First Quarter Bornblum Bulletin

BORNBLUM
BULLETIN

2017-2018 Issue 1 5777-5778

Jewish Learning at Bornblum, p. 5

Engaging Students through Hands on Science, p. 2

Faculty Feature: Getting to Know Eve Cooper, p. 4 Bornblum Alumni Updates, p. 7

HANDS-ON SCIENCE AT BORNBLUM

Students at Bornblum don’t just learn science—they Lab-based learning begins in kindergarten at Bornblum. The
experience it. That’s the goal of hands-on science and it school employs Carolina Biological Hands-On science curriculum
pays big dividends that go well beyond science. in kindergarten through 5th grade. In fact, Bornblum is
Students who graduate from Bornblum have a leg up on Carolina’s model school in the mid-south for this curriculum. In
their peers from other schools. That’s because Bornblum middle school, students continue with hands-on science where
uses the Next Generation Science Standards. In fact, they study earth and space science in 6th grade, life science and
Bornblum 8th graders actually graduate having completed ecology in 7th grade and finally, chemistry and physics in 8th
the 9th grade science standards, and many will advance grade.
directly to 10th grade science in high school, or at least Bornblum’s commitment to hands-on science goes beyond the
start 9th grade science with a strong foundation. acquisition of science knowledge. Lab-based learning creates
Hands on science is lab-based as opposed to theoretical. critical thinkers who can ask thoughtful questions and solve real-
Students interact with the world around them and uncover world problems. These are the skills that give Bornblum
scientific principles and facts through experimentation. graduates an edge in high school and throughout life.
Hands-on science teaches students to ask critical questions,
read critically and solve problems. It also gives students Breaking Down
confidence and engages students with different learning Gummy Bear Proteins
styles. David, a Bornblum eighth grader
Take for instance a recent lab experiment in 8th grade was asked to create an
science. Students were given gummy bears and various experiment to determine the
solutions. They studied the effect of each solution on their effect of certain solutions on
gummy bears. Students were then required to create their gummy bears, he had an idea.
own gummy bear experiments, making and testing various He had learned that the gelatin
predictions based on their variables and controls. in gummy bears contains
proteins. David wondered if
In a hands-on science experiment, fifth graders mixed various solutions that break down proteins would dissolve gummy bears
items into liquids to learn about the difference between liquids by acting on the proteins in the gelatin. ”I remembered from last
and solutions. year's study of DNA that meat tenderizer breaks down proteins. I
wanted to see what would happen when I put gummy bears in a
solution of meat tenderizer,” explained David.
David’s next step was to research a list of protein synthesizers and
set up his experiment with solutions containing the meat
tenderizing agents. He then exposed the gummy bears to the
various solutions. He hypothesized that because the gelatin in the
gummy bears contained protein, the solutions would break them
down. In the end, the gummy bears stayed in tact, but David had
demonstrated how knowledge can be obtained anywhere when
the scientific processes of inquiry and experimentation are
applied.

CURRICULUM
INTEGRATION ARTICLE

FIRST GRADE’S OBSESSION WITH ICE

Ask any first grader at Bornblum about ice and be Ice has become a central material in the first-grade classroom.
prepared to listen for a long while.  The children are frequently heard cheering in the staff kitchen as
What started as a simple ice cube melting in the sun, they make observations and test predictions. Of course, after
transformed into a two-month study of the properties of experimenting with big ice, small ice, in shade, out of shade,
water. Students received a giant block of ice with toys with things, without things, ice has stayed in first grade science
embedded inside. They used eyedroppers of water to vernacular. So, go ahead, ask a first grader about ice, just bring a
make the ice melt faster. Soon the students were pouring comfortable chair!
entire cups on the ice. Some children began chipping
away at the block. Benji and Jacob observed that the small
pieces of ice melted faster than the large pieces. This
observation heightened the student’s intellectual curiosity.
Anderson asked what would happen if we put the big ice
in the sun, would it melt faster than the small ice in the
shade?! Dov thought that large ice would melt faster in
the sun than a small piece because it had “more spots for
the sun to get on.” Avi countered that the ice would melt
faster in the sun if it is small because “there is not so much
of it to get gone.”

