our stories: learning through integration

So much inside a crescent roll...

Some kindergarten stopped by the office to share a crescent roll, fresh from the oven. Why such a yummy treat? "It's Rosh Chodesh! It’s Kislev!” they shouted.

"Kislev begins the Rosh Chodesh after Thanksgiving," Ari explained.

“And on the start of each Hebrew month, the moon is the shape of a crescent,” Talia added. “That's why our snack is in the shape of a crescent.”

On the first day of each Hebrew month, the kindergarten class goes outside to observe the garden. They notice the colors and the condition of the plants growing there, and then draw pictures and journal about their observations. The monthly entries are bound into a book at the end of the school year.

That tasty crescent-shaped treat was more than a mere snack. It was part of a Judaics lesson that incorporated math (counting days of the month), science (observing changes in season), writing, visual arts and reading. They had learned by observing, drawing, cooking, moving, singing and praying. All of that from a crescent roll!