This week in Lower Elementary, our geometry work was busy and hands-on across all three year levels.

Our first years continued their study of lines, learning to distinguish between lines, rays, and line segments. They used the box of sticks as a hands-on manipulative, building and exploring each type of line in a concrete way. This work helps students move from abstract vocabulary to real understanding through movement and experimentation.

Second years focused on angles and their nomenclature using the fraction insets. They traced the different insets, identified angles as acute, obtuse, or right, and labeled the parts of each angle. This work combined careful observation with precise language as students deepened their understanding of angle relationships.

Third years began a brand new unit on polygons. They started by studying the parts of a polygon and discussing the difference between regular and irregular polygons. This foundational work will support their exploration of more complex geometric ideas in the weeks ahead.

We are also excited to welcome our newest first year, Quinn, who joined our class on Tuesday. We are so happy to have you in our community and look forward to getting to learn and grow with you!

Just a reminder that our class will be visiting the Downtown Cabaret Theater on Thursday, January 29th, to see Little Red and the Three Pigs. The theater is cabaret-style, so children will eat during the show. Please be sure to pack a picnic-style lunch and snacks for your child. We’re looking forward to a fun day!

Our language work has been especially exciting lately as students across the classroom continue to deepen their understanding of grammar in very hands-on, Montessori ways.

The third graders have officially begun their work with pronouns, and the introduction was both memorable and a little silly in the best way. The lesson was told without using any pronouns at all, relying only on children’s names. As the story unfolded, the children quickly noticed how awkward and repetitive our language sounded without words like he, she, they, and it. This intentional approach helped them truly feel the importance of pronouns, rather than simply memorizing a definition. After this introduction, students followed up with work using the Montessori Grammar Box, allowing them to identify, build, and manipulate sentences that include pronouns. This concrete practice helps solidify an abstract concept and gives students ownership over their learning.

At the same time, third graders are expanding their understanding of language through sentence analysis, with a special focus on adverbial extensions. Rather than looking at sentences word by word, students are learning to view sentences as complete thoughts—examining how details like how, when, where, and why enrich meaning. This big-picture approach supports more advanced writing and reading comprehension as students begin to see how language works together as a system.

Second graders have launched a new study of prepositions, beautifully represented in Montessori grammar as a green bridge. The bridge symbol helps children visualize how a preposition connects a noun to the rest of the sentence—just as a real bridge connects two places. Whether something is under the table or between the chairs, students are learning how these small but powerful words show relationships in space and time.

To reinforce this work, second graders are also using the Grammar Box as follow-up practice. This allows them to review all previously learned parts of speech while adding prepositions into their sentence-building work. In addition, they enjoyed using the command cards, which are movement-based cards that invite children to act out directions such as moving under, between, or around objects in the classroom. This physical experience helps students internalize the meaning of prepositions before naming or symbolizing them, making the lesson both engaging and memorable.

Our first-year students continue their important foundational work with singular and plural nouns. This is much more than simply adding an -s! Children are exploring the many rules that come with nouns, learning that some plurals change spelling entirely, some stay the same, and others follow unique patterns. Through hands-on materials and repeated practice, students are developing a strong understanding of how language can change depending on the number and meaning.

In addition to their grammar work, our first graders have been working diligently in their weekly reading groups, focusing on reading fluency, comprehension, and phonemic awareness. Through consistent repetition, guided practice, and intentional small-group instruction, students are strengthening their confidence as readers. Each child is progressing at their own pace, and it has been wonderful to see them make independent strides, whether that’s reading more smoothly, understanding texts more deeply, or recognizing sounds and patterns with greater ease. This steady, focused work lays an essential foundation for lifelong reading success.

Coming back from a holiday break is more than just reopening the classroom door, it’s about helping children find their footing again.

When we returned, we didn’t jump straight into expectations, outcomes, or academic goals. First, children need to feel safe, seen, and grounded. After time away, routines feel fuzzy, relationships need tending, and the rhythm of the classroom has to be remembered, not enforced. So we slowed down.

We focused on reconnecting and revisiting familiar routines. We shared stories, returned to known language, and leaned into the comforting rhythms of our days. These moments help children remember who they are in our classroom and how we care for one another here.

