First garde 1.28.2011

1-28-11

Dear Parents,

This week at recess time, the students got to build a nice איש שלג  –Snow man (Eish Sheleg) and a גדול כדור שלג- a huge snow ball (Kadur Shelg Gadol).

Hebrew Sentence of the week:

בילקוט שלי  יֵשׁ..." ”

–Bayalkot sheli yesh (In my backpack, there is….) Ask your child to tell you what was in שחר(Shachar) and שרונה  )Sharonah( "-ילקוט yalkot"  (backpack) in the books we read.

SHALOM BAKITA (Shalom in the Classroom):

This week we finished our Tal –Am workbook “Shalom 1- Shalom Bakita”. The workbook deals with everyday life in the classroom at the beginning of the school year, and focuses on familiarization with the characters of a "virtual" classroom, the articles and the learning habits in the classroom.
Shalom Bakita is further organized into 3 subtopics:
(a) Who is in the class?
(b) What is in the class?
(C) How to study.
These topics will accompany the students throughout the year, since they deal with the everyday life of the students.

SHALOM BABAYIT UVACHUTZ (Shalom at Home and Outdoors)

Next week B”H we will start learning “Shalom at Home and Outdoors”. This unit deals with the everyday life of the students outside of school. “Shalom at Home” focuses on the Jewish daily life at home from wakeup until sunset. It contains  such subtopics as: morning and evening routines, the body, clothing and nutrition, and combining the respective prayers and blessings.
“Shalom Outdoors” focuses on the world outside of the classroom and home. It is linked to the creation of the world and is organized according to the seasons of the year.

Cursive Hebrew letters:

We are continuing to learn how to write cursive Hebrew letters. The students focus on forming the letters correctly and reading words written in cursive script. This week, we reviewed the letters: ז=ז, ח=ח, ט=ט

Some students are writing their homework words in cursive but it is extremely important not to let them write it yet! The students are allowed to use Hebrew cursive letters only for the letters we have learned in the class. The students may think they know how to form the letters, but if they are forming them incorrectly, it will be very hard to fix their mistakes later.

Enrichment program .

The students are all excited about having a special enrichment workbook! This workbook gives the student an opportunity to learn and practice more Hebrew whenever he/she finishes their classroom assignment. This workbook can go home for the weekend if your child would like to get advance at home.

Please send me a note in the Hebrew folder to let me know if you are interested in having your child take this workbook home for the weekend. This is an optional assignment.

Parashat Hashavua:

This Friday you will find in their folder a picture page with a summary of the story of Parashat: “משפטים” We learned that Moses gave many of G-d's laws to the B’nai Yisrael such as “be careful not to lie” as well as the laws of paying for any damages you do to another’s property. We learned about the four ways a person can damage another’s property and have to pay: If he/she damages, if their animal damages, if they spill or leave out something where you can trip, and if your fire damages.

Homework:

Please make sure the homework notebook is placed back into your child’s backpack. It is extremely important to have it in class on time, otherwise I can’t post their homework.

Vocabulary words:

 This week’s words will be from the story” Hagiga Ba’mishpacha” from “Ariot 2” workbook

The test will be on Thursday, 2-3-11.

Party, Celebration חֲגִיגָה -

Familyמִשְׁפָּחָה -

Brother- אָח

Sister אָחוֹת -

Uncle דּוֹד –

Aunt דּוֹדָה -

Grandfather סַבָּא –

Grandmother סָבְתָא -

You can practice with flash card at:

 http://www.flashcardmachine.com/1145973/v49t

Shabbat Shalom,

Morah Irit

First grade 1.21.2011

1-21-11

Dear Parents,

Tu Bi’shvat is here!

Hebrew Sentence of the week:

אֲנִי אוהב/אוהבת עֵצִים כִּי לָעֵץ יֵשׁ..." ”

–Ani O’hev E’tsim ki  La’etz yesh (I like the trees because a tree has….) Ask your child to tell you all the reason we came with and we read about.

Seder Tu Bi’shvat:

Yesterday 1A and 1B celebrated together Tu Bi’shvat. We went outside around our tree in the back yard (the tree with the bird feeder) and sang to the tree “יום הולדת שמח"   Happy birthday. Then, we went back to the class and we had a “seder” over fruits from “שִׁבְעַת הַמִּינִים” – Shivat Haminim (the 7 species). We practiced the ברכות-Berachot (blessing) over the special fruits and learned which blessing we should say first.

Cursive Hebrew letters:

We are continuing to learn how to write cursive Hebrew letters. In this unit, we are focusing on forming the letters correctly and reading words written in cursive script. This week, we reviewed the letters: א=א, ב=ב, ג=ג, ד=ד , and we learned the letters ה=ה  and ו=ו

Some students are writing their homework words in cursive but it is extremely important not to let them write it yet! The students are allowed to use Hebrew cursive letters only for the letters we have learned in the class. The students may think they know how to form the letters, but if they are forming them incorrectly, it will be very hard to fix their mistakes later.

