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This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey

“The earth’s vegetation is a part of the web of life in which there are intimate and essential relations between plants and the earth, between plants and other plants, between plants and animals, and we must learn to respect that fine and fragile web if there is to be anything left for the next generation.” -Rachel Carson

We had a wonderful week! We enjoyed the gorgeous fall weather with outdoor biology work and Lit Circle. We were also thrilled to welcome a new friend to our class this week!

In our biology lesson this week, we learned that cell membranes are built using nitrogen, an element that makes up 78 percent of the air around us. We discussed how nitrogen needs to be “fixed” in partnership with other atoms for cell building. We also talked about the first nitrogen-fixing process that took place during the creation of the universe, where nitrogen atoms were forced into partnerships with other atoms by thunderstorms and volcanoes. This made them available for making cells. We also learned about the nitrogen cycle and the role of bacteria and fungi. Additionally, we learned that legume roots, in partnership with bacteria, play an essential role in fixing nitrogen. As part of our follow-up work, we dug up some clovers, keeping their roots intact to take a closer look.

Our geometry lessons are taught in two groups. One group learned about six different polygons and the parts of a polygon. The other group learned about finding the area of a rhombus.

In history, we learned about the Cro-Magnon people, who lived between 40,000 and 30,000 years ago. We looked at how they were like the Neanderthals: they lived in caves, buried their dead, and made clothes. We also learned that they did something that no earlier humans had done: they created works of art through paintings, sculptures, carved designs, and ornaments. As a follow-up activity, Sara introduced the children to a 35,000-year-old Cro-Magnon form of art called hand stencils. These works of art were painted in caves in France, Indonesia, and Australia. We will continue to work on cave art outside our classroom next week.

October Family Connection Newsletter

Posted on by Karen Sankey

“It is through appropriate work and activities that the character of the child is transformed. Work influences his development in the same way that food revives the vigour of a starving man.” -Maria Montessori

This month’s Family Connection from the American Montessori Society, written by Cynthia Conesa, discusses the Montessori planes of development, which are four distinct periods of growth from 0 to 6 years, 6 to 12 years, 12 to 18 years, and 18 to 24 years. She explains the characteristics and educational approach for children in the first and second developmental planes, emphasizing the importance of a carefully designed prepared environment and the specific developmental goals for each stage. The newsletter also highlights the role of the multi-age Montessori classroom in facilitating social, cognitive, and moral development in children.

I hope you enjoy this month’s Family Connection.

Warm regards,

Karen Sankey
Director of Montessori Education

Mrs. Lopes: A Look at Our Week

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

When we introduce new concepts or materials to the children, we often do so using a three-period lesson. This is an important tenet of Montessori education and it helps to move the child from basic understanding of a concept to mastery.

Period One is the introduction stage. In this stage we are isolating new vocabulary to the children. For example, if we are introducing the color tablets, we say, “This is blue.”  Repeating that statement and allowing the child to manipulate the blue color tablet are crucial during this stage.

Period Two is all about association and recognition. It is often a separate lesson. We do not ask the children to remember the vocabulary or recall the concept.  We are simply reinforcing the concept taught in Period One. We use words such as “Show me the blue tablet” or “Can you place the blue tablet on your lap?”

Period Three is the recall stage and the first time we ask the child to remember the concept independently. We ask them, “What is this?” when showing them the blue color tablet. We are careful not to begin Period Three until we know they are ready for success.

Every time a child masters a new concept, it builds the foundation for the next lesson or concept to be taught.

This week, we finished up our unit on apples.  All of the children thoroughly enjoyed trying five different types of apples.  It was interesting to see their preferences, and we were surprised that Granny Smith was the class favorite!  We also practiced some food prep while peeling and slicing apples for our homemade applesauce.  Thank you to everyone who donated apples!

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love!

Amanda & Hema

The Power of a Multi-Aged Classroom in Lower Elementary

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

One of my favorite aspects of teaching in a Montessori lower elementary classroom is the multi-aged environment.  One of the most remarkable benefits of this multi-aged setting is how it fosters mentorship. Older students naturally step into leadership roles, guiding and supporting their younger classmates. This dynamic offers a wealth of opportunities for both groups. Older children who take on the role of a mentor develop leadership, patience, and empathy. They solidify their own understanding of concepts by teaching and helping others. Younger students, in turn, benefit from the modeling of skills and behaviors from their peers, often finding inspiration in their mentors.

The multi-aged setup reflects real-world communities where individuals of different ages and abilities learn from one another. It encourages collaboration over competition and helps cultivate a deep sense of responsibility, as older students realize the positive impact they can have on their peers’ learning journey. In this nurturing environment, every child has the chance to be both a learner and a leader, ensuring growth and development on a holistic level. This mentorship model is a cornerstone of Montessori education, and its benefits extend far beyond the classroom.

Mrs. Wilson: Weekly Happenings

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

This week, we surprised the children with a new addition to our class—a beautiful blue betta fish named Spider. One of our older students took the lead in naming our new friend, making the experience even more special.

For the month of October, our theme will focus on all things related to the color orange and pumpkins. In the Refinement of the Hands area, we are concentrating on activities that strengthen fine motor skills. The children will have opportunities to practice hand transfer, spooning, pouring, and posting with carefully selected materials that challenge their dexterity and coordination. To keep the Practical Life area fresh and engaging, we will update the objects with each season, ensuring that the activities remain attractive and relevant to the children’s experiences.

