Our Last "Science Friday"

Dear Friends of Gefen and Tamar, 

Today is our last science Friday! The MWJDS Science Fair is this Thursday April 3rd. Here are a couple of pictures of students working on their projects today at school. 

Avia, Eliana and Hadass work on their project, "The Music Test"

Sam, Bryce and Jonathan conduct research for their project topic on the Internet

I hope to see you all on Thursday evening at the science fair. It promises to be a special night.

Best,
Hamorah Eliza

Brundibar and But the Giraffe

Dear Friends of Gefen and Tamar,

On Wednesday grades 4-7 went to Central Square in Cambridge to see a dual production which included Brundibar, an opera performed by children during the Holocaust, and But the Giraffe, a one-act play about how the opera score may have been smuggled into the Terezin Ghetto, where it was performed. On their most basic level, the production was about the Holocaust, but the opera, specifically, sent a message about bullying in general. Hitler was one (major) bully but there are still bullies today. The message was that we need to overthrow all bullies. This is of course very relevant to elementary school-aged children.

Fourth graders smile for the camera before the production begins

Ask your child how he/she enjoyed Brundibar and But the Giraffe!

Best,
Hamorah Eliza

Building Lighting Systems

Dear Friends of Gefen and Tamar, 

In science class Wednesday students used the Engineering Design Process to build their very own lighting systems. They did such impressive work! Hamorah Janis and I made "caves" (out of big cardboard boxes). Each cave has 4 square-inch openings. Students had to use materials (a mirror and a flashlight) to build lighting systems that allowed them to view six hieroglyphs on all four walls of the cave. We thought this would take them several classes to get all the angles right. However, they were successful in just one classs period. Now their task is to draw each of the hieroglyphs so that people who cannot access the cave can see what the hieroglyphs look like. Here is a picture of a students working on their lighting system. 

Bryce and Alyssa build a lighting system. 

Best, 

Hamorah Eliza

Science Fair Projects are Coming Along

Dear Friends of Gefen and Tamar, 

As the MWJDS Science Fair nears, students continue to work on their projects and experiments. Most of the kids in Gefen and Tamar have finished collecting their data and are now analyzing it in order to write their conclusions. Some of the groups have started making their display boards. Below, Meg works on hers, which will outline an experiment on solar oven insulators, which she is doing with Elliana. 

I hope to see you all at the MWJDS Science Fair next Thursday evening.

Best,
Hamorah Eliza

MWJDS Purim Carnival 2014

Dear Friends of Gefen and Tamar, 

What an awesome Purim carnival we had Monday morning! Here are some pictures from our celebration.

Amanda S. is the king!

Elliana, Eliana and Avia make mishloach manot for other MWJDS students

Jake fishes for rubber duckies:)

Jonathan dressed up as a pilot for Purim

Amanda gets a magic trick show

Alyssa gets her face painted

Cheese!

MWJDS teachers = big babies!

Amanda S. goes fishin'

Hadass shows off her balloon creation, which she won with tickets

Best,
Hamorah Eliza

Change a light, change the world

Dear Friends of Gefen and Tamar,

We have had an eventful week! On Tuesday afternoon representatives from NSTAR came into school to talk to students in grades 3-7 about energy and the various ways  we can save energy. At the end of their presentation, the NSTAR reps challenged MWJDS students to participate in the Change A Light Fundraiser. The fundraiser, whose slogan is "Change a light, change the world," gives students the opportunity to sell eco-friendly LED light bulbs to family members and friends. As students learned on Tuesday, these LED light bulbs save the most energy and money. And the best part is, 100% of the proceeds from light bulb purchases are donated to MWJDS!

Students who are participating in this fundraiser "challenge" have until the day before Pesach vacation (April 11th) to sell light bulbs. Those who purchase light bulbs can expect to receive them in the weeks following this April 11th deadline. Checks for bulbs should be made payable to MetroWest Jewish Day School.

