Category: Jewish Studies

Posted in French Studies, General Studies, Jewish Studies

Happy Chanukah from the K team!

Posted on by Andréa Black

It’s hard to believe that we are already at the winter break!!  How did that happen?!?

Speaking of winter, the weather is getting colder and we thought we should clarify our Outdoor Play plan for the winter months.  If it is colder than -20 (with or without the windchill), we will not be playing outdoors.  As with rainy days, if we are not on the playground at 8:30, please drop-off at the front door.  While we will strive to get outside as much as possible, we will take advantage of the gym when the weather is not cooperating.

IMPORTANT REMINDER:  Tomorrow (Dec. 18th) is a school-wide Pyjama Day for Dress Down Day and we will be collecting donations for Sit With Me Dog Rescue.

Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389) HAPPY BIRTHDAY Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)

to Harry (KA/B) who turns 5 on December 18th

to Nate (KB) who turns 5 on December 24th

to Jackson (KB) who turns 5 on December 30th

to Oliver (KB) who turns 6 on December 30th

and to Miriam (KA) who turns 6 on January 2nd!!

It is has been a great few weeks celebrating Chanukah in Kindergarten!! From singing, dancing, and getting crafty, to practicing the brachot, Dreidel math and learning Chanukah words in French & Hebrew, it has been tons of fun!! In case you missed the Ks performance during Tuesday’s school wide Chanukah Celebration, you can watch it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zP7PfQZt9P5wrhTGKN4vidH6cEWYZEBE/view?usp=sharing.

We hope you all had a fantastic holiday with your families and we just wanted say thank you for the very generous Amazon gift cards we received from both classes!!  We wish you all a wonderful winter break and cannot wait to see everyone back at school in 2021!!

Morah Andréa, Morah Shira, Madame Sophie, Morah Taylor & Morah Mushki

Posted in French Studies, General Studies, Jewish Studies, Uncategorized

Kindergarten App Recap

Posted on by Andréa Black

First things first:

Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389) HAPPY BIRTHDAY Party Popper Emoji (U+1F389)

to Isaac (KB) who turned 5 on December 8th!!

And now down to business….

During Parent-Teacher conferences last week, we had a lot of questions about the apps and online programs we are using in class as well as the ones that could be used at home.  We thought it would be helpful to give you a recap of all of these programs, how your child  might be able to use them at home, and how you can support your child as they are using them.

IXL Online Math Forum

IXL is an online forum that provides diagnostics of learning skills, promotes review, mastery and extensions of skills through practice, as well as providing students, teachers, and parents valuable information on student’s progress through grade data points.  You should have received a handout that explained how to log in and provided your child’s login and password; if you need a reminder contact Morah Andrea.  We use this program at least once a week in class, but practice time at home is also encouraged! For a more in depth tutorial on how to set up the program for your child as well as highlights of the program, check out these blog posts from our Math specialist, Mrs. Cleveland:

IXL: Online Math Forum for Personalized Learning

IXL: Four Highlights to Understand

JiTap

JiTap  is a program that can be used on a computer, iPad, or phone. It supports Hebrew language learning and Jewish holidays with games, songs and other activities.  Every week, new games are assigned to support what is being learned in class.  Use your child’s OJCS account when logging in; the passwords are either kaojcs or kbojcs, depending on your child’s class.
Boukili
Boukili is a French reading app that allows your kids to read books online or to be read to in French.  As they read books, they earn points and rewards like games and outfits for their avatar.  This program is mainly for practice at home and is not necessarily assigned by Madame Sophie.
Flipgrid
Flipgrid is a platform where students can record short videos of themselves answering a prompt. It is a great way for them to demonstrate their oral language skills. To log in, use your child’s class code flipgrid.com/kaojcs or flipgrid.com/kbojcs followed by your child’s school email and password. Use of Flipgrid will either be assigned in class or via the distance learning schedule where the code for specific assignments are posted, eg: https://flipgrid.com/688f36cd.
Classkick
Classkick is a site that allows your child to work online while receiving live support from their teacher.  You may see it referenced on our distance learning schedule.  To login, select “sign in with Google” and ensure that you are using your child’s ojcs email and password.

Teach Your Monster to Read 

This app is available for purchase on the App store ($6.99), and we recently learned that you can download a desktop version that is free, though there may be some differences in the program.  We use this app in class and the kids absolutely love it!!  It covers everything from letters and their sounds to reading full sentences and short stories.

Kids Learn! Sight Words 

This app is designed for iPads and is available for free on the App store, though there are additions available for purchase.  It combines fluency, vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension practice with entertaining, engaging graphics in a fun learning format.

Spelling Games for Kids 

This app is designed for iPads or iPhones and is available for free in the App store.  It helps to hone your child’s spelling skills through a variety of games that feature over 900 words.

