MJDS Spotlight on a Spectacular Year End
This is what one parent had to say about the evening:
From my perspective this was one of best end of year shows, if not the best one I've attended. It gave an opportunity for kids to shine in smaller groups, it enabled greater interaction between the grades/ages/classes and the planning and skits/demonstrations really seemed to come more from the kids. It did not feel like an adult-fabricated event. The kids supported each other through their mistakes and encouraged each other along. Their personalities came out. It felt like a community event.
From my perspective this was one of best end of year shows, if not the best one I've attended. It gave an opportunity for kids to shine in smaller groups, it enabled greater interaction between the grades/ages/classes and the planning and skits/demonstrations really seemed to come more from the kids. It did not feel like an adult-fabricated event. The kids supported each other through their mistakes and encouraged each other along. Their personalities came out. It felt like a community event.
What are Negative Space Shadow Drawings?
As part of a unit in art class exploring shape and colour, Magen David students learned about negative space through drawing shadows. They discussed the difference between positive and negative space as an artistic concept, with positive space being that which is filled by the object being drawn, and the negative space the empty area surrounding the object. They then further explored the concept by projecting shadows of plants onto paper and tracing two images, one for the positive shadow, and one for the negative white space.
Candle Lighting at the Consulate
It was important that their creation embodied both the spirit of the holiday, and the values of the school. To recognize our Year of Nature, the hanukkiah was made out of recycled PVC pipe, and decorated with a combination of both recycled materials as well as vines and natural objects collected by the children. Each classroom, from the youngest to the oldest, decorated a portion of the hanukkiah with flowers they made out of bottles and egg cartons. The base and final assembly was accomplished by the middle schoolers, who also acted as the guides for the other classes in the project.
MJDS Spotlight on a Meaningful Tashlich
Using four classrooms, four activities were constructed: Fish-A-Wish, Waterways, Ocean in a Bottle and Tashlich & Snack . . .with every activity celebrating our Year of Water. A rotation of 20 minutes at each station kept the children moving from one station to the next – with everyone experiencing a full range of creative fun.
Learning About Camouflage and Biomimicry
The Year of Nature presents the opportunity for Kita Shalhevet and Kita Rimon students to learn about Purim from a unique perspective. They learned about camouflage in nature, matching the examples, and discussing and organizing them into the categories and sub-categories of camouflage.
MJDS Spotlight on Preparing for Pesach
Kita Shalhevet worked together to create an Egypt museum to explore what life would have really been like when then Jews lived there. The students chose areas of interest to research and created displays to present the results of their work, giving a greater insight into what the Jewish people might have experienced, and what they would have been leaving behind. They were incredibly excited to present their museum to both visiting parents and the lower elementary to share what they have learned with the greater community.
Gifts from the Trees: Growing Our "Tree of Life"
Kita Rimon students made Tu B'Shvat personal by each designing their own Tree of Life, inspired by various artistic renderings, the Kabbalistic tree of life, and their personal interpretation. The group came together to discuss Judaic references and metaphors involving the Torah, humanity and trees, comparing Humans to trees, what their Tree of Life means to them, and to take part in a social justice "seder" which engaged with both their senses and their desire to be involved in the broader world.
MJDS Spotlight on Community and Cooperation
Continuing the rainbow theme of the last couple of weeks, Magen David students observed and drew their own rainbow reflections. The children first took a look at Alex Kovac's colourful metal rainbow sculptures for inspiration and learned about how interference patterns from small ridges on a CD cause colours to separate, and class members were quick to chime in on the difference between this process and a raindrop.
Egyptian Museum, Mud Bricks and Pyramids
Shalhevet students organized themselves into small research groups to study and create presentations on different aspects of ancient Egyptian life. These projects demonstrate how architecture, food, social structures, sports, art, and more, impacted the daily life of the Egyptian people. Once completed, Shalhevet will open up an Egyptian "museum" so that the rest of the school can learn more about ancient Egyptian life.
Wear Me
People always say to be yourself. The difficulty arises from the assumption that the self is a solid, secure entity born of choice rather than various fragments composed of experiences, memories, learned behaviour, and defense mechanisms.
MJDS Spotlight on Hanukkah
This week Magen David students combined the themes of Hanukkah with the science of photography to create unique works of art. They discussed the importance of light and darkness to the holiday, and learned how the word photography literally translates to “drawing with light”. Later they made their own light “paintings” by moving around flashlights and glow-sticks during a long camera exposure. The students loved experimenting with photography and discovering how the shutter and lens can be manipulated to create different effects!