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Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update

Posted on by Vicki Downs

This week, our classroom was filled with Valentine work and meaningful conversations about kindness, love, and friendship. The children were excited to explore the new materials and bring these themes into their daily work.

The children worked with fine motor activities, art projects, new puzzles, and magnets in the sensory bin. It has been such a joy to watch their attention and focus grow as they engage deeply with their work.

We are especially proud of our older students, who are now confidently completing work from start to finish. They are independently:

-unrolling a work mat

-choosing and placing their work on the mat

-working with focus

-putting the materials away

-rolling up their mat when finished

These are big Montessori milestones, and the pride on their faces says it all.

The children have also been loving opportunities to help clean the classroom and put their nap items away. Taking care of their environment is an important part of building responsibility, confidence, and independence. They are doing an amazing job.

We also met our classroom baby, Bella. We hold her, rock her, and are learning how to carry her gently, change her clothes, and even tuck her safely into her cradle. The children absolutely adore this new addition to our classroom family.

Food tasting this week was mangoes! What a hit! The children loved this tropical fruit and wanted more. This will be great in lunch boxes.

It’s been a week full of growth, concentration, and loving moments. We are so proud of how much the children are capable of and can’t wait to see how they continue to blossom. 💗

Ms. Handibode: Surviving Winter

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

Over the past few weeks, we explored how animals survive the harsh conditions of winter. The children learned that animals have three strategies: hibernate, migrate, or adapt. We discovered that hibernating animals enter a deep sleep where their body temperature drops, their heartbeat and breathing slow down, and they conserve energy. The children were fascinated to learn where different animals hibernate—some above ground in caves, nests, or dens, and others below ground in burrows or deep in the mud.

We also examined migration, discussing why animals travel to warmer places where food is more plentiful and where they might go. Finally, we looked at animals that adapt by staying active in their environment, changing their behavior, and even their bodies to ensure they have enough food through winter. This naturally led to conversations about whether we would choose to hibernate or migrate during our cold Connecticut winters!

On Wednesday, we had a special visit from Francine Wheeler, a former Fraser Woods parent and teacher, who presented The Isle of Skoo. This interactive puppet-based social-emotional learning program used puppets, music, storytelling, movement, and audience participation to help the children explore feelings and behaviors such as shyness and frustration. It was a wonderful experience that connected beautifully to our classroom’s ongoing work with grace and courtesy.

Extending Learning at Home

Take nature walks to observe how local animals are surviving winter. Look for bird tracks in the snow, notice which birds are still visiting feeders (they’ve adapted!), or discuss animals you no longer see (have they hibernated?). You might also talk about how your family adapts to winter—layering clothing, eating warm foods, or staying cozy indoors.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

  • Monday, February 9
    ⋅ Sharing Box and Flowers – Morgan R.
  • Monday, February 9
    ⋅ Moving Up Day for Students (Kindergarten students visit Lower Elementary)
  • Tuesday, February 10
    ⋅ Welcome to Kindergarten! Talk at 8:45 a.m. (for parents of P4 students)
    ⋅ Moving Up Night at 5:30 p.m. (for parents of K students)
  • Wednesday, February 11
    ⋅ Guest Reader – Maycie R.
  • Thursday, February 12
    ⋅ Classroom Valentine Exchange
  • Friday, February 13
    ⋅ No School | Teacher Professional Development Day

Next Week

  • Monday, February 16
    ⋅ No School | President’s Day

Mrs. Lopes’ Class

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

Last week, we introduced a delightful new food preparation lesson to our shelves: juicing oranges. The children practiced cutting oranges in half, carefully using a small hand juicer to extract the juice, and pouring their fresh-squeezed creation into a cup to enjoy. This work combines precise hand movements, sequencing steps, and the wonderful reward of tasting something they made themselves. The concentration on their faces as they worked the juicer and the pride they felt sipping their fresh juice was beautiful to witness.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

  • Tuesday, February 10
    Welcome to Kindergarten! Talk at 8:45 a.m. for parents of P4 students
    Moving Up Night at 5:30 p.m. for parents of K students
  • Wednesday, February 11
    Guest Reader – Devin W.
  • Thursday, February 12
    Classroom Valentine Exchange
  • Friday, February 13
    No School | Teacher Professional Development Day

Next Week

  • Monday, February 16
    No School | President’s Day
  • Wednesday, February 17
    Guest Reader – Regine H.

