Parsha Cake, Parsha Cake, open the parsha and see what you bake!
a place to post pics of my parsha cakes for my nephews & nieces & how I keep my kids busy.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Parshas Vayeishev

This was made with the help of my boys and nephew. 

Yosef in the pit with snakes


Yosef's coat dipped in blood 

My niece in Passaic made her own






Monday, November 22, 2010

Presented 11/15/2010 - Handout from the Rebbitzen Esther Rosenblatt Yarchei Kallah for Rebbetzins

Parsha Cakes
Introduction 
Why  someone who never owned a mixer would start cake decorating. 

Why Parsha Cakes Work
Bloom’s Taxonomy - Developed in 1956 by Benjamin Bloom. There are six levels within the taxonomy that move from basic to high levels of thinking. Knowing, Understanding, Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating.

Constructivism is a learning theory based on authentic and real-world situations. Students internalize and construct new knowledge based on past experiences. The constructivism theory is student-centered and encourages higher level processing skills to apply their working knowledge. [1]

Situated Learningdescribed by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger as a model of learning in a Community of practice. Situated learning is learning that takes place in the same context in which it is applied. Brown, Collins and Duguid (1989) argued that meaningful learning will only take place if it is embedded in the social and physical context within which it will be used.” [2]

Zone of Proximal Development  is the difference between what a child can do independently and what they can do with guidance from adults or peers.
Sociocultural historical theory – Based on Vygotsky’s theories of cultural mediation,Barbara Rogoff discusses how culture is transmitted. She discusses situated learning and how  cultural learning must be situated in real life activities and also be authentic. Children are “apprenticed” in the use of cultural tools through activity with skilled mentors. The degree to which they are able to advance with skilled assistance is referred to as the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).[3]

Critical characteristics of Situated Learning
The learning environments will:
·  Provide authentic context that reflect the way the knowledge will be used in real-life;
·  Provide authentic activities;
·  Provide access to expert performances and the modelling of processes;
·  Provide multiple roles and perspectives;
·  Support collaborative construction of knowledge;
·  Provide coaching and scaffolding at critical times;
·  Promote reflection to enable abstractions to be formed;
·  Promote articulation to enable tacit knowledge to be made explicit
·  Provide for integrated assessment of learning within the tasks. [4]




Making Parsha Cakes

Tools of the Trade

  • Fondant - wilton
  • Corn Syrup
  • Cake Spatula - flat, silicone, angled
  • Frosting in Cans - Wilton, Pillsbury, Duncan Hines
  • Food Coloring – Gels vs. Water base
  • Corn Starch
  • Crumb Coating
  • Cake Leveling
  • Pound Cake
  • Piping Gel
  • Candies, toppings

At the Shabbos Table

Using the Parsha Cake to teach the Parsha
Engaging different ages during the discussion
Prompting Higher Level Thinking Skills
Planning for Next Week

succos


Parshas Bereishis

This cake was made in class  we added the decorations one day of creation at a time. We didn't add the grass until after Adam davened to Hashem

My nieces parsha cakes

I am so proud that my niece, who is only 12 years old, has started to make her own Parsha cakes.

Here are her creations.

Lech Lecha - Sara & Avraham descend to Mitzrayim
Vayera - Lot's wife


Chayei Sara - Yitzchak & Rivka getting married



Toldos - Yaakov & Eisav

Vayeitzei - a well with a stone on top

Vayishlach - Kever Rochel

Parshas Vayishlach

After a somewhat long hiatus from fancy parsha cakes, my kids had some ideas what they wanted and I helped them bring it to life.  In this week's Parsha, Yaakov is about to confront Esav, the brother he hasn't seen in 34 years. He sent him gifts to pacify him, davened to Hashem and prepared for war (that's a mortar with shells by his side - I know slightly anachronistic.)