Kitah Alef Delves Deep into Art!

In Kitah Alef we've been exploring different art mediums daily! Engaging in multi-sensory art activities familiarizes children with different textures and consistencies, which helps them integrate into their environment. It also offers endless opportunities to be creative!

We like to display many of our art creations to beautify our classroom and make it into our own space. The children often point out their artwork over the course of their day, talking with morahs about what they see they accomplished and what they remember about the process involved. 

Q-tip painting onto paper towels with classical music in the background - music adds another sensory dimension and can contribute to focus and concentration.

Q-tip display

 

Squeezing pipettes filled with watercolors onto coffee filters for classroom decor

Coffee filter display

For toddlers, art is mainly about the process, not the product. As they interact with different materials, children learn about cause and effect, the properties of those materials, and become aware of their own preferences. During the summertime we take advantage of our outdoor space and the easy clean up of water play to engage in fun, messy, open-ended art.

                        

Painting paper plates with cotton balls

Flower stamping - recycling old flowers for a new purpose

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Sponge stamping - fostering collaboration by working together on one large paper

Art is an important part of early childhood education and in Kitah Alef we do our best to incorporate it in innovate ways. We'd love to share our process and products with you! Feel free to visit our classroom and talk with your child about his or her art experiences.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Kitah Bet!

In extension of our ocean discovery learning throughout the school year, we have been focusing on recycling and keeping the ocean and world that Hashem gave us clean and safe.
Using a cardboard box, we created a recycling bin for our very own classroom.

"That's recycling!"
"We recycle at our home!"
"Plastic garbage goes in there."

A lot of the Kitah Bet friends were already familiar with recycling from their routines at home. Now we were practicing recycling in our classroom as well!
In addition to the recycling from our lunches each day, some of us have been bringing in recycling from their own homes such as bottles caps, applesauce caps and plastic lids.
We used the collected recycling materials as loose parts for art making!
We learned that we can make something beautiful with used material, rather than simply throwing it away.
We took paint of all the colors of the rainbow, mixed it with glitter, and set it aside available to paint a rainbow colored artwork using the plastic recycled pieces as stampers.

"Its a circle!"
"I made a fishy"

Using our imagination, we stamped whatever rainbow objects we could think of using our very own plastic recycled pieces.

We have also been working on creating structures and homemade toys using recycled material and loose parts with our school Artlierista, Morah Jessica.

"It's a carriage!"
"I made a race car!"
"Look! A mask!"
The children work deligently on their projects, looking on with pride at their work.

The children have so much pride to see what they can create and accomplish with simply using their own imagines, everyday household items, and some glue and paint. 

We are not only feeling pride in being able to make n impact in helping keep Hashem's world clean safe with recycling, but we are learning that it even makes our creative play so much more innovative and fun!

We look forward to observe where our recycling continue to take us.

A Peek into Circle Time

Welcome to circle time in Pre-Kitah Alef! Circle time is an important part of our daily routine. It is a time in the day when we gather together and unite as a group. Our goals for circle time in its initial stages were to introduce the concept of gathering on the rug after cleaning up from classroom play. After putting the toys away, the morahs start singing 

(Tune of "London Bridge")

"Circle time is starting now, 

starting now, starting now, 

Circle time is starting now, 

on the rug."

 and motion the children to join them on the circular rug. As each day goes by we notice that the children begin to come on their own after cleaning up and also are figuring out how to arrange themselves at the edge on the rug instead of sitting in the middle. 

For children this age it is important to keep to age-appropriate time frames for the most success. We keep our circle time short, about 5-7 minutes, and sing the same songs in the same order for consistency. Children feel safe and empowered with consistent routines. By now the children have begun to sing along!

Our repertoire begins with a simple but engaging greeting song. We sing "Hello, Everyone" and then greet each child by name.

(Tune of "Skip to My Lou")

"Hello, everyone, how are you?

Hello, everyone, how are you?

Hello, everyone, how are you?

How are you today?!"

Then we pretend to go to sleep so we can wake up and sing Modeh Ani as our morning tefilah (prayer). 

We then do the motions for ritual hand-washing - don't forget to splash!

We like to end our list of songs with a very special one. Conscious Discipline emphasizes the positive impact that an individual feels when part of a group. We unite by holding hands and singing our Kitah Alef class family song.

(Tune of "Mary Had a Little Lamb")

"We are a school family, family, family, 

We are a school family, here at IJP.

We are Kitah Alef, Alef, Alef,

We are Kitah Alef, say hi to a friend! (Hello! Hi!)

Morah's here to keep you safe, 

keep you safe, keep you safe,

Morah's here to keep you safe,

and your job is to help. Yay!"

Sometimes we introduce props at circle time like puppets and instruments. One time we brought out our soft stuffed Torahs and sang Torah songs.

We like to expand our Kitah Alef class family by joining together with the neighboring class for circle time. 

Just as we began our routine with a clear starting point, we end with clarity as well.

"Circle time is over now, 

over now, over now,

Circle time is over now,

Let's wash our hands for snack!" (Insert next actiticty)

Circle time is a wonderful way to promote routine, social connection, sensory experiences, music and rhythm, attention and focus, and Jewish values. We will continue to document our class's growth and change in this area as the summer continues.