Shomrai Nursery

Weekly Glimpse

Daily thoughts, expressions, interests, communications, explorations, collaborations, adventures, research and discoveries, as experienced by

students at Shomrai Nursery 2017

Parshas Terumah Candlelighting:

5:45 PM

Havdalah: 6:44 PM

YISE SHOMRAI NURSERY

March 3, 2017 6 Adar 5777

The Power of Giving

In Parshas Terumah the Jewish people are instructed to participate and collaborate in the construction of the Mishkan. They are instructed to bring their own unique gift to the construction of the Mishkan, and only a people united together, intentionally giving, can build a holy place that Hashem will dwell in. They are to build it together.The Mishkan was created by the people as instructed by Hashem. But the lesson of giving of oneself, accepting each unique offering from every individual, collaborating and working toward a common goal, is what ultimately creates a Jewish nation! From this we learn that it is not what Hashem does for us that transforms us, but what we do for Hashem.At Shomrai Nursery every individual (be it a student, teacher, grandparent, parent, administrator, janitor, rabbi, or community leader) contributes an essential, unique skill that makes a community of learners, givers and caretakers, and individuals who are accepted and prized for their unique talents. We bring our most heartfelt intention to working together in our community to support the construction of habitats of play for our children, which serve to awaken our children's curiosity, provoke their questions, and deepen their thinking. We are a community of people who demonstrate Ahavas Hashem, and when our children see this, they too become part of a free, just society, and a strong Jewish nation.

Preparing to Make Hamataschen in Kitat Gefen

Before the children make their own hamantaschen, we have first been practicing forming the shape by using lightweight air dry putty. On Wednesday they familiarized themselves with the putty by squishing it, pressing it, pulling it apart, and some even rolled it into balls or snakes."I made candle!" said Rachel excitedly.“I made a snake!” said Dovid.

 On Thursday the children worked on making “real” hamantaschen out of the putty. They looked at pictures of hamantaschen and circles. They used cups and measuring cups to make their own circles. They used their palm and some used their whole body to squish the circle into a pancake. Then the morah showed them how to use their fine motor skills to pinch the corners of the circles in order to make triangles. Using their thumb and pointer finger to pinch the corners is a new skill for the children. They worked hard and we will continue practice in the next few days.

Shabbat Shalom! Morot Belana and Chaya Sara

Tinkering In Kitat ShalomBecause old electronics provide the perfect opportunity for hands-on tinkering, and because many children love to take things apart, Kitat Shalom decided to deconstruct an old keyboard today.As they arrived this morning, our students found the keyboard and two screwdrivers on one of our table centers. The morah asked the children if they knew what the electronic was.“It’s a keyboard,” said Akiva. “For buying things.” “It’s a typing thing,” added Daniel.“A keyboard!” said Leba as she joined the group. “It has letters.”“A keyboard is a piano,” Natan responded, remembering the musical keyboard that Morah Leah uses at our music times. Pointing to the computer keyboard, he said, “I saw that at my mommy’s computer.”We then unscrewed the back of the keyboard to see what we would find inside.“These are too small for my sister,” Akiva warned the children about the tiny screws. “She could chas v’shalom get them in her mouth.”

After all the screws were removed, the children counted them. “One, two, three…thirteen!” (We never pass up an opportunity to practice our counting skills.)After we determined that there were 13 screws holding the keyboard together, it was time to begin the demolition. Two students volunteered to pull the front and back of the keyboard apart.“Is there fire inside?” wondered Akiva as the keyboard began to come apart. “No, it’s plastic!”“Hey, there are some more screws inside. Are these screws?” wondered Esti S.The children took a moment to look at all the smaller parts that fit together to make the keyboard. They found a rubbery mat with bumps where the keys would be. Everyone got a turn to feel its texture.“It’s sticky,” observed Akiva as he held it in his hand.“It’s really sticky and stretchy,” agreed Michal. “It feels bumpy.”Shalom tried to push the buttons on the plastic sheet. “Maybe they go beep beep,” he said. “Maybe you wipe them like that,” he said, before asking the Morah if he could take the sheet to the kitchen area to use it like a sponge.“Look, there are buttons on it,” said Akiva, noticing the bumpy parts.

