Last week was full of discovery! We kicked things off with a beloved classroom experiment: sink or float. The children were genuinely surprised by just how many objects sank and how few they could find that floated. What makes this experiment so special is that it isn’t just a quick demonstration — it requires the children to follow many steps from start to finish, building concentration, patience, and careful observation along the way.

The rainy weather kept us indoors more than usual, but that didn’t slow us down. When we couldn’t head outside, we made our way to the gym for movement time with hula hoops and balls. We also took full advantage of our Primary Open Space, which has quickly become a favorite. This space is rich with sensorial activities, gross motor opportunities, and even fort building with the nugget foam pieces. It has been a wonderful setting for practicing turn-taking and building community.
We were also happy to celebrate a half-birthday this week! If your child has a summer birthday, a half-birthday walk at school is a beautiful way to mark the occasion.

Extending Learning at Home

Try a sink or float experiment at your kitchen sink! Gather a mix of small household items — a coin, a sponge, a grape, a plastic spoon — and ask your child to predict before dropping each one in. Talk about what the items that float have in common. You may be just as surprised as we were!

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

Next Week

• Tuesday, March 3
  ⋅ Read Across America Day and Pajama Day
  Bring your favorite book and wear your pajamas to school
• Thursday, March 5
  ⋅ Taekwondo Demonstration at 9:30 a.m.
  

Looking Ahead

• March 9—March 20
  ⋅ No School | March Break
    As a reminder, the Bridge to Spring program is available during March Break. Click here to register.
  

Last week, our morning circle time was dedicated to celebrating Black Americans in history. Throughout February, we’ve been learning about remarkable individuals who have made significant contributions to our world. The children discussed Lonnie Johnson, Garrett Morgan, and Katherine Johnson, learning about their incredible achievements and innovations. The children were especially amazed by Lonnie Johnson’s Super Soaker invention! 

Valentine’s Day provided a wonderful opportunity to focus on friendship, grace and courtesy, and love for our families. The children made cards for one another, practiced noticing the kindness of others, and learned how to be extra special friends. This celebration beautifully reinforced the care and compassion we cultivate in our classroom community every day.

This time of year, we’re really seeing the mixed-age classroom thrive in beautiful ways. The kindergarteners have fully settled into their roles as classroom leaders—now in the final stretch of their Primary years. They model grace, courtesy, and mastery of materials for their younger friends. First-year children have developed so many skills, but still benefit from guidance from their older friends, who are always happy to step in and help. The second-year children have the best of both worlds! They know the lay of the land and are looking forward to their time as classroom role models next year. This dynamic creates a supportive, family-like environment where everyone has something to offer and something to learn.

After experiencing sub-zero temperatures, last week felt like spring! The children truly enjoyed getting outside, and the warmer weather has given us more opportunities to explore our beautiful campus and connect with nature.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kindergarten parents please look for a letter in Thursday’s take home folder, explaining the 100th day of School celebration.
We will be celebrating this big day on Tuesday, February 17th.

This Week

• • Monday, February 16
    ⋅ No School | President’s Day
    
  • Tuesday, February 17
    ⋅ Kindergarten 100th Day Celebration
    

Last week, the math area captured so much enthusiasm in our classroom. The children have been deeply engaged with the concept of exchanging. We introduced The Exchange Game, where children roll a dice, count out unit beads, and exchange them for 10 bars. This playful work lays the foundation for dynamic addition (addition with carrying over). The children also learned The Snake Game, where they created a rainbow snake using the bead stair with addends of 10, and watched as the snake “sheds its skin” and transforms into a golden snake when we exchanged for 10 bars. The delight and excitement this work generates is wonderful to see!

During one lesson on four-digit addition with the golden beads, a child declared at the end that she wanted to do this work every day—a perfect example of the pure joy that comes from mathematical discovery and mastery.

With all the practice putting on snow gear, we’re all getting better at the routine! We’ve been repeating the order together: snow pants, boots, jacket, hat, and gloves. The growing independence and confidence in this practical life skill have been remarkable.

Our zoology shelf is currently featuring dinosaurs, and the children have been exploring this work with great interest. Next week, we’ll begin reading more scientific books on the topic and start our Black History Month lessons, focusing on celebrating the great accomplishments of Black Americans.

