Dear Parents, 

    We've had great week of exploring and discovering.  Here are some highlights: 

 Rosh Hashana

With Rosh Hashana around the corner, this week we introduced some concepts about the Holiday through our centers and morning circle times.   In morning circles we discussed how Rosh Hashana is the new year, a new beginning.  Just like we had a first day of school we have a first day of a new year. We ask Hashem for help to become our best self and for a sweet new year. We do this by blowing the shofar, eating sweet foods like apples dipped in honey, or sending cards to our family and friends, saying Shana Tova to wish them a sweet a new year too.  The Morahs explained the shofar comes from a Ram and when we blow the shofar we can think of a mitzvah that we can do to be a better friend and more helpful.  Rabbi T has made visits to our classroom to blow the shofar.  All of our friends giggled at the sound it makes.  They all agreed it sounds funny.   Our friends investigated the shofar in our classroom.  Some friends take turns trying so hard to blow and others feel the rough bumpy texture. 

Discovery table

We set up a discovery table with all things Rosh Hashana related such as apples, honey, shofars, and a variety of pictures.  Our friends were invited to explore the materials. The discovery table is one of the first things the children see when they come in in the morning.  Through exploring and investigating these authentic objects, our friends begin to build their own experiences with them.  Our friends also explored through sensory play this week pouring, scooping, and smelling oats and apples.

Shana Tova Cards

 We started off by painting with honey on apple shaped cardstock.  We encouraged our friends to dip their paintbrushes into honey and then use it to paint the paper. The Morahs pointed out how the paintbrush and honey stuck to the paper.  We discovered the honey was so thick and not so easy to work with but very yummy to lick! Another group project this week was apple stamping.  Our friends created apple prints while following a two step direction and using eye/hand coordination.  Moving their hand from the paint plate onto their paper requires focus and coordinating their hand movement with their eye movement.  Lastly, this activity teaches cause and effect.  Demonstrating to our friends the plain apple and what happens after dipping it into paint to create a print on their paper.  The end product will be Shana Tova cards for our family and friends.  We are learning to say Shana Tova which is wishing someone a sweet new year in Hebrew.

Outdoor Environment 

Our friends did a sink and float experience in the puddles they found with natural materials found outside we discovered that rocks sink to the bottom of the water and wood chips,stick, and leaves float on top of the water. We've enjoyed spending the morning exploring the outdoors and hope to continue to spend more time outside as the weather gets cooler.

Along with introducing Rosh Hashana our friends worked on recognizing and writing some letters of the alphabet and alef bet, as well as some math with number recognition and one to one correspondence. Next week we will continue to explore more concepts of Rosh Hashana. Thank you all for being so responsive and getting any extra materials we have requested for activities we do in the classroom.

We are looking forward to another great week of learning and growing. Wishing you a peaceful Shabbos.

Morah Felicia