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Mrs. Sargeant: Growing Independence & Autumn Joy

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

This past week was filled with autumn discoveries and beautiful moments of growing independence!

New Works and Popular Activities
The flint corn (Indian corn) tweezing work was a huge hit on our shelves this week! The children carefully used tweezers to sort the colorful kernels, strengthening their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination while exploring the natural beauty of the autumn harvest.

Celebrating Independence
One of the most rewarding observations this fall was watching children master the simple yet significant task of opening their own snack and lunch containers. Some began the year struggling with lids and zippers, but through daily practice and gentle perseverance, they beamed with pride as they exclaimed, “I opened it all by myself!” These moments of independence built confidence that extended far beyond the lunchroom.

Grace and Courtesy in Action
I received several heartwarming emails from parents sharing stories about their children talking about “filling others’ buckets” and showing kindness at home. It was wonderful to see how our classroom work with grace and courtesy rippled outward, helping children become compassionate members of their families and communities.

Cultural Studies and Learning
Our autumn theme continued with songs, stories, and explorations of the season. The children could not get enough of their new favorite song, “I’ve Got a Skeleton Inside Me”—perfect timing as we approach Halloween! We read about planets, sang songs about pumpkins and autumn leaves, and in the afternoon, our 4 and 5-year-olds were captivated by The Magic Tree House series. We began book number 4 this week, “Pirates Past Noon,” which sparked wonderful conversations about adventure and history.

Caring for Our Environment
Last week, when making our applesauce, we filled our compost bucket with apple scraps. The children were thrilled to participate in this care-of-the-environment work! Each day this week, they eagerly watched as the Upper Elementary students came to collect our fruit and vegetable waste. This simple routine helped children understand their role in caring for the earth and connected them to the larger school community.

Extending Learning at Home

  • Practice Independence
    Let your child open their own containers, zip their own jackets, and put on their own shoes. The pride they feel from these accomplishments is priceless!
  • Autumn Exploration
    Take a nature walk and collect interesting leaves, acorns, or seeds. Talk about the changes you notice as the season shifts.
  • Bucket Filling
    Continue conversations about kindness and how we can “fill buckets” by using kind words and helpful actions with family members.

Your children’s growth, kindness, and joy continued to fill our classroom with warmth!

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week
Monday, October 20 through Friday, October 24: Parent Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 24: No School – Parent Teacher Conferences

Next Week
Tuesday, October 28: Pumpkin Patch on the Playground
Wednesday, October 29: Classroom Pumpkin Carving
Thursday, October 30: Primary Pajama Day, Classroom Harvest Celebration & Kindergarten Veggie Skeleton
Primary students are invited to wear their favorite pajamas to school on Thursday, October 30! Please help us keep the day fun and focused by leaving stuffed animals, toys, and other special items at home, as these can be difficult to keep track of and may be distracting during our learning activities.
Friday, October 31: No School – MSC Conference

Lower Elementary: The Communication of Signs

Posted on by Carlie Taveras

The classroom was filled with excitement this week after we shared the fourth Great Lesson with the children. The children gathered as we told the engaging story of Communication in Signs (the story of our alphabet) and showed the children visuals of ancient writing, such as pictographs, cuneiform, hieroglyphics, and alphabet systems from the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans. Through the story, we traced the journey of how people began using symbols to communicate, turning pictures into marks, marks into sounds, and sounds into the letters we know today. The children were captivated as they learned about the evolution of the Roman alphabet and how it connects to the writing we use every day. The children were amazed to observe the connections between ancient systems and our modern alphabet.

The story naturally opened up a wonderful field of exploration into the history of language. The children were eager to compare different alphabet systems from around the world, noticing both their unique qualities and shared patterns. Their curiosity led us straight into the world of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, where they delighted in decoding and writing their own symbols. The excitement in the room was contagious as they discovered how these early signs were used to record stories, ideas, and events thousands of years ago.

As we discussed, the story of written language is truly the story of humanity’s need to connect and communicate. It helps us see how people throughout history have worked to perfect communication and explore new ways to share ideas. Through this Great Lesson, the children began to understand that language, one of our greatest human achievements, was an amazing invention and a clear result of humans using the special gifts of their minds, hands, and hearts. The incredible invention of written language acts as a bridge that connects people across time and space. The story introduced the children to the development and history of written language in a way that creates an appreciation of the simplicity and beauty of these languages.

We will continue to build on this excitement as we explore how writing systems evolved, how punctuation and spelling developed, and how handwriting styles changed through time. The story of Communication in Signs has opened a door to wonder, and the children are eager to step through it.

The Peabody Museum in New Haven features incredible exhibits on the Babylonians and Egyptians, showcasing fascinating artifacts like cuneiform tablets and ancient hieroglyphics. It is a fantastic place to visit and might be fun for the children to see these historic treasures up close.

