Jun 11
The past two weeks in Shteelim, we have concluded our (Sh’mitah -Release) theme, celebrated with our families at the Exploration and Celebration, packed up our space, had new adventures in our newly empty space, worked hard to finish our memory sefarim (books), revisited some of our favorite explorations from the year and brainstormed advice we would want …
May 21
This week in Shteelim, we wrapped up our Sh’mitah theme and moved into a time of reflection and remembering of the past year. In our final conversations about Sh’mitah, Shteelimers connected the Sh’mitah year to Shabbat as they came up with similarities and differences between the two traditions, and asked why we observe both in …
May 14
This week in Shteelim, we were able to explore two of our areas of focus – the concept of הפקר (hefker – ownerless) and counting בעברית (b’Ivrit – in Hebrew) – at the same time! In our farming play area, we set out with the new challenge of taking only as much as we need from others’ …
May 13
This week, Shorashim and Shteelim completed their final יצירה (yetzirah – art/creativity) project for our current theme, שמיטה (Sh’mitah-release). Both groups worked together to create a large mural made from painting and collage.The first three panels of the mural show what happens to the land during the years leading up to שמיטה (Sh’mitah-release). Those three …
May 07
This week in Shteelim we’ve had a chance to continuing exploring in the agricultural play space, where Shteelim have acted out their preparation for the שמיטה (Sh’mitah – Release) year, as well as what they would do during the year itself. One of the big ideas that I can see has defined Shteelim’s understandings of Sh’mitah is …
May 06
Shorashim and Shteelim are well underway with their final יצירה (yetzirah – art/creativity) project for our current theme, שמיטה (Sh’mitah-release). Both groups are working together to create a mural. The first three panels will show what happens to the land during the years leading up to שמיטה (Sh’mitah-release). And the last two panels will show …
Apr 30
This week, many Shteelim got the chance to visit KAM Isaiah Israel’s Urban Farm, and see, hear, taste, touch and smell how a Chicago farm is practicing the שמיטה (Sh’mitah-release) year in real life. We brought our ideas about שמיטה (Sh’mitah-release) and many questions we have developed over the past three weeks. Last week, we had …
Apr 16
This week in Shteelim, we dove in to our final theme of the year, שמיטה (Sh’mitah – Release). Our first week in this theme was guided by learning foundational knowledge about the שמיטה year and the farming process, generating many questions and wonderings about שמיטה, and keeping track of all the new information we learned. To do these …
Mar 13
Over the past two weeks in Shteelim, we’ve started a full exploration of פסח (Pesach—Passover). Kindergarteners have been working on מה נשתנה (Ma Nishtanah -The Four Questions) in new משחקים (Mischakim-games), making a fabric banner יצירה (Yetzirah-art/creativity), and lots of singing as we walk or play. Most Shteelimers will be ready to sing the מה נשתנה (Mah Nishtanah …
Feb 26
After spending several weeks reading the first fifteen chapters of שמות (Shemot – Exodus) from the time the Israelites were slaves in Egypt through Miriam’s singing and dancing as they make it to the other side of the sea, we’ve finished our reading of the story and have transitioned into exploring פורים (Purim). I read the Exodus …
