Feed the Maccabee

The Maccabees are the heroes of the Hanukka story. They were strong, brave, and bold. They fought Antiochus and his soldiers and chased them away. Did they eat latkes to celebrate this glorious event?
Well, in my classroom we feed the Maccabee latkes. I found a Maccabee picture in one of the coloring books, and enlarged it when I copied it. I taped it on a box and cut a hole in its mouth. I have been collecting playdo container tops. So we pretend they are colorful latkes and feed them to the Maccabee. The children love this game. We sometimes try throwing the latkes in the Maccabee's mouth and count them in Hebrew at the same time.

 

Here are two songs that go with the theme today.

Tune:Are you sleeping?
Potato latkes, potato latkes.
They are so good, they are so good.
I could eat a million.
I could eat a billion.
Yum, yum, yum.
Yum, yum, yum.

Here is another one, but the tune is unknown.

I want to be a Maccabee,
So brave, so stong, so bold.
And chase away the enemy,
But I'm only two (or three, or four) years old.

This song is very cute when the children sing it in front of their parents.
Happy Hanukkah!

Sameach at Simchat Torah

This is my first post of this year. Since me and my family came back from visiting my family in Turkey, a lot has been happening. I want to apologize to everybody who has been reading my blog. Now I'm back on track, so let the fun begin.

I know Simchat Torah is already here but I still wanted to add a few ideas to start this school year. 
The first idea is coming from my friend and colleague Eileen's 3 years-old-class. These hand-made Torahs look very cute and are very easy to carry to the schul for hakafot.

She gave every child white paper bags to decorate with stars and Torah prints. They filled the bags with crumpled newspaper. Then the children dipped the craft sticks in the glue and then in the glitter. After the sticks were dry, they added them on the paper bag, and... voila.
I personally don't like bringing glitter to my house, but I discovered that if we dip the craft sticks in 'Mod Pudge' (which can be found at Michael's or at any craft store.) after the glitter has dried, the sticks have an extra coat to keep the glitter safe.


The next project is one of my favorite project for Simchat Torah: Edible Torah.

 

For this project we use tortillas, cream cheese, big pretzel sticks, and some sprinkles. Then we let everybody to create their own Torahs. What could be yummier than that. 

Hag sameach!

 

 

From Lag Ba'omer to Shavuot

Lag Ba'omer has come and gone. In our school the threes and fours and Kindergarten classes got together in the lobby (our playground would have been a nice option but unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating with the program). They sang some songs and listened to the story of Lag Ba'omer while eating ice-pops. Then all the classes took turns going to the big gym to play some racing, running, fun games with the gym teachers. This was a very nice activity for the kids. Everybody had fun. 

While waiting for Shvuot we talk about Moses and the importance of getting the '10 Commandments'. We discussed that everybody and everywhere we need rules to be able to live in peace with each other.  The children used floppy brushes to paint the tablets to give them more of a stone-like appearance. 

While the paint on the tablets were drying we talked about rules. Then we created our own classroom rules and wrote them on the tablets.  

  

 This year we wanted to add something different for Shavuot. As a little science project we went for a walk outside. We looked for some rocks, brought them into the classroom. We put a piece of paper next to each rock and talked about the differences between the rock and the paper.  After all this discussion came the critical question: "Why did G-d choose the rock over paper?"  The responses were amazing and very creative. 

Lastly, we put the rocks and the paper on our discovery table. We put some markers, crayons, and some chalk next to them. We asked the children to draw something on both the rocks and the paper. Our discussion panel continued with this question: " Which one was easier to write on?"

Conclusion: We still don't know why G-d chose the rock over  the paper.

Hag Sameach!

Yom Huledet Sameach Israel!

(Happy Birthday Israel!)

We love marching, especially if there is a reason to march. Israel is celebrating its 64th birthday. When we march all the children carry their own flags. 

In our classroom we like to give the children the freedom of creation. 

We show the children the Israeli flag.  We talk about it. We acknowledge the stripes, the Star of David, and the colors. We all agree that blue paint will be needed. We give the children blue dot paints and blue paint for the star cookie cutter, and we let them create their Israeli flag. As you can see below, all of the children's projects are Israeli flags, yet they are all unique. 