Then the students found a stack of three “see-through papers” (thin film circuits) under the bumpy piece of plastic. Each paper had a different pattern or design on it.“Can I have a paper?” Chaya asked the morah. “They have holes.” “And lines,” Yaakov pointed out.“And little dots,” added Josh.“And there’s a green thing,” Shalom said, pointing to the motherboard, which was attached to the papers.“And a black circle,” Chaya added as she looked more closely at the motherboard.Meanwhile, other students had turned their attention back to the top of the keyboard, the part that has the keys for typing.“It’s flat now,” said Esti F., noticing that the keys were no longer pushed up like they had been before the deconstruction began.The morah showed the children how to pop the keys out, but it was difficult work. The children searched for the letters in their names, and tried to pop out “their” letters when they found them. (We also never pass up an opportunity to practice our early reading skills.)“My letter’s right here,” said Shalom. “Let’s do all of them. Can you get out the Y for me?” asked Yaakov.

Chaya found the letter A, which appears twice in her name, lying on the table after it had already been removed. “The A is for me,” she said.“I want to use the screwdriver,” said Yaakov. Other students thought Yaakov had a great idea and also tried to use the screwdriver to pry or push out the keys of their letters.“We’re trying to unscrew the buttons,” Esti F. explained to a friend passing by. “We’re working so hard!”“This is how you take them out,” Shalom demonstrated to a friend.“Let’s take this power plug out,” suggested Akiva.“Where’s the plug?” Chaya asked. After we unplugged the power cord from the spot where it attached to the motherboard, our tinkering session was complete. As an extension to this activity, we plan to deconstruct a second small electronic and compare its parts with those of the keyboard. With best regards for a good Shabbos!Kitat Shalom Morot

Tinkering Continued

Kitat Shalom’s Purim Party!

Calendar Reminders

Sat, Mar 4 - Last Dor L’Dor 7:45 at YISEMon & Tue, Mar 6 & 7 - Parent Teacher Conferences Mon & Tue, Mar 6 & 7 Aftercare until 5PMTue Mar 7 - 9AM School wide start; No early drop offThu, Mar 9 - Fast of Esther - No late stayMon, Mar 13 - Shushan Purim - School Wide Costume PartyFri, Mar 17 - Friday 3PM Dismissal; 5PM Late Stay

Who’s Coming Out of the Megillah?

YISE Shomrai Nursery Purim Card Sale

Please support our school by ordering our beautiful full color, glossy Purim cards

featuring our very own students! Order: 3 cards for $6

10 cards for $1820 cards for $36 30 cards for $54 40 cards for $72

(envelopes included)

Purim celebrations began in earnest this week. On Monday, Rosh Chodesh Adar, the Pre-K students came to school with either crazy hats or crazy hair. We had so much fun looking at everybody’s wacky hair or hat. Both classes paraded through the school and outside together and visited the 2s and 3s classes singing Mishenichnas Adar. The Pre-K visited the YISE senior lunch on Wednesday.  Students came to school with costumes and loads of excitement. At 11:45am we headed to the big shul. We marched in singing Mishenichnas Adar and then sang three more songs. After our performance and a rousing round of applause from our audience, we sat down to enjoy a delicious lunch of chicken nuggets, fresh vegetables, rolls and hamantashen for dessert. YUM! We were then treated to a puppet show with Morah Debby and Friends. Upon returning from our outing, Kitat Rimon students had the following reflections:Simcha thought “It was fun because we ate vegetables. I liked them.”Lilly really “liked the chicken nuggets and hamantashen.”Tzvi enjoyed “the puppet show,” and Rahm “liked singing for the seniors.”“When the tzedakah box costume fell off [one of the puppets], that was really funny!” Racheli laughed.Yakov Gedaliah was so happy to see his Zayde there, while Shmuel Reuven and Yaakov were both happy to see their mommies. Thank you so much to all our volunteer drivers!

Shabbat Shalom, Morah Naomi and Morah Yvette

How to Build a Mishkan by Kitat TamarInvestigation and discovery are ways that children seek to understand the world around them. One skill required for this endeavor is asking questions. The class continues to work on this skill. Each Friday the children ask Rabbi Rosenbaum questions about the parsha that we prepare in advance. This week’s parsha, Parshat Terumah, introduces the Mishkan. We wondered what the children understood about the challenges Moshe and Bnai Yisrael faced as they set out to build the beautiful and detailed Mishkan.  

