This week marked a unique milestone for Gan Shalom. For the first time during my tenure, Earth Day and Yom Ha’atzmaut fell on the same day. This convergence challenged our educators to bridge two vital themes: the responsibility of caring for our planet and the joy of celebrating Israel’s 78th birthday.
As a staff, we landed on two central themes to guide us: The Land and Peoplehood. We explored these big ideas through the lens of the familiar, art projects, images of our families, friends, and Morahs, and sharing new children’s stories that helped us connect this narrative in our young learners’ minds.
The Land Through Art and Stories
Our students explored the Land of Israel as a precious part of our planet, using it as a palette for innovation and creative repurposing:
Sculpting with Nature: Morah Miriam’s class dove into the wonders of the Dead Sea. Inspired by artist Sigalit Landau, who uses hypersaline waters to crystallize objects into art, our children experimented with nature’s chemistry to create their own salt sculptures.
The Power of Repurposing and using Loose Parts: Morah Leah’s class embraced the whimsical work of Israeli artist Hanoch Piven, transforming everyday objects into expressive portraits. In Morah Emily’s class, students took upcycling to a celebrating Israel, by selecting blue loose parts to create a class Israeli flag.
The Pre-K students read In the Jerusalem Forest by Devora Busheri. They observed ways to connect with nature and slow down to observe the mystery and beauty of the natural world through a mother and child’s nature walk.
Peoplehood through Books and Photos
We leaned into a Reconstructionist lens to explore Peoplehood; that we coexist and are deeply connected to our neighbors, both in our immediate community and across the world.
The People of Israel: I read My Israel and Me by Alice Blumenthal McGinty with our Pre-K class. This book highlights the religions, ethnicities, and backgrounds of the people who live in Israel, and what makes them all feel connected to each other and their country.
Our Community and Israel: To bridge our community and loved ones to the Land, our classes “visited” Israel’s cities and were greeted by photographs of our family members, friends, and Morahs in various locations throughout the country. These images moved the lesson beyond the classroom, helping our children see themselves and their favorite people within a living tapestry of shared history.
Our goal at Gan Shalom is to spark curiosity and foster connections that allow every child to see themselves and their community in the lessons we teach. I am hopeful that we will continue to build upon these tenets of stewardship and community in the years to come.
Adrienne Rosen
Gan Shalom Nursery School Director