Enrichment program .

Last week we started working in a special enrichment workbook. This workbook gives the student an opportunity to learn and practice more Hebrew whenever he/she finishes their classroom assignment. This workbook can go home for the weekend if your child would like to get advance at home.

Please send me a note in the Hebrew folder to let me know if you are interested in having your child take this workbook home for the weekend. This is an optional assignment.

Parashat Hashavua:

This Friday you will find in their folder a picture page with a summary of the story of Parashat: “יתרו” (Yitro). We learned that the whole Parasha is named after Yitro because he was the father-in-law of Moshe and he accepted that Hashem was G-d after hearing about all the miracles that Hashem did in Egypt saving the Jewish People..  We also learned about how the Jewish People received the Torah at Har Sinai. We learned about the 10 commandments which include honoring our Parents. We learned using 2^nd step how to properly interrupt our parents when they are doing something else.  This is an important way to show respect to our parents! I’m encourage you to bring you child to “בית כנסת” (synagogue) so they can hear all the 10 commandments in the Torah reading.

Tu B’Shvat:

This week we finished learning about the tree parts, and we started learning of “שבעת המינים” – Shivat Haminim (the 7 species). We learned that there are two main things that we do on “Tu Bi’shvat”: 1) we plant a tree, or give money for planting a tree in Israel. 2.we eat the special fruits of the land of Israel.

Homework:

B”H the homework system is going well. Parents need to remember that the quiz on Thursday is only a vocabulary quiz. If there is a student that has a hard time writing the answer in Hebrew or in English, it’s O.K.  I’ll ask him\her for the answer and if he/she knows it they will get a check for their answer. The test is posting every week in your child homework notebook at the end of the unit. Please make sure your child is writing his/her homework in pencil only!  Please make sure the homework notebook in placed back into your child’s backpack. Please make sure your child is not writing the words in cursive.

Vocabulary words:

 This week’s words will be from the story in “Ariot 2” workbook

The test will be on Thursday, 1-27-11.

Goose אַוָז-

Goldזָהָב-

Move (M)זָז -

Move (F) זָזָה-

Mountain הָר -

You can practice with flash card at:

 http://www.flashcardmachine.com/1131922/2mg2

Shabbat Shalom,

Morah Irit

First grade 1.14.2011

1-14-11

Dear Parents,

This week we went outside and fed the birds. Please read about our parasha to understand why.

Hebrew Sentence of the week: לעץ יש..."” – La’etz yesh (the tree has….) Ask your child to sing and tell you all about the tree parts.

Cursive Hebrew letters:

On Monday, we started to learn how to write cursive Hebrew letters. In this unit, we are focusing on forming the letters correctly and reading words written in cursive script. This week, we were practicing the letters: א=א, ב=ב, ג=ג, ד=ד .

I know the students are very excited about writing their words in cursive,  but it is extremely important not to let them write it yet! The students are allowed to use Hebrew cursive letters only for the letters we have learned in the class. The students may think they know how to form the letters,  but if they are forming it incorrectly,  it will be very hard to fix their mistakes later.

We finished our reading program .

This week, we finished our workbook with the last sound “OO”. This program has strengthened everyone’s reading skills and taught the important skill of sounding out and writing Hebrew words. Every student can now read any Hebrew word with all of the vowels as well as write any Hebrew word with any vowel! Wow!

We started “Ariot 2 workbook” and “Ariot 2 CD”:

We started “Ariot 2” workbook, and Ariot 2 program on the computers.

Even though “Ariot 2” is more challenging,  it is even more fun to figure out the words in the  “Hachtava” (the spelling test at the end of each unit) and we are still able to figure out the words without help.

Parashat Hashavua:

This Shabbat is Shabbat Shirah, (The Shabbat of Song). The Shabbat on which the parsha of Beshalach is read is called Shabbat Shirah, because it contains the song sung by Israel after the splitting of the Red Sea.

 

One of the customs associated with this Shabbat is to place crumbs outside for the birds to eat. We read in the Torah on this week about G-d giving the "מן" (“Maan”) to the nation of Israel, for their sustenance. Moshe told the nation of Israel that the Maan would not fall on Shabbat,  and therefore they should collect a double portion on Friday.  Datan and Aviram, who wanted to embarrass Moshe and weaken his authority, took Maan they had collected on Friday, and after dark placed it out on the ground. When morning came, they hoped that people would think that the Maan did indeed fall on Shabbat, and Moshe was wrong.  However, no Maan was found on Shabbat morning. Why?  Because the birds carried it away before the nation awoke. Therefore, the nation indeed trusted  Moshe and respected the sanctity of the Shabbat. To reward the birds for this noble deed, we feed them the week on which we read of the surrounding incident, the week of Beshalach.

  There is an additional reason why we feed the birds this week. The chirping of birds is not just idle song. It is the way that birds praise G-d for providing them with their needs. Because, this week, we too sing praises of G-d for providing for us in the desert, we recognize the constant song of praise chirped by the birds by providing for their needs.

