Shabbos Dinner Prep

Candle holders

This week in the Blue room our friends enjoyed making candle sticks holders out of clay, tile, and beads for Shabbat.  Working with clay is a classroom favorite, enjoyed by all.  First our friends pinched and shaped their clay. we small wooden bowls and scoopers to help manipulate the clay into a dish shape. Then our friends carefully placed tiles and beads to creatively decorate their dishes.

Grapes

In our sensory table this week were grapes inside along with tweezers, spoons, and bowls. Our friends discovered how to use the tweezers to pick the grapes of the vine. We talked about how wine and  juice comes from grapes.  If you squeeze and smooshed grapes they turn into liquid!  Our friends used their hands to make their own grape juice.

Kiddish cup

Lastly our friends decorated their very own kiddish cups to take home. Using glue we modge podged tissue paper to the outside of a wine glass. During this project we talked about how Abbas make a special blessing to make kiddish and Immas light candles.

Our friends worked hard this Shabbos unit.  In their box going home their will be a challah cover, candle holders, and a kiddish cup. Our intention is that these items can be used in your many of your future Shabbos dinners.  Next week we will introduce an All About Me unit. If any families have pictures of the exterior of their homes it would be appreciated if you could send them to school Monday or email to feliciamolinar@gmail.com for an activity we will be doing. Thanks for everything Shabbat Shalom.

Shabbat Box

Shabbat box

This week in the blue room we had fun making Shabbos boxes. Our Shabbos boxes are special boxes that will hold all of our special things we need for Shabbat. Like our Challah covers, candle holders, and our very own kiddush cup.  First, our friends chose the color paints they wanted to use and painted their box. Then after the boxes were dry, we used stickers to personalize them even more.

Kugel kraze

To prepare for our school's Shabbat store our class made cranberry kugel. Cranberry Kugel is a sweet treat made from flour, brown sugar, oats, and cranberries.  To make this dessert we followed the recipe Morah Masha gave us. We started by pouring all of our ingredients into mixing bowl. Our friends took turns pouring everything in. Then once all of the ingredients were in we took turns mixing everything together.  It took a lot of muscle strength and coordination to hold the bowl and stir at the same time.  When our ingredients were mixed we scooped the filling into pans and pressed it down to form to the bottom of the pan and it was ready to bake!  Our friends enjoyed getting a bit messy and contributing to our community.

Our friends also enjoyed music and movement class with Mr. Sam.  Mr. Sam brings his African drum and other props to engage our friends in fun learning while dancing.

Next week we'll start our very own kiddush cups and candle holders to add to our box and also answer questions like who makes kiddush on Shabbos?

What is kiddush? What's the brachas for kiddish?

Thanks for another great week.
Morah Felicia and Morah Sydney

Shabbos Preparations!

Tie dye

This week in our classroom we made our very own challah covers we can use for Shabbat dinners.  Our friends used different techniques to tie dye paint covers for our challah.  Some friends squirted their paint directly on their cover while others chose to squirt paint on the  tray and then wiped up the color afterward. They watched in amazement as the cloth went from white to the vibrant colors they chose.

Silver polish

It's time for Shabbat. Get the silver out.  Our friends also shined silver using baking soda and vinegar this week.    Using practical life skills the children coated pieces of silver with baking soda and vinegar and used a cloth to scrub the tarnish off until the piece shined.

 We welcomed Yosef back to class and  celebrated Yeshaya's 3rd birthday with a little a class celebration.  Shabbat shalom.

Back to School!

Manipulatives 

This week in class our friends discovered some new work on our manipulative shelf.  Peg boards, lacing beads, and shapes puzzles.  Shaya and Mason showed the most  interest in the peg boards that were set out.  They were challenged to carefully hold a peg in a spot with one hand and use a hammer with the other to tap the peg in it's place.  Talya enjoyed lacing large wooden beads to create various color patterns. As our friends play with these materials they're learning how to compare size, shape, and color, refining motor skills.

Collaborative block play

Mason, Shaya, and Avery were invited to play in the block center.  They all worked together experimenting with weight, balance, and geometric placement to construct a track they used for their vehicles that they conveniently turned into trains. Satisfied with what they built they chugged along the track.

  Next week we'll be starting our Shabbos unit in the class and starting music and movement again.  

Shabbat shalom,

Morah Felicia and Morah Sydney