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Ms. Rhodora: Class Detectives

Posted on by Rhodora Santayana

Week of Sept 29–October 3

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wednesday, October 8: Our Class Photo Day
Monday, October 13: No School
Thursday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm – More details to follow soon.
Weather Note: Mornings have been chilly while afternoons warm up significantly by recess time. Please dress your child in layers they can easily remove and manage independently.

This Week in Our Classroom

The children have been delighted to prepare and serve banana slices to their friends this week. Watching them carefully slice, arrange, and offer snacks to their classmates showcases the heart of practical life work—building independence, fine motor skills, and community care all at once.

Fall has arrived, and our students have become Fall Detectives! During our outdoor time, the children search for clues that the season is changing. They collect brown and red leaves, notice cooler temperatures, and observe how the trees on our beautiful campus are transforming. These nature walks connect the children to the rhythms of the natural world and support our Montessori philosophy of living in harmony with the earth.

Our classroom travels have taken us to North America this week. We’ve been exploring the continent using our puzzle maps, and the children are excited to learn about New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey—our home states! We also introduced land and water forms this week, starting out with island (land surrounded by water) and lake (water surrounded by land). 

The magnet work has been drawing tremendous interest! Children of all ages are naturally attracted to magnets (no pun intended), and we challenged them to be detectives, testing which classroom objects are magnetic. The children can now confidently use the vocabulary words “magnet,” “attract,” and “repel” as they explore this scientific concept.

Ms. Handibode: All About Apples

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

Week of Sept 29–October 3

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Monday, October 6: Connor Horch’s sharing box week begins
Monday, October 6: Class and individual photo day
Monday, October 13: No School
Thursday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm – More details to follow soon.
Weather Note: Mornings have been chilly while afternoons warm up significantly by recess time. Please dress your child in layers they can easily remove and manage independently.
Classroom Needs: We’re collecting red Target shopping bags (they have so many uses in our classroom!) and any children’s magazines you’ve finished with. We cut up the pictures for storytelling activities. Thank you!

This Week in Our Classroom

All About Apples

Our classroom has been bursting with apple discoveries! The children have explored apples through every sense and learning area, from practical life skills like peeling and preparing apples to scientific observation of apple anatomy and life cycles.

We conducted a formal apple taste test featuring four varieties: Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, and Honeycrisp. After careful tasting and discussion, each child cast their vote for their favorite. One thoughtful child shared, “I don’t like apples, but if I did, I would vote for the Pink Lady apple because I like the color pink.” The winner? Granny Smith apples took the crown!

The children worked together to make applesauce in our classroom crockpot, which we enjoyed for snack the next day. Watching the transformation from fresh apples to warm applesauce gave the children a concrete understanding of how cooking changes food.

We’ve also been learning about Johnny Appleseed, examining the parts of an apple, and exploring the apple life cycle from seed to tree. I read the children a riddle story with a surprise ending: “What is a house with no door, no windows, and a star inside?” Ask your child if they can tell you the answer!

The excitement and engagement around this simple, familiar fruit remind us how children’s natural curiosity can transform everyday objects into rich learning experiences.

Mrs. Wilson: Hello October!

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

It’s hard to believe we are already one month into the school year. In just these few short weeks, we have witnessed so much growth and change in the children. Their transition into the classroom has been a beautiful one. What has stood out most to me this year is how quickly the children have begun forming bonds with one another. In fact, this is the first time in my career that I have seen such strong connections develop so early in the year. The kindness and compassion they show each other daily is truly heartwarming—I wish I could capture it all for you to see.

On Wednesday, October 1st, we tucked away our apple activities and welcomed a new focus: pumpkins and gourds! Since the children are still captivated by our farm animal work, we decided to keep those materials available and build upon their interest. In art, the color orange is our theme for the month, showing up in chalk, crayons, playdough, and other creative explorations. We’re looking forward to all the joyful learning and discoveries pumpkins will bring in the weeks ahead.

Food Tasting

This week, our food tasting item was a banana. We began by presenting the banana whole, with the peel on, so the children could explore its shape, texture, and color. After a short demonstration on how to peel, the children had the opportunity to try for themselves. Some were so eager to taste it that they wanted to eat it right away! With gentle encouragement, they practiced peeling before enjoying the fruit. These small moments—of curiosity, independence, and delight—are at the heart of what makes food tasting such a favorite part of our week.

Community Connection

One of our Upper Elementary students is collecting old T-shirts to make dog toys for the Senior Paw Project and the Catherine Hubbard Foundation. This is such a wonderful opportunity for our school community to support both animals and a student-led project. If you have any old T-shirts you’re ready to part with, please send them in by November 7th.

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

Mrs. Lopes: Apple Discoveries

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

Week of October 3, 2025

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tuesday, October 7: Class Photo Day
Tuesday, October 8: Apple Tasting – The children will sample different varieties of apples and explore tastes, textures, and colors.
Wednesday, October 9: Applesauce Making – We’ll transform apples into delicious applesauce! The children will practice cutting, stirring, and observing changes in the cooking process.
Monday, October 13: No School
Thursday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm – More details to follow soon.
Weather Note: Mornings have been chilly while afternoons warm up significantly by recess time. Please dress your child in layers they can easily remove and manage independently.

This Week in Our Classroom

Apple Discoveries! From Seed to Sauce

This week, our classroom has been brimming with apple discoveries! The children have been captivated by the complete life cycle of an apple—from tiny seed to blossoming flower to the fruit we enjoy. Using our apple life cycle materials, they’ve carefully sequenced the stages and learned the scientific vocabulary that helps them express their understanding.

Our work with the parts of the apple has been equally engaging. The children have labeled the parts of an apple, identifying the stem, skin, flesh, core, and seeds.  Several children even made the exciting connection that the seeds inside can grow into new apple trees—bringing the life cycle full circle!

