Education – 3rd Grade (Wilgus)

12/15: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today was Yom Chanukah! It was great to see so many of our learners in ‘Chanukah swag’
  2. We began in our assigned classrooms where each grade divided into teams and came up with their own team names based on chanukah themes.
  3. Then we gathered for an all school t’fillah led by Morah Alexa, Rabbi Bellows, and Rabbi Prass. We talked about Chanukah and how the prayers connected to our upcoming festival of Chanukah. Rabbi Bellows shared how Chanukah means dedication and that we need to give thought to rededicating ourselves to many of today’s challenges and not giving up on them.
  4. Then we divided up by grade and the teams we created for 4 stations of “13 Minute to Win It activities”.  We will share out some of their work in the days to come. The stations were:
    • Chanukah is about HEROES with Moreh David.  We looked at the Chanukah story and thought about the heroes in the Chanukah story, Israeli heroes, our own heroes, and ways that we can be heroes.
    • Chanukah is about LIGHTS with Morah Wilgus.  We talked about the Chanukah rituals, where we have lights in Chanukah, What we can do to create light.
    • Chanukah has Dreidels with Morah Rachel & Mr & Mrs. Popper. Our congregants brought in some of their 250 dreidel collection to share.
    • Chanukah Write-Pass-Write with Morah Kaufman. We retold the Chanukah story in creative contemporary formats.
  5. We then gathered back together for an all school shira led by Morah Alexa where we sang Chanukah songs.
  6. As we left Rabbi Bellows and Rabbi Prass handed out Chanukah Gelt and dreidels.

Homework to be completed by next class:

N/A

12/8: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today we welcomed a new student and started with tefilot with Rabbi Prass and Morah Alexa.
  2. We then reviewed last week’s parshat about the Tower of Babel and drew our pictures and worked in our Game Book.
  3. We joined Kindergarten – 2nd grade led by Morah Alexa, for shirah and sang some very fun songs and learned new ones for Chanukah.
  4. We then worked on our 10 Commandment songs and played hodgy podgy to end the day.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish any pages in your game book you did not complete in class.
  2. Remember to work on your song at least 10 minutes a day. A link to the song can be found here: https://youtu.be/E_yZb95d3gU?si=9kZyCycyxT4Gu2Yx

11/24: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today we started with Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa in tefillah and spoke about gratitude and thankfulness.
  2. We then returned to class and saw how high we could build a tower together using blocks, then discussed the ease or difficulty students had – did it work out the way they wanted, did they work well together, how did they communicate, what was their outcome, what might they have done differently. We then used that as an introduction to the Tower of Babel from the Torah. We discussed how the bricks of the tower became more important than the people building the tower and how people became so obsessed with building higher and higher, that they started to believe they could challenge God. God finally had enough and ‘babbled’ the languages of the people so they couldn’t understand each other and would stop causing trouble.
  3. We talked about not letting things become more important than the people around us – how love and friendship is more important than the next shiny thing, and how important it is to stop and appreciate the beauty and creation around us.
  4. We then joined the K – 2nd Grade class for Shirah with Morah Alexa and sang some fun songs.
  5. We went back to class and worked on our 10 Commandments song, which students are learning so well!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Complete the exercises in A Child’s Bible for the chapter “A Tower to the Sky”. Work at least 10 minutes a day on your song.
  2. Continue to look for opportunities to help around the house without being asked, especially during the holiday, as well as for opportunities to appreciate the world around you.

11/17: Today in class we worked on:

  1. K – 3rd grade joined Rabbi Prass & Morah Alexa for t’fillah. Rabbi Prass talked about the Jewish concept of Hakatoret Ha-Tov or gratitude/recognizing the good as we draw closer to the US Holiday of Thanksgiving.  We also talked about our Jewish prayers in our t’fillah, and how they teach us to recognize the good by offering praise.
  2. Then we reviewed last week’s parsha of Noah’s Ark and students illustrated it for their Torah scrolls.
  3. We enjoyed Shira with the 3rd grade class. They learned new songs and had fun with their favorites led by Morah Alexa.
  4. Then we returned to class to work on our 10 Commandments song.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish any exercises in your game book you did not complete in class for chapter 4.
  2. Practice your 10 Commandments song at least 10 minutes a day. The song can be found here: https://youtu.be/kq4h3Opy-Xc?si=R5Kb3aC-5nbKwh6w
  3. Continue to look for opportunities around the house to help out without being asked.

