Our kindergarteners are becoming comfortable with their new school day routine.  Counting to one hundred as they exercise in the morning, calendar, and hearing a book read aloud are some of the highlights of their day.  

 

This week, each student made two magic reading wands, one to keep in school and one to use at home.  As kindergarteners learn to read, these magic tools will help them identify letters and even words. 

 

So far, we've been counting by ones.  We'll be skip-counting by twos, fives, and tens as the year progresses, in addition to distinguishing even from odd numbers and comparing numbers.

 

In science this year, the kindergarten class will study animals and plants, observe objects and how things move, and learn about land and water.  This will give them a basis in each area: life, physical, and earth science. 

 

I look forward to an exciting year of growth with the kindergarteners!  ---Mrs. Harris

 

 

It's a brand new world! Elementary School! Madison Jewish Community Day School! Our students are feeling "very big" as they transition into their new life cycle stage! Excitement abounds as they learn about daily routines and start becoming more independent. 

 

This year promises to be educational and fun-filled, too, as students use listening skills to absorb the sounds and meaning of Hebrew, learn about the weekly Torah portion, and actively increase their understanding of Jewish holidays and customs.  

--HaMorah Meisha

 

 

 

·Coffee & Curriculum Night, Tues. Sept. 13 at 6:30 pm. MJCDS's back-to-school orientation for parents. Learn all about your child(ren)'s daily schedule, as well as general studies, Judaic studies and arts curricula. Explore our classrooms, talk with teachers and enjoy coffee with fellow parents.

 

MJCDS A+ Afterschool offers Art + Music + Academics (time for homework help). The program, which is open to children from other schools, runs from 3:15-5:30 pm, Monday through Thursday.  Help spread the word!  For more information, visit our website or contact Rabbi Ben-Gideon.

 

Scholastic bookclub flyers come home in backpacks today. Order online using code J2WZK or return your form to Mrs. Harris by Sept. 23. Happy reading!

 

 

 

In Social Studies, this class will begin looking at the roles of various people in the school community and how communities are created.  As they study how communication has changed over time, they will also look at artifacts and maps.  Further studies in this area will focus on the United States of America, Americans, and neighborhoods.

 

I look forward to enjoying many books with the first and second graders this year as well as experiencing them blossoming in their abilities to read, write, and reason.  --Mrs. Harris

 

 

The first/second grade class has been working hard and having fun in Math and Science. In Math, students are working on using the most efficient strategies for solving addition and subtraction problems. The students also learned a variety of math games to help them learn and memorize their basic facts. Soon they will begin a study of place value in their new math books. 

 

In Science class, they are exploring an Earth Science unit about Rocks and Soil. This week, students will be observing and comparing the various properties of rocks and collecting and recording data in their science notebooks!  --Ms. Goldman 

  

 

With Lila's positive determination and Jane's, Jonathan's, and Jojo's good nature, our Hebrew and Judaic classes got off to a grand start. Our second graders have solid Hebrew reading skills and it seems first grader Lila is pushing to catch up! This class is already beginning to read in the Tal Am primer library set! These simple, yet vocabulary-rich books charm the children with their delightful characters and add to their growing Hebrew language skills.

 

The weekly Torah portions are a beloved focus this year. The inventively formatted Tal Am materials bring each parasha alive and are most accessible when instructed with a bit of joyous energy.  This year, we will focus attention in Hebrew to basic grammar constructs and vocabulary development.  --HaMorah Meisha

 

 

The third/fourth grade class will be starting off the year with a study of realistic fiction and personal narrative writing. Students have already begun working on grammar and cursive skills as well. 

 

Next week, students will begin a new spelling program, in which they will have a spelling list to study and a short weekly homework packet to complete. The new list/packets will come home on Thursdays and are due on Tuesdays. They will have a spelling test each Wednesday. The spelling lists will vary, with words appropriate for each student. 

 

In math, students have been reviewing their basic addition and subtraction facts and learning new games to help them memorize these facts. They have also completed a variety of pre-tests to help me understand their current academic needs. They will be starting their new math books next week with a study of place value. 

 

In Social Studies, students are learning about all of the ways that people can be smart (Multiple Intelligence Theory). Students will be exploring some activities that represent each of their "smarts." When we finish this up, we will be starting our study of Wisconsin geography. 

 

In Science, we are starting the year with a study of Earth Science. The first topic explores the relationship between the earth and the moon and stars, culminating with a trip to the planetarium.  --Ms. Goldman

  

Tense! Tense! Tense! It is all about how we say it. Our upper grade students will expand their use of past and future tense as they begin to see and use conjugating tables. 

 

Being more formally introduced to how gender and number work in Hebrew will take them beyond just "immersion" and give them the opportunity to use a different part of their brain to understand how the language works. 

 

Students will also delve more deeply into Torah study focusing on specific parts of Genesis as well as the weekly Torah portion. Additionally, through various Hebrew readings learners will develop their comprehension and vocabulary knowledge.  --HaMorah Meisha