This week in the Fours Sept. 16, 2011
We are back to school with the wonderful Fours and lots of smiles!
On Monday we spent some time getting to know one another, and talked about our new routine. We looked at the poster with pictures showing our daily schedule. The Fours were very excited to be the first ones to go outside and are very proud to be the big guys in the school!
The class explored their new room, discovered where the different centers are and what the rules are in the classroom. Of course, the most important rule is to be kind to one another and have fun!
The children drew self portraits which will be displayed on the bulletin board in the hallway next week. They told their teachers how they were feeling in their picture. See if you can figure out who is who!
At our first group meeting, we made a list of how the Fours were feeling about the first day of school. Most of the Fours were happy, but some missed their brothers and sisters, and one was feeling "super!" about his first day.
On Tuesday, we cooperatively painted the house to go on the bulletin board in the classroom. In this house, the pictures of the children and their families will live. . The children love looking at the photos of their families, and it gives them a sense of comfort as well.
Before we painted the house, the children voted on what color it should be. Blue won, so our house is blue with a red roof. Our first democratic process in the Fours!
We started reading Chicken Soup With Rice, a book of poems about each month, by Maurice Sendak. It's been a favorite with the Fours over the years. Ask your child about September - many of them know at least part of the poem already.
On Wednesday we made placemats to use at the Shabbat table. The children printed with objects representing Shabbat - a challah, candles, and a kiddush cup.
Our mitzvah tree is already hanging in the classroom, and has already grown two leaves on it! We read the book A Tree Full of Mitvos by Dina Rosenfeld. The Fours talked about what a mitzvah is - they explained that it is when you are nice to people, you share, you give tzedakah, and you enjoy Nature (the gifts that G-d has given us). We asked the children "How can a tree do a mitzvah?" They replied that the trees give us fruit and help the squirrels and the birds. When your child does a mitzvah or a good deed at home, please share it with the class by sending in a quick note telling us about it. Your child can share it with the class and receive a leaf to go on our tree. Please remember to give your child some coins for our tzedakah box on Fridays - that's also a mitzvah!
We invite any parent or family member to come and share a hobby or special interest or talent with the class. Please talk to us and we will set up a time. The children are always so proud to have a family member come in and share with us, and we love to have visitors.
We celebrated our first Shabbat of the year, all of the children wanted kippot.
Thanks for sharing your children with us. Enjoy! Here's to a great year!
