Blog

Luminous Lower Elementary

Posted on by Karen Sankey

We have had a wonderfully busy and productive week in Lower Elementary. We are enjoying our physical science lessons on light. We discussed the difference between natural light and artificial light and then we went on a walk through the school and took a light survey, seeing how many sources we could find that produce light. Next, we learned that atoms get excited when energy is added in the form of heat or a chemical reaction and light is produced when the excited atoms release their energy in bundles of photons. The children had fun acting out the roles of the atoms and photons as Ms. Beckett verbally added energy. We also discussed what role light plays in the survival of plants. We learned about photosynthesis and chlorophyll and why we see plants as green. We covered a small patch of grass and a leaf on our playground to see what will happen when they aren’t able to collect sunlight. We will be checking on them next week. Finally, we went into a dark room and turned on a flashlight. We noticed that we could see the light at its source and at the point where it bounced off the wall but we could not see its beam. Then we shook a dusty pillow. We noticed that we could then see the beam of light reflecting off the dust particles. We will continue with light lessons over the next few weeks and we will be learning more about light when we go on our April field trip.

In addition to our physical science lessons on light, we had many other small group lessons this week. First year students learned about external parts of amphibians in biology, land and water forms in geography, and oblique and perpendicular lines in geometry. Second year students learned about the body functions of amphibians in biology, advanced land and water forms in geography, and subtracting angles with the Montessori protractor in geometry. Third year students collected moss and examined it under a microscope. They are learning about the external parts and body functions of moss in biology and about constructing right-angled, obtuse-angled, and acute-angled triangles with the box of sticks in geometry.

The children have received their parts for our May musical, Moana Jr. They are working hard already and have been enjoying coming together with Upper Elementary to sing songs from Moana in the mornings before we start our day. The children should bring their scripts to school every day since we will be doing a lot of practicing in the coming weeks. Be on the lookout next week for an email with more information about costumes, props, and parts.

Mrs. Carroll’s Class: A Person’s a Person, No Matter How Small

Posted on by Cindy Carroll

Grab your green eggs and ham and get ready to play, because we are celebrating Dr. Seuss Day!

Each year, schools, libraries, and other organizations prepare for Dr. Seuss’s Birthday on March 2. Millions of teachers and students Read Across America with their friends, family, and peers as a celebration of one of our favorite children’s authors, Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known to the world as Dr. Seuss. It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Seuss’s birthday and advocate his goal of promoting and motivating reading.

Our Seusstastic celebration included wearing pajamas to school and bringing in prized stuffed animals to read to and snuggle with. We read several Dr. Seuss books including Green Eggs and Ham and then actually sampled the colorful treat for a snack. We do like them, Sam I Am. We will eat them once again!  Thank you Michelle Lamb and Christi Orlowski for joining the fun and helping with the crafts.

Please remember that “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child!”-Dr. Seuss

Happy reading,

Cindy & Sharlene

Location Data on your Mobile Devices

Posted on by Danielle Ulacco

When you purchase a device, many settings come already “set”- like location data. If you have an iPhone, did you know that it tracks your locations in a setting called “significant locations” (on older iPhones it may use the term “frequent”). Follow these instructions on this website to see if it is enabled or disabled on your phone. If it is enabled, your world might get rocked. Don’t worry, you can turn it off and disable any future data being stored.

Here’s an interesting article related to Android phones which worth reading, too: “Google location data tracking saw innocent cyclist become key suspect in burglary” At the end of the article they share tips for enhanced privacy controls on Android 10.

 

As one article states, “Like so much technology today, location history can be harmful or helpful, depending on who is using it and how, and whether you understand and control it, and whether you opt in to what you want to have tracked (and opt out of what you don’t want). Learning about location history on your device and how to view and control it is the first step.” If I can help at all- please feel free to stop by the MakerSpace or email me.

Mrs. Doyle’s Class: Today Is Your Day!

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss

On Tuesday, we had fun celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Schools and libraries across the United States enjoy taking part in a nationwide reading celebration called Read Across America. This fun tradition is an exciting way to bring together children and books and is celebrated on Dr. Seuss’s birthday, March 2nd.

Here are few fun facts about Dr. Seuss:

  • Dr. Seuss’ real name was Theodore Seuss Geisel.
  • He has written and illustrated over 60  children’s books.
  • The book Green Eggs and Ham is made up of 50 sight words. Dr. Seuss’s editor bet him that he could not write a book using fewer words than The Cat in the Hat which had 225 words. Clearly, Dr. Seuss won that bet!

