Our World- Land II

What is land made of? Soil, sand, pebbles and rocks. Rocks are a part of land, they can be different in many ways. Some rocks are too big to hold it in our hands. Some of them can be as big as a mountain. Other rocks are so small, we can hold thousands of them at once, thousands of grains of sand.

 

 

Parshas Naso

For more info on the Parsha click here:
http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/bamidbar/nasso2.htm

For a nice song on the Parsha click here:
http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/573761/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

Shavuos #2

After the Jewish people accepted the Torah, our lifetime guide, the thing which connects us to Hashem, and makes the world more spiritual, Hashem said He first needed a guarantor to know the Torah will be kept and learned by the Jewish nation for all of time when times will be easy or even tough. The Jews offered Him a variety of choices of people to stand surety that the Torah will always be kept, such as Avraham, but none were acceptable to Hashem. Then, in a stroke of inspired genius, we suggested that the Jewish children could sign on as guarantors. The adults will teach children the lovely and holy Torah and how to live it, and when the time will come for them to educate their children, they will teach them the Torah just the same. This proved acceptable to Hashem and He gave us the Torah. 

On Shavuot, we go to Shul to hear the Ten Commandments given to us at Har SInai. 

      
        

Decorating the bare mountain Sinai with grass and flowers.

On Shavuos we eat a dairy meal along with a meat meal an hour later. There are many reasons for eating dairy on this Yom Tov. One of them is that when Hashem gave us the Torah on Shabbos, we were told to keep kosher, but we werent yet told the exact details of how to keep kosher nor how to slaughter animals in a kosher way. We also werent able to kosher our dishes weve been eating on all the past while. In order to make things simpler since we wanted to make sure we were keeping the laws properly, we ate dairy.

Pre-K made cheesecake in honor of Shavuos. :) YUM!

Shavuos

Hashem created the world along with a special gift called the Torah with the plan to give the Torah to a nation who would receive it happily. Angels were sent by Hashem and travelled from nation to nation asking all the people if they would like a special gift from Hashem called the Torah, to cherish and treasure. When they asked what was written inside and what it would entail in order to keep it holy, each nation quickly passed the angels along to another nation who may want to keep the Torah. The angels went from nation to nation offering the Torah but no one was interested.

Finally, the angles came to the desert where they found the Jewish Nation traveling. The angels offered the Torah to them from Hashem. Without hesitation and with great excitement, the Jewish people answered all together "Naaseh V'Nishma": "We will first do/accept, then we will hear what the Torah is all about and what it says inside." They were certain that if they were being offered something from Hashem who took them out of Mitzrayim and did so many good things for them, then no doubt it must be something good and special.

        

No sooner had the Jewish Nation declared that they wanted the Torah to keep holy, then angels came down from heaven and put two crowns with the words Naaseh V'Nishma on each of the Jewish people's heads.

Hashem then looked for a mountain in the desert on which to give the Torah and finally found a nice humble mountain in the midst of all the other ones who were being boastful of how pretty, tall, or wide they were and how Hashem would surely give the Torah on them because of their greatness. Yet, from all the mountains Hashem chose Sinai because that mountain didn't hold himself high and was kind. 

Har Sinai didn't have anything glorious or pretty about it, aside for being humble. 

Pre K sitting in the desert.

Hashem understood that a mountain on which the Torah would be given, must be dressed up. All of the sudden, Har Sinai felt a little tickle on his left side, and noticed that grass grew out from there, then it felt another tickle and saw grass growing from his right side, then it got another tickle from the top, bottom and all around and saw grass grew all over it. Then, pop, pop, pop... To Har Sinai's amazement beautiful flowers began growing out from everywhere in preparation for the giving of the Torah!

Hashem now told the B'Nei Yisroel to get ready for this special event! Moshe gathered the Jews around the mountain and then began to climb up. Hashem made the whole world quiet even the animals did not make any noise. Suddenly clouds came down on Har Sinai and there was thunder and lightening. The sound of the Shofar was heard and suddenly Hashem's voice came booming out saying “Ani Hashem Elokecha”. Everyone stood still. Even the animals didn't make a sound, and the trees didn't sway. All sick people were healed. Everyone waited excitedly. Then they heard Hashem saying the first 2 of the 10 Commandments.

When the Jews heard Hashem’s voice they all fainted and Hashem had to bring them all to life again! Moshe said the other 8 of them forty days later.

Eli holding the luchos on Har Sinai

Our bulletin board decorated in anticipation for Shavuos with all the friends standing around the mountain infront of the gate as not to touch the holy mountain just as we were commanded back in the desert.

Song:

I am a mountain so very high,

I can reach way up to the sky,

The Torah should be given on me,

because I am as tall as can be, you see!

Oh no! I am much greater than you!

There are so many things I can do,

The Torah should be given on me,

Because I am as great as can be, you see!

But little Har Sinai just stood there and sighed,

I know I’m not tall, I know I’m not wide.

