Shemot- Girl Power!

As I began teaching perasha, Ruti got excited and announced Pesach was near. The confusion regarding the story of Pesach versus Pesach is not unusual. Because the next few perashot are taught well at that time, I decided to focus elsewhere.
We did begin construction on Pitom and Ramses, enjoying the mortar.

 Paroh was bossy!

We reviewed the story of baby Moshe. Then we changed focus.

"Moshe saved all of the Jewish people, right?" I began.
"Right! He was the best!"
"Totally," I agreed. "Who saved Moshe?"
"What?!?"
Then we worked through the fact that Moshe would have been nothing if he had not been saved by Yocheved,Shifra & Puah, Miriam, Batya, ans Tziporah. Many women were responsible for Moshe's early life. Each woman showed great, unique strength.
Our girl power project at home involved making silhouettes and writing things about our individual strengths.

With the 3rd grade girls, I covered the same theme, with a different project.
The girls placed tongue depressors in a pot of boiling water and then we discussed the power of women. For most of the girls, this was a eye-opening topic.
Then we retrieved the wet sticks and gently bent them, fitting them inside of cups. Some girls did not have the ability/agility/patience to complete the task, but most did.

 Leave the cups overnight to dry. Remove. Paint. Pretty bracelet.
Aaron turned his wooden stick into a snake, with Hashem's help. We turned our sticks into bracelets.

The persaha ends:

22Each woman shall borrow from her neighbor and from the dweller in her house silver and gold objects and garments, and you shall put [them] on your sons and on your daughters, and you shall empty out Egypt."

כבוְשָׁאֲלָה אִשָּׁה מִשְּׁכֶנְתָּהּ וּמִגָּרַת בֵּיתָהּ כְּלֵי כֶסֶף וּכְלֵי זָהָב וּשְׂמָלֹת וְשַׂמְתֶּם עַל בְּנֵיכֶם וְעַל בְּנֹתֵיכֶם וְנִצַּלְתֶּם אֶת מִצְרָיִם:

We always get the jewelry!