Q&A WITH EVE COOPER Eve Cooper—Bornblum’s New Fourth Grade Teacher

Q. Can you tell us a little about your family? Eve Cooper in a Nutshell
I have a sweet husband, Jeff Klayman, and  4 Eve Cooper knew she had some big shoes to fill, when
amazing children, Annie (10), Simon (12), Caroline (13), she came to Bornblum this year as the school’s new
and Drew (14).  We love spending time outdoors fourth grade teacher. Mrs. Cooper has done an
together, especially with our dog, Roxie. outstanding job, stepping right in and creating a
Q. You have a background working with gifted magical relationship with her students, their parents
and talented students. How does this and the faculty and staff at Bornblum.
background affect your teaching in fourth grade? Mrs. Cooper reports that she is happy to be back in the
My background in gifted and talented education has classroom after spending three years with the Dixon
helped me to identify some of the exceptional gifts that Gallery and Gardens as an outreach art instructor. She
all children have.  Giftedness is not just shown in one attended the University of Texas at Austin for
test score, but rather can be exhibited in special interests undergraduate studies and received her Master’s in
a child has.  As a teacher, I try to build on those interests Teaching from the University of Memphis. She
to make learning a more authentic experience. completed training at Vanderbilt University in gifted
Q. What are your desert island foods? and talented curriculum and has previously taught
Definitely peanut butter, Breyer's vanilla ice  cream, kindergarten and first grade in the Atlanta Public
chocolate chips, and any kind of gummy candy: Swedish Schools and K-5 CLUE-gifted program for Memphis
Fish, Gummy Bears, pull-apart Twizzlers are some of my City Schools.
favorites.
Q. What is one thing that you hope every one of
your fourth grade students will learn this year?
I hope every one of my students leaves fourth grade
with a love of reading.  Fewer and fewer children
are reading for pleasure these days because of all of the
devices and distractions.  I want my students to discover
that reading is a pleasurable and richly rewarding
pastime.
Q. Is there one place in the world you would like
to visit? And why?
One place I really want to visit is India.  When I went
through teacher training for yoga a few years ago, I
learned a lot about Indian history and traditions.  I find
the culture fascinating and would love to learn more
about the history, art  and architecture, encounter the
warmth of the local people,  try authentic Indian  food
and visit one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj
Mahal.

JEWISH LEARNING AND
LIVING AT BORNBLUM

HOLIDAYS AT BORNBLUM HEBREW--A LIVING LANGUAGE SACRED JEWISH TEXTS

Fall holidays at Bornblum remind ‫ אבי הודוס‬:‫נכתב בידי‬ Eighth graders are learning Sefer
us of how blessed we are and how Melachim (the Book of Kings).
meaningful our life is. The blasts of .‫עברית היא שפה עתיקה מאוד‬ Together, they witnessed the last
the Shofar every shacharit, the .‫מתקופת התנ“ך‬ days of King David, learned about
rimonim (pomegranates) and the will he left Shlomo, and how
apples with honey, the Tashlich by ‫אבל עברית היא גם שפה‬ Shlomo fulfilled David’s wishes, and
the Wolf River, building and ‫ שפה שאנחנו מדברים‬,‫חדשה‬ how he made Israel into a successful
spending time in our school’s empire. The verses describe how
Sukkah and shaking the Arbaat ‫ הרבה אנשים‬.‫בה כל יום‬ Shlomo's days were  of peace and
Minim (four species) are all ,‫משתמשים בה בבית הספר‬ prosperity.  Students also discovered
amazing ways to celebrate who we ‫ אחרי אלפיים‬.‫בעבודה ובבית‬ that Shlomo was the wisest man on
are. ‫שנה עברית עדיין רלוונטית‬ earth and that people came from all
over to hear his wisdom and give
Visiting at the Jewish Home to ,‫בחיים של מיליוני אנשים‬ him gifts from their lands.
celebrate Sukkot with the residents .‫יהודים וישראלים‬ And to take their understanding
and Rabbi Finkelstein, and visiting even deeper, Students explored
the ECD at the MJCC to teach about by Abby Hodus what they would see if they had a
Sukkot and Simchat Torah taught time machine to return to the time
our students that they are a part in a (Translation of Above Text) of Kings.  For example, in Jerusalem
long chain that links them l’dor they would have seen botanical
vador (from generation to Hebrew is an ancient language. It is from gardens, a zoo, magnificent
generation) with the light of the the time of the bible. buildings, and of course, the Beit
Torah and of Jewish heritage. Hamikdash (Holy Temple) on Har
But Hebrew is also a new language, a HaMoriah (Mt. Moiah).
language we speak every day. Many
people use it in schools, work and home.
After 2000 years, Hebrew is still relevant in
the lives of millions of people, Jews and
Israelis.

