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Ms. Handibode: Hidden Treasures Everywhere!

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

Children’s literature is a passion of mine. I truly hope that each child who spends time in our classroom will quickly absorb not only how important literature is but also how much enjoyment it brings. Books are everywhere in our classroom, and we read throughout the day. We have a book corner in our classroom, a wonderful spot for a ‘brain break’ or to spend quiet time with a beautiful story. We read a chapter (or two or three) each afternoon from a chapter book. Our older friends have both private reading and partner reading built into their day. When a child says, “I don’t know what to do,” I just give them that well-practiced teacher look, and usually they say, “I know, I know, I can read!”

In our classroom, we call books ‘treasures‘ and speak about how important it is to take care of our books. The children love to hear how so many books I bring to class are the same ones from my childhood. It is an absolute joy to witness the impact of literature on every child.

We asked the children to share the title of one of their favorite books.

  • Arya–              The Lion King
  • Connor–         The Robot Book
  • Ella–                Toys Go Out
  • Hadley–          You Are Fantastic
  • Hannah–       The Guest 
  • Harper–         Raya and the Last Dragon
  • Jacob–            Minecraft
  • Jaxxon–         A Monster Truck
  • Joseph–          Hop on Pop
  • Maayan–        Barbie, A Horse Ride
  • Melina–          Pinkalicisous
  • Morgan—        Dragons Love Tacos
  • Oliver–            Pirate Nell’s Tale to Tell
  • Reagan—         How To Catch a Unicorn
  • Remi–             Dragons Love Tacos
  • River–             Pinkalicious
  • Ryan–              Paw Patrol
  • Tommy–         Minecraft
  • Wilder–          Dragons Love Tacos
  • Zaki–               Cars and Trucks
  • Zion–               Avengers

Wishing you a week filled with peace, love, and lots of happy reading!

Michelle & Maria

 

Mrs. Lopes: A Look at Our Week

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

Children’s literature is a passion of mine. I truly hope that each child who spends time in our classroom will quickly absorb not only how important literature is but also how much enjoyment it brings. Books are everywhere in our classroom, and we read throughout the day. We have a book corner in our classroom, a wonderful spot for a ‘brain break’ or to spend quiet time with a beautiful story. We read a chapter (or two or three) each afternoon from a chapter book. Our older friends have both private reading and partner reading built into their day. When a child says, “I don’t know what to do,” I just give them that well-practiced teacher look, and usually they say, “I know, I know, I can read!”

In our classroom, we call books ‘treasures‘ and speak about how important it is to take care of our books. The children love to hear how so many books I bring to class are the same ones from my childhood. It is an absolute joy to witness the impact of literature on every child.

We asked the children to share the title of one of their favorite books.

  • Amelia– The Unicorn Book 
  • Arhan–  A book about cars       
  • Arian–  The Colossal Book              
  • Ben– Elephant and Piggie books
  • Brisa– 5 Minute Princess Stories
  • Brooke– The Songs Book 
  • Casey– Runaway Bunny
  • Declan–  Fox Goes Home     
  • Elanour– There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly          
  • Enzo– The Magic Treehouse books 
  • Evie–  The Magic Treehouse books
  • Fiona– The Hug Machine
  • Helena– Donald Cries Wolf       
  • Kaiah– The Ballerina book      
  • Kimberlin–  The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear
  • Love– The book about the ballerina
  • Nicolas– The Duckling Gets a Cookie
  • Olivia–  The Bible at home that my grandparents gave me
  • Ryder–  Submarine books
  • Sadie– Tiny and the Big Dig
  • Scotlyn– Bluey books
  • Zion–  The bear book              

Wishing you a week filled with peace, love, and lots of happy reading!

Amanda & Hema

 

Save the Date: Research Night in Lower Elementary

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

Mark your calendars for Research Night on Tuesday, March 4th, at 5:30 PM! Lower Elementary is buzzing with excitement as the children dive into their research projects.

After choosing topics from an incredible variety, the students began brainstorming what they already knew and crafting questions to guide their exploration. Older students have stepped into mentoring roles, helping younger peers navigate their first research projects—a beautiful example of teamwork and collaboration!

Here’s what each year level is working on:

  • First-years: Posters showcasing their topics.
  • Second-years: Posters and research papers.
  • Third-years: Presentation boards, papers, and oral presentations.

The topics this year are as fascinating as they are diverse, including clouds, space, Colombia, Egypt, ladybugs, robots, Texas, rocks and gems, tigers, peregrine falcons, Jupiter, Albert Einstein, Austria, penguins, black holes, Mohamed Salah, elephants, the skill of DJing, Hanukkah, and Martin Luther King Jr.

All work will be completed at school, and we can’t wait to celebrate their hard work with you. See you on March 4th at 5:30 PM!

Physical Education Monthly Update

Posted on by Dylan Fisher

With the turf field out of the picture due to the cold temps, the students have been heating up the gym with various movements, games, and competitions during PE class. 

The kindergartners helped decorate the gym storage closet by providing festive artwork for the walls during the holiday season. The students kept holiday spirits high, participating in holiday-themed tag and strategy games, which helped them work on their spatial awareness and social skills. The kindergartners were very excited to go “ice fishing” in the gym during an activity that tested their memory and teamwork skills. The students continue to work on general locomotor movements, including hopping, skipping, and sliding, as well as how to move safely within personal and general space. 

Lower Elementary students continued working on their sportsmanship and teamwork skills. They enthusiastically participated in social strategy activities, including “Birds in A Nest” and “Plants vs Animals.” Lower elementary students have also been working on their throwing and catching skills. The students have been learning to respect one another’s personal space during physical activity to ensure safety inside the gym.  

Upper Elementary has been learning team strategy and sportsmanship skills through activities including “Castleball” and “Jailbreak.” Emphasis has been placed on maintaining safety and empathy towards classmates at all times amid a competitive environment.  

Middle School students are in the middle of a floor hockey unit. Students are working on the proper striking technique to attack the opposing goal safely and strategically. Teamwork and respect for both the equipment and one another have been an emphasis.

Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

 

We spend a lot of time reading to and with the children in the classroom. The Kindergarten students have been writing their own stories, which include a beginning, a middle, and an end. They have recently begun to write their very own ‘How to’ books, where they are sharing their expertise and breaking instructions into small steps. We talk about the difference between fiction and non-fiction books, and our book corner is filled with a variety of both.

This week, our Kindergarten students were paired with ‘Book Buddies’ from the Upper Elementary classroom. Our children were ecstatic about this endeavor and are eager to meet up with them again next week.

We stress the importance of taking excellent care of books, as they are special and delicate – some are even ancient, as they are some of the books that I have treasured since my own childhood. It is an absolute joy to witness the impact of literature on every child.

We have read a few versions of The Gingerbread Man (Boy/Baby/Girl), and the children have enjoyed using the cookie cutters and playdough to make their own. There is a silly action song that the children often request during our group meeting time. It’s called Gingerbread Man by The Kiboomers. We play it on Spotify.

We asked the children to share the title of one of their favorite books. Here is what they said:

Aira- The Friedman Family Adventures
Anaya- Anna & Elsa & Lego
Arsalan- Curious George
Ava- Bluey and Bingo
Cameron- The Missing Piece
Divya- The Lion Inside
Ellie- The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear
Emma- The Cat in the Hat
Eliot- The Dinosaur’s Hamburger
Ethan- Hot Wheels
Hayes- Gerald the Elephant and Piggie
Ivy- Uni the Unicorn and Little Blue Truck
Katie- Never Let a Dinosaur Scribble
Lucia- Elsa
Luke- Woody books from Toy Story
Matteo- What Should I Wear?
Olive- Curious George
Olson- Go, Dog. Go!
Oscar- Paw Patrol & Gabby
Otto- Spiderman
Rayna- When Mommy reads to me
William- A Space book

Wishing all of your families a wonderful week,

Christine & Fatima

Mrs. Wilson: When the Weather Outside is Frightful

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

When the weather isn’t ideal for outdoor play, we make the most of our indoor spaces. This week, the children had a great time releasing their energy in the gym. We provided them with balls, hoops, and push cars to use during this free play. The large, open space allowed the children to run in all directions, kick and chase balls, and eagerly retrieve the hoops we continuously rolled for them.

