What Do I Look Like?!

This past week the Etzim kids have been working on creating self-portirts. During circle time on Tuesday I brought in a mirror and we passed it around and looked at our faces.  We noticed that we have eye brows and ears, eye lashes too! During circle I also introduced using Sharpies. We discussed how sharpies are special pens that are used only for paper and that we must be careful with them. After circle time watch child went to their seats and created their first self-portrait. It was neat to watch them look back and forth from the mirror to their paper. They were so focused! Already we have done a second draft of portraits. I am so excited to watch their observation skills evolve!

Reflecting on a Busy Year

As crazy as it sounds, our year is quickly coming to a close. The Haifa children spent part of the morning reviewing and reminiscing about the year with Sauci. They spent time talking about things we have studied, songs we have sung, art projects we have crafted, and their favorite places to play. Spending time with each child to have an individual reflection is really great because you get to hear the child's own words, as opposed to a friend's, and you get to see what has stuck with them!
These "interviews" will come back before the end of the year!

-Alison and Sauci

Appreciating a Beautiful Day

Towards the end of ourside play today, while everyone was running and playing around the yard, Julia took a moment to enjoy the beautiful fall weather.  When another friend invited her to play she very contentedly replied "I just want to stand in the sun."   

 

Drawing Self-Portraits

Today the Tel Aviv class started focusing on creating self-portraits. During circle we read the book, Harold and the Purple Crayon and talked about how we draw ourselves. We looked at mirrors and talked about what we saw. We talked about how mirrors reflect our faces so we can see what we look like. We stove to create detailed drawings that include features such as ears, eyebrows, teeth etc. Each child focused so much while working on their portrait and used the mirror to make sure that they were capturing details of their face.  I am excited to continue this exploration and see the marvelous drawings the Tel Aviv class creates!

The Kohavim class participate in Tashlich

Who said you need to go to a body of water to participate in Tashlich? We created our own "stream" near the shed out back by digging as much as we could and then pouring water into the trough that we made. Each child had a digging tool, a cup to continually refill with water, and breadcrumbs. Before our ceremony, we read the children a book which described the meaning of the traditional Rosh Hashanah ritual. We then asked them if there were any behaviors of theirs that they would like to change during the New Year. It was a hard concept for them to grasp at first, and most of their responses were about transgressions of other people towards them. That however was a start. With some modeling and examples, the children began to think about their own behavior towards others. Each child then poured some water in the ditch, threw in some breadcrumbs, and said what behavior he/she would like to change this year. The throwing away of the breadcrumbs represented the discarding of unwanted behaviors. A number of the children's responses centered around their behavior towards their siblings. As parents you will hopefully be seeing much kinder and well intended acts from the Kohavim children towards their brothers and sisters over the coming year! Please stop by the class to see a posting of some of the behaviors each child wanted to change. Photographs for this blog will also be forthcoming.

Unicorn Art Gallery

Friends took a moment from their busy schedule and mail deliveries to visit the Art Gallery we created from their work.

When we display their art with care, it shows them we respect their work and their thought process in creating the structure; the selection of colors, the placement of the shapes, is indeed an art masterpiece.

Zack, Rachel, Lily K., Rylan, and Max are admiring their work as we should.