The Torah won’t be given on me,

Because I am as small as can be, you see!

Of all of the mountains, Hashem chose Sinai,

Because he did not hold himself high,

He had such simple and humble ways

And from this we learn that humility pays!

Letter Shin

This week Sammy delivered the letter Shin to Pre-K. Shin has a big line across on the bottom, three lines coming down and one dot on the right.

Hint #1  to remember the dot goes on the right for Shin: When we say Shma in davening we use our right hand. Shma begins with Shin. 

Hint # 2: to remember that dot goes on right for Shin we learned a song. For this song you and your friend will need your right hand free.When we shake someone hands we use our right hand. We learned a song that goes like this:

Give him your right hand, 

Look him in the eye, 

Put a smile on your face,

And then you say SHALOM!

Shabbos begins with Shin

Shokolad- Chocholate begiins with the Letter Shin

Parshas Bamidbar

We started reading and learning from the fourth book in the Torah. The first Parsha which was this past week is called Bamidbar.

For more info on the Parsha click here:

http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/bamidbar/bamidba2.htm

For a nice song on the Parsha click here:

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/573760/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

Our World- Land

On third day, Hashem created LAND AND PLANTS. We keep in mind that the world is created for people. We need land to live on that is why Hashem pushed land above the water.  Huge land surrounded by water is called continent.

There are five continents that we made song about:

North America, South America,

Asia and Europe,

Africa, Antarctica, and

Australia.

Friends shared ideas what is land for? Friends agreed that we live on land, walk, run, jump, hop, ride cars and bicycles, build houses, bridges, parks and Zoos. We use land to PLANT!

Dear Friends, come to see Pre-K own garden. You will find there growing radishes, sweet peas, sunflowers and flowers. Next week, friends will learn more about plants and plant their own green beans and learn about plant life cycle.

Keep calm! You are the best mom!

Whole week, Pre-K Friends secretly were preparing for a very special day - Happy Mother's Day!

Pre-K friends agreed that we absolutely need to celebrate our moms because "they cook our favorite food, buy toys, give candies, make things, take to different places but most important is that they take care of us and they love us very much!"

Friends decided to dedicate Mother's Day to Health Month and that is why they were excited to invite moms to do yoga together. Friends prepared room decorations and practiced yoga routine.

                                                             Finally the day came!

                                Oh..., MOMS! WE MADE YOU SMILE! YOU MADE US FLY!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY:) 

Our World- Water

On second day, Hashem separated WATER- he made oceans, seas and pushed some water up making sky with clouds. Water is one of important things on the Earth. A person can't live without water for more than 4 days.

 

 Friends learn that water is liquid. It doesn't have shape or color. When you pour water it always goes down.

Friends took the Rain Walk.

We learned that water likes to stick to everything and make it wet.

We observed two steps of water cycle: condensation in forms of clouds and

precipitation in form of rain:) How could we stay dry during the Rain Walk?   

 

Thank you to our Parents, who cared to buy water proof clothes for us:

rain boots, rain coats, and UMBRELLAS.

Playing with water during sunny day, friends noticed something colorful-

RAINBOW!  Friends learned that when sun rays

strike rain/water drops a rainbow appears.

 

For Jewish people, a rainbow is reminder of Hashem's

promise do not flood the whole world. It is a reminder to do

tshuva and do more good deeds.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lag Ba'Omer Parade

Here we are decorating our banners we will use for Mazal Day School's Grand Parade.

We each wrote our idea of how we care about another person. Then we drew a picture of it  and decorated the frame of the heart.

All of Mazal Day School students gathered Monday morning in the Shul for a Post Lag Ba'Omer celebration by watching a clip on how the day is celebrated in Israel, marching with all our friends around the Shul, and ending off the event with amazing races.

Fifth grade girls made a sign showing how everyone in MDS is connected and one unit. Here is the perfect example of what this special day is all about. :) To be kind to one another and show we care makes a unit as we are.

Pre-K marching proudly with their banners. :)

Sammy and Benny in the race.

 "Yes, we can do it!" :)

Letter Raish

This week we learned Letter Raish. Raish has a big line on top, and a big line coming down on the side.

Raish looks like a rakeves train tracks

We pretended we were going on a trip to another country riding on a rakeves. In order to enter that country, every friend needed a proper passport. How were they able to get a passport? While they were listening to the details of the trip, they needed to write down Hebrew letters for various Hebrew words they heard that was being used to describe the trip. Yep. Each friends passport was valid for entry. :)

We decorated our Raish page in our Alef Beis Workbook by painting the bottom of our regel- foot and stamping it into our books. It was fun and it tickled to have a paint brush stroke the soles of our feet.

