Today in class I suggested an idea for the "Story of Stuff" project that each of us has to do. I suggested to have a conversation with your parents and follow all the rules on the rubric. You would record your conversation and then write it up as your assignment. It would be better because you wouldn't have to come up with an idea; you would just look at what you had recorded. My classmates thought that it was a really good idea and that they would use it.
-Sandy
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Chumash Connections
We were studying Chumash today, and we learned the section about the midwives who refused to kill the baby boys. God rewarded them by giving them "houses." I asked the students what they thought that meant. Gabe responded by saying, "I don't think this means literal houses. It means metaphorical houses. This is like what we learned in Mishnah, when it said to make a fence around the Torah. We are supposed to protect the Torah and God, and when we do, God protects us. I think that's what this means."
Kol HaKavod, Gabe!
-Eliana
Kol HaKavod, Gabe!
-Eliana
Last Week's Math Quiz
Everyone did very well on last week's quiz. I called it a "gift" to boost their grades. The mean was 98, and the median was 100!
We have concrete evidence that math learners understand the mathematic value of decimals!
We have concrete evidence that math learners understand the mathematic value of decimals!
Colonial Newspaper
Our room was buzzing today with "reporters" working on news stories for their Colonial Newspapers. From writing about Puritanism, the opening of Touro synagogue, indigo in the Carolinas, and escaped slaves, fifth graders have great ideas! They will continue working on these after the winter break too.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Taking on the role of a slave in Colonial times
This week each student took on the role of a slave during Colonial times. Then students went around the room and interviewed each other, learning the details of different slaves' histories and backgrounds before slavery and what being a slave is like.
One student asked at the end, "Why isn't there more? What happened to this slave?"
One student asked at the end, "Why isn't there more? What happened to this slave?"
Biblical Narratives
Fifth graders handed these in on Monday, and I am thoroughly enjoying reading them. Their writing is creative and detailed. The use of similes, metaphors, personification, and alliteration really brings these biblical narratives to life!
This was a joint writing endeavor between Eliana and me: the content is JS and the language is GS.
Hopefully these will be returned to students by the end of the week- if not, by Monday. Be sure to read your child's amazing work!
This was a joint writing endeavor between Eliana and me: the content is JS and the language is GS.
Hopefully these will be returned to students by the end of the week- if not, by Monday. Be sure to read your child's amazing work!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Shabbat Shalom- JS Update!
This week we concluded our Chanukah learning. Students debated which was more important and why: Chanukah candles, Shabbat candles or Shabbat kiddush? The Talmud poses the question: If you only had enough money to buy one, which would you buy? Students had a lively conversation about the importance of Shabbat candles and Chanukah candles: If something comes only once a year, is it more important or less important? Ultimately, the Talmud rules that the order of importance is 1. Shabbat candles, 2. Chanukah candles, and 3. Shabbat kiddush. Do you agree with the order?
In Lashon, the students posed their own questions about Chanukah, and then went to the internet to find the answers. They wondered why we get presents on Chanukah, why the Shamash is called a "shamash," how long the battle lasted between the Maccabbes and the Greeks, and why we say the Shehecheyanu blessing only on the first night of the holiday. Students then typed their answers in Hebrew (and learned how to use Davka Writer!) Come check out our class to see their research!
In Chumash, we are learning about the Hebrew Midwives who are ordered by Pharoah to kill all the baby boys. We began discussing the Hebrew ambiguity of the words Meyaldot Ivriyot- does it mean Egyptian women who delivered Hebrew babies or Hebrew women who delivered Hebrew babies? Both are possible, and lead us to think about issues of moral courage: why would someone stand up against the authority to save someone else's life? Do we only stand up for our own community, or do we help save people of a different race, religion, ethnicity? Students will be working on a project next week to deal with these big ideas.
-Eliana
In Lashon, the students posed their own questions about Chanukah, and then went to the internet to find the answers. They wondered why we get presents on Chanukah, why the Shamash is called a "shamash," how long the battle lasted between the Maccabbes and the Greeks, and why we say the Shehecheyanu blessing only on the first night of the holiday. Students then typed their answers in Hebrew (and learned how to use Davka Writer!) Come check out our class to see their research!
In Chumash, we are learning about the Hebrew Midwives who are ordered by Pharoah to kill all the baby boys. We began discussing the Hebrew ambiguity of the words Meyaldot Ivriyot- does it mean Egyptian women who delivered Hebrew babies or Hebrew women who delivered Hebrew babies? Both are possible, and lead us to think about issues of moral courage: why would someone stand up against the authority to save someone else's life? Do we only stand up for our own community, or do we help save people of a different race, religion, ethnicity? Students will be working on a project next week to deal with these big ideas.