Any more questions? We are here to help!!

The K Team

Posted in Jewish Studies, Uncategorized

?מה חדש בגן What’s new in Kindergarten?

Posted on by Morah Shira

Our yeladim have taken learning to a whole new level! Instead of having an assisting role, they are now leading our morning routing as the (חזן חזנית) chazzan/chazzanit and (עוזר עוזרת עם הלוח השנה) ozer/ozeret im haluach hashanah.

 

They are also becoming experts at printing their Hebrew names, thanks to a part of our new morning routine!

We have also been immersed in learning the story of Jacob (Yaakov) and had so much fun building ladders to heaven after hearing the story of his dream. We raced to gather the maklot (sticks) and then built sulamim (ladders) and counted the rungs in Hebrew to see who’s was the tallest. It was amazing to see all of the different designs! We have some incredible engineers!

Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom,

Morah Shira and the Kindergarten Team

Posted in Jewish Studies

הרגשות/Feelings

Posted on by Morah Shira

In art, we finished creating our emotions masks.

 

Now, we are using them to learn the names for our feelings in Hebrew.

We played Bingo and are learning a traditional Hebrew song. It is perfect for Kindergarteners. In it we sing about how sometimes we feel different things (angry, happy, hungry, full, big, small, sweet and sour…), but that doesn’t change who we are.

You can hear it here:

Please visit this Flipgrid code using the link below to practice with your child using their emotion masks.

I give an example in the intro.

Yesh li partzuf: atzuv, moufta, sameach, mevulbal, mefached, coes, iyef, tzochek, tipshi, metouscal…

יש לי פרצוף: עצובת, מופתע, מבולבל, מפחד, כועס, שמח, עייף, צוחק, מתוסכל

KA

KB

Morah Shira

Posted in Jewish Studies

Tefilah

Posted on by Morah Shira

Shalom!

Here are recordings of the daily tefillot we have been learning so far for you to practice along with at home.

Modeh Ani

Torah Torah

Shema

Adon Olam

Posted in Jewish Studies

Chaggei Tishrei (חגי תשׁרי)

Posted on by Morah Shira

Chodesh Tishrei is such a busy time of year!

We hope that you have all been enjoying the celebrations at home!

The yeladim ילדים have certainly been enjoying learning about the Chagim.

For Rosh Hashanah, some of our highlights were: creating beautiful holiday placemats, while learning new holiday vocabulary like tapuach, d’vash, and shofar. 

We did our very own tashlich, and threw styrofoam balls onto our carpet (with fish and water), ridding ourselves of all the things we wish to change for the new year. Some of those things were:

hitting my brother/sister, not listening to my Mommy/Daddy, getting angry/frustrated…

For Yom Kippur, we learned the story of Jonah and the Whale and the yeladim acted it out using their own storyboard, where they added pictures as the story progressed. After, we spoke about how Jonah couldn’t hide from G-d, because G-d is everywhere. 

We made a scale and separated behaviours that are tov (good) and lo tov (not good), discussed the importance of selichot סליחות (saying sorry to our family and friends), and made a card telling a family member that we are sorry from the bottom of our heart!

Now we are learning about Sukkot, building and eating in a Sukkah סוכה and the ארבּעת המינים (lulav and etrog). We learned a new Hebrew song and hammered with musical sticks to the music.

Patish, masmer          פטיש, מסמר

Nikach maher               ניקח מהר.

Sukkah livnot              סוכה לבנות,

Banim ou banot           בנים ובנות.

La la la la la la la la…

Krasim, nikah             קרשים ניקח

V’anafim l’schach       וענפים לסכך

Caset h’gag                     קשט הגג

Lichvod ha’chag           לכבוד החג.

La, la, la, la, la…..

Kaneh, kaneh,               קנה, קנה,

Sukah nivneh               סוכה נבנה.

Krashim nikah           קרשים ניקח,

Knei’suf l’schach       קני סוף לסכך.

Maher, maher                מהר, מהר,

Pan n’aher                        פן נאחר,

Ayin faiyni chachot     אין פנאי חכות,

Maher sukkot                 מחר סוכות

Tach, tach, tach….

 

You can practice with the Hop version here:

We also created cute leaf creatures and welcome signs to hang in the Sukkah as decorations. 

 

Chag Sameach! חג שׂמח

Posted in Jewish Studies

פּירות (Fruit)

Posted on by Morah Shira

Our new vocabulary unit is all about fruit – פּירות (perot)

On Shavuot, people brought the first fruits of the field  בּיכורים (bikkurim) to the temple to offer thanks to G-d.

Please watch and listen to the following slideshow to learn the names of the fruits in Hebrew. Then go to Flipgrid and in Hebrew…tell me your favourite fruit:

…הַפְּרִי הָאָהוּב עָלַי הוּא