Kitah Alef and their Ladybugs

Springtime announces the arrival of green leaves, blooming flowers and crawling insects. Our class received a shipment of ladybugs! Keeping live insects provides an up-close and hands-on learning experience with nature and science. 

The ladybugs are teaching us about their unique life cycle. When they arrived, we noticed that they did not look like the rounded, red and black ladybugs we know and love. They were longer and black and yellow striped. This is the first stage.

Every day at circle time we brought out the ladybug house to observe changes. We also gave them a few drop of water with a pipette. The children are learning about the needs of living things as well as a timeline for their growth.

Soon after arrival, our ladybugs began their metamorphosis by sleeping in little balls, similar to the way butterflies make a chrysalis. When they emerged, they had grown to be red with black spots!

Finally, the ladybugs were ready to be set free! We brought them to the playground and looked for a safe place for them - somewhere they could crawl around with plants to eat and where they would be in danger of getting stepped on. We settled on Morah Ruth's garden, where plenty there is plenty of green growth and protective sides. 

Bye, bye, ladybugs!

Storytelling in Extended Day

  

  

“Morah Britt tells good stories. She tells me about when she was a kid.” -Yonah

As the thread of interest in dramatic play continues, the children create their own narratives. These narratives emerge in their play as well as drawings and stories. 

The children write stories together and draw pictures of their characters. 

Then the Morah’s initiate a class book. Each child writes and illustrates their own page. 

 
“I’m drawing a monster.” -Logan

“Lava Monster!” -Lev

The children continue to draw pictures of their favorite characters. Morah’s put out popsicle sticks, scissors, and glue as a provocation and the children make their pictures into puppets. 

Some children begin using the puppets in the puppet theater and perform their stories for others. 

“We are telling a story about a baby.” -Annabel

"I'm using my queen puppet."-Maddy

Margot’s mom, Anna Giles came in to do a playwriting workshop with the children. She worked with them in small groups. The children took turns, each adding a suggestion furthering the story. This resulted in three different stories. She then recorded the stories for us so that the children could later reenact them for an audience. The children had so much fun writing plays as a group and then acting these plays out. Their stories inspired even more costumes and puppets!

KDH trip to the Delta Museum

Our trip to the Delta Museum

Riding together with our friends is always a highlight of a field trip.

Arrival

Yaw, Pitch and Roll. How does a plane move?

We take turns moving the plane.

The 6B Sedan. One of the earliest Delta planes.

Some Delta history

Delta's model airplanes.

Walk through the tunnel to hear the sound of an engine.

 Delta uniform. Choose the uniform you think Delta employees should wear. 

An airport model on the 767.

767 Engine

Measure the wing span and length of the airplanes by walking underneath and counting.

Sylvia serves us snacks under the wing of the 747.

Snacking.

Standing over the 747 wing

Checking out the 747's door

Let's sleep in First Class

Inside the 747. Upstairs behind the glass.

747 engine

Ending our amazing outing!
Thank you Donny Katz for arranging the trip and giving us the grand tour.
Thank you parent drivers and chaperones!

Reflections:

Logan: I liked doing Yaw, Pitch and Roll.  We moved the small airplane in all directions.

Dalia: Walking the length of the airplanes to measure them was my favorite activity.

Maddy: Going on the very big airplane was fun. I enjoyed the airplane snack bar that we ate under the wings.

Sylvia: I had a great time because my of my Dad!

Eli Lipskier: I liked the big, huge airplane, the last one (the 747).

Menny: It was fun to walk upstairs in the big airplane.

Harper: I liked walking outside on the wing.

Leah: I enjoyed both the big airplanes.

Avraham Chaim: I liked seeing all the model airplanes. I liked the 747 especially going on the wing.

Gabi: Going through the tunnel that sounds like an airplane's motor was fun!

Eliza: Climbing into and sitting on an engine was exciting.

Shayan: I liked the pitch and roll. The very best was having my Daddy with me.

Emmett: I liked going in Shayan's dad's truck! I thought seeing all the uniforms was interesting.

Eli Sollish: I liked the model airplanes. The yellow one is my favorite.

Rafi: I would recommend a visit to the museum to my brothers. The 747 is the best part.

Cardboard and Costumes in Extended Day

Morah Estee gave us another large box and we made a rocket ship. The children drew on the box with Sharpies. They then added stickers and Washi tape. We cut another piece of cardboard in half and used it to make the wings of the rocket ship. Then the children drew a window on the box for the Morahs to cut out.

 

The children have been including the rocket ship and cardboard structures in their dramatic play. They dress up and bring materials inside.

“We are building a castle.” -Harper

They have become a sort of set for their various stories. The configurations change. Sometimes the houses are connected into one large compound.

Since boxes have been introduced as an art material, the children have started to use them to create costumes and accessories as well.

We now have a truck costume, a Brachiosaurus costume, purses, and various masks. 

“This is my Brachiosaurus costume.” -Logan

    

“I’m Captain Fire Poison.” -Emmett

“This is my King crown.” -Adom

“We are making my Queen Esther costume.” -Lily

Many of them are even sewing!

The children are continuing to make costumes with fabric as well. You can expect to see unicorns, princesses, queens, superheroes, a king, a panda, a laser beam, and a bunny.

Come to our fashion show on Siyyum Night to see even more of your children's amazing creations!