Parshas Shemini- Kosher Animals

Here's a peek at a few things we've been up to/will be doing this week for Parshas Shemini:

Here is the kids adorable Har Sinai Sefirah countdown chart that THEY made today. It was so sweet how they all orchestrated it together, having one make all the flowers, the other painted, another went to go pick some real flowers to stick on- I forgot to take a photo of the finished product, but its up on the wall and really precious, and the BEST part is that THEY did it all by themselves. Mom was just there to make sure the stapler, scissors and glitter didn't get too out of control:)

Kosher fish sorting. We took a magnifying glass to look at the fins and scales on the Kosher toy fish.

Kosher bird sorting:

Math- using sand paper numbers and little fish counters:

Animal Magnet Kosher sorting on a magnetic cookie sheet:

Learning the parts of the fish- concentrating on the fins and scales:

Now this was a really gross activity if you ask me, but my 3 year old LOVED it and spent A LOT of time with his little bug friends. The point of this activity was to remove all the bugs from the fruit and vegetables since bugs aren't Kosher (as if we'd eat them if they were!) I have quite the phobia of anything small and gross so setting this up really was not easy for me, even if all the bugs are plastic... but the little guy was in bug heaven, so here it is:

Here is just a classic Kosher/non Kosher animal sorting activity

These are some great books we are reading, and searching for all the Kosher animals. You would be shocked how many we found!

Click here for some cute worksheets on Kosher animals. Scroll down to the "Brachot" worksheets.

Just a little puzzle we did with the little ones:

These are fabulous stickers that my princess used to make a whole scenario on a farm. She left the non Kosher animals out and put them on another paper.

And just for fun...

Here is where you can get some of the things we are using:

Have a great week,

We MADE it!!!

After WEEKS (or for some of us, MONTHS!) of cleaning, organizing, shopping, planning, cooking, baking, and endless preparations--- we did it. We all made it through another Pesach.

I often smile to myself when I think of how happy us Jewish ladies make our creator during this hectic time. I mean, ALL of this work for just 8 days of the year. It's pretty amazing. WE are pretty amazing.

And as nice as it would be to be able to take a little breather (aka- vacation) to recover from all the hard work, life must go on. Which means more lists, more planning, more organizing, to keep our precious families running as smooth as possible.

It was nice to take a break from life's routine over Chol Hamoed and take the kids out on a few 'special' trips. My crew are still young, so bumper boating was about as exciting as it got, but the kiddo's had a ball and that's all that counts, right?

But in the back of my mind, I knew that once Pesach was over, life will go on as usual and so I made these Workplan Templates to try out for the remainder of the school year.

It is actually very simple: One is an overview of the month. You write down any holidays and special dates happening that month. You can then fill in different activities in the different subjects provided giving you an idea of what you can cover over the next month. The second one is the same thing but with Parshah. You just plug in the Parshah name and any activities to do for that Parshah. The nice thing is, you don't need to write in every single box, and it will give you a good idea of the areas you are covering more then others.

I have already filled out our plans for the upcoming Hebrew month of Iyar. Click here to check it out.

Click HERE to download the clear Template and print it for yourself. You can laminate them and use them each month, or print and fill it in each month to have for your records. We're just trying it out. If it works, we will use them for next year.

That's a big thing about Homeschooling (at least in the early years). You are CONSTANTLY trying to figure out what works and change the things that DON'T work.

Here are a few things I've been pinning on Pinterest for Lag B'Omer and Shavuot. Some things are mine from this blog, some are from others. I'm a very visual person, so seeing all the different crafts and activities we have done over the years on one screen is really helpful!

I would love to hear some of your good ideas for Sefirat Ha-omer charts, Pesach Sheini activites, Lag B'omer projects and of course, Shavuot~ got a good (and EASY) cheesecake recipe? Send it to me- I'll post it.

Wishing you all a great week, and an easy transition back to the daily grind...

Always,

My Pesach Book of Shapes

I was just introduced to this fabulous blog by the BJE in Chicago, they have some really great ideas- check it out!

I took the idea of "My Jewish Shapes" and made our own "Pesach Shapes".

You can download it here- My Pesach Book of Shapes

Enjoy!

Chol Hamoed Menu and Pesach Shopping List

Many years have gone by where I have made these incredible Pesach Seders for over 100 people, tons of delicious food and everyone walks away happy and full.

Comes Chol Hamoed and the next thing I know, my family are all hungry and I have to figure out what to feed everyone.

Well my friends, this year, I am gonna be one step ahead of the game! Tonight I made my Chol Hamoed *tentative* menu, and I say tentative because I know that some of my kids will be eating the same things every day for a week no matter the options- but I say better have and not need, then need and not have! I tried to include as many fresh fruits and veges where ever I could... so when they're snacking on all that yummy chocolate and those Pesach brownies, I won't feel so guilty;)

So here it is- click here for the pdf version:

and I have uploaded my clear Pesach shopping list template as well as my clear Chol Hamoed Menu template for you to use and enjoy~ Click here to download it and print for your personal use.

Who says Pesach needs to be stressful? As my very wise father in-law always says,

"Proper planning prevents poor performance."

I think this will make him proud:)

Knowing WHAT to say and HOW to say it...

The Power of Using Our G-d Given Talents (and Helping Our Children Recognize Theirs)

There are twelve months in the Jewish calendar. The talent of SPEECH is the first, beginning with the month of Nissan, the month of Passover. “Pe”-”sach” means “the mouth” “speaks”. At the Passover seder we speak of the miracles that were done for the Jewish people when we were freed from slavery in Egypt.

