Gan Class Update 10-4-15

Hello Gan Class Families!

I cannot believe its already October and it was cool enough to be wearing jackets in the sukkah!Today's breakfast cereal was Cheerios Ancient Grains.  After learning what ancient meant, students hypothesized that we were making a connection to Sukkot being a really old holiday or Jews having been around a long time. I love seeing what the Gan class students come up with when asked why we are eating a certain cereal...its always so creative and thought provoking!

We were so busy today!  We learned two new letters, took a field trip around the building to experience the Beit K'nesset, ate our snack in the sukkah and enjoyed our very first Torah Story.

Our most exciting moment of the day took place in the sukkah during tefilah.  We joined the congregational minyan to shake the lulav and beat the willows.  I realize that it sounds silly to think that we beat the willows for fun but it was truly a great experience.  Today is the last day that we use the lulav and the willow branch at this time has tried out.  We took the branch and whacked it against the ground until all the leaves came off.  As a school we listened to the sound it made which was similar to the sound of rain.

The letters of the day were tav and caf.  Tav makes the sound t- and starts the word torah.  This vocabulary word comes just a day before we celebrate reading the end of the Torah during our Simchat Torah celebrations which will take place tomorrow evening.  As a special treat we went to the chapel and opened up a torah to see what it looked like inside. Caf makes the sound k- and begins the word kippah.  Kaf also begins the work kelev which means dog.

To truly understand the meaning of a Beit K'nesset as more than just the building we are in, we explored some of the spaces in our building that the Gan class students may not have been as familiar with.  Students classified spaces as spaces for learning, spaces for praying and spaces for celebration.  The class particularly enjoyed walking through the kitchen and noticing that there are two sinks in there.  Also, Robin was kind enough to give us a private tour of her office.  Some students were admiring her artwork, others enjoyed sitting in the comfy chairs.  Students complimented Robin on her Hebrew calendar and as a gift she sent each student home with one of their very own!  Below is Robin showing us where the Star of David was in a piece of artwork in her office.

On our way back in the building after eating snack in the sukkah, we encountered Shimon Blacker, a congregant who was making a chain with pieces of the palm from a lulav.  He helped us count(in Hebrew) how many links he had already made....ten in all, and showed us how to make the loops as well.

Today we read our very first Torah story.  This week we read about how G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.Students guessed that maybe that is why we are not supposed to work on Shabbat, because G-d didn't when he made the world.  We will read several Torah stories throughout the year and will revisit all of our previous stories each time.   

There is no class next week as it is Columbus Day weekend.  I hope you enjoy the time with family and friends and look forward to seeing you on October 18th as we work together as a learning community to build the city of Jerusalem!  Just a friendly reminder - all Kindergarten students must be accompanied by an adult. In addition, everyone should wear socks.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about the Gan Class.

Michelle