This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey

 

We had a rich week of learning across all subject areas. The children worked with purposeful concentration on writing, biology, geometry, and grammar lessons.

Writing

Our writing lesson focused on using the “because” clause to make writing more interesting and sophisticated. We practiced adding reasoning to our statements, which helps us explain our thinking more clearly. This technique naturally strengthens writing skills and the ability to articulate ideas.

Biology

In biology, we learned about how animals get their nutrition and the various bodily processes involved in this nutrition. The children explored ingestion, digestion, absorption, excretion, egestion, and how different animals have adapted unique systems for obtaining the nutrients they need. This sparked incredible conversations about the interconnectedness of body systems.

Geometry

The fourth-year students learned about congruence, similarity, and equivalence. They manipulated materials to discover how shapes can be the same, similar, or equal in different ways. The fifth-year students worked on finding the area of a trapezoid by cutting the height in half and multiplying by the sum of the major and minor bases. Watching them work through this process showed the beauty of the mathematical mind at work.

Grammar

Fourth graders learned about three types of adjectives: descriptive, article, and numeral adjectives. They practiced identifying these different types and understanding how each serves a unique purpose in our language. Fifth graders learned about the past perfect tense and when to use this verb form to show that one action was completed before another past action began.

Literature Circle

On Tuesday, we started our second session of literature circle. The children exchanged books with each other, and the excitement in the room was palpable as they discussed their reading assignments and prepared for their new roles. You will find the assignment, along with copies of each role sheet, posted on your child’s dashboard.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week
Friday, October 24: No School – Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences

Next Week
Thursday, October 30: Halloween Celebration – Children may come dressed in costume and bring a pumpkin to school for pumpkin carving. We will carve pumpkins, have a costume parade, and share some yummy treats. Keep an eye out for an email to sign up and bring a snack to share at our party.

Friday, October 31: No School – MSC Conference

Have a wonderful weekend!

Karen

Middle School: Week in Review

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

 

What a beautiful week! There were even three birthdays that were celebrated! The MS is taking advantage of all of the nice fall weather until we are too cold to stay out for long in the winter months. We are so lucky to have been able to spend half of our day on Thursday outside at both the Stream Study and the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary. Also, 8th-grade Leadership baked over 80 Snickerdoodle cookies for Oktoberfest (and some to share with their classmates). Here’s a quick class update:

Humanities

In grades 6 & 7 Humanities, students presented their research about the dynasties of China. The classes made connections over time, and they spent some time exploring the innovations, architecture, and art that were developed in China during the times of the dynasties. Additionally, they completed their first class novel, Ties That Bind, Ties That Break by Lensey Namioka! They ended the week in student-led, small group discussions using questions they developed in the final chapters of the book.

The 8th-grade Humanities class has been learning about the notion of “first contact” between Indigenous Americans and Europeans. They learned that there were many “first contacts,” as there were over 1,000 tribal nations, and they took place over the course of about 200 years. They honed in on some of the explorers during the Age of Exploration and briefly learned of some of their journeys. Unsurprisingly, the main motivator for European exploration was gold and riches. Additionally, 8th-grade students are in various places in their personal memoir essays. It is amazing to see how each student has learned about themselves as writers and has a unique process they use when drafting. Upon their draft completion, students will self-edit and revise and, with peers (if they choose), conference with Mrs. Lamb, and complete a final revision.

Math

Pre-Transition: This week in Pre-Transition, students worked on identifying place values in a decimal number. They were given a helpful place value tool, which helped them build their confidence in reading decimal numbers aloud. They also practiced comparing and ordering decimals, fractions, and percents from least to greatest. Students learned how to multiply decimals by multiples of 10, as well as by fractions such as 1/10, 1/100, etc. We wrapped up the week by learning to round decimals to the nearest, next, or preceding place value.

