the CJP facebook page)

 

Morah: What is that you’re making for your world, Ronen?

Ronen: Balls.

Morah: On which day is that? I don’t remember Hashem making any balls on any of the six days.

Ronen: On the 22^nd day Hashem made balls.

 

The children enjoyed playing with the 7 Days of Creation puppets and the Creation sensory jars.

 

Naveed: Did Hashem make Hashem?

 

____________

 

Conversations overheard:

 

Ronen: You want to hear a joke Jemma? 

Jemma: Yeah.

Ronen: Where do pencils go on vacation?

Jemma: Where?

Ronen: Pennsylvania!

(A short while later)

Jemma: Where do pencils go on vacation?

Ronen: Pennsylvania?

Jemma: No, Calenonia.

Ronen: You tell your jokes wrong, Jemma!

 

 

(The children passed by the Purple Room bulletin board in the hallway)

Angie: Look! There’s Leah!

Naveed: She looks beautiful!

 

In Outdoor Play:

Naveed: Sonic goes like this (Naveed throws himself on the ground) and like this (he thrashes his legs).

Jemma: There’s one problem with this: there’s shooting. Can we skip that part?

 

The children worked on one of the land masses Hashem created: United States of America! They found all the 50 states and completed the 50 States puzzle.

 

The Purple Room Whizzes added some new words to the World Wall: I, me, a, and.

 

Shabbat Shalom!

 

Morah Perline

 B”H

 

Dear Parents,

 

Succos

The Purple Room Friends are constantly checking the luach (calendar) to see how many days are left till Succos. The Jewish month of Tishrei has been so packed with Jewish Holidays, the Friends have been kept in a state of excitement.

 

They enjoyed eating snack in the Succa in the playground in preparation for Succos. They were tickled pink to think one could actually sit inside a Mitzva! The Friends really felt the hug from Hashem and loved sitting together as friends.

 

When I ate in the Succa…

Jemma: I liked how it was cool and nice and how it reminded me of last year, how we used to sit there.

Bracha: It reminded me of last year when I was going to eat breakfast in the Succa with my grandpa. My parents were still asleep.

Leah:  I ate my grapes and it makes me fresh.

Ronen: That it’s really quiet in there. It’s just us. That’s what I like about it.

Naveed: I like noise. When there’s no noise it makes me bored. 

Angie: I liked thinking about trees. I liked eating in the Succa because I like eating.

 

The Purple Room Mitzvah Friends have been exploring the Mitzva of sitting in the Succa and what makes it kosher. They know from looking at the shape of the letters of the Hebrew word סכה how many walls a kosher Succa should have. (4 walls, 3 walls or 2 and a bit walls)

 

They each built their own Succa using plastic straws and joining bits which required them to use their hand muscles, great for strengthening those muscles. Then they created a class Succa and davened in it, ate in it, sat in it, …… You get the idea! They checked out if there was more shade than sun peeking through the scratch (Succa covering of cut branches) - another requirement for a kosher Succa.

 

Thank you, Rabbi Deitsch, for showing the lulav and esrog, haddasim and arovos to the Purple Room. They were so inspired they decided to create their own pretend lulav and esrog set. Rabbi Deitsch asked them which parts of the body each kind appears to represent: lulav – the spine, esrog – heart, haddasim leaves – eyes and aravos – lips. We use our whole body to daven to Hashem and do His Mitzvos. They are looking forward to the Mitzvah of shaking the Lulav and Esrog on Succos.

 

Art and Simchas Torah

Not to imagine that that’s the end of the Jewish Holidays! Oh no! We have Simchas Torah following right after Succos. The children will show you their flags that they made creating a crepe paper Torah.

 

Fine Motor

The Purple Room Friends practiced their cutting skills this week. They have been reading many stories about Succos and noticed the decorations in many of the books. They practiced cutting colored paper on the line to create a vellum mobile with which to decorate their own Succa and the CJP Succa.

 

Imaginary Play

The Purple Room Builders greatly enjoyed creating their own Succa and then building tables and chairs for their ‘pretend people’ to sit on. It was certainly the desired go-to this week. (See CJP Facebook page.)

 

Kriyah (Hebrew Literacy)

The Purple Room Friends found the letter Hey visiting their room this week. They tight roped it each day. The Hey is made from a Daled and a Yud because together they make the word yad – hand. The letter Hey also equals 5 – five fingers on the hand. We have five fingers on each hand that Hashem made for us to do the things we would need to do Mitzvos. 

 

The Purple Room Singers took home a Succos song book home and would greatly enjoy singing the songs to you.

 

Have a good Shabbos and a joyous Succos!

