In our Ganon Aleph classroom, we have been using apples in a variety of meaningful ways tying in each of our lessons to the upcoming chag of Rosh Hashanah. In math we sorted, then tasted the different kinds of apples and charted our favorite flavors. We even used apple slices to create beautiful works of art! As we continue to learn about the chag, we’re excited to explore many other hands-on experiences such as baking apple cakes for our Yom Tov meals. What a deliciously sweet and exciting way to start the new year together!

In anticipation of the upcoming chag of Rosh Hashanah, Gan Bet students have been experimenting with sound and exploring its connection with the important mitzvah of Shofar. The students’ curiosity buzzed as they passed around a sound box to shake with a hidden object inside of it. They listened carefully. Then, predicted if the object could be light or heavy, depending on the type of sound they heard, and finally, they enjoyed finding out the surprise in the box. After hearing that the way to fulfill the special mitzvah of Shofar is through hearing its sound, students practiced their best t’kiah, shevarim, and teruah sounds.

It was a beautiful day in the GrowTorah garden with Farmer Yisroel. The students got a very farmy introduction to sharing in Parshat Ki Tavo, learning firsthand how to identify and mark bikkurim, first fruits, just like in the times of the Beit Hamikdash! We also made a bracha on mint, and harvested tomatoes for tzedakah! Kol Hakavod!

It might only be the second week of school, but Class 1E is already hard at work! Before jumping into reading groups, students had the opportunity to explore and review the alphabet using different materials such as play-doh, magnets, and dry erase boards and markers. Some students practiced writing uppercase and lowercase letters, while others formed the letters of their name or favorite sports team logos! We are so impressed with the students’ knowledge of the alphabet and cannot wait to begin expanding this knowledge through more reading and writing. 

What is a fun challenge to help fifth grade students transition from summer’s recreational activities to meaningful learning? An exciting lesson in Guided Discovery, of course! Using a scavenger hunt, students were presented with questions in Hebrew about people, places and events, all topics they will be exploring this year. Collaborating in groups, students successfully completed the activity. Here are some of the questions: 

1. What is today’s date on the Jewish calendar?
2. How many books comprise the TaNaCh?
3. In the Book of Judges, who was the female judge?

How did the students discover the information? See the accompanying photos for the solution!

SEL UPDATE: We kicked off the year in Third Grade SEL by creating a class quilt wall hanging, with each student designing a piece to show what makes them unique, special, or something they’re proud of. When we put all the pieces together, it will beautifully represent how each of us brings something important to our class community. This year in third grade SEL, we’ll focus on building our social community - how we communicate, understand our feelings, and recognize how our actions impact others. We’re excited to grow together and support one another throughout the year!

Grades 1-6 Recess Mighty Milers is back! Thank you to all of our parent volunteers.

Our 7th graders kicked off the year with an awesome Back-to-School Bonding program on Tuesday! They had a great time playing games, hanging out together, and cooling off with treats from the ice cream truck. It was a great mix of energy and downtime, starting off the year focusing on strengthening friendships and getting to know each other. We’re already looking forward to building even more memories together at Frost Valley next month!

After learning about the events of September 11, 2001, the Yavneh Academy eighth graders embarked on a trip to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. The students devoted their opening week of Social Studies classes to learning about the design of the museum, the memorials and the artifacts featured there. The Yavneh eighth grade students saw their learning come to life as they walked along the Survivor Stairs and saw remnants of steel from the World Trade Center buildings. Interactive portions allowed students to explore the lives of the victims, first responder and rescue workers. Inside the exhibits, the students saw galleries of personal artifacts, photographs and news footage and gained a deeper understanding of global events prior to 9/11/2001 and how the day unfolded. As they viewed the memorial wall of portraits of those killed on 9/11 they developed a more personal understanding of the effects of the attacks. The entire 8th grade felt that this moving experience about our history was a meaningful way to begin the school year.