Letters, Sounds, and Literacy in Kitah Gimmel-Daled

 

        Each week we focus on one letter sound. At circle time I pass out objects that begin with the sound and we make a visual list of those words. Each child takes a turn telling us what object they are holding. This allows the children to associate an image with the sound we are learning. Then, after asking the children if they notice a pattern (usually someone shouts "They all start with "H", or whichever letter we are learning about). We talk about the shape of the letter in terms of sticks and curves. The children then recreate the letter (uppercase and lowercase) using blocks, and sometimes even their own bodies! We end the circle time by doing an action that begins with the letter of the week.

Alphabet art

To integrate literacy into our inside play and art time, each week the children can trace a letter and decorate it according to the sound (such as: Feathery "F" and Hairy "H"). 

Feathery "F"

Yarny "Y"

Hairy "H"

Leafy "L"

Tie-dye "T"

We also have literacy trays that are changed weekly in accordance with the sound of the week. Children learn to make the shape of the letter by tracing it in sand, push-pinning them, and they learn the sound by discovering the alphabet objects of the week.

Book Making

We often make books as a class. Each child makes a page. They dictate their own part of the story and then illustrate it.

Names

We use the children's names all over our classroom. Their names are above their hooks where they hang their backpacks, on their cubbys, and on their chairs. The children also made a name tag to leave by their workstation. Below Morah Lindsey is dismissing children by name. 

Bracha Board

We are making a bracha board in which the children are illustrating each of the food groups. They are also writing the name of the food.

Writing Center and Mail

The children love to give and receive mail! Here, they often draw pictures for one another, make books, and also practice writing.

Under construction in KA/KB!

Under construction in KA/KB!

Wow! Look at this tall tower! Let’s not knock it down and build it up higher! With whatever stacking blocks we could get our hands on, we would patiently balance piece atop piece to construct a skyscraper! After we’re satisfied with the height, we would knock it down!! These innovations are everlasting while we collaborate on various designs using the building blocks outside.

From construction to demolition, Kitah Aleph - Kitah Bet built an awareness of what is sturdy and what is feeble. We extended our knowledge to Sukkot!

The children liked construction so much that we decided to further the development in our class. Taking real sticks and leaves from outside, we built our very own concept sukkah!

Because Kitah Aleph - Bet children already have an affinity to building, constructing a Sukkah is an inviting activity for them. Some children prefer wooden blocks, while others prefer magnet-tiles.

We provided both on the rug, and set up a few model sukkahs for the children to gain inspiration from while creating their structures. Taking the legos, they would imagine the floorplan of their home and recreate it!

As one friend is explaining where their bedroom is next to the bathroom, another friend compares and contrasts the set up of their home too! When we realized every home is designed differently but must have the same foundations, (kind of like every sukkah) we organized our very own neighborhood of friends!

Noticing how much our Kitah enjoys also activating their gross motor skills, we took building to a whole new level! To strengthen our muscles, we hammered wooden nails into chunks of Styrofoam! Heavy construction going on in KA/KB!

                                        Happy Sukkot to all! 

Keeping it Safe in Kitah Gimmel Daled

For our first art offering, Morahs set out loose parts, yarn, feathers, and fabric scraps.

 

The children made their own Safe Keeper dolls.

They chose a cork or a round piece of wood for a head and a popsicle stick for the body.

The children used a low-temperature glue gun to adhere fabric scraps and feathers for clothes.

 

They cut yarn and fake hair, then glues it on their doll's head.

"He needs pants."-Jake

  

The children drew a face with permanent markers. 

 

  Morahs each made one as well.

Each doll represents a member of our class.

"He's a ninja. This is his mask."-Hudson

 

"This is the garbon."-Menachem (pointing at the bottom of the stick.)

Here are the Safe Keeper dolls made by our friends next door in Kitah Gimmel-Daled (9-1pm)

Every morning the children and Morahs “check-in” their doll.

 

Everyone makes an agreement to “keep it safe.”

 When we are finished checking in our dolls, we wish the friends well who are absent.

This also shows us how many friends we need to keep safe each day.

We also have a Safe Keeper each day. This child gives us safety reminders throughout the day.

We also have a Safe Keeper song that we sing each day which helps us keep safety fresh in everyone's mind.

Try it out!

When I come to school each day,

To keep us safe here's what I say:

My eyes will watch,

My ears will listen,

My hands are gentle,

Use gentle taps for attention.

My feet will walk, 

My words are kind,

I'll tell my friends if there's something I mind.

When I'm sad, or angry, I'm a S.T.A.R.,

The safe place isn't very far.

I'll do my best for you and me

And for our school family!

*Brought to you by Conscious Discipline 

Have a good weekend!

Shabbot Shalom!

-Morah Jessica, Morah Lindsey, and Morah Leah