Transition: This week in Transition, students learned how to describe and represent patterns using variables, exploring how relationships between numbers can be expressed algebraically and shown in tables. They practiced translating words into algebraic expressions and evaluating expressions by substituting values for variables. These skills help build a strong foundation for understanding formulas and real-world problem-solving. Students will review these concepts on Monday and take the Chapter 1 Quiz on Tuesday, October 21.
Algebra: This week in Algebra, students focused on using the Distributive Property to expand expressions, remove parentheses, and combine like terms. They practiced applying this property to mental math and real-world problems, strengthening their ability to simplify and solve expressions efficiently. Students also explored how algebra can be used to explain and solve number puzzles, connecting reasoning skills to fun, logical challenges. Students will review these concepts on Monday and take the Chapter 1 Quiz on Tuesday, October 21.
Geometry: This week in Geometry, students learned about the importance of clear and precise definitions and how they connect to logical reasoning. They explored conditional statements, converses, and biconditionals, practicing how to identify, write, and interpret “if-then” statements using symbols and real-world examples. Students also used Venn diagrams to visualize relationships between statements and discussed what makes a good definition – clear, specific, and reversible. Students will take the Chapter 1 Quiz on Monday, October 20.
Algebra II: This week in Algebra II, students continued solving direct variation problems and learned about inverse variations as well. The week wrapped up with the Fundamental Theorem of Variation.
Science
This week, Middle School students started to design their experiments for the Science Fair on November 5. They are very excited to be working on them. Students are working hard on their hypotheses and experimental designs. Some students ran their experiments this week, while others are in the process of obtaining results and will run them next week. Each student is presenting an individual project, and there is a wide variety of them. Some experiments that were done this week included “Coin Battery,” “The Effect of Music on People’s Reaction,” “Growing Bacteria,” “Gummy Bear Osmosis,” and “Freezing Point in Different Solutions.” There are a few more that are still in process, and students are waiting for results. Meanwhile, some students began working on their research paper to document their science experiment.
In addition, this week, the Middle School visited the Catherine Hubbard Animal Sanctuary, and the second group of students had hands-on experience collecting samples from the Benthic Zone of the Pootatuck River, collaborating with a study on the health of Connecticut’s waters. Students were able to transfer all the macroinvertebrates that they gathered into trays for closer observation, identification, and classification. In this opportunity, the group collected a broader range of macroinvertebrates, highlighting the presence of three highly sought-after species, including Body-Builder Mayfly, Brush Legged Mayfly, and Common Stonefly. Students also found the following insects: Common Netspinner, Fingernet Caddis, Three-Tailed Flathead Mayfly, Dobsonfly, Scud, Aquatic worm, Crayfish, Cranefly, and Riffle Beetle. The group had an Identification Chart to keep track of their findings. This amazing opportunity gave students the chance to become scientists for the day and learn more about the health of their local waterways. Finally, they selected a few samples of each species and prepared them to be shipped off to the State of Connecticut for further study.

  • Friday, 10/24: Conference Day for students, parents, and teachers.  They are available in the SignUps Module on MyFWM. Some teachers have availability earlier in the week as well.
  • MS Halloween Movie Night: Friday, 10/24 @ 6:00-8:30 pm: Click Here to RSVP
We are looking forward to another great week ahead!

Mrs. Wilson: New Additions to Our Classroom

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

This week, we added a few exciting new materials to our shelves!

On the art shelf, we switched out our playdough for red, orange, and yellow modeling clay. This clay is firmer than playdough, which provides a wonderful challenge for the children’s hands. As they roll, press, and shape it, they are strengthening their fingers and refining their fine motor skills — all while having fun exploring the texture and color.

Another favorite new addition is our class sketchbook. This will be a year-long collaborative project that all the children will contribute to over time. Right now, they are using red, yellow, and orange oil pastels to explore color and movement on the page. As the year goes on, we will introduce new art mediums, allowing the children to experiment and express themselves in different ways.

In the practical life area, I introduced the hand washing lesson. This is such a beautiful and peaceful work — one that engages both the mind and body. The series of steps encourages focus, order, and care. It’s always lovely to see how calm and centered the children become as they go through the process of washing, rinsing, and drying their hands with purpose.

We also added a mini piano for the children to explore. The piano provides an introduction to music in a joyful and hands-on manner. As the children press each key, they are not only discovering cause and effect but also building finger strength, coordination, and auditory discrimination. Listening to the different tones helps refine their sense of hearing, and playing freely nurtures creativity and self-expression.

Each of these new materials offers meaningful opportunities for concentration, coordination, and creativity — the hallmarks of Montessori learning.

Speaking of new additions, we would like to congratulate The Vrantchans and welcome their newest family member. Big sister is so proud!

Mrs. Lopes: Dinosaurs & Fall Celebrations

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

This week, we embarked on an exciting journey back in time to explore the world of dinosaurs! The children have been captivated by these ancient creatures, and their curiosity has sparked rich conversations about what “extinct” means and the scientific theories about why dinosaurs disappeared from Earth.

Our culture shelf has transformed into a paleontology station with new dinosaur-focused works. The children are matching dinosaurs to their fossils, excavating “dinosaur bones” from kinetic sand, and creating their own fossil imprints in the sensory bin. On the art shelf, they’re making dinosaur rubbings and drawings, developing fine motor skills while expressing their fascination with these prehistoric animals.

The dinosaur study naturally connects across our curriculum. As children learn dinosaur names, they practice phonetic sounds and build vocabulary. The fossil matching work supports visual discrimination and classification skills. Even our practical life area reflects the season, with pumpkin-themed activities preparing the children for our upcoming harvest celebrations.

