Happy First Day of 2019-20 JKG Sunday!
We had such an amazing day getting to know your kids! Every week, our Sunday blog details what every class did during that day at JKG Sunday. It also includes questions for you to ask your kids when you pick them up from JKG. From all of us at JKG to you – we are excited to start this year with you and welcome to the JKG family!
2nd Year B’Nei Mitzvah (7th grade)
To learn about our classmates and B’nei Mitzvahs, we are…
Playing group get-to-know-you games to start building connections in our class.
Discussing what it means to become a B’nei Mitzvah, and what it will mean in terms of our roles in different communities.
Discussing what exactly it means to be a B’nei Mitzvah.
Creating invitations to our B’nei Mitzvah to get excited about this year and the celebration!
Ask your student...
What is a Kehila Kedosha supposed to do, in your opinion?
What are some communities that are special to you in your life?
What does it mean to become a B’nei Mitzvah to you?
Hebrew
This week students worked on a Hebrew packet and engaged in Hebrew review games. These activities will give us a good indication of where to place your student when we start breaking out into Hebrew groups. If you want more information about this process please email Neshama@jewishkidsgroups.com.
1st Year B’nei Mitzvah
To learn about our classmates & Kehillah Kedosha (sacred community), we are…
Playing name games and sharing our unique qualities, interests, and talents.
Discussing what it means to become a B’nai Mitzvah, and getting an overview of the JKG B’nai Mitzvah Program that we are a part of.
Playing a game to create a web that connects our Jewish identities with one another.
Discussing what it means to be a community and reviewing our classroom “community” agreements.
Thinking about Jewish communities and why it’s important to have others to celebrate your culture with, and talking about how our Jewish Patriarchs and Matriarchs relate to this.
Challenging ourselves to find 10 things that we have in common with each of our peers.
Ask your student...
What are you most excited about learning or doing at JKG?
What makes you a unique member of the communities you are a part of?
Do you think it is important to be part of a Jewish community?
What are the qualities of a community that you think are most important?
Hebrew
This week students worked on a Hebrew packet and engaged in Hebrew review games. These activities will give us a good indication of where to place your student when we start breaking out into Hebrew groups. If you want more information about this process please email Neshama@jewishkidsgroups.com.
5th Grade
To learn about Loving Your Neighbor, we are…
Expanding our definition of neighbors! They come in all forms, from the people who live next door to people who live around the world.
Taking the time to learn similarities and differences between ourselves and our classmates--and how to love and respect them.
Designing a yard sign to let our neighbors know we value everyone who comes by, no matter who they are, where they’re from, or where they’re at in life.
Ask your student...
Is there anyone in our neighborhood that you think could use some help or company?
What are small ways that you can help the people around you?
Hebrew
This week students worked on a Hebrew packet and engaged in Hebrew review games. These activities will give us a good indication of where to place your student when we start breaking out into Hebrew groups. If you want more information about this process please email Neshama@jewishkidsgroups.com.
4th Grade
To learn about the core Jewish value “Adam Yehidi Nivrah”, or respecting and appreciating differences, we are…
Playing a modified bingo game where each box represented a unique fact about each other in order to recognize our similarities and differences.
Having a conversation about our differences and similarities, and what it means to respect each other and treat all humans equally.
Creating “I Am” poster boards with cutouts of words and images to represent the unique aspects of ourselves.
Ask your student...
Why is “Adam Yehidi Nivrah” a core Jewish value?
What are some ways to treat others with respect?
Hebrew
This week students worked on a Hebrew packet and engaged in Hebrew review games. These activities will give us a good indication of where to place your student when we start breaking out into Hebrew groups. If you want more information about this process please email Neshama@jewishkidsgroups.com.
3rd Grade
To learn about respecting differences, we are…
Reading a book about kavod (respect) that teaches us to appreciate the distinct qualities that everyone has.
Discussing what makes us unique individuals and celebrating these differences.
Listening to a fun poem about respecting each other’s differences, and then working off of others ideas in an Improv game called "Yes, And!"
Ask your student...
What can we learn about each other by celebrating our differences?
What can you do to show appreciation and respect for other people’s differences?
Hebrew Vocab
Teacher - more-eh (male)/more-ah (female) - מוֹרֶה (m)/מוֹרָה (f)
Students - tal-mee-deem - תַלְמִידִים
Class - kee-tah - כִּתָה
Pencil - ee-pah-rone - עיפרון
School - bet sefar - בית ספר
2nd Grade
To learn about tzedakah we are...
Seeing how can make a big difference with small actions through the book How Dalia Put a Big Yellow Comforter Inside a Tiny Blue Box: And Other Wonders of Tzedakah by Linda Heller.
Making our own tzedakah boxes to use at home
Putting on skits about charitable organizations we are learning about, and discussing where we will send our class tzedakah at the end of the year.
Ask your student...
Where would they like to give their tzedakah money? What causes do they care about?
Put coins in your child’s tzedakah box every week together, and talk about where you’d like to donate the money.
Hebrew Vocab
Teacher - more-eh (male)/more-ah (female) - מוֹרֶה (m)/מוֹרָה (f)
Students - tal-mee-deem - תַלְמִידִים
Class - kee-tah - כִּתָה
Pencil - ee-pah-rone - עיפרון
1st Grade
To learn about the significance of tzedakah we are...
Reading Bagels from Benny and discussing how we can help make the world a better place through our actions.
Discussing the idea of giving charity as a "commandment", which is how it is traditionally seen in Judaism.
Making tzedakah boxes so we can collect coins for a cause that we care about.
Playing drama games that help us brainstorm different ways that we can give back to our community.
Ask your student...
Why is it important to give tzedakah?
Identify an organization to give your tzedakah to after your box is filled up.
Hebrew Vocab
Teacher - more-eh (male)/more-ah (female) - מוֹרֶה (m)/מוֹרָה (f)
Students - tal-mee-deem - תַלְמִידִים
Class - kee-tah - כִּתָה
Kindergarten
To learn about friendship we are...
Playing get to know you games that highlight our unique qualities, and doing group challenges that teach us to work together.
Making friendship bracelets to share with our new JKG friends.
Reading Should I Share My Ice Cream, and playing a fun egg-toss game with ping pong balls and fake ice cream cones.
Making watercolor hearts to represent the love we have for our friends.
Ask your student...
What is the name of one of your new friends at JKG?
What is one way you can show your friend you care about them?
Preschool/Pre-K
To learn about friendship we are…
Making friendship bracelets to share with our new JKG friends.
Playing group games that help us learn everyone’s names and fun facts about each other.
Singing friendship-related songs with our class.
Working with our friends to make a group art project including unique designs from each person.
Ask your student…
What is one of the names of your new friends at JKG? What is a fun fact about them?
How can you be a good friend to your classmates?
What is the Hebrew word for friend?