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Leadership Blog: Introducing a "Wonder"ful Curriculum

How can your senses help you learn?
What makes a pet special?
What happens when families work together?

These are some of the essential questions our K-2nd grades will explore through our new reading program, Wonders, by McGraw Hill. The K-2nd team came to me last year to share that they were looking for a reading program that not only incorporated all of the components of a literacy program, but also one that more closely aligned with our current pedagogy, our mission, and our values. The Wonders curriculum encourages our students to think deeply about the world around them while learning and honing foundational reading and comprehension skills.

As an educator, what I love most about Wonders is that it challenges our students wherever they are along their reading journeys. There are endless resources for students reading above grade level, as well as for those students who are approaching grade level in reading. These resources all address the same essential questions, and thus, all students �" no matter their reading level �" read, discuss, and research together. Moreover, the levels are flexible and allow our students to accelerate or slow down depending on where they are at any time.

What I love most about using Wonders at ADAT is the way our teachers plan to use the curriculum as a source of inspiration for design thinking challenges, social studies, and science. Our teachers will use the cross-disciplinary application of this curriculum to challenge our students to think critically and globally. They also use Wonders as a tool to help our students learn about their identity �" to know themselves (as our mission states). See the images below of our K students embodying the alphabet as one example of this and look for an example of the Wonders program at Language Arts Night on November 8.

I cannot wait to see what else this curriculum offers our students and what our students bring to the curriculum. Whatever it will be, I am sure it will be full of “wonders.”

Warmly,

Lauren

        

Inside The Classroom

Click below to view the classroom pages:

TK

Kindergarten

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

6th Grade

In the Community

 Registration closes on Sunday for our 3rd Annual Day School Family Shabbaton

We are excited to continue egistration for our 3rd Annual Day School Family Shabbaton at Camp Ramah - - Friday, November 2, 4:00 PM until Sunday, November 4 at 11:00 AM in Ojai. Last year was so much fun, and we are excited to build on our experience with all of our new and returning families. You can find the link to the registration page here.

Some highlights of our time together will include challah braiding, student-led Kabbalat Shabbat, creative Shabbat morning service with student Torah readers, an incredible ropes course experience (unless it rains, in which case we will have something else fun), hikes, yoga, Havdalah, campfire, FUN parent socials, and time to be together and build community.

We will have a Gan (nursery) for ECC age kids (2 and older), programming for TK & K, and programming for 1st-6th graders.  Depending on how many 7th grade and older kids we have, we will determine the best fit for them in this experience - either jr. counselors, or teen programming.  Please be advised that the Gan will be open at various times throughout the weekend (about 6 hours total) so that families will spend most of the weekend together.  Children in 2nd grade and older are encouraged to sleep in the bunks with counselors.  There will be evening Shmira (babysitting) in the lobby of buildings with kids sleeping in adult rooms. Adults have private rooms with bathrooms - motel style. Fee includes lodging, meals, and all activities.

Please note ways to get involved on the registration form-- we would love your help!

All balances are due on Monday, October 22.  Please see registration form for full pricing information.

For more information or to register please visit the registration page.

 

Tour de Summer Camp:

Did you go to Jewish summer camp? Did your time there shape who you are today? Join us to support sending thousands of kids to Jewish summer camp. Ride, spin or cheer with Shara and Team Adat Ari El for the Tour de Summer Camps. Register now for a day of "cycling, activities and laughter."

Click here to sign up: www.tourdesummercamps.org

From the Synagogue

Interested in joining a Chavurah here at Adat Ari El?

A Chavurah is a group of families or individuals who meet on a regular basis to celebrate Jewish life, socialize, and learn together. It's a terrific way to get to know others at Adat Ari El, essentially creating a smaller community within the larger one. Members must make a commitment to the group to meet regularly, usually at least once a month. What you choose to do when you meet is up to you! You can go to services together, share lifecycle events, go on a hike, watch movies, have speakers at your gathering, etc. Each Chavurah decides the types of activities to participate in and will periodically meet with staff at Adat Ari El to share experiences, review goals, and make sure the group is meeting the needs of its members.