This time spent reconnecting isn’t lost learning, it’s the foundation for it. Once connection is restored, learning flows faster, deeper, and with far more joy because when children feel secure and connected, everything else follows.

And the response from the children said it all. They were genuinely happy to be back, eager to reconnect with one another and quick to settle back into familiar routines. With relationships restored and a strong sense of belonging, we’re starting 2026 grounded, connected, and ready for a year of joyful learning.

This week, our classroom was filled with warmth, connection, and meaningful moments that truly reflect the heart of our community.

We were so thrilled to welcome Maayan’s mom for a beautiful and engaging presentation on Hanukkah. She shared a thoughtfully prepared slideshow and showed the children the lighting of the candles. The experience was made even more special with homemade festive treats lovingly shared and plenty of joy as the children learned how to play dreidel together. It was such a wonderful time that brought tradition, history, and celebration to life for the children.

In the spirit of giving, the children decorated ornaments and created heartfelt cards for residents of a local nursing home. As a class, we talked about the human gifts we all carry, hearts that can love, hands that can help, and the ability to wish well for others, even for people we may never meet. This work allowed the children to put those ideas into action, transforming abstract values into meaningful experiences filled with purpose and compassion.

It was also so wonderful to see everyone come together at the Winter Celebration. The children did an incredible job performing, and we were absolutely overjoyed watching them shine. We are so proud of each and every one of them and feel incredibly grateful that they are all part of our incredible Lower Elementary community.

We are truly so grateful for the incredibly thoughtful and generous gifts, beautiful holiday cards, and heartfelt messages of gratitude we received. Our hearts are so full, thank you. Your kindness and support mean more than words can express.

All 31 of your children are such an important part of our beautiful classroom community, and we are deeply thankful for the opportunity to guide them as they learn and grow. We hope you have happy and healthy holidays and enjoy the precious gift of family time over winter break. We look forward to seeing everyone in the new year.

Our classroom has been buzzing with biology work lately. We bring the study of nature to the children with genuine enthusiasm, offering presentations and experiences that feed their growing curiosity. Elementary children have a powerful need to explore living things, to observe their characteristics, and to begin asking how and why life functions as it does.

Each grade level has taken on its own exciting focus in our exploration of biology. The first graders have been eager to learn about the external parts of the frog, using illustrations and models to observe how each feature supports the animal’s way of life. The second graders have moved into wider classifications, exploring the kingdoms of life and defining the distinct characteristics of different animals. They have been working to differentiate vertebrates from invertebrates and identify the traits that link various animals together. Their studies have also included a closer look at body functions in animals, while the third graders have expanded this work by examining the body functions of plants, comparing how different organisms meet their needs for survival.

At the elementary level in Montessori, biology unfolds through Cosmic Education, inviting children to look closely at the details of life and then lift their gaze to the larger patterns that shape the natural world. Classification becomes a meaningful tool in this process. It helps children discover the balance that exists on Earth between living and nonliving things, and between human beings and other cosmic agents. Our goal is to spark wonder and gratitude through the cleverness of nature, helping classification create a sense of familiarity with the unfamiliar. This way of organizing the living world becomes an important part of the development of a global citizen who feels connected to life in all its forms, both familiar and new. As we classify and explore all living things, we hope to inspire admiration for the diversity that exists, encourage more questions and research, and support the child’s growing identity as both an explorer and a steward of the Earth.

Our Lower Elementary classroom has been buzzing with curiosity and meaningful work as the children dive deeper into two big areas of study: Fundamental Human Needs for our second and third year students, and Timelines for our first year learners. Each of these lessons plays an important role in helping children understand themselves, others, and the world around them.

Our older students have been continuing their exploration of the Fundamental Human Needs—a key component of the Lower Elementary Montessori curriculum. Through stories, activities, and discussion, they’re learning that all humans across time and cultures share the same basic needs: things like food, shelter, clothing, defense, and transportation, as well as spiritual and cultural needs such as art, music, and community. In the Montessori classroom, this work helps children begin to understand why humans make certain choices and how different civilizations have met the same needs in different ways. It invites empathy, global awareness, and a growing appreciation for people throughout history. Our second and third year students are enjoying comparing different cultures and time periods, and beginning to see the interconnectedness of human life.