Food Tasting: This week, we received some garden-fresh bell peppers to taste. The children sampled an array of peppers in red, yellow, orange, and green.

Love and Light,

Cynthia and Sara

Mrs. Hood: From Apples to Pumpkins -A Week of Hands-On Discovery

Posted on by Andrea Hood

 

What a wonderful week we’ve had in our toddler classroom! One of the main highlights was a fun sensorial experience that wrapped up our apple studies. Your children dissected an apple, and oh boy, did they enjoy it! With their senses full of curiosity, they touched, observed, smelled, peeled, and cored a delicious apple. Using the handle of the peeler was fun, but the real magic happened when they saw the apple skin peel off and fall onto the napkin—it was like watching their eyes light up with excitement!

They also helped break the apple into pieces, which we placed in our crockpot to cook down into a delicious applesauce. The next morning, we gathered as a class to enjoy the fruits of their labor. They were so proud to share in the result of their hard work!

Food preparation is such a central part of our Practical Life curriculum. The benefits of including children in these tasks are countless. Not only does it help develop fine motor skills and build coordination, but it also encourages picky eaters to try new things. There’s something so special about tasting food you helped prepare! These activities also foster a sense of community and support learning in areas like nutrition, science, and math.

This week, we also started our study of pumpkins! The children were fascinated by the food-tasting lesson, where they got to try pumpkin, and they explored the outside and inside of a pumpkin in our classroom sensory bin. The new vocabulary—skin, pulp, strands, and seeds—was used to describe the different parts. We also talked about how pumpkins feel: cold, bumpy, and soft were words we repeated a lot, and of course, we talked about the color orange. Some children were excited to dig their hands into the pumpkin’s gooey insides, while others were more cautious, preferring to gently touch the seeds or skin. It was amazing to watch their individual reactions, from wonder and curiosity to skepticism and even a little bit of disgust!

In our Practical Life area, we introduced a new water transfer activity using a sea wool sponge. As simple as it sounds, this was one of the most popular activities of the week! The children were fascinated by the “magic” of watching the water disappear into the sponge and then reappear when they squeezed it out. They also learned two new vocabulary words, empty and full, which they loved repeating throughout the week. At the end of the activity, they took pride in cleaning up any spills with a towel.

Lastly, we celebrated another birthday, and we all had fun cheering our friend up and enjoying some yummy treats together!

We look forward to many more enriching experiences as we continue to explore the wonders of Fall! Thank you for your continued support, and please feel free to try these activities at home to extend the learning.

Warmly,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Noelle

Reminders:

* October 16th- Toddler Pumpkin patch (if desired, dress your child Fall theme)

* October 23rd- Picture day

*October 25th- Parent-Teacher conference (please sign up if you haven’t done so yet)

Mrs. Sargeant: A Peek at the Week

Posted on by Christine Sargeant

When we introduce new concepts or materials to the children, we often do so using a three-period lesson. This is an important tenet of Montessori education, and it helps to move the child from basic understanding of a concept to mastery.

Period One is the introduction stage. In this stage we are isolating new vocabulary to the children. For example, if we are introducing the color tablets, we say, “This is blue.”  Repeating that statement and allowing the child to manipulate the blue color tablet are crucial during this stage.

Period Two is all about association and recognition. It is often a separate lesson. We do not ask the children to remember the vocabulary or recall the concept.  We are simply reinforcing the concept taught in Period One. We use words such as “Show me the blue tablet” or “Can you place the blue tablet on your lap?”

Period Three is the recall stage and the first time we ask the child to remember the concept independently. We ask them, “What is this?” when showing them the blue color tablet. We are careful not to begin Period Three until we know they are ready for success.

Every time a child masters a new concept, it builds the foundation for the next lesson or concept to be taught.

We have been talking, reading, and singing about apples. This week, we tasted and compared three varieties of apples: Macoun (red), golden delicious (yellow), and granny smith (green). We tallied the votes for favorites, and the Macoun apple was the most popular choice! I wonder which was your child’s favorite. Thank you all for supplying the apples!

Wishing your families a peaceful week, Christine & Fatima

Ms. Marissa: What is Oceania?

Posted on by Marissa Frisk

We had another very busy and productive week! We celebrated two birthdays, got our pictures taken, and continued to explore all the activities in our classroom.

Children have been sorting land, air, and water vehicles, looking at our globe that shows where the oceans and continents are by using smooth and rough materials to represent each, making Jack O’Lantern Metal Inset drawings, re-enacting our favorite October story, Room on the Broom, and getting our school pictures taken!
As we explore land and water on Earth, we talk more and more about each continent. In our classroom, the continents are color-coded so children can easily learn their general shapes and names. North America is orange, South America is pink, Africa is green, Asia is yellow, Europe is red, Antarctica is white, and Oceania is brown. We also have a very catchy song that we sing often!
Did you know Australia’s large land mass, including the thousands of surrounding islands and New Zealand, is referred to as Oceania? That is why we’ve included Oceania in our continent song.
North America,
South America,
Africa, Asia, Euroooope.
Don’t forget Antarctica,
Don’t forget Oceaniaaa.
North America,
South America,
Africa, Asia, Eurooooope!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Marissa & Sue