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Mrs. Doyle: Five Fun Senses

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

First the education of the senses, then the education of the intellect—Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori believed there is a sensitive period for a child’s development of their senses. Although the senses are an integral part of our lives, children have the greatest potential to develop and retrieve them during their early years. It is precisely this idea that demonstrates the purpose of Sensorial materials in the Montessori classroom. The Sensorial materials are powerful tools that allow children to become aware of their unconscious impressions and bring these impressions into conscious awareness. Additionally, they enable your children to create a basis of order in their minds, allowing for the intelligent exploration of their environment.

This week we are beginning our study on the five senses. What better way to teach this than to use popcorn? Popcorn is a multi-sensory snack as it incorporates all five of our senses. It might just be our most appetizing science unit yet! Did you ever notice that when you make popcorn, somehow the entire family knows about it and shows up to have some of this favorite treat?

We begin by discussing our five senses and how we use different body parts to learn about things in our environment. For example, our noses are for smelling, ears are for listening, eyes are for seeing, hands are for touching, and our tongue is for tasting. We learned that sometimes, we use more than one sense at a time.

Next, each child had the opportunity to handle popcorn kernels to observe what they saw, smelled, and felt. We record all of our observations as we go along. Finally, we used an air popper to pop some popcorn. Now, we can include our observations about hearing and tasting as well.

Parent/Teacher conferences will be on Friday, April 19.   A link to sign up for a time slot will be going home on Monday.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love!

Michelle & Maria

Mrs. Lopes: Five Fun Senses

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

First the education of the senses, then the education of the intellect—Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori believed there is a sensitive period for a child’s development of their senses. Although the senses are an integral part of our lives, children have the greatest potential to develop and retrieve them during their early years. It is precisely this idea that demonstrates the purpose of Sensorial materials in the Montessori classroom. The Sensorial materials are powerful tools that allow children to become aware of their unconscious impressions and bring these impressions into conscious awareness. Additionally, they enable your children to create a basis of order in their minds, allowing for the intelligent exploration of their environment.

This week we are beginning our study on the five senses. What better way to teach this than to use popcorn? Popcorn is a multi-sensory snack as it incorporates all five of our senses. It might just be our most appetizing science unit yet! Did you ever notice that when you make popcorn, somehow the entire family knows about it and shows up to have some of this favorite treat?

We begin by discussing our five senses and how we use different body parts to learn about things in our environment. For example, our noses are for smelling, ears are for listening, eyes are for seeing, hands are for touching, and our tongue is for tasting. We learned that sometimes, we use more than one sense at a time.

Next, each child had the opportunity to handle popcorn kernels to observe what they saw, smelled, and felt. We record all of our observations as we go along. Finally, we used an air popper to pop some popcorn. Now, we can include our observations about hearing and tasting as well.

Reminder: Parent/Teacher conferences are on Friday, April 19th.  An email will be sent out on Monday with a link to choose a time slot.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love!

Amanda & Hema

Mrs.Wilson: Welcome Spring?

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

Although the weather didn’t quite match the springtime vibe, we’ve transformed our classroom into a lively celebration of the season. Through hands-on activities with seeds, eggs, and birds, we’re immersing the children in all things spring. In the weeks ahead, they’ll discover the world of backyard birds and learn how to care for them by refilling feeders and providing fresh water.

Food Tasting: The children tried a sweet, tangy, and juicy pineapple. The pineapple was hidden under a towel, and the children guessed what it could be, with one guess being a pickle. However, when the pineapple was revealed, everyone enjoyed its juicy and delicious taste without any complaints.

Cynthia and Sara

Ms. Marissa: I Sense Something Amazing In Our Class

Posted on by Marissa Frisk

What the hand does, the mind remembers. —Maria Montessori

Every Montessori classroom has a Sensorial area, and it is filled with materials that help the child study their environment through their five senses. Maria Montessori believed that sensorial experiences begin at birth for every child, and by refining these skills, they begin to understand their surroundings. The sensorial materials allow the child to acquire concise information and classify things around them. They use their senses not only to create their own experiences and knowledge but also to help them figure out different impressions each sense receives. The child is, therefore, a natural “sensorial explorer.”

Each material in this area has a built-in control of error so that after an initial lesson, little teacher direction is needed. This control of error helps a child determine what needs to happen to complete the lesson successfully. The children can distinguish, categorize, and relate new information to what they already know. Each sensorial material isolates one specific quality, such as color, weight, shape, texture, size, sound, or smell. These materials emphasize this particular quality by eliminating or minimizing other differences. Many of the sensorial materials are also the basis of future mathematical concepts the children will learn.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love.

Marissa & Sue (she’s back!!!)

Mrs. Hood: Springing Back into Learning!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

Hello Parents! Welcome back!

As we return from our rejuvenating spring break, I am delighted to share some of the wonderful happenings in our environment this week. It’s been a joyous transition as our little ones settled back beautifully into their routines, demonstrating their ever-growing curiosity and engagement with the world around them.

Firstly, I’m thrilled to introduce a new addition to our classroom family: Rowan. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Rowan and her parents, James and Shevon. It has been truly heartwarming to witness the kindness and empathy our students have shown in embracing Rowan, offering support and guidance as she navigates the environment, and embodying the values of compassion and inclusion that are at the core of our classroom community.

In addition to welcoming Rowan, we’ve also introduced an exciting new movement structure to our classroom—a climbing side complete with a taller slide and A SWING! I am not sure if you are familiar with the benefits of swing in a toddler’s life but this extends beyond mere amusement. Swinging not only provides physical exercise but also enhances sensory integration and balance. As children sway back and forth, they engage their vestibular system, which plays a crucial role in spatial orientation and coordination. Additionally, swinging encourages proprioceptive input, helping children develop a sense of body awareness and control. Moreover, the rhythmic motion of swinging has a calming effect, promoting relaxation and emotional regulation. Children LOVE it! They literally spent so much time in the movement area this week!