Parshas Behar Bechukosai

Click link below for more Parsha info:
Behar:http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/vayikra/behar2.htm

Bechukosai: http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/vayikra/bechuko2.htm

Click below for a nice Parsha song:
Behar:http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/
aid/573755/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

Bechukosai:http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/
aid/573757/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

My Comfort Teddy Bear

Each friend received a teddy bear from Ohel's Project Hope that they got to color and name. The bear's intention is to be there for your child when they feel he/she need to cuddle and feel safe. He/she can also use it if he/she feels the need to share their feelings with by speaking to it.
No worries. The bear will never substitute for Mamma's and Pappa's real live love. It is just meant to be there as a comfort outlet when he/she need alone time.

Sefiras HaOmer

Making the Sefiras Ha'Omer Count Down Chart from Pesach until Shavuos.

49 days in all.

Lag Ba'Omer

Many years ago, there lived a young boy who wasn't able to go to school and learning was very difficult for him. However, as he was kind and cared about people, he cared about animals just the same. He became a shepherd taking care of sheep and making sure they were well fed and got enough rest and exercise. 

When he got old enough he got married to a smart woman called Rochel. His wise wife Rochel gave him good advice: "Akiva, it's never too late to start learning Torah. If you try hard, you will be able to learn Torah and understand everything you've studied. 

Akiva took Rochel's advice and went to yeshiva with little children just beginning to learn the Alef Bais. He worked hard to learn the Hebrew letters, how to read them and daven, and then to learn Torah. He stayed in yeshiva for 12 years, feeling that he was "unlocking his brain" while finally becoming a great Rabbi. 

Akiva missed his wife dearly and after 12 years decided it was time to go home. When he arrived, he didn't get to go inside his house when he overheard his wife telling a neighbor that she missed Akiva so much but would be happy if he would stay in yeshiva for another 12 years. That was exactly what Akiva did: he turned around and went back to yeshiva for another 12 years. All his students were happy to see Akiva. Because he was very special, kind and smart, Akiva became the Rabbi of 24,000 students. Awesome! :)

Actually, each of Rabbi Akiva's students were also rabbis, and each student really cared about all the other students. However, there was a very serious issue circulating. They cared so much about each other that it was difficult for each student to let another person have his own idea and opinion on different questions in the Torah because everyone thought only his way was correct. This created a situation where the students began to not get along, even though, in reality, all their opinions were correct. Hashem saw that these holy people couldn't leave room or respect for someone else to have an opinion of their own and made them get sick. 

We celebrate Lag B'Omer as the day the students stopped getting sick. Sefirah and Lag Ba'Omer are the times during which we work on ourselves to be kind and care about other people and their feelings even if we don't agree with them.

~In our classroom, we began a "Caring Mitzva Note Chart" at this appropriate time around Lag Ba'Omer. How it works is when we see friends noticing another and doing kind acts such as, complementing, helping a person in need..., we write it down on a special pink or red paper which we interlink on a chain that we tape onto a big paper heart after reading them out loud. 
Us as people are connected. Doing kind things for people shows we care about them. Interlinking the kind deeds done shows how it connects us and makes us a strong unit.

Parshas Emor

For more info on the Parsha click link below:

http://www.torahtots.com/parsha/vayikra/emor2.htm

For a nice song on the Parsha click link below:

http://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/573753/jewish/Parshah-Song.htm

Letter Koof

This week our Mail Carrier was our dear friend Leora. She delivered the Koof to us from the outside. Koof has one big line on top, one big line coming down, one extra big line coming down on the other side not being attached to the top. Remember to make that second line extra big so one can see the difference between Hay and Koof.

Koof looks like a kangaroo, a head and body on top, short hands on one side, and long feet on the other.

Leora our Mail Carrier

Kangaroo is a Hebrew word as well which begins with letter Koof.

Writing letter Koof with Cafeh- coffee which begins with letter Koof

Topping of letter Koof week with a light Coffee drink for breakfast.

Our World - Light III

Outside play led friends to an accidental discovery of a "sunny bunny" - sunbeam. How it is happened? Friends discovered that  a mirror caught a glance of sun ray and bounced it off - reflected on the ground, on the walls and on friends themselves:) Same  thing happens with everything that we see around us. Because light bounce off the things, we and things around us can be seen. Friends agreed that we can't see a thing in dark because there is no light.
Friends had great time catching "sunny bunny".

Mazel Tov!

Mazel Tov to our dear friend Sam who turned last week 5 years old!

Friends and Morahs wish Sam to be healthy, to have cakes and racing cars, to marry Jewish girl, to learn Torah and be a good Jewish boy.

Dear Sam's mom and dad, Dov and grandparents, may you have only simcha from Sam.

Friends expressed their thanks for party bags in honor of Sam's Birthday.

Letter Tzaddik Sofis

This week we learned Tzaddik Sofis. It has one extra big slanted line coming down and one little slanted line up from the big line. Tzaddik Sofis can only come at the end of a word, such as, aytz- tree.

Hint to remember form of the letter: There were super strong winds outside, the tree was shaking, the strong winds caused the tree to bend, and all but one branch survived.