 

Morah Perline

 

 

 

 B”H

 

Dear Parents,

 

Yom Kippur

The Purple Room Friends are so excited for Yom Kippur! You may ask why. That’s because they are certain that Hashem will give them, and all of us, a good sweet year; the best ever! The Purple Room has been thinking of some of the many kind things they can do for another. Each child thought and thought and, together, created a Purple Room Kindness book of a good choice they can make to do a kind thing for another. 

 

The Purple Room Friends are truly trying to be kind to one another. Sometimes, by mistake, their feelings may be hurt. They read Sammy Spider’s First Yom Kippur and learned a great way to accept an apology: just by saying ‘I accept your apology’.

 

Saying ‘I’m sorry’ is not always easy but the Purple Room Friends learned the story of Yonah who was swallowed by a big fish and how he said I’m sorry to Hashem for not following Hashem’s direction to help the people of Ninveh. Yonah said he was sorry, davened to Hashem to save him, and Hashem gave him another chance. The Purple Room Friends painted a big fish in the style of Monet using tiny brush strokes in varying shades of their chosen color (which blended into one big splash of color!). Then they created a ‘Yonah’ man to go inside the fish. They enjoyed playacting the story and can use the fish they made to retell it to you.

 

Fine Motor

The Purple Room Friends know there are five things we don’t do on Yom Kippur: eat, drink, put on creams, bathe and wear leather. Each child sewed non-leather slippers which was great for fine motor. They don’t know how long the slippers will last but they are trying to save them to wear first on Yom Kippur.

 

The children know their parents may not have the opportunity to make many brachos on foods on Yom Kippur and they may not feel so well so they created a lovely Yom Kippur Lemon Besamim so their parents can smell it on Yom Kippur, feel revived, and even make a special bracha on the smell: Baruch ata Ado-nai Elo-hei-nu melech ha’olam borei minei b’samim. Pushing the cloves into the lemon was beneficial for strengthening the hand muscles.

 

Math and Literacy

The Math and Literacy table was filled with lots of Yom Kippur fun. The Math Whizzes counted the Yom Kippur items and placing a peg on the correct number. There were cards with many pictures to count, some of which were non-leather sneakers, white clothes (which some people wear on Yom Kippur), and with Machzorim (the special Siddur we use to daven from on Yom Kippur), etc. Using rocks, gems, rubies and stones, the Purple Room Math Whizzes tested out the scale to see how many of each item they would need to balance the scale. The Yom Kippur matching board required the Literacy Expert to sound out the word and then match it to the starting letter sound. 

 

Literacy

On the Word Wall this week, the Purple Room Friends added many words starting with letter sounds they recognize in connection with Yom Kippur. Here are some of them:

d is for drink, d, d, drink

l is for leather, l, l, leather

w is for white, w, w, white

f is for food, f, f, food

k is for kids, k, k, kids

s is for slippers, s, s, slippers

 

Kriyah (Hebrew Literacy)

The Purple Room Friends found the letter Daled visiting their room this week. They tightroped it each day. Daled has a hand stretched out in back of him so he can get help from the Gimmel (the letter before Daled).

 

The children know many wonderful songs for Yom Kippur, most of which they sing about Ahavas Yisrael, loving and caring for others. They have brought the song book home and would greatly enjoy singing the songs to you.

 

Have a wonderful Shabbos and an easy fast over Yom Kippur. May you be sealed for a sweet, happy new year!

 

Morah Perline

 

 

 

 B”H

 

Dear Parents,

 

Rosh Hashana

The Purple Room Friends have been working hard on their preparations for Rosh Hashana. They will be bringing home the fruits of their labor: a bejeweled crown to remember that on Rosh Hashana we crown Hashem our King, a sand art apple dish and a modge podge honey bowl – both for dipping the apples into honey for a sweet new year, and a Tashlich pond, the art reminiscent of the artist study of the month, Monet. They know that we go to Tashlich on the second day of Rosh Hashana. Purple Room Friends know that the most important Mitzvah of Rosh Hashana is to hear the blowing of the shofar. They know the three sounds blown: Tekiya (one blast), Shevarim (three blasts) and Teru’ah (nine or more blasts).

 

Jemma: “Is Rabbi going blow the Shofar in Shul or the park? Because I kind of like when he blows it in Shul because it reminds me of when we didn’t have coronavirus.”

 

Note: The apple dishes and honey dishes have been toiveled and can be used at your Rosh Hashana table. Please clean without immersing in water.

 

Fine Motor

The Purple Room Friends have been practicing their cutting skills, trying to cut on the line. Straight lines and curvy lines. They will continue to practice this. The Purple Room Friends cut lilies for the Tashlich pond and crowns. 

 

Tasting Math 

The votes are in! Which apple do you like the taste of best? The Purple Room Tasters graphed the results after tasting all three types of apples and this is what they discovered:

Red: Bracha and Ronan

Yellow: Naveed and Angie

Green: Jemma and Leah

All the apples got the same amount of votes: 2!

