OJCS Maccabiah – Harry Potter-style is just 7 days away!!!
We thought we’d share how you and your child can get ready for the big day!!!
Stay tuned for more information and our Green Team Slytherin schedule coming soon……
Tag: #the_OJCS
OJCS Maccabiah Games 2021
Maccabiah (colour war) – Harry Potter style is in just 16 days! Though the students will represent Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin, we know that there is nothing quite as good as when we’re all rooting for the same team – in this case OJCS. And that’s where we need your help. Our school is just $10,800 away from reaching our fundraising goal this year. That is just $60 per student! Please help support our students (current and future), by supporting our Maccabiah.
Over $900k in scholarship funds was awarded for the 20/21 school year and the funds we raise for this fun, ruach-filled day go directly to support those efforts. Please feel free to share the link below with family and friends to help your child fundraise. Thank you! Merci! Todah Rabah for your help in reaching our goals!
Just a reminder, all of the Kindergarten kids are on the Green Team – Slytherin, so start looking for your green clothes to wear on June 11th. We can’t wait to show everyone how smart, sneaky and superior Slytherins can be!!!
Let’s Talk Science…. Nifty Nests!!!
Yesterday, KA & KB participated in our final Let’s Talk Science virtual lab of the year. This time, Nia and Kelvin (Science students from the University of Ottawa) introduced the topic of nests to the kids and we were astounded by their ideas and observations as they discussed what kinds of animals build nests and what materials they use to build them. Then we played a Guess the Nest game and even though some of the questions were really tricky, these super-smart kids got most of them right!! To wrap-up our learning, the kids were tasked with building their own bird’s nest out of the materials they were provided, but with the extra challenge of using a clothespin (to simulate a bird’s beak) instead of their hands. Check out some of the nifty nests created:
You may have some blossoming birdwatchers on your hands now as Nia and Kelvin challenged the kids to look for birds’ nests around their neighbourhoods or to build an outdoor next and see if any creatures make it their home….. If your child finds or builds any nests, please share the photos in the comments!!
I want to send a huge thank you to Nia and Kelvin for all of the amazing virtual labs this year and for inspiring our little scientists. A big thank you as well to Morah Taylor for coordinating these amazing virtual experiences for our K students this year!!
Innovation Day 2021
Thank you so much to everyone who was able to join us for Innovation Day in KA and KB yesterday!! The students worked so hard to create their planet sculptures and to learn space facts and they were so proud to share what they had learned and created with you. If you were not able to join us, you can watch both KA and KB’s Solar System Presentations in the videos below…..
Today, we wrapped up our Outer Space unit by talking about stars and constellations and then the kids built their own constellations out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Their imaginations were in full gear and the different structures they created were truly stellar!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to Asher A. (KA) who turns 6 on March 26th
and to Ariel (KA) who turns 6 on March 30th!!!
Wishing you all a very happy, healthy and safe Passover – chag Pesach sameach from the K team!!
An Out of This World Experiment!!
This week, the Kindergarten classes blasted off into a new unit all about Outer Space and we started by talking about what it would be like to visit the moon. There were a lot of great creative ideas of what it might be like to live on the moon as well as many interesting questions!! One question that was asked was “how are the craters on the moon made?” along with “is the moon made of cheese?”….. so we decided to investigate!!
We discovered that craters on the moon are made when rocks or meteorites hit the moon, creating a pit or a hole (and not because the moon is made of cheese!!) and then we did an experiment to show how that happens…. using flour and cocoa powder to create the surface of the moon, we dropped different sized rocks from different heights to see how craters are created. Check out this video to see a few of our trials:
This experiment was out of this world!! Make sure to ask your child to tell you how the moon was made or what are the different shapes the moon takes on throughout the month….. post their answer in the comments below!!