The Amazing Ethan vs Mr. Eraser BORNBLUM

The Amazing Ethan vs. Mr. Eraser is the creation He went to a dictionary and put the word “balloon” in the
of a Bornblum student who learns with Bornblum’s Read-o-nater.
enrichment specialist Mrs. Samantha Schmidt.
The Amazing Ethan then went back to Mr. Eraser and said,
Our story begins when our hero is reading a book “I can stop you with this!” He quickly brought out a
Rubik's Cube and faked it to the right with his super
about pterodactyls. “This could be useful.” he said to football skills. Mr. Eraser fell for it, and threw his Magic
himself. He put the information in the Read-o-nater. Eraser at the Rubik's Cube. The Amazing Ethan threw his
Suddenly, he heard the sound of his minor alarm. The balloon at Mr. Eraser, which expanded around him
Amazing Ethan went to the Mission Room to view his trapping him inside. The Amazing Ethan summoned the
Football Dashboard, where he can see every single Pterodactyl that he had been reading about, to catch the
thing in the city. “Oh my,” he said, “there has been a Magic Eraser, so it didn’t hit the balloon and erase it. The
robbery in the Patterson house.” Pterodactyl threw the eraser as hard as it could into space.
“That shouldn’t do anyone harm again.”
He super sped to the Patterson house and asked the
police if they caught the thief’s license plate. They said 1 YEAR LATER
yes, and gave him the number. He ran all over the city The Amazing Ethan was roaming the city when he heard
looking for the car. The Amazing Ethan noticed that screams. Suddenly, he saw a weird looking alien holding
people were acting strange. Suddenly, he saw a beam an eraser. “You people will all be my slaves!” the alien
of pink light shoot out of a building and hit a person, said. “Or else!”
who then started acting strange. “So, that’s what’s
causing these people to act strange,” he said.

He went inside and found, Mr. Eraser! It turns out that
Mr. Eraser found out that his Magic Eraser could erase
people’s minds. He was using a device attached to his
head to focus the eraser’s magical powers into a single
beam of pink energy.

“You’ll never stop me!” Mr. Eraser bragged, “I’m
erasing everyone’s minds and then they will
remember nothing and I will control them all!” “Oh,
no you won’t!” The Amazing Ethan said. He threw a
Rubik's Cube Bomb, but Mr. Eraser threw his Magic
Eraser and erased it. He kept on throwing Rubik’s’
Cubes but Mr. Eraser kept on erasing them too.

Finally, our hero went home in defeat. “What can I do?
There are no more books in my library that I haven’t
already read. Wait!” The Amazing Ethan said, “There is
one word I have not put in the Read-o-nater.”

Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

BORNBLUM ALUMNI: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

DR. SCOTT WEISKOPF ELLEN MAKOWSKY

Scott Weiskopf began at Bornblum, Ellen Makowsky is currently living
then called Solomon Schechter Day in Santa Monica, CA and works for
School, during its inaugural year in TOMS, the original One for One
1988. He received his company. With every item a
undergraduate degree from consumer purchases, TOMS helps a
Washington University in St. Louis person in need.
and went on to earn a D.D.S. at the University of Tennessee, Ellen works as a Retail Marketing Manager, overseeing
Memphis. Scott then completed a 4 year residency marketing activities in TOMS' ten stores nationwide.
program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University She also serves on TOMS Opportunity for All
of Illinois at Chicago where he served as chief resident committee, which is dedicated to helping
during his final year. communities and people around the world. In her
After completing his residency, Scott and his wife, fellow spare time, Ellen fosters dogs for @loveleorescue, an
Bornblum alumna, Jana Ballin Weiskopf, returned to LA-based rescue organization. 
Memphis to be closer to family.  Scott joined Sexton Oral Ellen is pictured above (left) with her sister, Sharon,
Surgery in 2013 as an associate and became a partner in also a Bornblum alumna.
2015.  He is also a part-time faculty member at the
University of Tennessee Dental School.  YANAI ALMALEM
Scott is an active member of the Memphis Dental Society,
Memphis Oral Surgery Society and is a delegate for the Yanai Almalem graduated
Tennessee Dental Association.  from Bornblum in 2012. He
Scott and Jana have two children, Graham and Nora, ages went to White Station High
four and two. School and now attends
Rhodes College. Yanai
Do You Know studies Biology at Rhodes
Bornblum Alumni and is a Jewish Community
Doing Cool Things? Fellow, a joint merit-based
scholarship program between Rhodes and Jewish
Email us at Community Partners. He is involved in the new
[email protected] Rhodes Hillel and other campus activities.
so we can contact them
and share their stories with Yanai finds himself extremely busy with a heavy
our Bornblum community. course-load, extra-curricular activities, and musical
aspirations. He is currently writing music that he
hopes to release soon. Yanai recalls that his
performances with Robbo in the Chanukah plays at
Bornblum were one of the first experiences that
awakened his love for performing.

BORNBLUM RECEIVES LEGACY GIFT FROM SORG FAMILY

Thanks to the efforts of Bruce and Barbara Newman, Lifelong friends, Saul Sorg (left) and Herbert Newman, Bruce
whose children attended Bornblum in the late 1990s Newman’s father.
and early 2000s, Bornblum Jewish Community School
has received a $200,000 legacy gift from the estate of HONORARIUMS AND MEMORIALS
Saul Sorg of Boynton Beach, Florida.
Mr. Sorg, originally from Brooklyn, New York was not Sally and Rick Baer
only Mr. Newman’s client but a close personal family In honor of Barry Pelts
friend. In fact, Mr. Sorg and Bruce Newman’s father,
Herbert (after whom the school’s library is named), were Mindy Mattingly
close friends from childhood. Adele Sorg, who was Mr. In honor of the marriage of Mark Egerman
Sorg’s wife, also became close friends with Mr.
Newman’s mother when the two men married their Patti and Stanley Elster
wives. The Newman’s describe Mr. Sorg as a “sweetheart In honor of Barry Pelts
who was kind and gentle and very easy going. “
The Sorg’s relationship with Bornblum goes back more Paula, Roy and Jessica Greenberg
than two decades when the school built its current for the Recovery of Eli Ostrow
building on Humphreys Boulevard. They attended the
dedication of the new school and donated the Tami Hershkovitz
furnishings for the Herbert B. Newman Library at the in Memory of Lawrence (Larry) Margolis
school. The Sorg’s also sponsored several fundraising
concerts organized by Bruce during the 1990s. Rachel Krantz and Edward Goldstein
According to the Newmans, “Mr. Sorg recognized the in honor of Judy and Larry Moss
value our family received in our Jewish community and
they realized that the education we were providing our Ann, Ellis, Daniel, Leor and Lindsey Reef
children was also valuable for their future.” in memory of Patrick Almalem’s Father
The school’s Board of Directors is determining how to
best use the gift from the Sorgs. Two projects already The Siegler Family
determined are to replace and expand the school’s in Memory of Lawrence (Larry) Margolis
security camera system and to install new door locks
throughout the school. The board will determine other Stephanie, Joel, Benjamin and Drew Sklar
priority projects that can be funded with this generous for the recovery of Dr. Rodney Wolf and Eli Ostrow
legacy.
The school also plans to honor the Sorg family for their To make a donation in honor/memory of someone,
generosity and support of the school. These plans will please visit www.BORNBLUM.org or mail your donation
be shared once they are determined.
to 6641 Humphreys Blvd., Memphis, TN 38120.