Gimel 1 & 2
Dear Kitah Gimel (3rd-grade) families,
We can’t believe a whole year has passed by us already! Despite the challenges we faced creating a virtual classroom community, the year flew by just as if we were in person. Seeing our students' faces on our screens was always a highlight of our week, and we always ended class with our spirits lifted and a smile on our face.
In Sofya’s class…
One of my favorite things about TT is the community connection that we have with our students. I still can’t believe that we never had the opportunity to meet face to face. This is always the harder part of saying goodbye to my Kitah Gimel students. We learned so much new vocabulary this year, played so many games and listened to some fun Israeli music. I would like to share some of the links for the games we played if Kitah Gimel students would like to review Hebrew during their summer vecation:
Family tree diagram in Hebrew: https://wordwall.net/resource/16141443
Alef Bet: https://wordwall.net/resource/12425000
In Polly’s class we took a virtual trip to Israel, visiting beautiful cities like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa. In Jerusalem we explored the Old City, and learned about how it is made up of four quarters. We visited the Western Wall, and learned about the history of the holy site. Finally, we strolled down the streets near Mahane Yehuda and learned about all the delicious Israeli foods. In Tel Aviv we visited Google’s headquarters and learned about some amazing Israeli innovations, and in Haifa we visited the beautiful Bahá'í Gardens. By the end of our Israel unit our student’s became experts in Israel’s geography!
We could not have asked for a more wonderful group of students to work with this year. Their resilience, flexibility, and humor allowed us to work together and create a close knit Kitah Gimel community. We are so proud of how much our students have grown and are honored to have been their teachers this year. It took a strong team to create a successful classroom, and you were a vital part of that team. Thank you for showing your dedication to Jewish learning this year and helping your students reach their full potential in our classroom. We wish you and your families a wonderful summer break, and can’t wait to see you in person soon!
L’Shalom,
Polly & Sofya
Gimel 3
Dear Gimel 3 (3rd-grade) parents and students,
Bonny and I are amazed at the progress made by the Gimel 3 students. While the primary focus of Hebrew study this year was Hebrew reading, there is an expectation for the students to read with more accuracy and fluency. Strong reading skills provide the foundation for other language skills: vocabulary, grammar, and the special challenges when reading prayers and blessings. Students learned vocabulary, then learned how to put the words together to form sentences. Once the students knew question words and basic vocabulary, they were able to use the words for conversation. Much of the conversation was tied to the topic of “family.”
The students learned to read Brachot (Blessings) and prayers, and in the process, began to develop fluency (flow). Holidays provided more opportunities to practice reading skills related to T’fillah (prayer.) Students read, in Hebrew, from Esther for Purim and from Ruth for Shavuot. The students have risen to these challenges, gaining knowledge, skills, fluency and confidence.
Through games and activities, the students developed a different, more playful way to practice the Hebrew language. As students enjoyed the games, their fear of mistakes when using Hebrew was reduced.
The students also studied with Polly. Her curriculum was holiday centered. This spring, Israel celebrated Yom HaAtzma’ut. The students expressed how much they enjoyed the units about Israel.
This year of growth would not happen without the support of you, the parents! You made sure your children were in class with their materials. You supported them and Talmud Torah in so many ways.
We wish you a happy and healthy summer! See you next year!
Etta, Bonny, and Polly
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