The story of Johnny Appleseed sparked wonderful conversations about how one person’s care for nature can create lasting change. The children were amazed to learn that he traveled across the country long ago, planting apple trees so that future families could enjoy fresh fruit. This connected beautifully to our ongoing discussions about caring for our environment and thinking of others.

As we move into our hands-on apple experiences next week, the children will engage all their senses while practicing practical life skills like careful cutting, measuring, and following a recipe sequence.

Ways to Extend This Learning at Home

  • Visit a local orchard or farm stand and let your child choose different apple varieties to compare at home
  • Cut an apple horizontally to reveal the star pattern inside—a delightful discovery!
  • Practice apple activities like peeling with a child-safe peeler or counting and sorting apple seeds

Mrs. Sargeant: Apples to Oceans

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

Week of Sept 29–October 3

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thursday, October 9: Class Photo Day
Monday, October 13: No School
Thursday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm – More details to follow soon.
Weather Note: Mornings have been chilly while afternoons warm up significantly by recess time. Please dress your child in layers they can easily remove and manage independently.

This Week in Our Classroom

Exploring Our World: From Apples to Oceans

Our classroom has been alive with discovery as we explore the natural world around us! The children have been learning to classify objects as living or non-living, developing their scientific thinking and observation skills. This work has led to rich discussions about what living things need to survive and grow.

Our apple study continues to captivate the children. They’ve been exploring the parts of an apple and learning how apples grow from tiny blossoms on trees. This hands-on investigation connects beautifully to their growing understanding of life cycles and the natural world.

We’ve also introduced landforms this week, and the children are fascinated by the relationship between land and water. Using the Montessori Land and Water Forms, children learned to distinguish between an island and a lake — tracing the raised land with their fingers and observing the corresponding water-filled shapes, connecting abstract geographical concepts to concrete, sensory experience. We’ve begun our journey across the globe, introducing the seven continents and five oceans that make up our beautiful planet Earth.

A highlight of our practical life work has been using scissors to carefully trim flower stems and arrange fresh flowers to beautify our classroom. This delicate work builds hand strength, concentration, and coordination while teaching the children to care for their environment with grace.

Building Community

Every Friday morning, our kindergarten students visit their “book buddies” in the Upper Elementary classroom. This cross-age connection is pure joy! The older students model fluent reading and patience, while our kindergarteners practice listening skills and build confidence. These relationships are blossoming into genuine friendships.

We’ve been nurturing kindness and empathy through Carol McCloud’s bucket-filling books. The children are learning that their words and actions can either fill or dip from someone’s bucket. They’re becoming more aware of how they can spread happiness and show care for others—important skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

The thoughtfulness and curiosity your children bring to school each day fill our classroom bucket to overflowing!

Ms. Vicki’s Weekly Update

Posted on by Vicki Downs

We had our first classroom birthday this week!  It was so much fun!

In the pictures, you will also see that we practiced dancing, listening to the words of the songs, and following along.  The children were so proud as they learned to serve themselves a fruit salad made from apples and grapes. Yum! We are also learning to care for our classroom and getting better at rolling up our work mats, wiping the tables, and even coming to help do the laundry. Outside, we are practicing jumping using both feet and playing with our friends.

The weather has been beautiful this week, and we have spent a lot of time talking about the weather and what we see and feel outside.  We are noticing that the green leaves are starting to turn different colors, and some are even starting to fall off the tree.

Ms. Mollie: Little by Little

Posted on by msmith

 

This week has been a great week of getting back to what we love to do in our classroom! Montessori encourages purposeful movement, and walking together — noticing the colors of the trees, the shapes of the clouds, and the tiny ants carrying crumbs — became an unplanned nature lesson. The world is always offering something to learn if we slow down enough to see it.

The calm, focused energy that filled the room reminded me of the deep work children are capable of when they’re trusted and given the space to choose.

We got back to baking, our favorite thing to do together. We shared slices of the banana bread we made that morning. Still warm, a little crumbly, and perfectly imperfect. We didn’t need a special occasion — the joy was in the doing. The process was the celebration.

In Montessori, we talk a lot about following the child, but today I was reminded how often the child leads us back to what matters most: presence, purpose, and peace in the everyday moments.

With Full Hearts,

Ms. Mollie and Ms.Lizette

Lower Elementary: The Power of Mentorship

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

One of the aspects we love most about teaching in a Montessori lower elementary classroom is the unique multi-aged environment. Having children of different ages and grade levels together creates a learning community where every student has something to give and something to gain.

One of the most powerful outcomes of this setup is mentorship. Older students naturally step into leadership roles, guiding and supporting their younger classmates. This dynamic creates opportunities for both groups: older children grow into patient leaders who practice empathy, communication, and responsibility, while younger children benefit from seeing skills and behaviors modeled by peers they admire. In fact, younger students often feel more encouraged to try something new when they see a slightly older friend mastering it.

This approach mirrors the way communities work outside of school, where people of different ages and experiences learn alongside one another. Instead of fostering competition, our classroom promotes collaboration. Students begin to recognize that their actions have an impact on others—whether it’s showing kindness, explaining a math problem, or setting an example of focus during work time.

In a multi-aged Montessori classroom, every child has the chance to be both a learner and a leader. Over the course of three years, students experience each role, which allows them to develop confidence, independence, and compassion. This cycle of growth ensures that children are not just absorbing academic knowledge, but also learning essential life skills that prepare them to contribute meaningfully to their communities.

Mentorship is not simply a classroom strategy; it’s a cornerstone of Montessori education. And its benefits extend far beyond academics, shaping children into thoughtful, capable, and caring individuals.