Emily Nadel
Author's posts
Jan 31
Unfolding Questions
In Anafim v’Alonim (“Branches” for 4th Grade, “Oak Trees” for 5th Grade) we are so focused on expressing our growing ideas about Yosef! Behind these pictures are children rushing to sit down to begin reading the new text, delighting in the ever-increasing DRAMA of the story, and finding moments of fun and focus as they …
Jan 23
Languages for Every Child
In Anafim v’Alonim (Branches for 4th Grade and Oak Trees for 5th Grade), we are bursting with so many ideas and interpretations about Yosef! We are exploring the text alongside building our skills around sequential storytelling. We began by focusing on font choices and how we are using the words to convey our ideas. Then, …
Dec 13
Sharing our תְּשׁוּבָה (Teshuvah – Return) Theme
This past weekend, we gathered as a whole community to celebrate our תְּשׁוּבָה (Teshuvah – Return) Theme. We thought of תְּשׁוּבָה (Teshuvah) as returning to the path we want to be on, and displayed our projects under a path with our biggest questions about תְּשׁוּבָה (Teshuvah). Children began by sharing their project with their grown-up, …
Dec 13
Teen Chanukah Party!
Last week, 18 teens (6th-12th grade) celebrated Chanukah together at our Teen Chanukah Party! We made latkes… We dipped candles… We played dreidel… We designed light catchers… And we decorated cookies! We are so glad to celebrate together, and hope you’ll join us for our Purim Party!
Nov 15
תְּשׁוּבָה (Teshuvah) Project Time
It’s project time in Anafim V’Alonim (“Branches” for 4th Grade and “Oak Trees” for 5th Grade)! We’re developing our big ideas about תְּשׁוּבָה teshuvah. We are defining תְּשׁוּבָה teshuvah as ‘returning to the path I want to be on’, and we have so many ideas to share with each other. A Few of Our Big Ideas about תְּשׁוּבָה …
Oct 27
A Very Busy Month
It’s been a very busy month in Anafim V’Alonim (“Branches” for 4th Grade and “Oak Trees” for 5th Grade)! We’ve celebrated Jewish holidays together, we’re learning t’fillah (Prayers), and we are charged with ideas about תְּשׁוּבָה teshuvah. We are defining תְּשׁוּבָה teshuvah as ‘returning to the path I want to be on’, and we have …
Sep 23
What does Shalom feel like?
In Anafim V’Alonim (“Branches” for 4th grade, and “Oak Trees” for 5th Grade), we have so many ideas about how to take care of each other, and how to feel Shalom in our community. We began by sharing different rules for how we treat each other, and then put them into categories: Be kind Be …
Sep 13
Welcome to Anafim v’Alonim
Welcome to Anafim v’Alonim (“Branches” for 3rd-4th grades and “Oak Trees” for 5th grade)! After a long summer, we were so excited to see each other this fall. We began the year by playing pictionary with some summer stories, a slew of רֹאשׁ הַשָׁנַה (Rosh HaShannah) games, and sharing our hopes for our year together.
Sep 06
“Do Not Waste”, CREATE!
In our second week of August Camp, children in 1st through 5th grade explored the Jewish idea of Bal Taschit, “Do Not Waste”! We learned where Bal Taschit comes from (the Torah!), went on field trips to explore different types of green technology, built water filtration systems, and designed our own ideas for how to …
Apr 08
פֶּסַח Pesach Passover in Anafim v’Alonim
Children in Anafim v’Alonim (“Branches” for 3rd-4th grades and “Oak Trees” for 5th grade) are treating each other with such kindness as we explore stories related to taking care of our community – especially those who have recently moved. We are writing, drawing, building, collaging, painting, working with natural dyes — and then sharing and …
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