Blog

Mrs. Lopes: Cultivating Gratitude in Our Classroom Community

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

Last week, the classroom was filled with heartfelt conversations about gratitude. The children shared what they are thankful for, from family members and beloved pets to sunny days and special friendships. We read books that reinforced the beauty of gratefulness, exploring how expressing thanks strengthens our classroom community and spreads joy to those around us.

One of the highlights of our week was writing thank-you letters to the firefighters who visited our school last Friday. The children carefully crafted their letters, some drawing pictures of fire trucks while others practiced their emerging writing skills to express their appreciation. This practical life activity not only developed fine motor skills and early literacy but also cultivated compassion and awareness of the helpers in our community. The children’s genuine excitement about sending these letters reminded us how naturally gratitude flows when given the opportunity to express it.

Extending Learning at Home

  • Practice saying “thank you” throughout daily routines—when receiving meals, getting help with tasks, or spending time together as a family
  • Create a gratitude jar where family members can drop notes about things they’re thankful for, then read them together at dinner or bedtime
  • Talk about community helpers you encounter in your neighborhood and discuss how their work helps others

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please continue to check your child’s folder for any upcoming school-wide events and seasonal celebrations.

This Week
Thursday, November 20: Classroom Bread Baking 9:30am with Hadley’s Mom, Petra

Next Week
Tuesday, November 25: Half-day, 11:30 dismissal
Wednesday, November 26 through Friday, November 28: No School—Thanksgiving Break

Ms. Rhodora: South American Adventures and Sensory Discoveries

Posted on by Rhodora Santayana

 

Last week opened a new window to the world as we introduced the children to South America! We explored Brazilian culture, music, and language, and began learning about how people live in different parts of this vibrant continent. This cultural exploration connects to Fraser Woods’ mission of helping children appreciate the beauty and diversity of our global community.

The children continued their exploration of the five senses through hands-on experiences. These sensorial activities help develop the children’s ability to observe, classify, and articulate their experiences—foundational skills for all future learning.

A favorite practical life activity this week was soap grating! The children carefully used graters to create soap flakes, developing their fine motor coordination and concentration while engaging multiple senses. The satisfying sound of the grater, the fresh scent of the soap, and the transformation of a solid bar into delicate flakes captivated the children. Some children grated for extended periods, demonstrating the deep concentration that emerges during purposeful work. These soap flakes will be used for future classroom activities, giving the children ownership over preparing materials for their community.

Extending Learning at Home

  • Play a “five senses game” during meals—describe food using sight, smell, taste, touch, and sound
  • Listen to music from different countries together and notice how instruments and rhythms vary across cultures
  • Let your child help with safe kitchen tasks like grating cheese or washing vegetables to build practical life skills

 

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Reminder to please label all mittens and hats.

Next Week

  • Tuesday, November 25: Half-day, 11:30 dismissal
  • Wednesday, November 26 through Friday, November 28: No School—Thanksgiving Break

Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update

Posted on by Vicki Downs

This week, we introduced several new fall-themed materials to explore, including activities with warm colors, leaves, and seasonal objects.  The children were naturally drawn to the new trays and loved exploring what each one could do.  One of our most popular new choices was water transferring using a dropper.  The children practiced squeezing, releasing, and carefully moving water from one container to another.  We also introduced clothespin color matching.  The toddlers worked hard to open and close the pins using their fingers and match each pin to the correct colored space.  These activities support concentration, hand strength, and early pre-writing skills.  We also set up a dishwashing station.  They practiced scrubbing dishes with soap and water and a sponge.  This real, practical work helps build independence and focus.  There were lots of bubbles, messes, and smiles!

Reminders:

  • Tuesday, November 25th, is an early dismissal (11:30), and then we are off for Thanksgiving break.

Enjoy the pictures!

Mrs. Sargeant: Exploring the Human Body and Practicing Gratitude

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

 

Last week marked the beginning of an exciting new unit of study: the human body. The children’s eyes widened with wonder as they discovered X-rays showing the human skeleton from skull to phalanges. They carefully assembled these puzzle-like X-rays, learning the names and locations of major bones while developing their fine motor skills and spatial awareness. This study connects perfectly to Fraser Woods’ mission of helping children become “the best version of themselves”—understanding our bodies helps children appreciate the amazing capabilities they possess.

