More Butterflies!

We learned about symmetry in our art center as we made yet more beautiful butterflies.  We spooned paint onto one wing of the butterfly, folded the wings together and pressed.  When we opened them, we saw that the two wings were identical or symmetrical to the other.

Butterflies!

We created magnificent, giant sized butterflies using over sized coffee filters.  The children used droppers to apply bright and vivid water colors to the filters.  When they were dry we helped the children scrunch up the filters and twist a pipe cleaner around the middle.  The effect is amazing!

Spring Mural

We sprung into spring with the creation of an abstract spring mural! The children used "flower" paint sponges and dipped them into springy pastel paints to help make a beautiful spring collage resembling a garden of flowers.  

Preparing our Shavuot Cheesecake!

​Gan Reut prepared yummy, individual cheesecakes to bring home for the Chag.  The children first crushed graham crackers in individual baggies to prepare their crusts, they then made the batter, and finally they chose whether to top their cheese cake with regular chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or to keep it plain.  Delicious!

 ​

Bikurim Baskets for Chag HaShavuot

​In conjunction with learning about Shavuot, we discussed that the Bikurim, first fruits were brought to Yerushalayim at the time of the Beit HaMikdash.  The children made their own very decorative baskets to carry fruits in.  (or in our case cheese cakes)  The children had lots of fun painting their baskets with a mixture of beautiful pastel paints mixed with glue and then sticking on beautiful fabric flower all over the interior of their baskets.

​

In Honor of Yom Yerushalayim!

In honor of Yom Yerushalayim, the children had fun dancing around our classroom while carrying their own Israeli flags and singing songs related to Yerushalayim.  

They also drew pictures and dictated their wishes on notes that they then proceeded to stick in between the stones of our class Kotel. 

Flowers for the Vases!

​The children made two different types of flowers to place in their Shavuot vases.  First, they painted with dot paints onto coffee filters to design springy and colorful flowers.  Next, they dipped seed pods from sweet gum trees, that they collected from outside, into bright pink, orange and purple paint to create a different, but very interesting flower.

​

Vases for Shavuot

​In honor of Shavuot the children made beautiful vases.  They glued on springy colors of tissue papers over the exterior of plastic bottles that they carefully "painted" with tacky glue. We will be sure to make flowers with which to fill their vases. ​

Friendship Quilt Completed!

​We cut our large quilt into 16 puzzle pieces and had the children build the puzzle and put the quilt back together.  They were so proud and excited to see their completed product once they managed to fit all of the pieces together.  It is hanging on our outside bulletin board; available for all to take a peek if you happen to be in the building.

​

Conitnuing our Friendship Quilt

We continued with our friendship quilt as the children decorated paper dolls of themselves and then placed them above their hand prints.

Celebrating Lag Ba'Omer!

Bonfire (Medurah), songs, marshmallows and baked potatoes; what more could we ask for?!  An absolutely terrific time was enjoyed by all!

Friendship Quilt

In addition to our "puzzle pals" the children also expressed their friendship by beginning to create a beautiful friendship quilt.  They each dipped their hands into paint and then placed their hands on the quilt.  Each set of hands was adjacent to another set of hand prints depicting their love and friendship for each other.   Next week they will continue with the quilt and we will be sure to keep you updated!

Our Friendship Puzzle

As promised the children connected their puzzle pieces to form a long chain of Gan Reut friends holding hands and discussed what it means to be a true friend.  The children then each completed the sentence fragment: "A friend"...  

Friendship Puzzle Pals

In the spirit of friendship the children in Gan Reut each painted and decorated a personal "puzzle pal".  They water colored their individual puzzle piece and then glued on eyes and hair. Now that the pieces are completed, the children will connect them to form a long chain of Gan Reut pals and discuss different ways to be a good friend.