-Eliana
Monday, December 6, 2010
Stuck in the Harbor
In Social Studies students are creating cartoon strips depicting the scene where the first boatload of Jews arrived in New Amsterdam in 1654.
"It's a really big story how the Jews started in Brazil and ended up in New Amsterdam," said one student.
We've reached the point of Out of Many Waters where we've overlapped with our studies of Colonial America.
"It's a really big story how the Jews started in Brazil and ended up in New Amsterdam," said one student.
We've reached the point of Out of Many Waters where we've overlapped with our studies of Colonial America.
Renewable versus Non-renewable resources
As students wrestle with their understanding of these two terms, questions are common! There were several a-ha moments in class today. One student used the example of a young tree being renewable, if sound practices are used to plant more trees, while a 500-year-old Redwood tree is not renewable. This link was sent to students to help deepen their understanding.
http://www.eco-pros.com/renewableresources.htm
http://www.eco-pros.com/renewableresources.htm
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Biblical Narratives
Students are busy revising this joint JS & GS writing assignment. Their writing is coming to life with the use of similes, metaphors, and alliteration. I can't wait to read the finished products!
-Mrs. Woods
-Mrs. Woods
Happy Chanukah: JS Update
Happy Chanukah!
What a fun week we have been having in learning about Chanukah! In Lashon, we had a chance to review to the berachot for the holiday and sing some of our favorite songs. The 5th graders will be leading the school in a Chanukah classic, Mi Yimalel (in a round!) at the morning assembly on Monday morning, so if you are dropping your child off, please consider staying for a few extra minutes to hear them sing! We will be lighting Chanukah candles as a whole school, which is also a lovely experience, if you haven't seen it yet. We are also working on answering the questions that the students generated about Chanukah: why do we spin the dreidel, why do we get presents, how long was the battle, etc. Students are learning to type in Hebrew, and will be presenting their findings to the class.
This week also marked Kaf Tet Be'November, the anniversary of the U.N. vote on the Partition Plan on November 29, 1947. This was the first time that the world recognized the Jewish right to a homeland, and began the journey towards Israeli statehood. The students learned about this in Lashon- and were able to talk about complex concepts in Hebrew!! Jessica wondered, "Why did the Palestinians claim the land as their home- doesn't it belong to the Jews?" And so we realized that though Israel has been around for 63 years, we still haven't solved the most basic questions of land and freedom. Let's hope the new year brings some more answer and some more peace to the area.
5th graders are learning about Chanukah in the Talmud, and spent time working be'hevruta (in pairs) to read and understand what the Talmud says about where to place your Chanukiah and why. We will be discussing the big idea of publicizing the miracle- why do Jews need to show their Jewish pride outwardly? Why isn't it enough to just light a Chanukiah in your house and not tell anyone else about it? Stay tuned- we should have some pretty lively discussions!
Eliana
What a fun week we have been having in learning about Chanukah! In Lashon, we had a chance to review to the berachot for the holiday and sing some of our favorite songs. The 5th graders will be leading the school in a Chanukah classic, Mi Yimalel (in a round!) at the morning assembly on Monday morning, so if you are dropping your child off, please consider staying for a few extra minutes to hear them sing! We will be lighting Chanukah candles as a whole school, which is also a lovely experience, if you haven't seen it yet. We are also working on answering the questions that the students generated about Chanukah: why do we spin the dreidel, why do we get presents, how long was the battle, etc. Students are learning to type in Hebrew, and will be presenting their findings to the class.
This week also marked Kaf Tet Be'November, the anniversary of the U.N. vote on the Partition Plan on November 29, 1947. This was the first time that the world recognized the Jewish right to a homeland, and began the journey towards Israeli statehood. The students learned about this in Lashon- and were able to talk about complex concepts in Hebrew!! Jessica wondered, "Why did the Palestinians claim the land as their home- doesn't it belong to the Jews?" And so we realized that though Israel has been around for 63 years, we still haven't solved the most basic questions of land and freedom. Let's hope the new year brings some more answer and some more peace to the area.
5th graders are learning about Chanukah in the Talmud, and spent time working be'hevruta (in pairs) to read and understand what the Talmud says about where to place your Chanukiah and why. We will be discussing the big idea of publicizing the miracle- why do Jews need to show their Jewish pride outwardly? Why isn't it enough to just light a Chanukiah in your house and not tell anyone else about it? Stay tuned- we should have some pretty lively discussions!
Eliana
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