Yavneh Students Integrate Engineering Skills and the Parsha

Yavneh Students Integrate Engineering Skills and the Parsha
When Yavneh first grade students studied parshat Noach, they integrated an introductory lesson in engineering from KinderLab. The children learned about the building of the teiva and all of the challenges that Noach encountered during construction. Through the lesson, the students were introduced to the engineering process: ask, imagine, plan, create, test, improve and share. Following the construction process, the students tested their models in a tub of water. Using a timer for three minutes, the students waited patiently to see if their teiva was a successful construction. Those who did not succeed in the challenge went back to the drawing board to figure out what improvements needed to be made to meet the challenge. This was the first step in their long journey of incorporating the engineering process into the Judaic studies first grade curriculum. What an interesting way to bring the parsha to life!

Yavneh Students Learn to Code From the Geniuses at the Apple Store

Yavneh Students Learn to Code From the Geniuses at the Apple Store
Yavneh Academy eighth graders visited the Apple store at Westfield Garden State Plaza. Under the guidance of the Apple staff, students learned to program the robots to move through a maze created for the students in the store.

Yavneh ECD Students Learn About Parshat Noach

Yavneh ECD Students Learn About Parshat Noach

Parshat Noach gave the children of Yavneh Academy many wonderful learning opportunities. After looking at all the beautiful colors in the rainbow, they took time to learn about primary and secondary colors. The children loved experimenting with the primary colors and were delighted to see many secondary colors emerge. In addition, the classrooms were filled with all the colors of the rainbow when the children dressed in all the colors during “rainbow week.”

How was Noach’s teiva able to float when it was so heavy? This was a question that was posed to the children. They discovered that an item can float when its molecules are not densely packed together. When they are closely packed together, an item will sink. Items from the classroom were selected and tested to see if they would float or sink.

As the song goes, “The animals, they came on by twosies.” This led to talking about pairs. The children had a great time looking for and finding pairs around the classroom as well as on themselves.

Finally, all children in ECD had a terrific time when Cloverland Petting Zoo came to Yavneh. The children loved petting, feeding and posing with all the animals that came to visit.

Yavneh Fourth Graders Begin Learning Sefer Yehoshua

Yavneh Fourth Graders Begin Learning Sefer Yehoshua
Yavneh’s fourth graders have begun their study of Nevi’im. This week they started learning sefer Yehoshua. As the story opens, Yehoshua is assuming leadership of the nation, a month after Moshe passes away. It is the beginning of Bnei Yisrael’s journey into the Land of Israel, fulfilling the promise which Hashem made to Avraham in sefer Bereishit. Yehoshua is encouraged by the words of Hashem, “Chazak V’Amatz!” Much hatzlacha to the fourth graders as they embark on their journey.

Rabbi Yaakov Glasser Addresses Yavneh Academy Middle School

Rabbi Yaakov Glasser Addresses Yavneh Academy Middle School

In preparation for Yom Kippur, Rabbi Yaakov Glasser addressed the Yavneh Academy middle school students. Through stories, both from midrashim and his life, he demonstrated for the students that each individual student has the ability to be a leader. Just like Bnei Yisrael are referred to as “mamlechet kohanim”- a nation of kohanim - each person has the ability to lead and inspire others. Through respecting and believing in themselves, the Yavneh middle school students will be focusing on being respectful to peers, faculty, the building and themselves.

Yavneh Academy Students Learn Together During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah

Yavneh Academy Students Learn Together During Aseret Yemei Teshuvah
Inter-grade learning is one of the most inspirational programs at Yavneh Academy. Students in grades five through eight prepared a lesson to teach to children in grades one through four. They learned all about Yavneh’s two themes of the year, kavod and community, and how the two are inter-connected. It is always an amazing sight to watch the upper grade students become real leaders and teachers to their peers in the lower grades! The classrooms and the hallways were full of students engaged in learning activities and conversations. What an amazing way to prepare for Yom Kippur during Aseret Yemei Teshuvah!

Escape the [Class] Room at Yavneh Academy

Escape the [Class] Room at Yavneh Academy
Similar to Escape the Room, Breakout EDU allows for the facilitation of activities in which students use teamwork and critical thinking to solve a series of challenging puzzles in order to open a locked box. This week, the focus in the sixth grade Yavneh Academy technology class was how to effectively use Google Apps for Education on their iPads. The culmination of the week was a Breakout EDU session where the students solved challenges using Google Apps for Education. The excitement and enthusiasm in the room were electrifying!