Please click here to let us know your interest and availability so we can start connecting you to your Chavurah.

 

Scholar in Residence: Saskia Keeley (Photo Journalist)

10/26/18

6:00 pm Tefillah

7:00 pm Photography Exhibit & Shabbat Dinner in a Cocktail Hour Style

8:00 pm Presentation by Saskia Keeley

Discussing photography workshops in the West Bank depicting Israeli and Palestinian women as they begin to find similarities in at the most intimate level.

 

Lea Glitman-Alkalai Memorial Sing-a-Long Concert

10/27/18

7:30 pm

Sing-a-Long to the music of James Taylor, Naomi Shemer, Joni Mitchell, Arik Einstein, Carole King, Poogy, Mamas and Papas

Prayground 

10/27/18 - 10:30am

A unique hour-long experience for Families with Day School aged children that includes Shabbat songs, blessings, stories and more...

Sunset Healing Service

10/28/18 -  7:00 pm

A safe, friendly calming space away from the constraints of the week, which begins immediately after our minyan has concluded. Led by Rabbi Jessica Yarkin and Sue Epstein.

Around Campus

Library Birthday Book

We would like to invite you to participate in an exciting opportunity to contribute to our library and honor your child's birthday by purchasing a Library Birthday Book. This program will raise money for the library and excite kids about reading. 

If you would like to participate, send $18 (Chai) on your child's birthday, and your may child come to the library and choose a new book that's designated for this program. 

For $18 donation, the student gets a sticker with their name, occasion, and adult's name placed in the book.  You then get to take the book home for a week to read and enjoy. Then, bring the book back to the library to be added to the library's circulation!

We hope you'll keep ADAT's library in mind during this year's child's birthday and help the library grow. Please see the image of the dedication sticker below.

 

Havdalah Highlights

We start each week gathered together as a school for a Havdalah ceremony, during which we highlight students who we have noticed acting in ways that carry out our mission. Because we are so proud of our students, we wanted to share their stories with you!

Orr and Ace in  1st grade have been exceptional leaders during art for the last two weeks. They have been leading by example, offering to help fellow artists out with their work, encouraging others with kind comments and were always ready, active and engaged learners.

Zoe was signing kids in for enrichment and there were some left over plates and cups on the table, Meadow (3^rd) and Lulu (4^th) got up and threw them away. 

Shirel in 5th grade showed "Serving Others" by helping a friend with their science homework, and easing her friend's concern about turning in the work on time. They worked together and Shirel went out of her way to e-mail the teacher in the evening to let him know that her friend's work was under her Google account.

Daniella D. and Daniella W. in TK noticed that some of their friends didn't have tzedekah, and they went around and gave out some of their extra coins to make sure that none of their classmates felt left out.

                                                                                                                                                            

Calendar

Mark your calendars for these important dates:

• October 21: Sherman Oaks Street Fair - 10-6:00pm
• October 22: Race to Nowhere - Film Screening 7:00pm
• October 23: Parent Education - w/ Lori Getz 8:30am
• October 28: Buddy Playdate at Adat - w/Hasidah, TK, K & 4-6 grades - 10-12:00pm
• October 29: Challah Bake at Adat - 7:00pm
• October 31: Picture Day

*click here to view the full calendar

Jewish Trivia question of the week

Each week, we'll pose a Jewish Trivia question of the week and will reveal the answer in the following week's newsletter! Here's this week's question: Where is Mount Sinai located?

a. The exact location is unknown

b. Egypt

c. Israel

d. Ukraine

ANSWER from last week's question:  According to most historians, who was the first Jew to set foot in the New World?

a. Christopher Columbus's interpreter​ - Luis de Torres