The mixed-age dynamics have been wonderful to observe. Older children are helping younger friends identify different dinosaur species, and everyone is learning together about concepts like herbivores, carnivores, and what it means for something to become extinct.

Extending Learning at Home

  • Nature Walk Connections
    Look for fossils or interesting rocks during walks. Talk about how old they might be and what they can tell us about the past.
  • Kitchen Paleontology
    Press small toys or objects into playdough or clay to create “fossils” together.
  • Library Visit
    Check out dinosaur books and field guides to explore different species and their characteristics.

We’re looking forward to our harvest celebrations next week, where we’ll continue building our classroom community through shared experiences and traditions.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week
Monday, October 20 through Friday, October 24: Parent Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 24: No School – Parent Teacher Conferences

Next Week
Tuesday, October 28: Nicolas’ Birthday Walk
Tuesday, October 28: Pumpkin Patch on the Playground
Wednesday, October 29: Classroom Pumpkin Carving
Thursday, October 30: Primary Pajama Day, Classroom Harvest Celebration & Kindergarten Veggie Skeleton
Primary students are invited to wear their favorite pajamas to school on Thursday, October 30! Please help us keep the day fun and focused by leaving stuffed animals, toys, and other special items at home, as these can be difficult to keep track of and may be distracting during our learning activities.
Friday, October 31: No School – MSC Conference

Ms. Rhodora: Celebrating Fall and Scientific Discoveries

Posted on by Rhodora Santayana

Last week, our classroom was buzzing with autumn excitement! The children immersed themselves in all things pumpkin—from seed to harvest—while also exploring fascinating scientific concepts that connected to their natural curiosity about the world around them.

Our pumpkin study brought together multiple areas of learning. The children discovered the life cycle of pumpkins and explored the many ways we use them in cooking. They created beautiful pumpkin artwork using tissue paper, developing their fine motor skills and artistic expression. On the math shelf, the children practiced counting small pumpkins using golden beads, making concrete connections between quantity and number symbols.

We also explored land and water forms, specifically straits and isthmuses. The children traced these formations and learned how water and land interact to create the geography of our planet. This naturally led to an exciting science experiment about states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas. Watching water transform from ice to liquid to vapor captivated the children and sparked wonderful questions about how matter changes in our everyday lives!

The sensorial area was especially popular this past week, with children using the geometric solids while blindfolded. This work helped refine their tactile sense and built concentration as they identified three-dimensional shapes through touch alone.

The kindergarten field trip was a wonderful adventure, and the children came back full of stories and observations from their experience!

We also celebrated a special birthday walk this week. Thank you to the parents who joined us for this meaningful Montessori tradition. The children loved watching the birthday child walk around our “sun” to represent each year of their life.

Extending Learning at Home

  • Continue the pumpkin exploration by cooking together! Making pumpkin bread, soup, or roasted pumpkin seeds gives your child hands-on experience with measuring, following steps in sequence, and discovering how heat transforms food—all wonderful practical life skills.
  • Take nature walks to observe the changes of fall. Can your child identify different land and water forms in your neighborhood? Look for puddles, streams, ponds, or where land meets water.
  • Explore states of matter in your kitchen. Let your child observe ice melting in a glass, water boiling for pasta, or steam from hot cocoa. Talk about how the same substance can take different forms.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week
Monday, October 20 through Friday, October 24: Parent Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 24: No School – Parent Teacher Conferences

Next Week
Tuesday, October 28: Pumpkin Patch on the Playground
Wednesday, October 29: Classroom Pumpkin Carving
Thursday, October 30: Primary Pajama Day, Classroom Harvest Celebration & Kindergarten Veggie Skeleton
Primary students are invited to wear their favorite pajamas to school on Thursday, October 30! Please help us keep the day fun and focused by leaving stuffed animals, toys, and other special items at home, as these can be difficult to keep track of and may be distracting during our learning activities.
Friday, October 31: No School – MSC Conference

Middle School: Team Building at the Adventure Park

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

Here are some upcoming announcements:

This week, Middle School students had an exciting day filled with teamwork, courage, and outdoor fun at the Adventure Park at The Discover Museum! Students couldn’t wait to explore the ropes courses, zip lines, and challenging elements waiting among the trees. The park encouraged everyone to step out of their comfort zones while working together to problem-solve and support one another. Whether it was cheering on a classmate who was nervous about a tall obstacle or celebrating after completing a tricky course, the sense of teamwork and encouragement was incredible to see. Students learned valuable lessons about communication, perseverance, and trust, all while having a blast! It was wonderful to see them challenge themselves, take risks, and realize just how much they are capable of when they put their minds to it.