Mrs. Sargeant: Community and Connection

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

Last week brought several exciting additions and experiences to our classroom. Hair styling has been a huge hit! The children have been practicing brushing, braiding, and using elastics to create ponytails on a model doll head. This work develops fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and patience while also being tremendously fun.

In the sensorial area, children have been noticing the connections between the geometric solids and metal insets, making observations about shapes, edges, and dimensions. This natural comparison demonstrates the beauty of the Montessori environment, where materials across different areas support and reinforce each other.

We’ve witnessed wonderful examples of the mixed-age dynamic supporting learning. Kindergarten students have been helping younger peers with the sometimes tricky task of putting on shoes, boots, snow pants, and gloves. With lots of practice throughout the week, we’re all getting better at remembering the order: snow pants, boots, jacket, hat, and gloves!

Last week also brought special community experiences. On Monday, we were audience members for the Middle School play, and on Wednesday, we were visited by Ben’s Lighthouse, who presented a puppet show assembly focused on kindness. It was an amazing experience that reinforced the values we practice daily.
We celebrated Thomas’s 6th birthday and Gabriel’s half birthday with beautiful Montessori birthday walks. The classroom has also been brightened by tulips in our flower arranging activity—a lovely reminder that spring is coming!

Extending Learning at Home

Practice the skills we’re building in grace and courtesy by giving your child opportunities to help younger siblings or cousins with their jackets and shoes. Even small acts of service help children recognize their own growing capabilities and build compassion for others.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

  • Monday, February 9—Thursday, February 12
    ⋅ Food/Flowers/Sharing Bag Week – Kai’s Family
  • Monday, February 9
    ⋅ Moving Up Day for Students (Kindergarten students visit Lower Elementary)
  • Tuesday, February 10
    ⋅ Welcome to Kindergarten! Talk at 8:45 a.m. (for parents of P4 students)
    ⋅ Moving Up Night at 5:30 p.m. (for parents of K students)
    ⋅ Celebrate Rayna’s Half Birthday
  • Wednesday, February 11
    ⋅ Guest Reader – Jessica O.
  • Thursday, February 12
    ⋅ Classroom Valentine Exchange
  • Friday, February 13
    ⋅ No School | Teacher Professional Development Day

Next Week

  • Monday, February 16
    ⋅ No School | President’s Day

This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey

“All is strictly interrelated on this planet. And one notes that each science studies only the details of a total knowledge. To speak afterward of the life of [humans] on the surface of the globe is to speak of history. And each detail holds… interest by reason of its strict relation to the others. We may compare it with a tapestry: each detail is a piece of embroidery; the whole constitutes a magnificent cloth.” -Maria Montessori

Our week began with an incredible performance by our Middle School students of their original play, Spoiler Alert! This play was entirely created by the students, from the initial concept to the script and the set design. We thoroughly enjoyed the hilarious performance and appreciated hearing from our middle school friends afterward as they answered our questions about the entire experience.

On Wednesday, we received a visit from the folks at Ben’s Lighthouse, who presented the Isle of Skoo puppet show. This performance focused on feelings and empathy. We enjoyed attending with our friends from toddlers through eighth grade. After the performance, we had the opportunity to put what we learned into action. When one student accidentally spilled a box containing 300 tiny wooden pegs, several students immediately stopped what they were doing and quietly helped clean up the mess. It was a beautiful illustration of empathy in action.

We are now focusing more intensely on autobiographies. Our goal is to complete the rough drafts next week and make progress on the final drafts. You can find the project link on your child’s dashboard in MyFWM. We will meet with students one-on-one next week to help them finalize their papers. Additionally, students will be preparing presentation boards for Research Night. If you have any family photos to share for their boards, we can make color copies at school, or you can share them with me digitally.

On Monday, we will have Moving Up Day for students. Fifth graders will spend the day in middle school. They don’t need to bring anything special for the day, but they should arrive as close to 8:10 as possible. Fifth graders can be dropped off a little early, starting at 8:00. If you arrive before 8:00, please enter through the front door, as teachers do not begin greeting students in the back until 8:10. Fourth graders will host the third graders for the day.

Thursday will be a fun and busy day of celebration and service. We will start our day by making sandwiches for the soup kitchen, followed by our classroom Valentine’s Day celebration. Thank you to those who are generously donating items for our sandwiches and the party. We truly appreciate your support!

