Poetry has quietly found its way into our classroom over the past few weeks, weaving itself naturally into the work the children are already doing. Rather than treating poetry as something separate or abstract, we have introduced it as another way to play with language, notice patterns, and express ideas. It has paired especially well with our grammar work, giving children a meaningful and creative way to explore parts of speech and sentence structure.
Our first-year students have been stepping into poetry through sound and rhythm. They have been working with rhyming words, listening closely to how language fits together, and beginning to notice patterns in words. Alongside this, they have been exploring pattern writing. In these lessons, children are given a prompt that is started for them and invited to complete it with their own thoughts, ideas, and feelings. This work supports them in finding their written voice. It helps them generate ideas, express themselves, and explore, in a very concrete way, how sentences are built. These early experiences with language are laying the foundation for children to discover their own literary and poetic voice eventually.
Second-year students have begun to look more closely at how poems are structured. They have been identifying parts of speech within poems and thinking about how words work together to create meaning. They have also worked with logical sequence, taking lines of poetry and arranging them in an order that makes sense. Rhyming continues to be explored at this level, and students have been introduced to cinquain poems, which give them a simple structure to follow while still allowing for creativity. The cinquain is a patterned poem that complements their grammar work, as it requires them to follow a clear structure while thoughtfully choosing specific parts of speech to build meaning.
In the third year, poetry has become a space for deeper self-expression and analysis. The children began with “I Am” poems, which allow students to reflect on who they are, what they feel, and what they experience, supporting both self-awareness and confidence in writing. They have also been introduced to alliteration, first by creating sentences, then by building alliteration pyramid poems. In addition, students have been analyzing poems written by famous poets, identifying parts of speech and representing them using Montessori grammar symbols. This work brings together their knowledge of grammar and their growing understanding of how language can be used intentionally and creatively.
As we move forward, the children will continue to explore poetry in a variety of ways. They will have opportunities for free writing, where they can experiment and express themselves openly, as well as structured experiences where they follow specific patterns and learn new types of poems. It has been enjoyable to watch the children engage with this work, noticing patterns, playing with words, and beginning to see language as a tool for creativity and self-expression.
Blog
This Week in Upper El
“The fact is that no species has ever had such wholesale control over everything on earth, living or dead, as we now have. That lays upon us, whether we like it or not, an awesome responsibility. In our hands now lies not only our own future, but that of all other living creatures with whom we share the earth.” -David Attenborough
As the weather gets warmer, we will spend more time outdoors, including time in the woods on our beautiful land. Please send insect repellent and sunblock for your student to use as needed before we go outdoors. They will label the bottles with their name and keep them at school. Children should also get into the habit of checking for ticks each night.
In language work this week, our writing lesson focused on fact vs. opinion, and students worked on transforming sentences as follow-up work. I gave them sentences, and they identified which were facts and which were opinions, and then they transformed each sentence. If it was a fact, they turned it into an opinion, and if it was an opinion, they turned it into a fact. For the novel study, students worked in small groups to review the reading assignment. They discussed the chapters and their answers to the novel study questions. In grammar, fourth graders learned about verbs and verb phrases. They identified actions in sentences, learned about “helping” or “auxiliary” verbs, and identified the complete verb in a sentence. Fifth graders learned about the differences between attributive adjectives, appositive adjectives, linking verbs, and predicate words.
Fourth-grade geometry focused on deriving the formula for finding the area of a square, which is a specific kind of rectangle, from the experience of finding the area of a rectangle last week. Fifth graders compared the nomenclature of a regular polygon with that of a circle. They used that information, along with what they knew about finding the area of a polygon, to derive the formula for the area of a circle. To celebrate using Pi to find the area of circles, the fifth graders enjoyed some apple and cherry pies before our lesson.
In biology this week, we looked at the vital function of reproduction in animals. We learned about asexual vs. sexual reproduction and the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of each. Some types of asexual reproduction discussed were budding and regeneration. In our discussion of sexual reproduction, we covered the differences between male and female sex cells, the nomenclature of male and female reproductive organs, fertilization, oviparous, viviparous, and ovoviviparous animals, and breeding.
Our history lesson this week focused on Neanderthals, and we viewed a portion of the 2024 BBC documentary, Secrets of the Neanderthals. We will learn more details about Neanderthals next week, along with taking a look at Cro-Magnons and comparing the two.