The sensorial area drew significant interest this week. Children gravitated toward the triangle box, knobbed and knobless cylinders, binomial and trinomial cubes, and geometric solids. These self-correcting materials allow children to refine their visual discrimination and develop their mathematical minds while building confidence through independent problem-solving.

Grace and courtesy flourished during our food preparation activities. This week, children carefully cut clementines, apples, and pears, then walked around the classroom offering the fresh fruit to their peers. These moments beautifully demonstrate compassion in action—children taking care to prepare something special and generously sharing with their classroom community.

We welcomed two middle school visitors this week who helped our children complete their work. The children loved receiving guidance from these older students, and our visitors were impressed by the focus and capability of our young learners. 

The children continued building their understanding of North American geography, learning the names and locations of countries while working with the map. We’ve also been reading books and having rich discussions about gratitude and the things we’re thankful for, perfect for this season of appreciation.

A bit of excitement arrived on Tuesday afternoon when a very quick snow shower blew through! The children rushed to the windows to watch the flurries dance through the air.

Extending Learning at Home

  • Talk about body parts and their functions during bath time or bedtime routines
  • Practice gratitude by sharing one thing you’re each thankful for at dinner
  • Let your child help prepare snacks for the family, emphasizing the joy of serving others

 

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

  • Monday, November 17: Ellie’s flowers, food, and sharing bag
  • Thursday, November 20: Bread baking

Next Week

  • Monday, November 24: Rayna’s flowers, food, and sharing bag AND Shafia Playground Volunteer
  • Tuesday, November 25: Half-day, 11:30 dismissal
  • Wednesday, November 26 through Friday, November 28: No School—Thanksgiving Break

It’s starting to get chilly, so please make sure your child has a warm coat to wear outdoors!

Mrs. Wilson: Bear, Squirrel, Moose Oh My!

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

What a lovely and peaceful week we had in our classroom. After the excitement of last week’s activities, it felt refreshing to return to a familiar rhythm. Our only major event was the celebration of a special friend who turned three, which brought great joy to our community.

Throughout the week, we observed the children showing increasing independence as they selected work that captured their interest. Many were drawn to our woodland animal materials and enjoyed identifying animals such as the bear, moose, fox, beaver, and owl through our figure-to-picture matching work. The change in seasons also inspired the children to explore the falling leaves outdoors, taking time to notice and name their many vibrant autumn colors.

During our circle gatherings, the children continued to enjoy singing “Grey Squirrel, Grey Squirrel.” They took turns holding our classroom squirrel and offering it a gentle hug while participating in the song:

Grey squirrel, grey squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Grey squirrel, grey squirrel, swish your bushy tail.
Crinkle up your little nose,
Hold an acorn between your toes.
Grey squirrel, grey squirrel, swish your bushy tail.

Our food-tasting experience this week introduced the children to cranberries. They listened closely as Mrs. Wilson bit into a raw cranberry so they could hear the distinct pop it makes. Each child was invited to taste the raw berry—crisp and tart—followed by a sample of sweet whole-berry cranberry sauce. To deepen their learning, the children discovered that cranberries grow in water called a bog. We then created our own cranberry bog in the sensory bin, where the children used scoops to collect the floating berries, combining sensory exploration with practical life skills.

Love and light,
Cynthia and Sara

Ms. Mollie: Being Present

Posted on by Mollie Smith

This week in our Montessori Toddler community, we focused on slowing down and finding calm in the simple routines of our day. Toddlers thrive when life moves at a peaceful, predictable pace, and we saw so many beautiful moments where children were truly present—whether carrying their work slowly across the room, pausing to observe a friend, or taking the time to complete a task with intention.

One of our highlights was introducing new Grace and Courtesy lessons centered around table manners. During snack and lunch, we practiced our “tummy to table, feet on the floor” posture—an important part of helping children feel grounded and ready to enjoy their meal. We modeled how to sit safely, use quiet hands, wait for a turn, and gently say “all done” and “may I please be excused” before leaving the table.

