"Growing" Mitzvahs

Morah Tzivie: We are celebrating a holiday this week.  These are a few words to help us think about this holiday: planting, trees, fruit, roots.

Natan: Tu B'Shevat! 

Morah Tzivie: Yes! It's the new year for trees! It is the day we celebrate a birthday for ALL the trees.

How are people similar to trees? 

Natan: They grow up big and tall.

Morah Tzivie: What do both trees and people need?

Sroli: Food.

Anton: Water.

Sroli: Sun.

Morah Tzivie: How are trees useful to people? 

Sroli; Fruit!

Morah Tzivie: People don't grow fruit, but what useful things do we do?

Kids: MITZVAHS!

Morah Tzivie: We have a tree growing in our classroom. What kind of fruit will fill it up?

Natan: Mitzvahs!

Our mitzvah tree immediately began "growing fruit".

The Gan is a very fertile place; mitzvahs happen all the time.

 Natan: Sharing toys is a mitzvah.

 Working together is a mitzvah.

Judah: Cleaning up toys is a mitzvah.

We made tree crafts in honor of Tu B'Shevat.

Morah Katie: How are orange and apple trees the same? How are they different?
Anton: Both have green.
Sroli: Both have trunks.
Abigail: Both have roots.
Sroli: Both need air.
Isaac: Both have fruit.
Natan: The fruit  both have seeds.
Morah Katie: They both produce fruit. Are they the same type of fruit?
Kids: NO! 
Isaac: Oranges are orange.
Abigail: Apples are red.
Judah: Or green.
Morah Katie: Are they both sweet fruits?
Kids: Yes!

Morah Katie: How are Abigail and Olivia the same? How are they different?
Isaac: Both are wearing purple.
Sroli: Both are people.
Isaac: Abigail is bigger. Olivia is smaller.
Morah Katie: Fruit trees produce fruit. What can Abigail and Olivia do?
Natan: They can both do mitzvahs!