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Monday, February 9: Moving Up Day for Grade 5
  • Tuesday, February 10: Moving Up Night for parents of students moving to Grade 6
  • Thursday, February 12: Sandwich Making and Valentine’s Day Celebration
  • Friday, February 13: No School – Professional Development Day
  • Monday, February 16: No School – Presidents’ Day

Ms. Marissa: The Joy of Mathematical Discovery

Posted on by Marissa Frisk

Last week, the math area captured so much enthusiasm in our classroom. The children have been deeply engaged with the concept of exchanging. We introduced The Exchange Game, where children roll a dice, count out unit beads, and exchange them for 10 bars. This playful work lays the foundation for dynamic addition (addition with carrying over). The children also learned The Snake Game, where they created a rainbow snake using the bead stair with addends of 10, and watched as the snake “sheds its skin” and transforms into a golden snake when we exchanged for 10 bars. The delight and excitement this work generates is wonderful to see!

During one lesson on four-digit addition with the golden beads, a child declared at the end that she wanted to do this work every day—a perfect example of the pure joy that comes from mathematical discovery and mastery.

With all the practice putting on snow gear, we’re all getting better at the routine! We’ve been repeating the order together: snow pants, boots, jacket, hat, and gloves. The growing independence and confidence in this practical life skill have been remarkable.

Our zoology shelf is currently featuring dinosaurs, and the children have been exploring this work with great interest. Next week, we’ll begin reading more scientific books on the topic and start our Black History Month lessons, focusing on celebrating the great accomplishments of Black Americans.

Extending Learning at Home

Practice counting and exchanging with everyday objects. Count out 10 pennies and exchange them for a dime, or count 10 dimes and exchange them for a dollar. Even organizing small objects like buttons or pasta pieces into groups of 10 reinforces the mathematical mind’s natural attraction to order and pattern.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

  • Monday, February 9
    ⋅ Moving Up Day for Students (Kindergarten students visit Lower Elementary)
  • Tuesday, February 10
    ⋅ Welcome to Kindergarten! Talk at 8:45 a.m. (for parents of P4 students)
    ⋅ Moving Up Night at 5:30 p.m. (for parents of K students)
  • Thursday, February 12
    ⋅ Classroom Valentine Exchange
  • Friday, February 13
    ⋅ No School | Teacher Professional Development Day

Next Week

  • Monday, February 16
    ⋅ No School | President’s Day

Mrs. Wilson: Hello, Lovely February!

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

In the month of February, our classroom focuses on the themes of Emotions and Family and Friends. Gentle touches of Valentine’s Day can be found throughout the environment, woven into the materials in the Refinement of the Hands area, as well as art, language, and math. During this time, the children are introduced to new vocabulary and expressions that help them name and recognize a wide range of feelings. They also explore figures that represent families from many cultures, while learning meaningful ways to express love and care for others, big and small—and for themselves, which is just as important.

On Wednesday, the children worked with Ms. Sara on their Valentine’s gift bags, using foam heart-shaped stickers to carefully decorate their paper bags. This activity offered wonderful practice in refining and strengthening their fine motor skills through peeling, placing, and pressing. The children will use these bags during our Valentine’s Day celebration to collect Valentine cards from their friends.

Food Tasting:
This week’s food tasting featured a mango. One child described the mango as “colorful,” noticing the green, yellow, and red hues of its skin. Most of the children enjoyed the mango and were eager to taste this vibrant fruit.

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

A Week of Creativity and Music in Lower Elementary

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

This past week was one of those wonderfully full weeks, the kind that feels busy in the best possible way. From student-created theater to an inspiring musical performance, our days were packed with moments that reminded us just how special community is.

We kicked things off by attending the middle school play, and what a treat it was. It was inspiring to see the culmination of so much hard work and collaboration. The students didn’t just perform, they created the entire production. From writing the script to designing and building the set, every piece reflected their creativity, dedication, and teamwork. Our lower elementary students were especially captivated, watching as the older students’ efforts came to life on stage. It was a powerful example of what can happen when ideas, effort, and collaboration come together.

Later in the week, we had the chance to attend another special performance: Isle of Skoo. This local program is designed to inspire children to be “lighthouse keepers”—to be a light in someone else’s darkness, to accept others as they are, and to embrace one another’s differences. The message was beautiful, and the delivery made it even better. The show was fun, engaging, and full of energy. Students listened to the music, danced along, and soaked in the message without even realizing how much they were learning.

We’re looking forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day with the children in the classroom on Thursday, February 12th. If your child would like to participate in exchanging Valentine’s cards, they are welcome to bring them in to share with classmates. Please note that we have 32 children in the class, and if your child chooses to exchange Valentine’s, they will need to bring one for each classmate so everyone feels included.