Aleph Academy

Yonatanm, Marley and Anna play the drums.

The Band

Outdoor Fun

Moshe and Joshua

Max, Zoe and Ethan

Channa and Natasha

Rochel and Yonatan

Shaina, Dovid and Ruby

Matilda, Marley and Bassie

Our day began with music.  Yonatan initiated the morning theme by banging on the table.  There happened to be an empty box on the table which we flipped upside down and turned into a drum.  Marley and Anna soon joined us at the table and the three made all sorts of drum beats.  Ms. Roberta then set out some coffee cans for more drum exploration.  After a short while, several students were sitting on the floor making wonderful sounds with the music center provocations.

We also began a Reading Buddy Program today.  The elementary students came to our classroom for story time and read to the students in small groups.  All of the students really enjoyed the activity and we plan to make it a weekly occurrence.

Carey

Music and Movement Standard

2.PK.2 Participate in a rhythm instrument band.

The Baby Graph

Planting Potates

Planting Potates

Your children helped make my special day even more amazing.  While I was at my 20 week ultrasound Ms. Roberta and Morah Avery helped the students make a “Is it a boy or girl” graph.  Apparently the children really got into the process.  They polled the elementary class and other staff members and used it as an opportunity to practice their counting skills.  In the end the graph was an accurate prediction.  Nine thought it was a boy, eight guessed a girl and one student thought I was having twins.  The student’s enthusiasm when I walked in the classroom door was incredible.  Their excitement made my day. Thanks for having such great children!

Carey

Data Analysis Standard

5.PK.1 Identify and sort data.

Dovid

Ethan

During story time we’ve begun reading longer and longer books.  Some, like yesterday’s, we were unable to finish in one day.  The students seem to enjoy the lengthy books and their text recall is on target.  When we stopped mid story yesterday, the students suggested I use a bookmark instead of a sticky note. This prompted a short discussion about bookmarks and today’s book mark activity.

Carey

Reading Standard

3.PK.1 Retell a story with the aid of pictures, props or a book.

Sheva and Ethan investigate our new pets.

Dovid and Ruby check out their freshly bound Super Moblie Book.

Natasha and Marley revist the class book about homes.

Joshua, Sheva and Anna look at the Elementary class's Snake Book.

Everyone enjoyed looking at the documentation books.

Sheva gives Yonatan a push down the hill.

Anna looking stylish during outdoor discovery.

Shadow Exploration

The fish have arrived and are settling in to our classroom environment.  We’ve made a feeding schedule and will be discussing names in the very near future.  Ruby and Dovid shared their Super Mobile Book with the class which inspired the students to look at several other documentation books.  Natasha particularly enjoyed revisiting the Home Book and Joshua was captivated by the Elementary class’s Snake Book.  The students seem to have been inspired by the Mobile Project and expressed interest in doing more multiple day projects.  However, today’s highlight was when Morah Sarah set up an overhead projector in the Piazza.  All of the students bubbled over with delight at their own shadows and quickly realized they could make their shadows change size in relation to their distance from the light source.

Carey

P.S.  Please let me know when you are available to meet and review your child’s portfolio.

Science Standards

7.PK.5 Identify the basic need for air, water and food.

8.PK.1 Investigate animals and their offspring.

Reading Standards

4.PK.1 Demonstrate understanding that printed material provides information.

4.PK.2 Recall information from an event, text or picture.

4.PK.3 Respond to or ask a question about an event, text or picture.

Physical Development Standard

3.PK.1 Demonstrate locomotor movements such as up, down, forward and backward.

Ruby and Marley plan the Shabbat party.

They invited others to join their dramatic play.

The students set up chairs for the party.

I never cease to be amazed by the direction provocations will go.  Ms. Roberta brought in some triangle shaped candles that we left out on the table.  I assumed they would utilize them to create new shapes and structures.  This occurred at first.  However, after the original novelty wore off Natasha suggested they take them to the dramatic play area and use them for a Shabbat party.  Ruby and Natasha began the dramatic play that lasted until we went outside.  Almost all of the students joined in the creative play at some point during the morning.

Carey

Dramatic Play Standards

1.PK.1 Act out a role observed in his/her life experiences.

1.PK.2a Make up new roles, for instance, from experience and familiar stories.

1.PK.2b Direct peers and/or follow directions from peers in creating dramatic play schemes.

Setting up the fish tank.

Matilda shares her photos from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Dovid and Ruby conduct the final edit for their mobile book.

Dovid listens to Bassi explain her science project.

The Science Fair

Joshua holds a "booger" from Rochel's science experiment.

What a busy day we’ve had.  It began with the set up of our new fish tank.  We installed a thermometer and added conditioner to the water.  Then Matilda shared her fabulous photos taken from her recent trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  The students also enjoyed the coloring pages she brought to share.  After Matilda’s sharing time, Dovid and Ruby conducted the final edit of their mobile book.  It will be printed and bound this weekend so please look for it on Monday.  The rest of the class made the Challah dough.  All of this occurred before going outside.  We cut our outdoor discovery a little short today so we could attend the Elementary class’s science fair.  The students enjoyed speaking with the scientists and asked some very good questions.  Dovid and Ruby also took time to fill out comment cards for some of the projects.  In summary, it was a very eventful morning!

Carey

Scientific Inquiry Standards

21.PK.1a Observe their world.

21.PK.1b Ask questions about their world.

22.PK.3 Share ideas with others.

Everti and Theodocia

Story Time with Theodocia Swecker

We had a wonderful guest storyteller today, Everti’s grandmother!  Theodocia Swecker, is a local author, illustrator and artist.  She brought a dynamic energy to the classroom and was kind enough to share her literature with us.  Theodocia first read Ducks Ducks during lunch.  Then she read Under the Open Sky and Spirit Walkers during our traditional story time.  The students enjoyed trying to spy the hidden “Duckies” in Under the Open Sky and I utilized the opportunity to point them out as a text-to-text connection.  Spirit walkers was my personal favorite of the three books.  The vibrant illustrations were done with oils and has Everti’s name hidden in the text.  Each book conveys a positive message and beautiful artwork.  Thank you so much for joining us Theodocia…please come and visit again soon!

Carey

Dovid and Ruby do some research about how to care for fish.

The students take a moment to check on their seeds.

The doll house continues to be utilized on a daily basis.

Yonantan and Sheva have a good time sharing the blocks and Magna Tiles.

Everti feeda her baby doll.

Marley discovers how to make the gears turn.

P.S.  If you are interested in purchasing the books, they can be found at Sundance bookstore in Reno.

Reading Standard

2.PK.2 Ask questions or make comments pertinent to the story being read.

The students did some early Spring cleaning today.  They took responsibility for their personal space by straightening and sweeping their cubbies.  We also went through our artwork bowl and each student placed their work in a plastic bag to take home.  Please take time to look through your child’s baskets and assess their extra clothing.  We also turned on the Truckee River which made for a wonderfully wet morning outdoor discovery.  The children had a blast cleaning the river bed and called it “their project.”  During the past weeks they have watched the “big” kids work on a project.  So they were eager to have a project to claim as their own.

Carey

Natasha shares items she found during a nature hike last weekend.

Ethan sweeps his cubby.

Marley and Ruby organize their cubby.

Playing "tigers" is still a favorite outdoor activity.

The Truckee River is flowing again!

Ruby does a great job of keeping her new "Twinkle Toes" shoes dry.