11/10: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today we learned a lot!
  2. Gan – 3rd grade had tefilot with Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa.
  3. Then we continued to learn our Torah by learning about Noah. We learned that God was frustrated because most people had become mean and thoughtless, even though they were made in God’s image, so God decided to destroy everything with a great flood. Noah was a person who we are told ‘walked with God’, following God’s ways. God told Noah to build an ark – a big boat – that would hold 2 of every land animal because a big flood was coming. Noah did so and his family gathered the animals. God sealed them in and it rained for 40 days and nights. When Noah sent the dove out to find land, it finally came back with an olive branch, showing land was again available. Noah and his family and all the animals left the ark and God gave them new laws to follow and promised to never again destroy the whole earth with a flood. To remember this, God gave us the rainbow as a symbol of this promise.
  4. Gan – 3rd Grade went to shirah with Morah Alexa and sang some wonderful songs.
  5. We then got the first songsheets for our 10 Commandment song and learned the first verse and chorus.
  6. We then played hodgy podgy to wrap up the day!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Practice your song at least 5 minutes every day. The song can be found at this link: https://youtu.be/kq4h3Opy-Xc?si=wtU55sWOG7e-dbgW  Be sure to turn on the subtitles and set the speed to .75 to make it easier to sing!

11/3: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today we continued our Torah lessons by reviewing the parshat of Cain and Abel and the illustrating the story. After students illustrated the story, they worked in their Gamebooks for the chapter.
  2. K – 3rd Grade joined Rabbi Bellows and Morah Ari for Tefilah.
  3. We then began to learn our song about the 10 Commandments that students will perform in January.
  4. K – 3rd grade joined Morah Ari for shirah with lots of songs.
  5. We finished up the day by playing hodgy podgy to review what we had done.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Complete any exercises in your Gamebook that you did not complete in class.
  2. Look for at least 3 opportunities this week to help out at home without being asked.
  3. Bring a small stuffed animal for next week’s class.
  4. Practice our song by going to this link on YouTube: https://youtu.be/E_yZb95d3gU?si=q2zf_kGienjs9PcC

10/27: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today was a busy class!
  2. We had tefilot with Rabbi Bellows and Morah Ari, and K – 2nd grade.
  3. Back in class we learned the next parshat in our Torah about Cain and Abel. We talked about siblings, and our relationships, why Cain was jealous, and how keeping feelings buried can lead to anger and unanticipated actions.
  4. K – 3rd grade joined Morah Ari for shirah and sang some fun songs.
  5. Then we talked about how we are created in God’s image – b’tzelem elohim, and what that means. We talked about ways we can act in God’s image at home by helping before being asked and not fighting with our siblings (or at least doing so less).
  6. We then played hodgy podgy to review what we had learned.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Find at least 3 opportunities to help out at home without being asked this week.

10/20: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today was a special day where all of K – 6th grade met at CBA instead of JCYS so we could spend time in the Sukkah.
  2. We began our session in the sanctuary.  We look around this room and talked about what makes a room “chol” Hebrew for secular, and what makes our sanctuary “kodesh”, Hebrew for holy.  The students shared answers like the Torah scrolls, Israeli flag, Jewish stars, and one 6th grader said the community. We then made Havdalah together, having some of our 6th graders hold the 3 symbols.
  3. From here the entire school broke into 4 stations/rotations focusing on Sukkot.  They were:
    • Sukkot Charades: Reviewing Sukkot topics by playing charades
    • Sukkot STEM: Learning about Sukkot through the lense of STEM questions
    • Sukkot Visits: We went out to the Sukkah with Rabbi Bellows, shook the Lulav/Etrog and talked about what middot (Character traits) we need to invite into the sukkah this year.
    • Paper chains with a 2023 twist:  We made paper chain decorations by writing the name of a hostage being held in Gaza on each piece of paper.
  4. The entire school gathered back in the sanctuary for Shira led by Morah Alexa.  There was a lot of Ruach (spirit!)
  5. Then Michael Greenwald, an associate Camp Director from OSRUI, came and we enjoyed a presentation from him on the amazing opportunities for fun, learning, and Jewish community from Reform Judaism Summer camp in Wisconsin.  The camp website is: OSRUI.  The Reform movement runs the following speciality camps:  6 Points Creative Arts Camp, 6 Points Sci Tech Camp, 6 Points Sports Academy,
  6. Lihitaot (good-bye)! See you next week back at JCYS!

Homework to be completed by next class:

N/A

10/6: Today in class we worked on:

  1. What a great day!
  2. We started off seeing how everyone was feeling this morning and learning the Hebrew words for that – several were sleepy!
  3. Gan – 3rd grade joined Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa for tefilah and talked about Yom Kippur, which comes up next Friday and Saturday.
  4. We then reviewed last week’s lesson about the Garden of Eden, and the choice of Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We then talked about what we would draw and spent some time illustrating the parshat.
  5. Gan – 3rd grade joined Morah Alexa for shirah, reviewing a Yom Kippur song we learned last week and a brand new song with hand motions.
  6. We returned to class and spoke more about Yom Kippur, using our Partners with God book. We talked about feeling sorry for actions or words we have made during the year, and how Yom Kippur offers us a chance to review our behavior and to apologize to any we have hurt. We also talked about how hard it can be to say “I am sorry” as well as how difficult it can be to forgive someone we are angry with. We talked about the idea of t’shuvah – repentance or actually ‘turning’ – which means not only realizing actions we may not be happy about, but working to change that behavior.
  7. We finished up by playing hodgy podgy to review the day.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish Chapter 2 in your a Child’s Bible gamebook (and any other pages in Chapter 1 that have not been completed).
  2. Continue to look for moments that remind you that God is all around us and try to apologize to anyone you may have upset in the past year.