During afternoon meeting we explained to the children the issues facing the Jews in the desert. The children thought about this and a lively discussion ensued.“Where would Moshe get all the materials needed to build the Mishkan?” the morahs asked.Shoshana raised her hand. “Go to Bnai Yisrael,” she explained to the class.The morah agreed with Shoshana and continued the discussion.“I don’t understand something,” the morah said. “What did Moshe do with all the donations?”The children were unsure how to answer. The morot reminded the class that Bnai Yisrael were in the desert, so what did they have?“They had sand and tents. That’s it,” Rivka commented. “What did they need to build the mishkan?” the Morah prompted.“They needed wood,” Avi replied.“They can’t get wood without trees,” said a puzzled Eliana.“How do you get wood in the desert?” Dina and Eliana wondered.“How do you build the Mishkan without wood?” Eliana asked. “How do you put the gold on the wood?” Ami S. continued to ask.“I still don’t know how did they made the Mishkan,” said a curious Chaim Yitzy.The children were puzzled and decided that these were good questions to ask Rabbi Rosenbaum. It is an amazing experience to learn Torah with Kitat Tamar. The children are engaged and animated during these discussions.  Unfortunately we ended the conversation sooner than we would have liked because it was time to go home.  We can’t wait to see what the children will learn from the Parsha next week. On Shabbat feel free to ask your children the answers to these questions, as the class presented these and other questions to Rabbi Rosenbaum. Shabbat Shalom! Morot Lisa & Devorah Sarah

Pre K Parsha Questions

Sheva: Why did they have to build the Mishkan? Akiva: How did they carry the Aron Kodesh? Wasn’t it really, really heavy? Suri: Why did they bring stuff for the Mishkan? Rahm: How did they remember everything how to build it? Temima: How did Hashem give Moshe the instructions? Tzvi: Why did they build the Mishkan? How could they build it if they didn’t have tools? Shayna: Why did they put the Menorah in the Mishkan? Simcha: Why did Hashem not tell Moshe to build the Mishkan right away [when they just left Mitzraim]? Yaakov: Why they didn’t they put cloth around it and they put it on top when they packed it? Dina: Why did Hashema ask for a Mishkan? Rivka: Why did they need the Mishkan? Chaim Yitzy: How did they make the Mishkan? Shoshana: Why was the Mishkan do big?” Ami L: How did they know how to build the Mishkan? Ami S: How did they put the gold on the wood? Eliana & Dina: How do you get wood in the desert?

Thank you to our Shabbat Party Sponsors

Shulamis Turin & Family

Yosef Manheim & Family

Ami Lazar & Family

Akiva Kotek & Family

Eliana Karpoff & Family

Gearing Up for Purim in Kitat Simcha

Top left: Kivi puts the finishing touches on the house we created out of cardboard. The children glued on windows, cut out a door, taped a roof together, and inserted a chimney. Top Middle: Chana Fraydel pretends to prepare dough to to make hamantaschen using red play dough.Top Right: We enjoyed singing and dancing to Purim sings with Morah Leah on Wednesday. Avigail holds up our King Achashverosh puppet during the Megilla song.

Bottom Left: The children decided to put on costumes from our dramatic play center in honor of Rosh Chdesh Adar. We danced in a big circle with our costumes on and sang Purim songs.Bottom middle: Benjamin draws a self-portrait on a mirror and uses the bolts as his eyes.Bottom Right: Shai glues decorative papers and feathers on to his homemade King Achashverosh puppet. 

YISE Shomrai Nursery Parenting Series

“Judy is a compassionate and skillful parent educator who truly helped me make a positive change in my family’s life.” E.S., Silver Spring

“What she teaches works. My friends are asking me for the advice Judy gave me when I took the class.” R.S. Silver Spring

When: 6 sessions beginning April 23, 2017 - June 11, 2017

Time: 8:30pm to 10pm

Where: At the home of Judy Rosenthal

1220 Arcola Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20902

Cost: $100 per person / $120 per couple

(Includes: A copy of “How to Talk so Kids will Listen, And Listen so Kids will Talk” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish, and class materials)

To Register: Email nursery@yise.org or call 301-593-7365

“This is a worthwhile investment for all parents to help navigate adult child communication and deal with their children’s feelings.”

Ruthie Cohen, Director YISE Shomrai Nursery

Back by popular demand! Sign up now - Limited space available.

Session begins AFTER Pesach.

A six session workshop to help parents develop life long, close, communicative relationships with their children.

“How to Talk so Kids will Listen and Listen so Kids will Talk”

Facilitated by Judy Rosenthal, parent educator and consultant, who has worked with parents of young children for over 10 years. $100 per person!