People who have this talent intuitively know what to say and how to say it. This is considered to be the talent of leadership because people affect others with their words.

We can be role models of speech by speaking kindly and thoughtfully. When we recognize this talent in our children, it’s good to encourage them. We can reinforce this talent by telling them how well they speak; “You said it so well,” “I really appreciate the way you spoke to me,” “You explained it so clearly.”

Thanks and acknowledgment are essential to good speech. We can model this and encourage the children to thank, and acknowledge other people. It’s also good to let them know that they can take a few quiet moments to decide how to say what they really want to say.

Tools for Developing Your Talent of Speech:

1. Wake up and give thanks for this new day of life.

2. Validate three people for a good quality or action each day.

3. Before going to sleep, give thanks for five blessings of the day.

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* The Kabalah of Speech:

The tribe which corresponds to the month of Nissan is Yehuda (Judah). His mother, Leah, named him, saying, “This time I will give thanks to G-d...” (Genesis 29:35). The root of his name is related to the word ‘Todah,’ thanks.

Judah took leadership through admitting the truth and by speaking out for his brother in Egypt. He took charge of each situation by using clear and heartfelt speech . His descendants were King David, King Solomon and the line of Jewish kings.

**Our first words each day, according to the Jewish custom, are thanks to G-d for having returned our souls.

We wake up and SAY while still in bed, “Modeh Ani lifanecha , Melech Chai v’Kayam , She’heche’zarta be nishmati b’chemla; Rabah emunatecha. (With acknowledgment, I am before You, living and existing King, that you returned my soul to me in mercy: great is Your faith.)

Chana Rachel Schusterman is a Jewish spiritual counselor and coach. If you would like to contact her, please email me at Jewishmontessori18@gmail.com.

Guest Blogger- Chana Rachel Schusterman: Helping our kids Discover and Enhance their talents

All of our kids are special in their own way. A very close and dear woman in my life, Chana Rachel Schusterman, who has raised and married off her 11 incredible, smart and successful children was once speaking to me about how important it is for a parent to recognize and help their children recognize their own individual strengths and talents.

When our kids have this awareness, it will truly help them grow as well as us as parents relate to them and understand them so much more.

Chana Rachel has agreed to be a monthly guest blogger in helping us all identify our own kids talents. Enjoy~

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The Kabalah Of Discovering Our Talents

Chana Rachel Schusterman

Before our daughter got married, she told me that among the most helpful guidance I had ever given her was identifying and helping her understand “her talent”. I had already discovered this amazing realization with an older daughter. Identifying her talent and helping her use it changed her life. When we know our main core talent we know “how” to utilize our gift. When we know how to access our inner self we can connect and accomplish our purpose in the world.

This information comes from Sefer Yetzira, the most ancient book of Kabalah (the mystical tradition of Judaism.*) I had learned about this from my teacher in Israel and found it fascinating.

When I discovered how practical this can be, it became even more meaningful. Knowing my own talent has helped me to accomplish what I do in a clearer, smoother way. Utilizing my own talent, I have been able to recognize the talents of my children and of people who come to me to analyze their own personal palette of talents.

During the next twelve months on the Jewish calendar we’re going to look at the talent associated with that month. This calendar counts the months beginning with Nissan, the month of the holiday of Passover. We will begin with the talent of Speech. Everyone can develop the talent of each month as we see what it is and how we can strengthen it.

Although we each use many of the talents, some quite strongly, everyone has one that predominates. Knowing this for ourselves is amazingly revealing and helpful. When we recognize our own talents we accomplish in the way that is harmonious to who we are. When we understand our children’s talents, we can help them to identify what they’re good at and strengthen them to know their own way.

For those who would like more of the Jewish and Kabalistic content, this will be added each month’s talent information.

* Sefer Yetzira names the twelve sons of Jacob (progenitors of the 12 tribes of Israel.) Parallel to that are the twelve months of the Jewish calendar, a letter of the Hebrew alphabet and an organ of the body. In addition to this, and most fascinating to me, is the “chush”, a talent which is intrinsic to each tribe or month.

Each talent represents direction. Each tribe was given a physical camping place relative to the others, a position surrounding the most holy place, the Tabernacle, which contained the Ark holding the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The position of each tribe was a direction, a way to face this holy place. On the microcosmic level, we each have an inner soul center. We also have our own personal way to accomplish our purpose in the world. We connect to our soul and travel the path to do our work in the world by utilizing our unique talent.

Some Pesach Activites

I'm back with my baby wipe caps again:) This time, we made the 10 Makos (10 Plagues):

We have these adorable 10 Makos finger puppets that fit inside each one perfectly:

Here is a Chametz/Kasher L'Pesach sorting tray- find the Chametz and put it in the basket (you can also write "Chametz" and "Kasher L'Pesach" on 2 pieces of paper and have the kiddos sort the foods into the correct columns):

A Pesach Sensory Table:

Here's an adorable project we are working on- in my Pesach cleaning I am coming across many treasures (aka- garbage) that I keep thinking how I can use it for the kiddos... I found a bunch of empty DVD covers and we are making lapbooks of the 4 sons out of them (we also learn about the 5th son not mentions in the Haggadah, the son who doesn't even know what Pesach is).

I made pictures of each son and had the kids color them. We're going to slide it into the plastic as the cover of the lapbook. We are then going to make pictures and write about each son and stick it inside the cover. How fun? Will post the finished project once completed. This will really give the kids a very clear understanding of the 5 sons.

Below are some links to where we got some of the things we are using to learn about Pesach: