This week, Lower Elementary students embarked on a thrilling journey into the world of volcanoes. Our young geologists began their adventure by learning about the formation and eruption of volcanoes. They discovered that beneath the Earth’s surface lies a molten rock known as magma. When pressure builds up within the Earth due to various geological processes, this magma is forced to the surface through vents, creating spectacular eruptions. The children were captivated by the idea that these awe-inspiring eruptions are the result of the Earth’s inner turmoil.

With a basic understanding of volcanic eruptions, the children delved deeper into the anatomy of a volcano. They learned about the various components that make up these natural wonders, including the magma chamber, conduit, mantle, crust, strata, sill, vent, and dike. As their excitement continued to build, the children couldn’t wait to get their hands on our model volcano. This work will be on our classroom shelf for children to explore on their own.

Autumn is here! The crispness in the air infuses us with a sense of seasonal joy. As a part of our daily routine, weather permitting, we commence our mornings with recess out on the field. The children eagerly partake in a range of activities during this morning movement session, including soccer matches, leisurely walks around the field, and imaginative adventures. This physical activity serves as a crucial foundation for our busy day ahead, ensuring that our bodies are primed and ready to tackle the tasks that lie ahead. With the weather getting cooler, please make sure your child is equipped with appropriate fall gear. With the field often wet with morning dew, it’s important that each child has a pair of indoor and outdoor shoes, in addition to spare socks, to be kept in their locker. Thank you for helping with this transition!

This week, we embarked on our journey to explore the creation story through a series of captivating science demonstrations. These engaging experiments serve the purpose of illustrating the concepts intertwined with the tale of the universe’s formation. The creation narrative offers a glimpse into the very origins of life itself. Its overarching goal is to evoke a sense of wonder, nurture an appreciation for the intricate tapestry of events that have unfolded, and ignite a genuine curiosity for scientific inquiry.

An exciting part of our week was creating the class “Who Am I” material together. “Who Am I” is a collection of Montessori biology materials used to learn about the different kingdoms of life, specifically animals, plants, fungi, protists, and prokaryotes. As a fun beginning-of-the-year activity, we made this material focusing on the children in the classroom. This process started with the children answering questions about themselves. Next, it was typed up and turned into a material the students can use during work cycle. The “Who Am I” material is a fabulous and popular classification work, and it also provides work in comprehension and fluency while helping the children get to know each other!

We celebrated International Day of Peace on Thursday by singing “Sing Peace Around The World.” This special song is sung by Montessori children all around the world for 24 hours. We gathered as a whole school community, from toddlers to middle school students. It was a powerful moment and a reminder of the importance of teaching and modeling peace to our children.

Candlewood Fencing Center will lead a Lower Elementary Fencing Club on Tuesdays at FWM as part of our after-school enrichment program. To help children better understand the sport of Olympic fencing, coaches from Candlewood Fencing Center will be providing a demonstration for us during the school day on Tuesday, September 26. More information about the program will be available when the full fall enrichment schedule is announced.

Wishing everyone a peaceful weekend!

It’s that time of the year again! Nothing fills my heart with more excitement than the first few weeks of school. This year was no exception, and I am thrilled to share that our first two weeks were nothing short of amazing! We kicked off the school year with a bang, playing games, engaging in numerous community-building activities, and truly getting to know each other. The energy in our classroom is infectious! I believe that this year will be filled with growth, exploration, and countless memorable moments. Together, we will navigate the challenges and celebrate our successes, creating a classroom community where every student feels valued and supported.

Here’s to a beautiful year ahead, filled with learning, laughter, and endless possibilities. I can’t wait to see how each student will shine and contribute to our classroom family. Stay tuned for more updates on our exciting journey!

Thank you for adhering to your child’s scheduled, staggered arrival and dismissal time. Unless your child has a sibling at the middle school level or you have registered for early drop-off, arrival for elementary is from 8:10 to 8:20, and dismissal is from 3:00 to 3:20. 

We are looking forward to seeing you next Thursday, September 21st, at 5:30 for Curriculum Night! 

One of the highlights of the week was our recent Field Day extravaganza. The lower and upper elementary students gathered in the gymnasium for games, laughter, and friendly competition. The students’ eyes sparkled with excitement as they eagerly awaited the day’s activities. From sack and relay races to tug-of-war and crab soccer, the gym was alive with cheers and laughter. The children wholeheartedly embraced the spirit of the event, showcasing their boundless enthusiasm, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

As the school year ends, I reflect on the incredible journey I’ve had with this group of lower elementary students who have brought so much joy and laughter into my life. It feels like we were starting the school year just yesterday, full of anticipation and excitement. As we bid farewell to another chapter, we celebrate the wonderful memories we created together and wish each other the best summer ahead!

The year is winding down, but Lower Elementary isn’t! This week the children were engaged in History lessons. The first-year children had the lesson of The Long Black Line. This lesson is meant to strike the imagination of the children and create a humbling feeling about the appearance of humans on Earth from the perspective of the vast amount of time that Earth has existed.

The second-year children had lessons on the Clock of Eons. These lessons introduce the sequence of events that resulted in the evolution of life on Earth, give the history of life on Earth, and introduce the interrelatedness of all organisms and the fragile balance that maintains life. Specifically, the second graders explored the Proterozoic eon.

The third-year students had lessons on the Time Line of Life. These lessons focus on the interrelatedness of Earth to those who live on it and on the evolution of life on Earth. The third graders learned about the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras of time.

Looking ahead, spirit week and field day are next week (6/5-6/9)! Check out my email for details about each day of the week!

The highlight of this week was an amazing field trip to The Adventure Park; full of climbing, zip lines, bravery, and trust. Each of us challenged ourselves to try elements of the ropes course which were challenging and, at times, even a little scary. Every student should be proud of the effort they put in this day, not only in their own experience of trying new things, but also in the help and encouragement they extended to their classmates along the way. They worked together, with more experienced climbers helping the less experienced ones. They offered words of motivation when friends were nervous and they cheered when their peers completed a course. These students exhibited outstanding teamwork. Bravo Lower El!

Thank you so much to the wonderful parents who volunteered to chaperone, you all were a tremendous help!

The Lower Elementary students have been studying biomes for the past few weeks. They learned that biomes are natural areas on Earth where certain plants and animals grow. There are over thirty types of biomes on Earth. We are taking a closer look at eight of those biomes: temperate forests, grasslands, oceans, deserts, tropical forests, mountains, wetlands, and polar regions.

The first years used a material called the Biome Readers and Animal Biomes to study the animals that live on different continents and biomes. This is also fantastic reading comprehension work. The second and third years are taking their biome study a bit further, studying the animal, plant, soil, rainfall, temperature, and human impact of each of the eight biomes. They use a material called Biome Classification for this.