Tu B’Shvat:

We are learning the Tal-Am unit for Tu-B’Shvat. We are singing songs and reading Hebrew stories. We started to learn the tree’s parts.

Homework:

Please make sure your child is writing his/her homework with pencil only!

Please make sure the homework notebook in placed  back into your child’s  backpack.

Please make sure your child is not writing the words in cursive.

Vocabulary words:

 This week’s  words will be on the tree parts.

The test will be on Thursday, 1-20-11.

Trunk  גֶזַע-      

    Fruits –  פֵּרוֹת  

   Fruit -  פְּרִי

Flower   פֶּרַח-  

Roots-   שוֹרָשִים   

Branches-    עֲנָפִים

You can practice with flash card at:

 http://www.flashcardmachine.com/1121822/z2b8

Shabbat Shalom,

Morah Irit

First word list

This is our first word list.

The test will be on Thursday  1/13/11.

מילים למבחן

    

                          Pinkוָרוֹד- 

Bear-  דֹב

Come-   בּוֹא

  Roof גַג-

Mr. -  אֲדוֹן

You can practice with flash card at:

http://www.flashcardmachine.com/1109491/w57b

בהצלחה!

Small quiz every Thursday and homeworks

1.7.2011
Dear Parents,
First grade students are doing very well. We are ready to move to a higher level. We will have a small quiz every Thursday on the 5 words we have studied. I will send home a list of words on Friday in our “Friday Hebrew Folder”. Please keep the words in an available place, sign the folder, and send the folder back.

To help your child study the words, each student will have a special notebook that he/she will take home on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with their homework assignment.
Every Monday, each student must write the words in Aleph-Bet order. Every Tuesday, they must write the words 3 times. And every Wednesday, they will have a word search puzzle with our week’s words.

For your convenience, I’ll make flashcards to be practiced on line.

Parents may not know Hebrew, but the students do!
Parents don’t have to study for the test or do the homework!
Your child knows how to do that, we also will go over the words in class.
Please make sure your child is studying and doing his/her homework.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me:
338-0308
Thanks,
Mora Irit Karavani

Name: ___________________________Date:____________________________

I read the letter and I understand that my child will have homework every Monday ,Tuesday and Wednesday.
The quiz will be on Thursday.

Parent Signature: ____________________

1/07/2011

1.07.2011

Dear Parents,

Welcome back! I hope you had a nice winter vacation. Yesterday was Rosh Chodesh  Shevat. Each student enjoyed eating delicious fruits at recess to welcome the new month.

Next week  (Monday) we will be having a special party with  treats from Israel (thank you to Zachary!).

We have so many things to celebrate:

We are going to learn writing cursive Hebrew letters:

We are going to start to learn how to write cursive Hebrew letters. In this unit we are going to focus on forming the letters correctly and working on reading text with cursive.

We are going to make a “Keter” (crown) to open this big event.

When you see the crown, Please encourage your child to tell you all about it.

We are finishing the reading program next week:

This week we finished our workbook with the sound Eh. We started the last sound “OO”. This means that next week we will finish our reading program. This program has strengthened everyone’s reading skills and taught the important skill of sounding out and writing Hebrew words. This means every student can read any Hebrew word with all of the vowels as well as write any Hebrew word with any vowels! Wow!

We have finished “Ariot 1 workbook”:

That’s right! We started and finished the “Ariot 1” workbook.

It was very easy because we had already learned so many of the vocabulary words and writing skills while doing our reading program. “ Ariot 1” was so fun when we challenged ourselves to figure out the words in the  “Hactava” (the spelling test at the end of each unit) and we were able to figure out the words without help.

We filled the marble jar!

We have had a reward jar in our class. Every time our class receives a compliment for our good behavior; we get 5 marbles. Because the first grade has received a lot of compliments, our jar is full and it’s time to have a party!

Hebrew Sentence of the week: שיעורי בית(shi urey bayit) – Home work. (Yes, we are going to start assigning  Hebrew Homework- Please sign the Homework letter and send it back in the folder.)

Parashat Hashavua

This Friday you will find a picture page in the folder with a summary of the story of Parashat: “בא” (Bo). We learned the 10 makot (the Ten Plagues) names in English and in Hebrew.

We learn that “בא” in gematria is 3 and in our Parasha we have the last 3 Makot (plagues)

Tu Bishvat

We started to learn the Tal-Am unit for Tu-Bishvat.  We used gematria again to find out that “Tu” is 15 and we celebrate Tu Bishvat on the 15^th of Shvat.

We also learned that this is a Rosh Hashana for the trees.

We all knew that tree in Hebrew is “Ets”  but now we all know that another word for tree is “Elan”.

Prayer

We added more lines in the following prayers: “Ashrey”-  up to the letter “ס” and “Anim zemirot”- up to the letter “י”

Shabbat Shalom,

Morah Irit.