Upcoming Dates:
- Wednesday, April 22
- 8:30 – April Birthday Breakfast
- 6:00 – 8th Grade Expert Presentations
- Come see these amazing projects and what lies ahead for your child when they are in their 8th grade year!
- Friday, April 24
- No School – Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences
- 9:30-12:30 – Spring Musical Rehearsal
- Friday, May 1
- Grandparents and Special Friends Day
- 11:30 – Early Dismissal
- 5:00 – Spring Concert
- Saturday, May 2
- 6:00 – Springfest
The Montessori Event–Seeds of Change: Nurturing Tomorrow’s Leaders
Professional development doesn’t happen by chance—it’s cultivated through meaningful experiences, shared ideas, and a willingness to grow and evolve. One of the most powerful opportunities for that kind of growth is The Montessori Event, an international gathering that brings together thousands of educators, both in person and virtually.
Each year, this event serves as a hub of inspiration and innovation, uniting educators deeply committed to shaping the future of learning. This year’s theme, Seeds of Change: Nurturing Tomorrow’s Leaders, reflects both the enduring strength of Montessori education and the exciting possibilities ahead. It invites us to consider how the ideas we exchange, the connections we build, and the practices we refine today can influence the children in our care, who will ultimately be the leaders of tomorrow.
This year, faculty and staff from Fraser Woods Montessori School were fortunate to attend the conference, held March 19–22, 2026, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Immersed in a global community of educators, our team engaged with new ideas, research, and practices that will continue to inform and enrich our work with students.
Each of us attended workshops and breakout sessions aligned with our individual interests and areas of expertise—including toddler, primary, and elementary education, neurodiversity, and our roles as administrators—allowing for both depth and breadth in our professional learning.
Those of us who attended will also be sharing highlights from our experience with the full faculty and staff at an upcoming staff meeting, ensuring that the learning extends beyond the conference and continues to benefit our entire school community.
As educators, we are constantly planting seeds—through our teaching, relationships, and professional development. Events like this remind us that when we invest in our growth, we strengthen our ability to guide, inspire, and empower the next generation.
Middle School: Week in Review
Middle School certainly felt the heat this week! With all of the running around outside, classes sometimes meeting outside, and outdoor Community Service, please have your middle school student(s) check the weather forecast for the day before leaving home. Sweats and winter attire are not needed in 80+ degree weather. Additionally, sunscreen is encouraged with all of the additional outdoor time. Thank you for your attention to this!
Coming Up:
- 8th Grade Expert Presentations: Wednesday, 4/22 @ 6 pm
- The initial $500 deposit for the MS Trip is due Monday, 4/20
- Be on the lookout for communication regarding medical forms required for the MS trip!
- MS ARRIVAL BEGINS AT 8 am
- MS Flower Schedule
Math
Pre-Transition: This week, students continued building their understanding of division. They began by exploring divisibility using arrays, which helped them visualize how numbers can be grouped and shared equally. From there, they moved into factorization, learning how numbers can be broken down into their factors and identifying multiples. Students were also introduced to prime and composite numbers, strengthening their ability to classify numbers based on their properties. To tie it all together, they practiced writing the prime factorization of a number, developing a deeper understanding of how numbers are constructed.
Transition: This week, the Transition class reviewed key concepts from last week, including conversion rates and multiplying positive and negative numbers, strengthening their confidence with these skills. Then they showcased their understanding on the Chapter 8 quiz. As the week continued, students were introduced to working with percents in real-world contexts, such as adding tax and calculating discounts. They practiced applying these concepts to original amounts, building practical math skills they can use in everyday situations.
Algebra: This week, students continued to deepen their understanding of slopes and linear relationships. After developing a strong foundation in writing equations in slope-intercept form, they expanded their skills by learning how to write the equation of a line given either a slope and a point or two points on the line. Students were introduced to point-slope form and practiced using it to represent linear equations, strengthening their ability to connect different forms and approaches when working with lines.