Our food-tasting lesson this week centered around exploring a large pineapple, a fruit as fascinating as it is delicious. As we dissected the pineapple, we delved into learning about its various parts, from the prickly skin to the juicy flesh and the fibrous core. The children were naturally curious about the weight and texture of the skin, fostering an appreciation for sensory exploration and the diversity of fruits in nature.

Furthermore, we have begun to delve into the fascinating world of wild animals while continuing our exploration of colors in the environment. By incorporating these themes into our curriculum, we aim to spark curiosity, encourage observation, and instill a sense of wonder and respect for the natural world.

As we navigate the remainder of the school year together, I am confident that these new additions and engaging experiences will continue to inspire and empower our toddlers to flourish and grow. Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in nurturing the curiosity and potential of each child in our classroom.

Enjoy the pics,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Mollie

This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey

 

This short week was happily busy with exciting new lessons and a trip to Southern Connecticut State University to listen to the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.

At SCSU’s Lyman Center for Performing Arts, we participated in an interactive program where we listened to some beautiful music and learned about all of the instruments in an orchestra. We heard selections from Carmen, West Side Story, and other delightful pieces. The conductor provided biographical, historical, and musical information about each piece and the instruments played throughout the concert. Thank you to Sarah and Jennifer for joining us on this field trip!

In geography this week, we learned what maps show and about reading a map by looking at three types of maps: shaded relief, road, and topographical. We used actual maps of the Salt Lake City area to learn the uses of different kinds of maps. We began learning basic map reading skills, getting comfortable looking at a map, and understanding directions.

Our biology lessons focused on an introduction to taxonomy. Students learned about the purposes, challenges, and techniques of taxonomy while being introduced to binomial taxonomic names of animals. We also learned about homology vs. analogy. In this lesson, students learned the criteria for placing an animal into a group. To illustrate the differences between animals, we examined charts of butterfly and bird wings. To explain similarities, we looked at charts of the forelimbs of humans, crocodiles, birds, whales, horses, and bats, who use their forelimbs differently; however, their similar structure shows that they originated from the same ancestors, so we consider the animals similar.

In writing, we began our poetry unit this week. We started by sharing poems, an activity that students enthusiastically embraced. It was beautiful to hear the wide variety of poems that spoke to each of us. Some students even chose to write their own to share! We learned about the different types of poems and their elements. Students enjoyed taking turns sharing examples of similes, metaphors, idioms, proverbs, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and hyperbole.

Finally, in grammar lessons, fourths learned about indefinite, demonstrative, and possessive adjectives, and fifths learned about personal pronouns and their antecedents.

Our big trip to Nature’s Classroom is from May 28 through May 30. Before the break, students brought paperwork home that needed to be filled out and returned to school. Here are the details:

  • The Nature’s Classroom portion of the trip costs $347. This cost will increase a little when we factor in the cost of the bus, which will be divided among the students participating. I will update you with the final price when I have the final count.
  • If your child will be attending this trip, please email me and send in a deposit of $50 by Friday, April 5.
  • If you have questions before you decide whether your child will attend, please email me, and I will be happy to meet with you individually. If there is interest, I will schedule an informational meeting.
  • Let me know if you need another copy of the paperwork, and I will send it home with your child on Monday.
  • Here is more information about Nature’s Classroom.

For those who celebrate, Happy Easter!

Wishing you a beautiful weekend,

Karen & Deb

Mrs. Doyle: I Sense Something Amazing in our Class!

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

 

What the hand does, the mind remembers. —Maria Montessori

Every Montessori classroom has a Sensorial area, and it is filled with materials that help the child study their environment through their five senses. Maria Montessori believed that sensorial experiences begin at birth for every child, and by refining these skills, they begin to understand their surroundings. The sensorial materials allow the child to acquire concise information and classify things around them. They use their senses not only to create their own experiences and knowledge but also to help them figure out different impressions each sense receives. The child is, therefore, a natural “sensorial explorer.”

Each material in this area has a built-in control of error so that after an initial lesson, little teacher direction is needed. This control of error helps a child determine what needs to happen to complete the lesson successfully. The children can distinguish, categorize, and relate new information to what they already know. Each sensorial material isolates one specific quality, such as color, weight, shape, texture, size, sound, or smell. These materials emphasize this particular quality by eliminating or minimizing other differences. Many of the sensorial materials are also the basis of future mathematical concepts the children will learn.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love.

Michelle & Maria

Mrs. Lopes: I Sense Something Amazing in Our Class

Posted on by Amanda Lopes


What the hand does, the mind remembers. —Maria Montessori

Every Montessori classroom has a Sensorial area, and it is filled with materials that help the child study their environment through their five senses. Maria Montessori believed that sensorial experiences begin at birth for every child, and by refining these skills, they begin to understand their surroundings. The sensorial materials allow the child to acquire concise information and classify things around them. They use their senses not only to create their own experiences and knowledge but also to help them figure out different impressions each sense receives. The child is, therefore, a natural “sensorial explorer.”

Each material in this area has a built-in control of error so that after an initial lesson, little teacher direction is needed. This control of error helps a child determine what needs to happen to complete the lesson successfully. The children can distinguish, categorize, and relate new information to what they already know. Each sensorial material isolates one specific quality, such as color, weight, shape, texture, size, sound, or smell. These materials emphasize this particular quality by eliminating or minimizing other differences. Many of the sensorial materials are also the basis of future mathematical concepts the children will learn.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love.

Amanda & Hema