 

Happy Birthday Israel!

Spring is here, Pesach is on the way

Pesach is one of the biggest occasions we have in our school. All the two-year-old classes invite their families on a selected day and celebrate Pesach in their classes. During the celebration, we tell the story of Pesach, we sing some Pesach songs. And, of course, we eat.

In my classroom, I like to include the parents as well. When they come in they know ahead of time what to expect for that day based on a note I had sent home. This way if they are coming from work they know to bring a spare t-shirt for the charoset making (see below).

At my Pesach party, I welcome the parents inside, and they all sit down on the floor with their children (circle time). I hand out masks (frogs, Jewish people, pharoah, Moses, matzah, etc) to the children. The children help me to  tell the story. At specific parts of the story I add different Pesach songs. They hold their masks and sing along with me. To end circle time, we say all the blessings and move to the tables.

We make the charoset with the families. I prepare the tables ahead of time with apples, cinnamon, grape juice, and raisins. The families get together at the tables and chop, pour, mix, chat, and have fun.
When the charoset is ready it's time to sit at the table and eat.
Pesach is all about family gathering. In my classroom we are a big family.

Here are the songs we sing in the classroom:
                                                DO YOU KNOW IT’S PESACH TIME?
                                                  (Tune: Do you know the muffin man?)

Do you know it’s Pesach time,

Pesach time, Pesach time?

Do you know it’s Pesach time?

Pesach time is here!

 

BANG, BANG, BANG

(The children sing this song with plastic hammers 

and shovels. It's an active song)

Bang, bang, bang

Hold your hammer low

Bang, bang, bang

Give a heavy blow

For it’s work, work, work

Everyday and every night

For it’s work, work, work

When it’s dark and when it’s light

Dig, dig, dig

Dig your shovels deep

Dig, dig, dig

There’s no time to sleep

For it’s work, work, work

Everyday and every night

Foe it’s work, work, work

When it’s dark and when it’s light

  

OH LISTEN…

Oh listen, oh listen

Oh listen King Pharoah

Oh listen, Oh listen

Please let my people go.

They work so hard all day

They want to go away.

King Pharaoh, King Pharaoh

What do you say?

No, no, no- I will not let them go X2

ONE MORNING

(The children sing this song with 

the frog puppets they've made.)

One morning when Pharaoh

Woke in his bed

There were frogs in his bed

And frogs on his head

Frogs on his nose and frogs on his toes.

Frogs here, frogs there

Frogs were jumping everywhere.

BAKE A MATZAH

(The children sing this song with hand motions.)

Bake a matzah pat, pat, pat

Do not make it fat, fat, fat

Bake a matzah flat, flat, flat

Bake a matzah just like that.

 

AFIKOMEN

Afikomen, Afikomen

Where are you? X2

Where could you be hiding? X2

Wish I knew. X2

Here are some of the projects from my classroom:

                                

Bulletin Board: This bulletin board was a complete class project. The children painted the sea, and Moses' costume and the sand beneath their feet. The frogs are also made by the children. 

Matzah Tray: Painted with Legos, and the Star of David on a white hard paper. It's laminated after it dries.  Folded from four sides and tied with paper brass or ribbons.

Afikomen bag: We paint the hard oak tag paper with the middle of a cardboard box. If you look at a cardboard box, in between of the two sheets you'll see the wrinkly part. That's what we use to give a matzah effect while we are painting. Then the children lace their own bag.

 

Getting Ready for the Purim Festival

For a good festival you need the right decorations, gifts, costumes, a lot of noise, and, of course, food. 

The bulletin boards:

Groggers, masks, and the mishloach manot baskets:

 

 

An Easy Hamantashen Recipe:

4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup oil

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix everything together in a large bowl.

Knead well before rolling out.

Roll dough out thinly on floured surface.

Cut out circles using a glass.

Put poppy seeds, fruit filling, or chocolate chips in the center of circle.

Pinch edges together firmly to form a triangle.

Bake until light brown – approximately 15-20 minutes.

Make about 3 dozen.

Songs:  

Purim day, Purim day.

What a happy holiday. 


Wear a mask, wear a crown.

Dancing all around. 