Geometry: This week, the Geometry class built on their understanding of polygons and symmetry. They began by exploring the relationship between inscribed angles and their intercepted arcs, learning how to calculate one measure given the other. From there, students took a deeper dive into the properties of quadrilaterals. They practiced drawing polygons that satisfy specific conditions, applied theorems to determine angle measures and segment relationships, and strengthened their reasoning by writing proofs using properties of triangles and quadrilaterals. The week concluded with an introduction to the properties of kites and trapezoids, expanding their knowledge of special quadrilaterals.
Algebra II: This week, students learned how to solve compound inequalities and graph their solutions. They also worked on solving systems of linear and nonlinear equations using elimination and substitution. In addition, students learned the difference between consistent and inconsistent systems and how to tell how many solutions a system has.
Science
This week, 6th and 7th graders continued working on their understanding of changes of matter. They worked on a hands-on project called The Tasty Phase Change Lab. Students were able to see how a mixture of cream, sugar, and vanilla extract changed its state from liquid to solid and turned into delicious ice cream. To understand the science of changes in states of matter, students used this laboratory and went through it in detail to understand the science behind it. Students followed a procedure where they prepared the materials and measured them before starting the activity. For the first step, students created a mixture of cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a small Ziploc bag. Then, they stored the mixture bag in a bigger bag with ice and rock salt, understanding that the function of the salt is to create a freezing point depression. Next, they dropped the freezing point of the ice from 0 ̊C to approximately -9 ̊C, causing the liquid mixture to lose heat energy quickly. This caused the molecules to slow down, get closer, and change state from liquid to solid. Students understood how the liquid mixture lost heat energy and the ice/salt mixture gained that heat energy. Also, they could observe condensation on the outside of the plastic bag. Students worked on formulating the experiment hypothesis, recording data, and using their critical thinking skills to come up with their conclusion. The time to see their results was 10 minutes. In addition to that, they worked on a scientific explanation using the CER framework (claim, evidence, and reasoning) about the changes in states of matter, where they used evidence from their observations and data collected from both laboratory activities, Bottle Mystery and The Tasty Phase Change Lab.
8th Graders were also very interested in learning the science behind ice cream, so they participated in a lab to learn the changes of states of matter, following all the protocols and understanding the science behind making ice cream. Also, 8th graders continued learning about fermentation, and they are currently working in the same laboratory activity they did virtually, comparing it with the hands-on project done in class. They will be able to point out the similarities and differences between the virtual and in-person activity. In this activity, 8th grade students are testing variables such as the amount of sugar and the amount of yeast, knowing that the optimum water temperature is 42 ̊C. Their goal is to run three trials of each variable to find the best conditions for fermentation, measuring the production of CO2. All these lessons for middle school are supported by classwork, videos, readings, and explanations in class, followed by weekly science articles where students can practice their critical thinking to answer the questions.
Humanities
6th and 7th grade Humanities classes are just about done with Animal Farm by George Orwell. This week, they completed the anticipated “Animal Farm: Who’s Who?” activity. This classwork has the students use their notes and knowledge from history lessons surrounding the Russian Revolution to try to identify which historical figure/concept is represented by each of the characters and the setting of Animal Farm, and give the evidence supporting their answers. They did great! Additionally, the 6th and 7th grade Humanities students composed original poetry this week, surrounded by a snapshot in nature of their choosing. These pieces embody the culminating knowledge of using figurative language and imagery in writing.
8th grade Humanities classes this week surrounded their Expert Projects. Students had another round of feedback for their Expert Presentations and completed their research essay revisions. They are just about ready for their final presentations next week!
Mrs. Wilson: Egg-sploration
This week brought such beautiful, warm weather, and we made the most of it each day. After everyone arrived in the morning, we headed outside as soon as possible to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. A new addition to our playground—a swing—quickly became a favorite. The children especially enjoyed sharing the space with a friend, gently swaying together and taking moments to rest and connect.
Our food tasting this week focused on eggs and the many ways they can be prepared. We began by observing a raw egg. The children watched closely as I cracked it open, noticing the runny egg white and bright yellow yolk. Even though the yolk broke, it gave us an opportunity to observe how the parts can change.
We then explored a hard-boiled egg. I demonstrated how to peel the shell and introduced the egg slicer, showing how it works to cut the egg and reveal the firm yolk inside. After tasting, each child who was interested had a turn using the slicer on their own peeled egg, supporting independence and fine motor development.
