start from the beginning...

Pertaining to parashah B'resheet:
Gen. 1:1-6:8; Isaiah 42:5-43:11; Rev. 22: 6-21

Just wanted to share some pictures and notes from our first week of "Torah School." Many of the ideas we used were from www.torahschool.wordpress.com, like the coloring pages for the creation story. I added a cover page with the Hebrew and English with our verse for the week, Genesis 1:1, so I could read them both to my daughter each day.

 Because she is not even two, we are also learning letters of the alphabet. This week's letter was "A," and I found coloring sheets for each letter at http://www.coloringcastle.com/. There are also more alphabet sheets at http://www.preschoolcoloringbook.com/.



To teach little ones about the days of creation, I came across a great idea for making creation blocks out of empty tissue boxes (or something similar), but I do not have the "blocks" right now. Perhaps we will save that one for the next Torah cycle! If you are interested, the craft is at http://www.kidssundayschool.com/Preschool/Activities/1activity04.php. You can make your own picture for Shabbat, because this website is not messianic, as you will see.

We are also doing a color a week, and when she gets those down, we will move on to shapes and numbers, etc. At the beginning of the week, I ask her to help me make a color "group." Taking a small container or bowl, (in the same color that we are learning if we have it) we look for things that are that color. For example, this week was "green," so here is our green group. It seems to me that it helps to put green things together, so that she can see what they have in common. I also try to point out things in our parashah that are green, which was easy this time because we talked about G-d creating trees and plants. I assume that every week won't be so easy, though!

 I am writing down my ideas in a teacher plan book that I found in the dollar bin at Target last summer. They seem to put those out late each summer with the other stuff for teachers, so keep your eyes open! :) I am planning to get some more next time I see them.


Although I am (trying to) keep it very simple for now, I am certainly very excited to see many other homeschooling blogs and websites for ideas to teach older children! There are so many great resources available! Baruch HaShem!