It is the beginning of a new theme, שְׁמַע (Shema), children in שׁוֹרָשִׁים (Shorashim– ‘roots’ for nursery) and שְׁתִּילִים (Shteelim– ‘saplings’ for kindergarten) have jumped right in.
First, we discovered the name of our theme through a scavenger hunt for the Hebrew letters that spell שְׁמַע (Shema).
After we found the letters, we worked together to figure out which letters they were and heard the name שְׁמַע (Shema).
We found שְׁמַע (Shema) in lots of places around our space. We found שְׁמַע (Shema) in the Torah as well as in siddurim (Jewish prayer books).
We painted a sign with the name of our theme.
We made a torah on our wall and wrote the שְׁמַע (Shema) inside, to remind us that it is in the Torah.
We made a list of all of the things we know about the Shema:
- You can sing it.
- There is an out loud part and a whisper part.
- It’s in the Torah (children wondered why some letters were longer, “maybe you say it longer?”).
- Morning and night time were both options that children knew might be times that people say the שְׁמַע (Shema). A few children say the שְׁמַע (Shema) with their family before bed.
