Trips - Month of Feb

15th Feb - Trip to Historic Richmond Town.
There we will be learning about 'colonial America', which ties into our 'My country - USA' social studies unit.
We will be having a special workshop there together with 4th grade called 'Fiber to Thread':
This workshop focuses on pre-industrial textile production as students experience for themselves the stages of making flax into linen thread and sheep's wool into woolen thread. Students always enjoy breaking flax, carding wool, and trying out the drop-spindle. A visit to some of the historic buildings allows them to consider the uses and value of cloth in early American communities."

28th Feb - Trip to Central Library

We will be having our own trip together with 4th grade in honor of 'Literacy Month'. A children's librarian will be teaching us and showing us around the library. Then we will have time to browse and choose books.

Some children already gave me their library cards. Please make sure that your child brings in her library card by the day before the trip. We will be allowing each student to borrow 1- 2 books and we will be keeping the receipts to give you as a record. The parents will be responsible to return the books with their child. Please let me know if you do not want your child to borrow books.

Next week, Morah Ariella will be going to the 'Tal Am' (hebrew program) conference. We will be having the Rebbe from fourth grade- Rabbi Naftoli, teaching us Jewish Studies instead!

Being a Good Friend...

This week we had 2 Morning Meetings!

We had the first one on Monday: We each found a quiet spot to sit in the classroom with a clipboard and paper...We had soft music playing in the background and we wrote a list of things that "I want my friends to...". We found ourselves writing lots of ideas of how we like our friends to behave and treat us.

On Thursday, we again sat with a clipboard, paper, in a quiet spot and with soft music. We discussed how 'Ahavas Yisroel' means treating our friends exactly the same way that we like our friends to behave with us. This time we wrote a list of what it means "to be a good friend..."

Unit 6 Maths - Geometry

In this unit we are investigating line segments, rays and lines; Exploring polygons, including triangles and quadrangles, and drawing and measuring angles.

Here is a photo of us performing turn calisthenics in our classroom...(We are rotating clockwise or counterclockwise - quarter, half, three quarter and whole turns)

Feburary is "Reading is Fun" Literacy Month at Mazel!

The goal of this month is to get our kids excited about reading!

These are some of the exciting events we will be having:

• Meet the Author,


• Book Sale,


• Parents READ,


• Trip to Central Library, and


• Reading Fun Day

There will also be a Parent Literacy Evening to discuss reading at home!

We would like to schedule for all our parents to come in at some point during the month to read to our class their child's favorite book. This book can be chosen together with your child and should be appropriate for the class (I.e not too long) and preferably with pictures!

The best times to come in are at 10:45 -11:00am or 2:30-2:45pm, any day of the week! (If those times don't work we will be able to fit in another time that works for you.) You can post a time and date (any time in Feb) on the blog or email me. We hope that all our class has the opportunity for their Mom or Dad to come in and read their favorite book!

If your child does not yet have a library card, there is a library card application form in their homework folder to fill out. Please send it back to school by Friday and we will organize to get a library card for them. If they already have one then they can bring it on the day of our trip to the library, which will be February 28th.

Thanks so much!

Morah Rivki

Power of Jewish Children Competition Deadline: Thurs 27th Jan

Alot of us have done great projects for the competition! Tomorrow is the last day to submit the project online. It's really easy to submit the project online at powerofjewishchildren.com.
Good luck!

Middah of the Week - Zerizus - Getting Things Done Right Away

We discussed today that there are so many excuses we can have for not doing things right away...

This is a great song - ask your daughter if she'll sing it to you... (It's our favorite Middah song so far!)

The Zrizus song:

“I’m too tired”,” I’m too busy”, “Oy I’ve got these aches and pains”

And I just can’t do it and I can’t do it today.

“Boy I’m hungry”, “I’m so thirsty”, “look outside its going to rain”

And I just can’t do it now!

Zrizim Makdimim LeMitzvos, all good deeds should be done right away,

The Torah says you should show your happy to get up and go-

So don’t put off til tomorrow something you could do today!

“Its too hot, ”I’m much too cold”, “I’m in the middle of a game”

And I just can’t do it, I can’t do it today

“I need help”, “It’s not my chore”, “and I just got off the train”

And I just can’t do it now.

Zrizim Makdimim LeMitzvos, all good deeds should be done right away

The Torah says you shouldn’t shirk, roll up your sleeves and get to work

Don’t put off until tomorrow something you could do today!