The Rashi School | Classroom Blog

5th Grade Studies the Origins of the Holocaust Mrs. Glanz and Mrs. Packer Friday, March 29, 2019 This week, we spent a lot of time learning about events leading up to the Holocaust. We learned about the end of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles, life in Germany during the Weimar Republic, and the rise of the Nazi party in the early 1930's.  In one activity, to help contextualize and humanize the Holocaust, students selected a black and white photo image taken of Jews before the war and "expanded" the picture to include all the other details of the scene, including dialogue, passers-by, etc. This helped to show that these events happened to people with lives that were, in many ways, similar to their own. The picture included in the blog is the results of this work. Your child also had a chance take on the identity of a German citizen with a particular background and "vote" for a party during the 1933 election. As one student said, "

Dear Kindergarten Families, This week we began our study of Passover by reading parashat Shemot. We also welcomed Sam's family for his Important Person week and created a wave in the bottle project. Mid-week we went on a mezuzah hunt around the first floor and practiced saying the declaration inside each mezuzah, the Shema. The weather is beginning to warm which means we are looking for signs of spring outside! We hope you find time to be in the sunshine this weekend. Here are the photos and further explanations from our week: https://photos.app.goo.gl/NQAnafM2CzxbW5oH7 Upcoming: Important Person Week: Tali 4/1- 4/5 Shabbat Helpers: Aar and Noah Birthdays: Asaf 4/4 (celebration 4/5) In-school field trip: Matzah Factory 4/4 Shabbat Shalom, Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Liptz

Ask your child: * Who was our special visitor who came to read to the class?  (Mr. L) * What special Passover book did we begin making? (Our Haggadah) * What play did we see this week and who was in it?  (Third Grade Fables, our reading buddies) * What did Pharoah make the Hebrews do? * What were some of the plagues that G-d sent? * What plague was so bad that it made Pharoah let the Hebrews go?  * What happened when Moses stretched his rod over the Red Sea?  * What happened to the Egyptians when they tried to cross the Red Sea to catch the Hebrews? * What activity did Olivia and her mom do for her Important Person Week?  (She read The Rainbow Fish and the children made their own rainbow fish, and wrote about why it is important to share with others). Olivia's Important Person Activity:  The Rainbow Fish Outside fun (without coats!) Surprise!  Mr. L reads to our class. Leading prayer and song with Stephanie and Rabb

This week’s Torah portion laid out the foundation of our Kashrut (Kosher) standards. The Torah clearly states exactly which foods are acceptable and forbidden to eat. We had a lengthy discussion about the meaning of an animal who “chews its cud,” as stated in the Torah. We traced the food path of a cow…as the food travels through two stomachs, then back for more chewing (the cud,) and then digested in two more stomachs! In Math this week, first graders used arrows to describe the outline of figures drawn on a grid, they explored the distinction between open and closed figures. The grid and arrows also provide a way to examine what is the same and what is different about the two halves of a symmetric figure. 

Last week was an incredible week! The fifth graders presented their Science Fair projects marvelously. As their teachers, we are so proud of their hard work and what they accomplished. The week closed out with a wonderful Purim play full of singing, dancing and acting. Parent Update: This Thursday night is the parent information meeting about Growth Education. The meeting is from 7:00-8:30pm in the Beit Midrash. Assignment Updates for this week:   Wednesday: Identity boxes are due Thursday: Reading Journals are due Friday: Signed math test returned by Friday Nightly: Math homework due the following day

MARCH MADNESS in SECOND GRADE (and some February fun too!) WAX MUSEUM PHOTOS!                                       Understanding Our Differences - with Gary Alpert  Gary read us a story about a deaf girl who made candles to sell in her home. She was losing customers because she could not hear them at her front door. The kids were challenged to work in groups and invent something that would enable her to know when there was someone at her door. The kids used their imaginations, simple materials and engineering skills to come up up with a huge assortment of inventions!                                                                   SOIL SCIENCE!                                                                 Reviewing Plac