Blog

Kindergarten Cardboard Begins

Posted on by Danielle Ulacco

Cardboard is an essential ingredient to our MakerSpace. It begins the prototyping process and allows our youngest students to create anything and everything without limitations. In 1st year, students start using a variety of scissors and plastic cardboard “knives” to create designs and prototypes. These tools also provides practice of their motor skills and hand-eye coordination which are two important skills needed in my classroom (and in life!).

This week our Kindergarten students were introduced to 3Dux/Design Sets during as a station. What is this design set? They say, “3Dux/design Architectural modeling sets integrate math and engineering concepts with art, design and open-ended imaginative play. Using 3D printed connectors and geometric forms, children will imagine, design, build and then rethink their creations.”

3Dux is Located in Bridgeport, CT, and I made the easy decision to support this local business by purchasing their product. I did this for two reasons:

  1.  I thought it was great product that would create the pathway to put cardboard in the hands of my youngest makers
  2. It’s literally cardboard and 3D printed pieces – both of which we have here at FWM for a minimal cost! This means that students can make their own connectors, or replace ones if needed.

I also love being able to put a product in my students’ hands and say “YOU COULD MAKE THIS!” and “People are making money selling this!”  We have also been graciously gifted tons of cardboard cut out shapes from an FWM family- Thank you!

Happenings & Events

Posted on by Alison Kistner

FWM Summer Camp is OPEN for REGISTRATION!  Weekly sessions for summer program offerings for Toddler, Primary, and Elementary age children.  Register online at MyFWM.org under PROGRAMS. Deadline to register is May 13th.

Elementary Play is Thursday, May 9th – 7:00pm. Seussical performed by Lower & Upper Elementary students. Exciting musical for children of all ages! Tickets can be purchased here!

8th Year Expert Projects are Wednesday, May 15th & Thursday, May 16th – 6:00pm. 8th Year students culminating projects. This year’s topics include: White Collar Crime, Microsoft, Cognitive Psychology, Criminal Psychology, Nutrition, Tourette’s, Trauma Surgery, Racial Diversity in America, Racial and Gender Bias in the Criminal Justice System, Air Pollution, Child Education in Developing Countries and Major League Soccer. Each night will have different presentations.

Grandparents Day is Friday, May 17th – 8:30-10:30am. Invitations have been mailed to all grandparents with an RSVP date of Friday, May 3rd. The morning includes a light breakfast, concert and visit to the classrooms.

The Metamorphosis in the Toddler Classroom

Posted on by Sara Kasbarian

It has been a very busy week in our toddler room!  We are patiently awaiting the arrival of our butterflies. While we wait we have we have been learning about the life cycle of a butterfly, cut butterfly strips, and did some butterfly stamp art! We have also been talking about the spring season and have created some blooming trees which focused on gluing and improving fine motor skills. The children have been exploring new works in our environment related to the spring season and even did some flower arranging!  We were lucky enough to visit the Upper Elementary and Middle School Science Fair. The children demonstrated their curiosity, attention span, and respectfulness towards the researchers presenting their work to us. We are so proud of how the children we able to listen and observe their Upper Elementary and Middle School friends!

Thank you to the McGoldrick family for providing us with our snack and food tasting this week!  The children enjoyed eating the sweet and juicy pineapple!

World Language: Mrs. Carroll’s class having fun in French!

Posted on by Francoise Cutrone

The students in Mrs. Carroll’s class are enjoying a pinwheel of colors in French class. We reviewed most of the colors we have learned this year. The trick was to turn the wheel softly (doucement!) Everyone wanted to have a turn and we also  worked with animals (l’éléphant, le crocodile, le chat, le chien, la poule, etc…) trying to put a tail on each of them! When we had the correct tail, the students would say:”c’est juste!” (it’s right!) and when the tail was wrong, these children would scream: “c’est pas juste!” (it’s not right!) As usual, teaching these younger children is always done in the form of a game to keep their interests alive. This is always a challenge and I enjoy playing these games learning  with all of them.

 

Middle School: Science Fair!

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

Science Fair is an annual event for 6th and 7th year students and showcases skills such as inquiry, creativity, and critical thinking. This year’s theme asked students to consider the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) when creating their hypothesis to drive their project. Topics such as cryptocurrency, methanotrophs, heart disease, soil absorption, and wealth in medicine were just a few.

It is amazing to listen to the students explain their projects as well as watch their enthusiasm for the topics. They have become experts! It is exactly this type of thinking and passion that make us feel pretty good about them leading the world in the future.

Ms. Kayser’s Class: Community

Posted on by skayser

“There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of different ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community”  -Maria Montessori

This quote by Maria Montessori truly encapsulates our week. Although our sense of community is ever growing among our students within our classroom, this week we got to branch out and grow stronger with our school community. We are lucky to have a community service day where the Middle School students come to join our class for an hour. These students come to work alongside our three, four, and five year olds and give guidance with their work. Our young students love this time with their older peers and take so much pride and ownership in the process of working with them.

This week was also special for our Kindergarten students; they got the opportunity to become like their older peers and give guidance to the youngest students in our school, our Toddler friends! Each Kindergarten student got to take a Toddler student under their wing for part of the day and teach them some of the exciting lessons in our classroom. This experience is not only rewarding for the Kindergarten students, it helps the younger friends prepare for their transition to Primary in the fall!

Next week on Wednesday, April 30th, the Kindergarten students will be going to our Lower Elementary classroom to visit with Mrs. Sankey and Ms. Beckett and have a mentoring experience of their own. They will get to sit and work with the first graders and learn some exciting new lessons!

On another very exciting side note, our butterflies emerged from their chrysalises over the weekend and we were able to release them onto our playground. What a wonderful and beautiful experience it was for all the children. Luckily, we also got to spend some extra time in the beautiful sunshine after releasing our butterflies. Spring is such a magnificent season!

All the best,

Ms. Kayser and Ms. Alli

Mrs. Carroll’s Class: Change Ahead!

Posted on by Cindy Carroll

 

Warm weather and long days have finally returned and our class is in bloom with activity. We have enjoyed observing and recording the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle and were excited to send ours off to begin their new journey.

Our Kindergarten students are themselves preparing for a change. In five short weeks our oldest Primary friends will complete their third year with the Primary, and emerge into the Lower Elementary environment. Next Wednesday, April 30, the Kindergarten children will visit our Lower Elementary environment.  This week our Kindergarten students welcomed Toddler students into our environment; and the cycle begins. Developing our Kindergarten students to become mentors is more than simply asking an older student to help a younger one. A true leader is mentored and shown the process of how to lead and help others. When we take the time to cultivate leaders in our Montessori environment, we see that this is another piece of our carefully prepared environment.

Make a wish, take a chance, make a change!

Cindy and Sharlene

Happenings & Events

Posted on by Alison Kistner

A big thank you to all parents that supported our 25th annual Auction Gala, Havana Nights! For those that missed the event, you can still participate by visiting our auction website here.

Science Fair this Thursday, April 25 at 8:30am. and 6:30pm.  Upper Elementary and Middle School 6th & 7th Years students present.

FWM Summer Camp is OPEN for REGISTRATION!  Weekly sessions for summer program offerings for Toddler, Primary, and Elementary age children.  Register online at MyFWM.org under PROGRAMS.

Elementary Play is Thursday, May 9th – 7:00pm. Seussical performed by Lower & Upper Elementary students. Tickets will be on sale shortly! Exciting musical for children of all ages!