9/29: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today was a busy day. We selected our tzedakah project for the year – American Friends of Sheba Medical Center – which helps Israeli soldiers who are injured
  2. K – 3rd grade went to tefillah with Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa.
  3. We also started our second chapter of the Torah, about the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then we learned about how God is around us if we take the time to allow God to be there. We talked about how we let God into our lives when we are kind, polite, and thoughtful to others.
  4. K – 3rd grade went to shira with Morah Alexa.  There we heard Rabbi Prass and Milo, one of the students!
  5. We ended by playing a game of hodgy podgy to review what we had learned.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Have a great Rosh Hashannah! Remember to be kind at home and work to do chores before asked to help spread God’s peace in our homes.

9/22: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today we began with identifying how we were feeling in the morning. We learn the Hebrew words for how we are feeling and how to say “I am…” This gives students a moment to reflect and get ready to learn. They are starting to get eager to see the sheet with a variety of emotions in Hebrew and pick their feeling, then say it in Hebrew. Ayef/a is very popular.
  2. Then K – 3rd grade went to tefilah with Rabbi Bellows and Morah Alexa.
  3. The students all worked together to complete a scavenger hunt to get to know our physical Sunday learning spaces, our wonderful Sunday staff, and how their work makes us feel.  We will be sharing the answers out next week once all the classes have completed it. Ask your student about it!
  4. We went back to class and started working on our illustrations for the first parshat of the Torah – Creation. We identified what was created on each day and drew it. When we finished, we worked in our blue Game Book.
  5. We joined Morah Alexa for shira and learned new songs and about the shofar.  Rabbi Prass sounded the shofar in celebration of Elul.
  6. We then played hodgy podgy to review our day and get ready to go home.
  7. Great day!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish any exercises in your Gamebook that were not completed in class.
  2. Continue to look for moments or images during the day that remind you of God and creation.

9/15: Today in class we worked on:

  1. What a great day!
  2. We started by talking about how we were feeling and learning Hebrew words for emotions – we will be doing this all year.
  3. We started learning our first chapter in the Torah about how the universe was created and did some exercises in our Child’s Bible Book.
  4. We also began our Partners with God book, discussing how we can’t see God, but there are many things we can’t see that we know are there. Some of the things we can’t see but know are there students listed included: air, wind, and love!
  5. Gan –  6th grade joined in our first Sunday t’fillah of the school year led by Morah Alexa and Rabbi Prass.  We talked about where we “find inspiration for our own words” and how silence helps us find other inspiration.  Rabbi Prass shared two rabbinic stories, and a Ringo Starr story about this.  
  6. We joined Morah Alexa, and Gan – 2nd grade for a fun shirah session where we sang some of our favorite songs.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish the exercises in Chapter 1 of your Child’s Bible text book. Review the story with your parents.

9/8: Today in class we worked on:

  1. Today was a great opening class!
  2. We enjoyed an Opening Ceremony, with all the grades together, Morim & Madrichim, Rabbi Bellows, and Rabbi Prass. We reenacted Mt Sinai by each kitah (class) sitting in the large circle to pretend we were encircling Mt Sinai.  Then we chose 2 people from each class to go closer to the middle of Mt Sinai to do some running for a scavenger hunt.  Morah Alexa led us as we sang blessings and we ended with a streamer/confetti burst to kick off our Torah learning party of a year!  It was great to have so many parents join us.  Pictures of the kickoff can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=BethAmBuffaloGrove&set=a.906074391552343
  3. We went to class and discussed what we will be learning this year and agreed to some basic class rules.
  4. We read the first chapter of our Bible book for the year and discussed how Torah means ‘teaching’ and we will be learning all kinds of things that relate to our lives today.
  5. We discussed how so many things in our lives can be described in cycles, or circles, and how God encompasses all.
  6. K – 3rd grade joined Morah Alexa for Shira and learned some new songs.
  7. We took a big nest of the confetti from out opening one of our students gathered and pulled out strings of it to name off things in the world we could think of and look at how it was all connected.
  8. We played a game of hodgy podgy to review what we had learned and discussed today.
  9. On the way out, each of us were offered a popsicle both to hold onto summer weather, and to begin our Torah learning with some sweetness.
  10. Thanks for a great opening day!

Homework to be completed by next class:

N/A