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Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update

Posted on by Vicki Downs

This week, coming back from spring break, we’ve seen such a beautiful shift in the classroom. The children are truly showing that they are ready for more responsibility, and it has been amazing to watch their growth.

The children have been eager to help with real classroom tasks like folding laundry and even helping with the washing process. They are also taking pride in putting away their cots after nap time, helping Miss Patty load the cart, and getting their backpacks ready. These everyday routines are building independence, confidence, and a strong sense of responsibility.

We continued focusing on colors this week through a variety of activities, including puzzles, sorting, matching, and building. The children are becoming more confident in recognizing and grouping colors, all while strengthening their fine motor and problem-solving skills. We also got to do a magic science experiment and watched marker spread across a paper towel to finish making a rainbow.

One of the most special things we’ve noticed is the increase in teamwork and kindness. The children are choosing to play together more often, using kind words, and supporting one another. They are also taking initiative in caring for our classroom by cleaning, mopping, and wiping down surfaces.

It has been a week full of very mature progress, and we are so proud of how the children are growing, not just in skills, but in independence, cooperation, and confidence. We can’t wait to see all the wonderful things they continue to accomplish!

Reminders:

  • No school Friday, April 3rd

This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey

“Come with me into the woods. Where spring is advancing, as it does, no matter what, not being singular or particular, but one of the forever gifts, and certainly visible.” -Mary Oliver

This week, it felt great to get back into our normal routine after all the hard work we put into our autobiographies before March Break. We started off by adding two new activities to our morning work cycle: weekly math word problems and daily writing prompts.

The math work, which is in addition to their individual lessons and assignments, is designed to be collaborative and to focus on skills they’ve previously learned or to enhance their math skills. This week’s math involved working together on skip-counting, using calculators, identifying patterns, solving word problems, creating graphs, working with modes, collecting data, making line plots, and understanding fractions.

The daily writing prompts are meant to complement our weekly writing lessons and assignments, focusing on short, creative writing tasks. As students arrive in the morning, this writing serves as an opportunity to settle in quietly and to write every day before lessons, collaboration, and assignments begin.

I’m already noticing a calmer vibe in the room during the mornings before yoga. Children come in, greet each other, and find a spot to sit with friends to spend a few peaceful minutes writing. This quiet writing time really helps us start the day off focused and productive.

This week in our geometry lessons, the fourth graders were introduced to the concept of finding the area, while the fifth graders learned about the origins of Pi by comparing a circle’s circumference to its diameter. In biology, students worked in small groups to review the vital functions of nutrition, respiration, and circulation. Each group then took turns presenting information about different animals and their vital functions to the rest of the class. In history, we explored Homo erectus and compared them to the fossil ancestors we have studied so far, as well as to modern humans.

For our last student-read book of the year, we are reading The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews. We are reading this book as a novel study instead of as a literature circle book. This means that students will answer questions and complete packets for each set of assigned pages, rather than completing role sheets. We will meet weekly to discuss the assigned passages as a whole class. I have found that reading one book as a class is a wonderful way to end the school year.

Wishing you a peaceful week ahead.

Ms. Handibode: A Week of Stories, Pajamas, and the Magic of Books

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

“You can find magic wherever you look. So sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”
— Dr. Seuss

Last week, we celebrated Read Across America, a national initiative launched by the National Education Association to encourage a lifelong love of reading in children. Observed on March 2nd, it is one of our favorite days of the year. At Fraser Woods Montessori, we mark the occasion with Pajama Day, and the children bring their favorite books from home to share with the class. The room was cozy, cheerful, and full of stories.

In our classroom, we call books treasures, and reading is woven into the fabric of every school day. This week was a beautiful reminder of why. We were treated to a special guest reader: Hanna’s mom, Kate, who sang her way through the delightful book ZooZical! — a book we highly recommend sharing at home. We are also deeply grateful to Maycie R.’s family for the incredible green eggs and ham and the One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish parfaits. The care and effort that went into those treats did not go unnoticed.

Extending Learning at Home

Here are some simple, meaningful ways to nurture a love of reading at home:

  • Keep books everywhere. In the car, in every room, tucked into backpacks and bags. The more accessible books are, the more children reach for them.
  • Visit the library often. Getting a library card and learning to ask a librarian for help are empowering experiences for young readers.
  • Get caught reading. Children imitate the adults around them. Let them see you reading — a magazine, a novel, anything — and reading becomes the cool thing to do.
  • Read aloud to your child. No matter their age, reading aloud builds vocabulary, language skills, and opens the door to rich conversations.
  • Let your child read to you, too. You never know what you might learn!

For more on the tremendous benefits of reading with your child, visit childmind.org.

Wishing everyone a very peaceful break. Happy reading!

Mrs. Lopes: The Earth Beneath Our Feet

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

Last week, the classroom was buzzing with curiosity as we launched our study of rocks and minerals. We began by exploring a fascinating truth: no matter where you live in the world, you are standing on rock. Rocks cover the entire Earth, and most of them are millions and millions of years old.

The children were introduced to the three types of rocks — igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic — and discussed the unique properties that distinguish each one. We examined real specimens from each category, giving the children the opportunity to hold history in their hands. A new shelf work featuring a magnifying glass and a collection of small rocks and gems was an immediate hit. The children were completely absorbed, studying the texture, color, and structure of each sample with careful, scientific eyes.

