Torah Day School of Atlanta Home

TDSA is preparing for Pesach by growing our own Marror! Using a hydroponic system that Rabbi Rubin updated, the first graders planted lettuce seeds and we've all been able to watch them grow. And they're still growing!!

Mrs. Castle's 5th grade science class constructed a “universe in a box” that mimics the earth’s orbit so that they can see which constellations are visible at different times of the year.

In STEAM 4b learned about the relationship between diameter and circumference in circles by measuring different size circular objects in honor of pi day. They also completed a challenge turning as many circles as possible into objects in 3 minutes.

TDSA’s first grade is getting ready for the coming Purim by learning all about the four mitzvos of the day. Then each girl chose which mitzvah to depict on her clown using a prop. The finished products are adorable and the girls’ creativity and understanding of the mitzvos of Purim really shone through.

As our students go through the year in Art Class they are exposed to a number of different artistic techniques. Right now, 1st grade students are learning about the artist Henry Matisse and imitating his art style using watercolor paint. The second graders are practicing with an entirely different medium as they learn to master oil pastels.

Mrs. Bendicoff's 5G Class visited the Georgia State Capital on Monday and enjoyed a packed tour that included the building, the state senate chamber, where they watched the senate in session, and a fun scavenger hunt through the fourth floor museum!

Escape rooms involve critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration; all excellent skills to build in an academic experience. 8th grade Humanities is learning about the Cold War. Throughout the hallway and the classroom, small groups of girls were intensely focused on escaping from the communist, East side of the Berlin Wall to the West side of Germany during this escape-room-style learning activity. In this picture, the group is using Google Translate to understand German documents to help them on their journey. It was amazing to see these girls engaged in such a creative and valuable way while learning!

8G invited me to view their Ivrit presentations today. Working in pairs, they thought of rooms that served a useful purpose. Then they wrote about these rooms in Hebrew and put it on a slide show or poster. Each group presented their project entirely in Hebrew! It was amazing to see their pride, creativity, and skill

These 5th grade boys didn't even notice me walk into the classroom - they were so intensely engaged in this group discussion. Mrs. Bendicoff split the class into sections, some worked independently while this group shared their thoughts in a literature circle format on the the historical fiction book: "If I lived at the Time of the Signing of the Constitution". They came up with some insightful ideas!

"Which two arctic animals will never meet?" This is the question a kindergarten girl asked me as I observed them making polar bears, arctic hares, walruses, snow foxes, and the like. Each table featured a slew of arts and crafts supplies for the excited girls to create their cold-climate animals they learned all about during science. The answer - which I was proud to get correct - is penguins and Polar Bears. Each is native to a different pole of the globe (North and South). Ask a Kindergartener which lives where!

TDSA helped plan and participated in Israel's First Lady, Mrs. Michal Herzog's, visit with Jewish Schools of Atlanta on Monday morning. Each school (AJA, Davis, Epstein, TDSA, and Webber) gathered together with a small group of students to hear the first lady praise the Jewish education in Atlanta and give chizzuk to what we are each doing in our connection to Israel and our commitment to keeping the Jewish community strong. After her brief remarks, one student from each school had the opportunity to step in front of the mic and ask Mrs. Herzog a question about her life, thoughts on current Israeli environment, and how to keep the connection with Israel strong in the USA. I was so happy we could participate in this powerful event highlighting Jewish Atlanta Unity and Support of Israel.

Anyone who has roamed our halls notices the beautiful art popping off the walls. The finished products color the school and delight the student and teachers alike. Some people wonder how the creative process unfold in the depths of the art room? I had a chance to see the students' artistic creations at different stages when I visited the seventh grade girls making the figurines out of bottles, papier-mache, and paint. The girls pictured above were having a blast forming their creation. Others were seriously concentrating. All were enjoying the process. And I know they will be proud when the finished products are displayed on our windowsills.