The children also practiced:

  • Wiping their spots when finished
  • Using polite language such as “please” and “thank you”
  • Waiting patiently while a friend finishes a turn.

These moments are small, but they are the building blocks of independence, confidence, and respect for self and others.

As we slow down together, we’re reminded that toddlers learn best when life is unhurried—and that even everyday routines can be opportunities for connection, care, and mindful presence.

With Full Hearts,

Ms. Mollie and Ms. Lizette

Mrs. Lopes: Exploring Our Continent

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

Last week, the classroom was filled with discovery as we began our study of North America. The children gathered eagerly as we introduced The Continent Song and learned that North America is the continent we all live on.

We explored this vast continent through multiple lenses. The children learned that the land we call home was first inhabited by Native Americans, and they were fascinated to discover the diverse animals that share our continent—from grizzly bears to bald eagles. The North America puzzle map became one of the most popular works on our cultural shelves, with the Kindergarten children tracing the outlines of the countries in North America.

The pumpkin hammering work in the sensory bin provided a perfect seasonal connection to our study. Children practiced hand-eye coordination and built strength in their hands, while making designs in the pumpkin.  They created the designs by hammering golf tees into the pumpkins.

The mixed-age community truly shone this week, with older children helping younger friends locate North America on the globe and teaching them the continent names.

On Thursday, we were treated to a Diwali presentation organized by our Admissions Director, Ms. Paromita.  The children were read to story of Diwali, watched a traditional dance, and had the opportunity to try some traditional Indian foods.  This program was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

Extending Learning at Home

  • Take nature walks and look for animals native to North America—squirrels, robins, deer, or chipmunks
  • Find North America on a globe or map at home and talk about how far family members might live from you
  • Share family stories about where your ancestors came from and how they arrived in North America
  • Look at the shapes of states when traveling and see if your child can identify familiar ones

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week
Tuesday, November 11: Playground Volunteer– Devin Wallace
Wednesday, November 12: Guest Reader–Katie Barron
Thursday, November 13: Kindergarten Vision Screening

Next Week
Thursday, November 20: Classroom Bread Baking 9:30 a.m.

Ms. Handibode: Light, Learning, and Community

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

Last week, our classroom community experienced the beauty of cultural celebration as the entire Primary level gathered in the gymnasium for a Diwali celebration. The children learned that this five-day festival represents new beginnings and the victory of light over darkness, good over evil—the triumph of righteousness and knowledge over ignorance.

Ms. Paromita, along with several parents and students from our community, wore traditional Indian attire and shared the richness of Indian culture with us. A few students from Primary, Lower Elementary, and Middle School read a book about Diwali, and then Ms. Paromita and the students danced to Indian music. The gymnasium was decorated with beautiful and meaningful items, and the children were mesmerized by the sights and sounds! They tasted traditional Indian food and experienced how families around the world celebrate with light, joy, and togetherness. We are deeply grateful to all who shared their culture!

In science, we launched our study of vertebrates and invertebrates. The children are beginning to classify animals based on whether they have a backbone, developing their powers of observation and scientific thinking.

Melia’s mom, Megan, was our guest reader this week and shared the beautiful story My Tree and Me. The children loved hearing about the special connection between a child and nature.

The Botsford Fire Department returned to Fraser Woods to teach us about fire safety. The children asked thoughtful and intelligent questions and learned what to do in a fire, explored the equipment firefighters use, and even spent time on a fire truck!

Extending Learning at Home

  • Look for vertebrates and invertebrates on nature walks—does it have a backbone? (Dogs and birds have backbones; insects and worms don’t!)
  • Practice your family’s fire safety plan—where would you meet outside if there were a fire?
  • Notice trees in your neighborhood and talk about how they change through the seasons

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week
Monday, November 10: Jasper T. Flowers and Sharing Box
Tuesday, November 11: Playground Volunteer–Allissa S.
Wednesday, November 12: Guest Reader–Rob L.
Thursday, November 13: Kindergarten Vision Screening