Let’s Talk Science….. Liquids, Solids and Gases
Earlier this week, the Kindergarten classes once again participated in another super fun Let’s Talk Science virtual lab with Nia and Kelvin from the University of Ottawa. This time, we were introduced to everyday liquids and solids to determine their properties. The kids used their hands and senses to explore different liquids and then poured them out to see the differences between them. Kelvin demonstrated the different densities by making a density tower with corn syrup, water and oil. We then did a cool experiment where we mixed solids with water to see whether or not they would dissolve and ended with another experiment where we mixed solids (baking powder and sugar) with water to create a gas….. the kids loved experiencing this neat reaction and it sparked some really interesting questions. A big thank you to Morah Taylor for coordinating this awesome virtual experience for the K students!!
We ended up pivoting our plans for the rest of this week due to the fact that the kids were so intrigued by this virtual lab and ended up spending most of the week inquiring about, observing and experimenting with the States of Matter. We listed different examples of each state and learned their properties through activities and songs; we experimented with mixing more solids and liquids to create gases and documented our observations. Each class built a mini snow (ice) man and then watched to see how water can actually shift from one state of matter to another (ice, water, water vapour). Below are some of the videos and songs we watched in class to enhance our learning and some pictures as well…… make sure to ask your child what they observed and learned in Science this week!!
Move Like Matter Dance:
Matter Chatter Song:
States of Matter Song:
Of course, it was also Ruach Week which culminated in our Purim celebration. And what a week it was from 100 Day to PJ Day, Tropical Tuesday to Throwback Thursday, there was so much spirit, enthusiasm, fun and imagination – all the things we love to see in Kindergarten!!!
Celebrating Inclusion in Kindergarten
February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month (JDAIM). It is a unified effort from Jewish organizations worldwide to raise awareness and foster acceptance and inclusion of peoples with disabilities and mental health conditions. This aligns perfectly with one of the OJCS North Stars: Each person is responsible for the other.
In the spirit of this month, we wanted share how both Kindergarten classes start their mornings. We sing O Canada, of course, but did you know that they have learned how to sing our national anthem using American Sign Language??? Check out the video below to see the kids in action….
We have also spent some time talking about what makes each of us unique and how we should celebrate these differences, but also treat everyone equally with kindness and respect. It was so amazing to have the students share their special talents and abilities during Show & Tell yesterday. Thank you so much for helping your kids to prepare and for sharing videos; we were treated to a variety of skills, from dancing, singing, and playing piano to completing mazes, building Lego creations, and everything in between. We certainly got to see what makes each of these kids shine in their own unique way!!
When we return to school after the break, it is OJCS Ruach Week!! Check out the poster below for all of the theme days and get ready to bring some ruach to our classes…..
Have a restful break and stay safe everyone!!
Polar Bear Den STEAM Challenge
Over the last week or so, the kids in Kindergarten have been learning all about polar bears….. where they live, what they eat, how they hunt, and how they stay warm in the Arctic temperatures. Unlike most bears, polar bears do not hibernate, but mother polar bears do build dens under the snow to have their babies during the winter months. Together, we discussed what these dens might look and how they would need a hole for air and a tunnel for the bears to get in and out. Then we all crafted a polar bear den design using different materials (white paper, cotton balls, white paint, etc.). Afterwards, the kids were challenged to build their own polar bear den with whatever materials they could find at their houses. Needless to say, we were bear-y impressed with the results…. Check out these paw-some polar bear dens!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to Ethan (KA) who turns 6 on January 13th
to Asher C. (KA) who turns 6 on January 20th
and to Judah (KA/B) to turns 6 on January 25th!!
Happy Chanukah from the K team!
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.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
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
Let’s Talk Science….. Playful Machines
Yesterday was a very exciting day in Kindergarten. We had special virtual guests join both classes and lead us in a Let’s Talk Science virtual lab. Nia and Kelvin, Science students from the University of Ottawa, taught us about 3 different kinds of simple machines: a wheel & axle, a lever, and an inclined plane. Then they led the kids through the construction of a playground where each structure was one of the machines build out of everyday materials, such as pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks. The students were so engaged and enthusiastic as they built their merry-go-rounds, slides, and teeter-totters. Special thanks to Morah Taylor for organizing this special, super-fun experience!!