 

They found a similar result when they graphed the tastes of honey:

Buckwheat honey: 0

Clover honey: 2

Honeycomb honey: 2

Abstaining from tasting: 2

 

The Purple Room Tasters had fun trying to guess what they were tasting while being blindfolded. They tasted sweet and savory things and recognized all the tastes. Sugar got the most votes, even more than honey!

 

Literacy

While reading the sound letter cards this week the Purple Room discovered many starting sounds in connection with Rosh Hashana:

a is for apple, a, a, apple

r is for Rosh Hashana, r, r, Rosh Hashana

p is for pomegranate, p, p, pomegranate

f is for fish, f, f, fish

h is for honey, h, h, honey

c is for carrots, c, c, carrots

 

Kriyah (Hebrew Literacy)

The Purple Room Friends found the letter Gimmel visiting their room this week. Gimmel has a leg that is always going, going to help others.

 

Keeping the Purple Room Safe

The Safekeeping promise was introduced this week to the Purple Room Friends (see pic on the CJP Facebook page). Every morning the children chant the Safekeeper Promise to their friends:

 

When I come to school each day

To keep us safe here’s what I say:

My eyes will watch

My ears will listen

My hands are gentle 

Give gentle taps for attention

My feet will walk

My words are kind

I’ll tell my friends if there’s something I mind

When I’m sad or angry 

I’m a S.T.A.R.

The safe place isn’t very far

To be my best for you and me

And for my whole school family.

 

The Purple Room Friends discussed ways to keep it safe for our friends: using helpful words, quiet voices, walking feet, safe spaces and soft touches.

 

Wishing you and your family a Ketiva V’chatima Tova, L’shana Tova U’metuka – may you be written and sealed for a sweet new year!

 

Have a wonderful Shabbos, Yom Tov and a sweet, happy new year!

 

Morah Perline

 B”H

 

Dear Parents,

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANGIE!

Happy birthday to Angie. Angie’s birthday was celebrated with great excitement as it was the first for the Purple Room this year. The Purple Room Friends created a beautiful giant birthday card with the sweetest wishes. 

 

Rosh Hashana

The Purple Room Friends finished creating the sweetest Rosh Hashana cards for their grandparents. After exploring a beeswax honeycomb, the Purple Room Artists made a crayon rubbing to create texture for the cover of the card. Then they drew on bees themselves. They then stamped them and were mailed this week.

 

The Purple Room children are SO excited for Rosh Hashana! They are counting down the days. Every day, when the Hebrew date changes on the luach (calendar), they see how much closer it is getting to Rosh Hashana. 

 

Art

The famous work by Claude Monet (1840-1926) titled Water Lilies has been the inspiration for Art this week in the Purple Room. The children are creating their own ‘Tashlich Pond’ and will be attaching the lilies next week. On Rosh Hashana we go to Tashlich to throw our sins away. The Purple Room Wise Ones know that when we go to Tashliach on Rosh Hashana we look for a body of water that has fish in it. Next week, when they finish the ‘Tashlich Pond’ they will attach the fish, too.

 

Math

The Purple Room Math Whizzes have been doing lots of things with apples. They used the apples to measure themselves. They tasted them and made a survey as to who likes which apples more. They also used the apples to figure out how many go into a pound or two pounds or three by utilizing the weigh scale. 

 

Kriyah (Hebrew Literacy)

The Purple Room Friends found the letter Veis visiting their room this week. Veis is a very close cousin to Beis only he’s missing a ‘bell’ but he looks almost like him.

 

Feelings

Here’s a chant the Purple Room Friends have learned. You can do it at home, too.

 

Bread and butter

Blackberry jam

Say "I love you" as - (fast, slow, high, low, silly, loving) as you can! 

I love you!

 

The Purple Room Friends have been discussing feelings and are learning that being a Star is a healthy way to deal with anger. This song encourages taking three breaths to help a person calm down.

 

The STAR song

When you're feeling really angry, no matter where you are

There's a way to feel better, there's a way to be a star.

With this one thing to remember, you'll stop anger in its tracks

Just stop! take a deep breath and relax 3x

 

Respect for Friends

The Talking Circle has begun in the Purple Room. The Friends sit in a circle so they can see each other and one person holds the ‘talking stick’. When one has the ‘talking stick’ all listen with respect to what that person has to say. They are learning to wait for the ‘talking person’ to be finished before having their say.

 

Thank you, Jemma!

Thank you to Jemma for donating two books to the Purple Room. The new books have joined the library. The Purple Room Friends have so enjoyed reading the new books. 

 

Wishing you and your family a Ketiva V’chatima Tova, L’shana Tova U’metuka – may you be written and sealed for a sweet new year!

 

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

 

Morah Perline