What happened in Grades 3-6 on Sunday, October 11...

Grade 3

Today, Grade 3 started off with a special visit from Camp Wise. Instead of T'filah, Camp Wise led us in some awesome camp games to help us experience what it's like to be at summer camp. One of the games was called Person To Person. In this game, we had to connect body parts (elbows, hips, knees, etc) with someone else in the room and then share something about ourselves with that person.

After the games, we talked with Andy Saltzman, Assistant Director, about all of the activities that we can do at camp like dancing, hiking, canoeing and archery.

Back in the classroom, Ms. Hyman talked to us about the different types of food that we can eat (either because they are good for us or because we aren't allergic to them) and that we can't eat (foods that our parents won't let us have or that we are allergic to). We also talked about which foods we are encouraged to eat and which foods we aren't encouraged to eat.

Then, working in chevrutah (partners) we explored what the Torah has to say about food and how kashrut can play a part in our lives.

During Hebrew, we played a Jewish version of "Would You Rather." First, we warmed up with questions like "Would you rather celebrate Chanukah or Pesach." Then, Ms. Hyman started giving us commands in Hebrew. For example, she'd say "If you'd rather have a cat, go to the schulhan (table) and if you'd rather have a dog go to the luach (board)."

Then we opened up our books to learn about the letter tav, which starts words like T'filah, tapuach (apple) and Torah! Like the letter bet that we learned last week, a tav can also sometimes have a dagesh (dot) inside of it. However, unlike with a bet/vet where the dagesh changes the sound, with a tav, the dagesh doesn't make a difference.

Grade 4

We started the morning with a visit from two Camp Wise staff members. In addition to playing camp games with us, they showed us a cool video about what it's like to spend the summer at Camp Wise.

During Judaics, Mr. Stone challenged us to pick up and move our star to the other side of the hallway.

After successfully moving the star, Mr. Stone asked us what was challenging about moving the star and what we found easy. As we talked about the experience of moving the star, we commented on how we could only move it if all of us were focused on being helpful and working together. It took each of us holding onto the string to successfully get the star across the hallway.

We learned that we are about to begin a unit of study that will focus on the importance of people stepping in to be helpful. Judaism teaches us that even if we’re not sure we will be successful, we always have to try. Our unit will focus on the quote "It is not upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it" Pirke Avot 2:21.

Next, Mr. Stone helped us each make a review cube. The cube had one question on each side: 

1. The word “work” doesn’t just mean “a job or career.” How do people work to help others?

2. Why do you think should we start to work on something even if we might not be able to finish it?

3. There are stories in the news of children who don’t have enough food to eat. Lo Aleiha … you don’t have to completely solve this situation, but how can you work to help?

4. There are stories in the news of children who bully others. Lo Aleiha … you don’t have to completely solve this situation, but how can you work to help?

5. Think about or starfish activity we did. How is this an example of Lo Aleiha … that you alone could not help the starfish? What work did you do to help?

In small groups, we took turns rolling the cubes and answering the questions.

During Hebrew, we played Hebrew Jeopardy to review Hebrew decoding and the fall holidays that we all just experienced. The girls were today's proud winners!

Grade 5

To begin the day in a fun way, Grade 5 immediately went to the social hall for a presentation by a couple of visitors from Camp Wise. We played some fun games, which were examples of the activities that are in store for us there. One of the games was to meet each other and introduce ourselves, and another was just for fun; it was partner tag! Afterwards, we asked any questions we had about the camp. We then had Kehillah, where we had a snack of goldfish and water, and we watched a video about Camp Wise. All of the kids looked like they were having so much fun! A few of us from the fifth grade class are already going to Camp Wise. 

Back in class, Ms. Winberg had a fun activity in store. But first, we reviewed what we learned last week. We made a Jewish History Timeline, starting all the way back at 2000 B.C.E.! Then, we began our activity, which was interviewing prophets. We got into groups, and then we asked questions from a sheet. Our madrachim and teacher were filling in for the prophets today. We met Samuel, Ezekiel, and Hosea. Afterward, we had a discussion as a class about thoughts on prophets, what makes a prophet, how prophets are successful, et cetera. Feel free to ask us which off the prophets that we met was our favorite!

After our lesson, we began our Hebrew learning. Last week we learned the Amidah, and how it has 18 OR 19 brachot, depending on the congregation. Today we began to talk about the Avot v’Imahot. We got into groups of 2 or 3, then we played a fun game where we spelled words out from the Avot v’Imahot on a worksheet to get four in a square. Once we got 4, we won. 

To end class, we worked in our workbooks to find the origin of the Avot v’Imahot, and we began to learn the vocabulary. 

Grade 6

We had a special surprise today! Camp Wise visited us and instead of T'filah, we played camp games. In one game, we had to split up into groups of four and share the most fun thing that we did during the summer. 

During another game, we played partner tag. Unlike regular tag though, we had to use a walking motion and we could hide behind other people.

After our time with Camp Wise, we went to Art class with Mrs. Schulgasser. She taught us how to make 3D Hebrew letters. Each of us made the first letter of our Hebrew name. Over the next few Art classes, we're going to decorate the letters with images that depict how we want others to see us.

After Art class, we practiced fire safety by having our annual fire drill. We all excited quickly and quietly.

In Hebrew, when we got back to the classroom, Mrs. Gabay had written L'asot b'divrei Torah which means "Studying the words of Torah." Tradition teaches us that learning ishould be sweet, so Mrs. Gabay helped us make mini-Torahs out of smarties! 

Our learning in Hebrew class today focused on when and why we study Torah, as we begin our exploration of the Shabbat  morning Torah service. In looking at what the text tells us about Torah study, we got into a great discussion about the language that our tradition uses to talk about God and began brainstorming our own God concepts.