Here at FWM, the children enjoyed wearing their pajamas to school and bringing in a favorite stuffed animal. We read Green Eggs and Ham and then actually got to experience eating those two foods for snacks. We asked the children what their favorite Dr. Seuss book was and it was exciting to see their knowledge and love for his work. It was a close vote between Green Eggs and Ham and How The Grinch Stole Christmas.

We can’t say it enough but we are truly grateful for all the ‘behind the scenes’ help and support from all of you.  Some parents provide ingredients for cooking or crafts, some parents provide their time and some keep us all organized!!!! It truly takes a village and we are blessed to be part of an amazing one!

Enjoy the week!

Michelle & Jeannine

Launching Robotics and Movie Making

Posted on by Danielle Ulacco

This is a beautiful time of year in the MakerSpace for first grade students because this is when they begin to dive deeper into a few of our pillar programs: coding and programming, and digital movie making. First, students have graduated to a more complex robot, Dash. In pictures you will see students using his “launch” feature to launch colored balls at different objects and obstacles. This reinforces problem solving, creative thinking, collaborative communication skills, and perseverance. 1st graders were also introduced to iMovie’s Trailers to make mini-movies about their own interest and passions. We will share these movies with their classmates and applaud their hard work when they are all completed. Eventually students will transfer their digital movie making knowledge to bigger concepts like green screen, trick shots, editing tools, and more.

Mrs. Wilson: Sensory Exploration and Color Matching

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

Some of our toddler children have shown us an interest in colors. This week I introduced a color matching work using colored frogs and colored dots. We started with a group lesson where the children picked a frog out of the basket. The child was asked if they knew what color it was and if they could put that frog on the matching dot. This lesson is now available on the shelf for the children to use.

Another fun activity the children enjoyed was splashing water and bubbles in the sensory bin. Some even thought it was fun to put bubbles on their faces. There was so much joy, laughter, bubbles, and water everywhere! This activity gave them the perfect opportunity to receive a lesson using the mop.

Food Tasting: Asparagus was not as big of a hit as the past foods they tried. Everyone tasted it but about five of the children asked for more.

To help with language and communication we implemented an old telephone into the classroom. This was a big hit and surprisingly the children knew what it was used for. It was fun to watch them hold the handset to their ear and talk into it.

Enjoy the rest of the photos!

Mrs. Wilson, Ms. Sara and Ms. Heather

Mrs. Carroll’s Class: In the Service of a United Whole

Posted on by Cindy Carroll

So in the child, besides the vital impulse to create himself, and to become perfect, there must yet be another purpose, a duty to fulfill in harmony, something he has to do in the service of a united whole. ~ Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

Maria Montessori believed that children are the key to peace and empathy among humanity. This important belief is a foundation in our Montessori classrooms beginning with practical life lessons and continuing throughout childhood and beyond. I’d like to share how a “simple” lesson can provide the mechanism from which children in the classroom learn, practice, and express their empathy and love for their community.

Flower arranging work has a more important indirect aim than simply admiring nature’s work of art. It is an opportunity for little hands to contribute to the beautification of the environment. It is a tender moment when a young heart lays down a symbol of friendship, love, and peace on a table for someone else to enjoy. It is a brief yet integral step outside of oneself and one’s own needs. -The CHILD centered Blog

Flower arranging is only one of many classrooms works and activities sewing the seeds of compassion and empathy in your children.  Please remember compassion in your homes help your children do the same.

Just a reminder, next Tuesday, March 3rd we will be celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday!  On this day children are invited to wear their pajamas to school and bring a favorite stuffed animal to cuddle. We will celebrate with some fun activities and a snack of green eggs and ham!

Enjoy the week!

Cindy & Sharlene

 

Mrs. Lopes’s Class: Our Class Rocks!

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

“The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.” -Maria Montessori

Have you ever noticed your child’s fascination with rocks found outside on the ground?  We have observed after playing outside on the playground some of the children will return to the classroom with pockets full of rocks as if they are treasures. You can imagine the children’s excitement when they learned that our new science unit for this week was the study of rocks!  We discussed the three main types of rocks – igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, as well as how these rocks are formed on Earth. We added several new rock lessons to our environment, but the group favorite was a basket full of rocks with a magnifying glass.  The children enjoyed examining and classifying each of the rocks in this lesson.

Just a reminder, next Tuesday, March 3rd we will be celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday! On this day children are invited to wear their pajamas to school and bring their favorite Dr. Seuss book. We will celebrate with some fun activities and a snack of green eggs and ham!

Enjoy the weekend,

Amanda