NSTAR reps present to MWJDS students

Our upper grades visited Shillman House, a community for older adults of all backgrounds, Wednesday afternoon to celebrate Purim. Our choir, which is made up of students in grades 3-7, performed Hebrew songs for Shillman House residents. Then students passed out mishloach manot to residents. Ask your children to tell you about the visit!

In my math class students are learning to add fractions. We use lots of different tools to enhance understanding. Here are some pictures of students playing "fraction games" in class Monday morning.

Today students continued to plug away on their science fair experiments. A lot of great, hard work is being done. 

On Monday we have our long-awaited MWJDS Purim Festival! If you have not already sent into school 3 mishloach manot items, please remember to do so Monday morning!

Shabbat Shalom!

Best, 

Hamorah Eliza

My Week in Review

Hello People,

The best thing we did this week was: when NStar came and we went on a "secret mission." I liked it because: the people were really funny and we got prizes. Something that happened this week which I am proud of is: I got a good score on my spelling test. I would still like to improve how I: type faster. The hardest part of the week was trying to find a house in math class. I hope that next week we: read more of MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD. I would like to compliment Eliana S. for being a really good friend.

Hope You Liked My Blog,
Avia








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Week why it was so good

Yoyo Pepes,
                        
The best thing we did this week was when NStar came to MWJDS to give us a mission of great interest. I liked it because the people were quite funny indeed and I got an NStar bag. Something that happened this week of which I am proud is finding a house in math for our a million dollar winnings. I would still like to improve finding houses more quickly. The hardest part of this week was our math "amount hill" homework. I hope that next week I can finish spending my million dollars. I would like to compliment Hamorah Michelle for doing such a fun project in math.
           
Bye Bye Yo,
Elliana

Shillman House

Shalom Friends,


The best thing we did this week was going to Shillman House  to sing, it was are first gig this year. =)
I liked it because I love singing. Something that happened this week which I am proud of is I greeted 26 people at Shillman House. I would still like to improve on how I sing. The hardest part of this week was resisting to eat the chocolate chips we were using to make hamantaschen with in school. I hope that next week it will be just as fun a week as this one. I would like to compliment Hamorah Nancy for helping Jonathan, Bryce and me with our science fair project.

As Always Stay Cool,
Sam

Week in Review

 Dear Blog Readers,

The best thing we did this week was NStar coming to MWJDS. I liked it because I like learning about energy. Something that happened this week which I am proud of is getting a good grade on my spelling test. I would still like to improve how fast I read. The hardest part of this week was having a headache the whole week. I hope that next week we read more of the book My Brother Sam is Dead. It is about the American Revolution War. I would like to compliment Avia for being a good friend this week.

Best Wishes,
Eliana S.

MEG'S WEEK

Hio Peoples,

The best thing we did this week was the NSTAR show. I liked it because it was really fun. The hardest part of my week was going to the Shillman House old age home. I hope that next week we have kindergarden buddies. I wold like to compliment Hamorah Eliza for being the greatest teacher this week.

Your blogger,
Meg

Science, Science and the American Revolution in Grade 4

Dear Friends of Gefen and Tamar,

Our MWJDS Science Fair projects are well under way. We had another science Friday today, where students had the chance to refine their research questions. We will continue with this process on Monday.

In our regular science class students started thinking about how they can design lighting systems that will enable them to see to the north, south, east and west in a cave. We talked about which materials to use and, specifically, HOW to use them. Next week the students will start the building process.

Fourth graders continue to read My Brother Sam is Dead in Guided Reading. They are finding the book so impelling that they asked me to read through snack/recess three days in a row this week. Ask your Tamar student about the story!

Tamar's social studies curriculum ties into My Brother Sam is Dead perfectly: we are studying the American Revolution. Students are just beginning to understand the conflicts that led to the war and the various positions people held. The book has helped them solidify their understanding of these things because it has given them examples of each "type" of person (or each role).

Have a wonderful, restful Shabbat.

Best,
Hamorah Eliza