As our gym time wraps up, we end with a fun race! The children line up on one side of the gym and eagerly wait for the signal: “Ready, set, GO!” They then race to the opposite end with excitement and joy.

When gym time isn’t quite enough to meet their energy needs, we take a walk around campus, playing “I Spy” along the way. We explore and find various objects or pictures and always take the time to greet the administrative staff we pass. 

If more movement is still needed, we turn to dancing in the classroom. One of the children’s favorite activities lately has been playing “The Floor is Lava” song by The Kiboomers. The game encourages them to dance, hop, and wiggle along with the music until they hear, “The floor is lava!” At that moment, they must quickly find a stepping stone to stand on. Not only does this activity promote listening and following directions, but it also helps the children practice balance and coordination.

Food Tasting: This week, we explored the flavors of green and purple cabbage, tasting both raw and cooked versions. Both were a big hit, but the children seemed to prefer the cooked cabbage. The cooked was sautéed with butter, salt, and pepper, bringing out its delicious flavor.

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

Middle School: Immersion Week #1

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

Wow! What a busy week preparing for next week’s production of Set in Stone. The finalized script was read on Tuesday, and from there, students have been in a flurry of set design, prop creating, blocking, and line memorizing. The stage went up, and the lights and sound arrived on Friday afternoon. While there is still a lot of work to be done, students are halfway there!

We can’t wait to welcome you to the show on Thursday, 1/30 @ 7 pm. The call time for students is 6 pm, and the gym is open to the audience at 6:30 pm.

Mrs. Hood: Winter Adventures!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

This week brought a winter wonderland of learning and exploration to our classroom! The weekend storm brought very cold days, which meant we couldn’t venture outdoors as much as we’d like. However, we brought the magic of the outdoors inside! The children had a wonderful time exploring the snow indoors in creative and engaging ways. They painted the snow with different colors, felt its cool texture in their hands, and observed how it melted over time. Snow also made its way to our sensory table, where it provided a new avenue for exploration and learning and of course, by popular request, we also brought back ice painting, which captivated the children’s attention for long periods of time!

Maria Montessori emphasized the importance of sensory experiences as a foundation for learning, believing that children learn best through hands-on exploration of their environment. She saw the senses as “the gateway to intelligence,” helping children understand the world around them.

As the week progressed, the snow stayed long enough for us to enjoy it outdoors in its full glory! The children’s excitement to head outside was matched by their growing independence in preparing for the winter weather. Dressing for outdoor play is more than just putting on winter gear; it’s an opportunity for toddlers to practice independence and gain confidence in their abilities.

In our classroom, each child identifies their individual winter bag and retrieves it from the designated area. They then sit on the classroom rug to begin the dressing routine. First, they take off their indoor shoes, retrieve their winter pants, and lay them out on the floor. Sitting down, they practice pulling up their pants until they can see their toes, then stand up to finish pulling them on and zipping their snowsuit. Afterward, they put on their snow boots, coats, hats, and mittens. With each practice session, the children become more adept at this sequence, and their smiles reflect the pride they feel in achieving this task independently. We encourage you to provide time and space for your children to practice this skill at home, as this consistency will further enhance their confidence and capability.

Once outside, the children embraced the opportunity calmly and joyfully, taking in the sights and sounds of winter while exploring the snow at their own pace. It was a peaceful and enriching experience that highlighted the beauty of nature and the joy of discovery.

Lastly, our sensory exploration didn’t stop at snow. This week, the children explored beets as the food-tasting lesson.  They were intrigued by the long green leaves and were in awe to discover the vibrant purple inside the beet. Even though it was not a favorite vegetable for all, we report that 100% of the class tasted it and many of them expressed how beautiful the beets were.

Stay warm and have a great weekend,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Patty