Meanwhile, our first-year students are continuing their lessons on time—an exciting introduction to understanding history from a personal perspective. After learning about the history behind the days of the week and months of the year, and making a month-by-month timeline of their lives, they are now beginning their year-by-year family timelines. In our Montessori classroom, timeline work is concrete and visually rich. All of this groundwork lays the foundation for understanding larger historical timelines later in both Lower and Upper Elementary. By starting with their own story, children discover how time passes, how they have grown, and how they fit into the greater human story.

This week in Lower El, we shared “The Story of Numerals” (the Fifth Great Lesson). This story appeals deeply to the reasoning of the elementary child, who is eager to understand the origins of ideas and the human stories behind them. Rather than presenting math as a collection of fixed rules and symbols, the story traces the development of numeration through history, showing that mathematics is a human invention born of creativity, problem solving, and the needs of daily life. Early humans counted stones, made marks on cave walls, tied knots in cords, and used tally marks to track many necessary things for survival, such as food, seasons, and trade. As societies grew more complex, so did their number systems, including the Mayan base-20 system, the Mesopotamian base-60 counting system, the Greek numerals based on their alphabet, the Roman numerals in Europe, and many others. The children learned that all cultures have developed systems of counting, each uniquely suited to the needs of the people who created it. Numbers are not simply symbols; they are a language invented by humans to communicate ideas. Understanding mathematics this way helps children see that the work they do with numbers is connected to real people throughout history, people who observed, experimented, and collaborated to make life more organized and understandable.

The story also introduces the evolution of the decimal system and the essential role of zero. Far from being a simple placeholder, zero represents a breakthrough in abstract thinking that took centuries to conceptualize and accept. Its development opened the door to advanced mathematics, record keeping, and evolved communication. When children hear how zero emerged and spread across cultures, they begin to appreciate math as a living and evolving achievement rather than something static and fully formed.

By presenting numeration as a human journey, the lesson inspires gratitude for the countless individuals who contributed to our current number systems and reminds students that mathematical progress continues. It reframes math work in the classroom as part of a much larger narrative, making it more meaningful because it connects to human history and ingenuity. Many children had a great time exploring and working with Roman and Egyptian numerals as follow-up work. Through this great lesson, math becomes not just an academic subject, but a story of human adaptation and survival, one that students can imagine themselves continuing.

Speaking of gratitude, our hearts absolutely overflowed this week with all the acts of kindness and the tremendous showering of love we received for our birthdays. The day began with the warmest greetings, thoughtful cards, beautiful flowers, and so many sweet surprises, each one making us feel so special and celebrated. It ended with the biggest and most unforgettable surprise of all: the children’s performance of their own version of “Here Comes the Sun,” rewritten as “Here Comes the Fun,” filled with heartfelt lyrics and kind words about their teachers. Their joy, creativity, and love brought happy tears to our eyes and truly touched our hearts. We are so grateful for your incredible children and for the privilege of teaching them each day. We wish you and your families a very happy Thanksgiving and hope you enjoy your time together with loved ones.

This week, we had the wonderful opportunity to welcome a parent visitor, Jennifer Mills (Elinor’s mom), who is also a Navy veteran. In honor of Veterans Day, she offered an engaging and thoughtful presentation for the children. She explained the purpose of Veterans Day, shared her experiences serving in the Navy, and introduced the different branches of the military in a way that was clear, accessible, and captivating. The children were so enthusiastic to hear all she had to share. They asked insightful questions and were truly engaged. We are so grateful that she took the time to visit and share her expertise with our community.

This week, in geometry, the children explored new concepts while strengthening their foundational skills. The first graders worked with polygons, reviewing their names and the meaning behind those names. Using the box of sticks, they created both regular and irregular polygons and quickly noticed how the symmetry and equal side lengths of regular shapes distinguish them from irregular ones. The second graders were introduced to angles for the first time. They explored what an angle is and learned to identify whole, straight, and right angles. Meanwhile, the third graders continued their work with fractions, using concrete materials to understand how fractional parts combine as they learned to add fractions and were excited to move on to subtracting fractions next.

It was a full and exciting week of hands-on learning, meaningful discussion, and joyful discovery in our classroom!