The following day, we revisited our eggs by preparing egg salad. The children participated in each step—using a child-sized masher to break apart the yolks and a toddler-safe knife to cut the egg whites. We mixed everything together with a small amount of mayonnaise and then spread the egg salad onto soft bread to make sandwiches.
Not everyone chose to taste the final product, which is always respected. The focus remains on exploration, participation, and building comfort with new foods through hands-on experience.
Love and Light,
Cynthia and Sara
Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update
What a busy and exciting week we had! The children explored many new works and continued to grow in independence and curiosity.
A favorite this week was our insect object matching work, which included a magnifying glass for close observation. The children loved taking a closer look, noticing details, and carefully matching each object.
We also introduced sea creatures preserved in acrylic, and this quickly became a high-interest activity. The children enjoyed holding them, turning them, and exploring them from every angle with curiosity and wonder.
For art, the children created spring trees by crumpling tissue paper into small balls and gluing them on as “leaves.” This connected beautifully to nature, as we’ve started to notice the first signs of green on the trees outside on the playground.
We spent lots of time outside enjoying the warm, almost summer-like weather. The children were excited about the new swing, which has quickly become a favorite spot to relax. Our mud kitchen also got a fun update with painted food rocks, and we’re so grateful for the creativity and generosity of our families! I think even more are coming!
With their growing maturity, the children practiced more independence by carrying their own snacks and water bottles outside. We even enjoyed a picnic-style snack together, which was such a special way to spend time as a class.
Food tasting this week included lemon and lime. The children loved them! They devoured the wedges. I was hoping to get some pucker photos, but this class loves citrus.
It’s been a week full of exploration, creativity, and growing independence. We are so proud of the children and all they are learning each day!
Reminders:
– On the very sunny days when the children have a lot of skin exposed, make sure to apply sunscreen before coming to school.
Mrs. Sargeant: Chicks, Self-Portraits, and Sensory Art
Last week was full of wonder, observation, and careful work. The children eagerly checked on the chick eggs in the incubator each day, comparing what they observed with a photo guide showing daily development. The anticipation is building — the chicks are expected to hatch around April 27th! This experience has been a natural invitation for rich conversations about life cycles and living things.
In the afternoon, the children worked on self-portraits. They studied their own features carefully before using a variety of materials to represent themselves — a meaningful exercise in observation, concentration, and self-expression. This work was supported beautifully by our mirror polishing activity, in which children used vinegar and fine motor control to clean a mirror. That same mirror came in handy as a tool for studying their own reflections before putting pencil to paper.
A new practical life and art activity was also introduced this week: grinding chalk into salt using small, controlled wrist movements. As the chalk color gradually spread through the salt, children experienced both a sensory and creative process — and were building the precise hand and wrist strength that supports writing development.
Extending Learning at Home
Invite your child to look closely at their own face in a mirror and describe what they see. You can also try a simple sensory activity at home: mix a small amount of colored chalk or food coloring into salt or sand and let your child explore the texture and color. Talk about what changes and what stays the same.
UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
This Week
- Monday, April 20
⋅ Sharing Box, Flowers, and Food; Birthday Celebration, Otto
- Tuesday, April 21
⋅ Playground Volunteer, Dan D.
- Thursday, April 23
⋅ Birthday Celebration, Oscar
- Friday, April 24
⋅ No School – Parent Teacher Conferences
Ms Marissa: Life Cycles, Color, and Care
We’ve been adding some new activities to the classroom that tie in nicely with our bird study. The children have been working on simple “life cycle of a chicken” books, focusing on sequencing and labeling each stage. We’ve also introduced color mixing, which has been a great way to bring more science and art into the classroom as the children explore how different colors combine and change. With the warmer weather, polishing sunglasses has become a fun and practical extension of our usual care-of-environment work.
Flower arranging continues to be a favorite, and lately the children have been experimenting with organizing flowers into rainbow patterns. We’re also inviting parents into the classroom to read to the group, which the children really enjoy. If coming in isn’t possible, another option is recording a story for our Yoto player—this has been a great way for children to hear familiar voices during the day. Our kindergarteners have also been doing a deeper dive into their animal research projects, showing a lot of focus and pride as they learn more about their chosen animals.
UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
This Week
- Friday, April 24
⋅ Parent/Teacher Conferences. Time slots are available throughout the week — please sign up if you have not yet done so.