Extending Learning at Home

Rocks are everywhere — on sidewalks, in gardens, along stream beds. Invite your child on a neighborhood rock hunt and ask them to describe what they notice: Is it smooth or rough? Shiny or dull? Heavy or light? You can also sort your findings by color or texture, just as we do with materials in the classroom. For an added layer of fun, visit your local library and look for a field guide to rocks and minerals together.

Mrs. Sargeant: Tacos, Taekwondo, and a Very Exciting Tooth

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

“You can find magic wherever you look. So sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”
— Dr. Seuss

Last week brought Read Across America to our classroom, and with it, one of the most joyful days of the year. On March 2nd, the children arrived in their pajamas, arms full of their favorite books. They loved sharing their picks with one another, and there was genuine curiosity about which titles their friends had chosen. We read Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin together, and true to the spirit of the story, Gabriel’s family treated the class to their very own tacos and sour cream. It was a special snack that we are so grateful for.

On Thursday, we attended a Taekwondo demonstration that had the children completely captivated from start to finish. And as if the week weren’t exciting enough, one of our friends lost her very first tooth during afternoon circle — right in the middle of our latest Magic Treehouse book! The whole class erupted with excitement. It was one of those unrepeatable classroom moments.

Reading is an integral part of each school day, and we hope to pass on our passion for books to your children. An article from nationaldaycalendar.com offers some wonderful ideas for motivating young readers wherever they are:

  • Keep books everywhere. In the car, in every room, tucked in backpacks and purses. Accessibility makes all the difference.
  • Visit the library often. Encourage your child to use their own voice to ask a librarian for help finding books on a topic they love — a wonderful confidence builder.
  • Get caught reading. Children imitate the adults around them. Whether it’s a magazine, newspaper, or novel, let them see that reading is something grown-ups do and enjoy.
  • Read to your children. No matter their age, reading aloud strengthens vocabulary and language skills and opens up meaningful conversation.
  • Let your children read to you, too. You might just be surprised!

Extending Learning at Home

Consider taking your child to the local library to get their very own library card. Encourage them to walk up to a librarian and ask — in their own words — for help finding a book on a topic they’re curious about. This small act of advocacy builds confidence, independence, and a lifelong relationship with one of the best resources in any community.

Ms. Mollie: Spring…….Almost!

Posted on by Mollie Smith

Spring is just around the corner, and we are all eagerly awaiting its arrival. You can feel the shift in the air as the days slowly grow longer. This week, we began planting seeds together, a quiet and hopeful reminder that growth takes patience and care. The children loved helping with this work, scooping soil, placing seeds gently, and watering them with such concentration.

We have also been enjoying more time outside whenever we can. Fresh air, movement, and connection with nature help ground the children and bring a beautiful sense of calm to our days.

With the time change this weekend and spring break approaching, it is also a time to be especially mindful of our little ones. Changes in routine can feel big for toddlers. You may notice larger emotions, extra tiredness, or a need for a bit more patience and connection. This is very normal. Consistency and gentle rhythms help children feel safe and regulated.

As we move toward spring, we continue focusing on slowing down, caring for our environment, and supporting the children through these seasonal transitions with love, grace, and understanding. 🌱✨

With Full and Hopeful Hearts,

Ms. Mollie and Ms. Lizette

Ms. Marissa: Rainbows, Rain, and the Water Cycle

Posted on by Marissa Frisk

Last week, the classroom was filled with wonder as we began our study of rainbows and the water cycle. The children were amazed to discover that light itself splits into seven colors — and that rainbows are waiting to be found in the rain, in mist, after a storm, and even in the spray of a garden hose!

We also explored the water cycle, learning how water moves in a continuous circular journey — from evaporation to condensation to precipitation and back again. This cyclical concept resonated beautifully with the children’s natural sense of pattern and order.

Several new materials were added to our rainbow and water cycle shelf to support this study. Non-fiction books help children build vocabulary and deepen their understanding of these natural phenomena. Open-ended play activities — including rainbow blocks, rainbow art, and cut-and-paste projects — invite the children to revisit and internalize the colors of the rainbow in creative ways. A highlight has been the water cycle wheel: children color, cut, and assemble their own turning wheel that shows each stage of the cycle in motion. It is a wonderful blend of fine motor work, science, and artistic expression.

Extending Learning at Home

The next time it rains, invite your child to look for a rainbow and name the seven colors in order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. On a sunny day, try holding a garden hose at an angle in the sunlight — you may just make your own rainbow! You can also fill a clear glass with water and place it near a sunny window to observe how light passes through and casts colors on the wall.

Research Night in Lower Elementary

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

What an incredible last few weeks it has been in our classroom! Over the past several weeks, the children have been hard at work preparing their unique research projects. They showed so much dedication as they explored topics that truly interested them, spending time reading, writing, organizing their ideas, and creating beautiful displays to share.

Research Night was a wonderful celebration of all that hard work. It was amazing to see the students stand proudly beside their projects, presenting their learning with such confidence and enthusiasm. Each child became an expert on their topic and did a fantastic job sharing their knowledge and passion with families and visitors.

The energy in the room was truly inspiring. The children were so excited to talk about what they had learned, answer questions, and show off the projects they worked so carefully to create. Moments like these highlight not only their academic growth but also their confidence, curiosity, and pride in their work.

Thank you to all the families who came out to support the students. Your presence made the evening even more special and meaningful for the children. We are so proud of their dedication and accomplishments, and Research Night was a beautiful way to celebrate all they have achieved!

Wishing all of our families a wonderful Spring Break! We hope you enjoy a relaxing and fun time together and look forward to seeing everyone back soon.