Education – 3rd Grade (Wilgus)

11/8: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Gan – 3rd grade enjoyed being together for T’fillah led by Rabbi Bellows and Moreh Jon. Rabbi Bellows and talked about kindness.
  2. We went back to class and learned about Cain and Abel, and spoke about kindness, anger, the potential pitfalls of jealously, and being considerate with ourselves and others.
  3. Gan – 3rd grade joined Moreh Jon for shira.
  4. Then we went back to class to learn about the Torah and why it is called The Tree of Life and how it contains not only our history, but also rules God gave us to live together peacefully and help take care of the world.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Continue to look for things that remind you God is around us and for opportunities to be kind.

11/1: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. What a great day! We started with attendance and how we were feeling (using Hebrew words)
  2. We went back to class and reviewed the parshat about the Garden of Eden and then drew it. We also worked in our Gamebooks.
  3. Then K- 3rd grade enjoyed being together for T’Fillah led by Rabbi Bellows and Moreh Jon.
  4. K–3rd grade had a great time singing at Shira, led by Moreh Jon. We learned some fun new songs.
  5. We went back to class and learned how we are all made in God’s Image.
  6. We ended the day in a review playing hodgy podgy. 

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish the exercises in chapter 2 of your game book.

10/25: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. What a great day!
  2. We started with attendance and checking in on everyone’s feelings using the Hebrew words!
  3. Then we voted on a tzedakah project for the year – students chose Luries Children’s Hospital for children.
  4. Gan – 3rd Grade enjoyed being together for T’fillah led by Moreh Jon and Rabbi Prass. Rabbi Prass talked about Jewish magic, how we Jews find comfort when we are scared, and the story of the Golem, the monster that protected the Jews of Prague.
  5. We returned to class and began our second parshat in the Torah, the Garden of Eden!
  6. Gan – 3rd grade had a great time singing at Shira, led by Moreh Jon, where we learned more fun songs.
  7. We went back to class and talked about how God made humans to help with the daily continuation of creation and to care for the world and discussed ways we can do that.
  8. We ended the day playing hodgy podgy and reviewing what we had learned!

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish any exercises in A Child’s Bible for chapter 2 we didn’t finish together.

/18: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. What a great day!
  2. We started with attendance and checking in on everyone’s feelings using the Hebrew words!
  3. K – 3rd grade joined Rabbi Prass and Moreh Jon for tefilah. Rabbi Prass talked about there being Jews locally and around the world.  He told us about how Rabbi Bellows had just left to lead a 2-week trip to Morocco, where Beth Am congregants were going to be exposed to the Jewish experience in that North African country.
  4. We went back to class and drew the first part of our illustrated Torah scrolls, all about creation.
  5. Then K – 3rd grade joined Moreh Jon for Shira and learned new songs and tunes.
  6. We did a quick scavenger hunt around the building with our Madrich Dylan. We answered many Jewish questions along the way and became better acquainted with our Sunday space.
  7. Then we talked about places and ways we can find God in our lives.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Finish anything in your Gameboy not done in class for chapter 1.
  2. Think of ideas for our tzedakah project.
  3. Stop each day and look for things that show you God is around.

10/11: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. We started off taking attendance and checking our feelings.
  2. K – 3rd grade enjoyed being together for T’Fillah led by Rabbi Bellows and Moreh Jon.
  3. We went back to class and started learning our very first chapter in the Torah about creation. We did fun word games and learned a lot!
  4. K – 3rd grade had a great time singing and learning new songs with Moreh Jon, including one about Noah’s Ark.
  5. We went back to class and began learning about God. We talked about how we know God is around us by the everyday acts of creation we see around us.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Talk to parents about ideas for a tzedakah project to bring in next week.
  2. Take time during the week to notice things that remind you of God.

10/4: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. Today was Yom Sukkot in Religious School for all of K – 6.
  2. For this session, we met at the synagogue.  We began in the sanctuary for an all-school t’fillah led by Rabbi Prass and Moreh Jon.  We began asking the question of what makes this room, our Sanctuary, so special, and what has changed over the summer.  Then we joined together in making Havdalah.  Several of our students helped by holding the Havdalah symbols.
  3. After that, we split into 4 Sukkot/Simchat Torah-based rotations:
    • Simchat Torah Flag: We looked at several different Simchat Torah Flags from the past 100+ years.  Then we had the opportunity to make our own.
    • Ushpizot & 7 Species: We learned about 7 of the mystical/traditional female guests we invite into our sukkah.  We also learned about the 7 traditional species of things we celebrate growing at Sukkot.  Then we made banners for each of them. Sukkah Visit: We visited the sukkah to see what is unique about this Jewish house, to fulfill the mitzvah of shaking the lulav and etrog, and the mitzvah of eating in the sukkah.
    • Ushpizin Headbands: We learned about 7 different mystical/traditional ushpizin and played a guessing game to reenact them.  
  4. We came back together in the sanctuary for an all-school shira led by Morah Jon.  As part of this we all took turns shaking the lulav and singing 2 songs from Hallel as part of Hoshanah Rabba. 
  5. On the way out, everyone received an Affy Tapple Apple as part of this multigenerational Jewish Chicago Simchat Torah tradition.

Homework to be completed by next class:

N/A

9/27: Today in class, we worked on:

  1. What a great first day!
  2. The whole school gathered to start off the year with a fun assembly led by Rabbi Prass, Rabbi Bellows, and Moreh Jon.  The assembly included prayer, minute to win it Jewish style, and confetti ‘canons’!  It was lovely to have so many parents join us!
  3. The students stayed with Rabbi Prass, Moreh Jon, and the madrichim for an activity while I met with the parents to discuss our plans for this year.
  4. Students went to class, where we discussed class rules, what we will be learning, expectations, and what to expect.
  5. We started learning about the Torah by looking at the different cycles we could identify in our lives, then realizing that God encompasses everything in our lives.
  6. We read the introduction to our Torah book and learned how the Torah is called the Tree of Life.
  7. We had a quick wiggle session, then listened to the song about the 10 Commandments we will be learning.
  8. K – 6th grade ended the day with a fun shirah session with Moreh Jon, singing songs about the new year and the Torah!
  9. Students received a pack of Gushers on their way out to celebrate the tradition that Jewish learning should be sweet, and CBA is ‘gushing’ with excitement for the year.

Homework to be completed by next class:

  1. Think of ideas for a tzedakah project for the year. We will be voting to choose one for the whole year.