Round go the groggers, rash, rash, rash! (3x) 


On Purim day! Purim Song: (Tune: If You're Happy and You Know It)

If you hear the name of Haman stomp your feet (stomp twice)

If you hear the name of Haman stomp your feet (stomp twice) If you hear the name of Haman, if you hear the name of Haman, if you hear the name of Haman stomp your feet (stomp feet twice)

If you hear the name of Esther clap your hands......

If you hear the name of Ahasuerus turn around.....

If you hear the name of Mordecai shout hooray....

 

P-U-R-I-M

THERE IS A HOLIDAY I LOVE

AND PURIM IS ITS NAME-O.

P-U-R-I-M  X3

AND PURIM IS ITS NAME-O.

 

Hamantashen Song (tune: Clementine)

Roll the dough out,

Make some circles,

Put the jelly right inside.

Pinch together three little corners,

Eat hamantashen,

Open wide! 

Happy Purim!

Welcome Shabbat, welcome parents!

We love Shabbat. It is a special holiday that comes every Friday, and it is fun. That's why we think it should be shared. We enjoy sharing it with moms and dads, grandmas and grandads, and maybe even  aunts and uncles. Every Friday we choose one child to be the Shabbat child.  On his/her special day that child invites his/her family to our classroom. We sing some songs, we say the blessings, we eat, we chat, we have fun. 

We wanted to make this day even more special, so we let the Shabbat child bring the Challah Bear home for the weekend. Challah Bear goes home with a special Shabbat bag with Shabbat items in it. 

The reason we decided to do something like that is because we thought it would be good if the children could bring home something to share this special holiday.  

To make the bag, I bought a plain canvas bag and decorated it with fabric puff paint, though I did sew on some parts (the flowers, candle sticks, and the Kiddush cup). 

In the bag we put Challah Bear, a Kiddush cup,  

 

a tzeddakah box, 

 

candle sticks, real candles, kippahs, a challah cover, and a challah roll. 

 

We ask the family to take some pictures while they are out with Challah Bear over the weekend. When they bring the bag and Challah Bear back we ask them to bring the picture back for Challah Bear's journal.  

At the end of the school year we make copies of the journal. We attach all the pages to make one journal for each child as a keepsake from our school year.

Shabbat is here, Shabbat is here, 

We are so glad that Shabbat is here. 

Candles burning bright, it's Friday night ,

We are so glad that Shabbat is here. 

Shabbat Shalom everyone. 

 

Menorahs (Chanukiahs) Through the Ages...

Everybody has a New Year's resolution.  I always say I will write more often. Write more often, write more often, write more often...  On the first day of 2012 I'm keeping my promise and I'm starting my new year with writing.

During the last days of Hanukkah I was walking around and asking people to share their menorah ideas with us. Here are some of them:

This menorah was made by my classroom this year. They are two-and-a-half-year-olds. This menorah is very simple. The base is a cardboard egg carton with a paper towel roll on top. I made the slits on the rolls. The children colored everything and glued them on top of each other. The candles have Velcro on the craftsticks and on the back of the flames.  This way the children can put the candles on the menorah and pretend to light the candles as well.

 This menorah was made by four-year-olds . The base is made out of the same-sized wood pieces. The shamash is a taller circular shape piece of wood that the children painted with glitter.  This is a real menorah with which the children light real candles. (Of course with parents' help.)

 

This menorah was also made by two-year-olds. The base is made out of white tagboard. The children placed the tissue paper squares on the tagboard. They sprayed water on the tissue paper to make the colors bleed all over the white tagboard. They used the same technique on the candles. The candles are attached to the base by brass paper fasteners. This way the candles can lay down or stand up. 

This menorah was made by my son when he was three years old. The base is oak tagboard. The idea of the decoration is the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Candles are thick painted craftsticks that the kids dipped in the glitter to give the flame effect.   

This menorah was also made by my son when he was four years old. Everything is made out of leftover wood pieces. It also is a real menorah that the kids can use it to light real candles. 

I'm sure in the coming years more menorahs will be created. The possibilities are endless. The most important thing is finding the right one for the appropriate age.

I wish a Happy New Year to all the preschool teachers and their families!