Extending Learning at Home

Practice counting and exchanging with everyday objects. Count out 10 pennies and exchange them for a dime, or count 10 dimes and exchange them for a dollar. Even organizing small objects like buttons or pasta pieces into groups of 10 reinforces the mathematical mind’s natural attraction to order and pattern.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

• Monday, February 9
  ⋅ Moving Up Day for Students (Kindergarten students visit Lower Elementary)
• Tuesday, February 10
  ⋅ Welcome to Kindergarten! Talk at 8:45 a.m. (for parents of P4 students)
  ⋅ Moving Up Night at 5:30 p.m. (for parents of K students)
• Thursday, February 12
  ⋅ Classroom Valentine Exchange
  
• Friday, February 13
  ⋅ No School | Teacher Professional Development Day
  

Next Week

• Monday, February 16
  ⋅ No School | President’s Day
  

Last week, frigid temperatures kept us indoors, but we made the most of our indoor spaces! The children got excellent exercise in the gym and our Primary Open Space, using wobble boards, stationary bikes, climbing cubes, and more. This indoor time also provided wonderful opportunities for the children to strengthen their classroom community. One of the most beautiful developments we observed was how naturally the children are supporting one another. We always suggest to the children to “ask three friends before you ask a teacher” for help with work. This has been working beautifully, as we are seeing our little classroom community working together and collaborating. Watching older children guide younger friends through work and seeing peers problem-solve together demonstrates the power of our mixed-age environment. The children have easily adjusted to having me back from maternity leave, and I have really been enjoying getting to know all my “new” students! Their warmth and adaptability continue to impress me daily.

In mathematics, we were busy practicing skip counting by 10’s, working on The Snake Game, exploring addends of 10, and building numbers with The Golden Beads. These foundational math materials support the children’s development of their “mathematical mind” and help them understand abstract concepts through concrete, hands-on experiences. Looking ahead, we are excited about Valentine’s Day! February also brings us Black History Month, and we will be celebrating Black Americans throughout history.

Extending Learning at Home

Practice skip counting during everyday activities—count by 10’s while putting away toys or going up stairs. Look for groups of 10 items around the house (silverware, toys, books) to reinforce this concept. Encourage your child to help siblings or friends with tasks, reinforcing the “ask three friends” approach we use in the classroom.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

• Monday–Friday
  – Book Loan Month: Quinn & Leo
  – Moving Up Classroom Observations
  – Food & Flowers: Eowyn
• Monday, February 2
  James’ Birthday Walk
• Wednesday, February 4
  Isle of Skoo Assembly for Primary–Upper Elementary students at 9 a.m.

Next Week

• Tuesday, February 10
  Welcome to Kindergarten! Talk at 8:45 a.m. for parents of P4 students
  Moving Up Night at 5:30 p.m. for parents of K students
• Thursday, February 12
  Classroom Valentine Exchange
• Friday, February 13
  No School | Teacher Professional Development Day

Last week, the classroom was filled with multi-step practical life activities. Baby washing emerged as the biggest hit, capturing the children’s attention with its sequence of careful steps. This work involves so much more than it appears—children must follow a precise order, maintain focus throughout the process, and leave the materials ready for the next friend. Next week we will introduce table scrubbing, always a fan favorite in our classroom!

We have witnessed remarkable growth in the children’s ability to care for their belongings and prepare themselves for outdoor time. At drop-off, we encourage you to step back and allow your child to unpack their own things, change their shoes, hang up their coat, and decide what to bring into the classroom. Even if they make mistakes along the way, this is essential work for their independence journey. As Maria Montessori reminds us, “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” The classroom is the child’s world, and bringing what they need into it builds confidence and self-reliance.

Kindergarten Adventures

Our Kindergarten students began reading their first chapter book together: My Father’s Dragon. Each Friday, a kindergarten child takes home a stuffed dragon and a journal to record their adventures—a treasured rite of passage in this pinnacle year!

The whole class has been practicing syllable work, clapping out each child’s name to discover how many syllables we all have. This playful activity serves as a wonderful transition tool as we prepare for line time or head to recess. Letter sound recognition continues to be a focus across many levels, and our embedded mnemonics approach has proven extremely beneficial. If you hear your child saying “a apple /a/” or “z zebra /z/” at home, now you know where it comes from!

Extending Learning at Home

Support your child’s growing independence by creating opportunities for multi-step tasks at home. Let them help wash vegetables for dinner, set the table following a specific sequence, or care for a special toy or plant. The key is allowing them to complete the entire process and leave materials ready for next time.

For kindergarten families with the dragon journal, embrace this special ritual! Help your child document their weekend adventures together, but let them lead the storytelling and illustration.

Upcoming Events & Announcements

Next Week

• Wednesday, February 4
  Isle of Skoo Assembly for Primary–Upper Elementary at 9 a.m.

Looking Ahead

Thursday, February 12
Valentine’s Day at Fraser Woods is a cherished friendship celebration in our Primary classrooms! On Thursday, February 12, the children will exchange valentines with their classmates, marking a special part of their school experience that emphasizes expressing love and gratitude for one another. This celebration beautifully combines the joy and excitement children naturally feel about Valentine’s Day with important developmental skills like writing, independence, and expressing kindness toward others.

Preparing Valentines at Home: We encourage you to involve your child in preparing their valentines. Please have your child sign their own name on each card—whether that’s their full name, just one letter, or their own special mark, every effort is meaningful and developmentally appropriate! Please allow ample time for this name-writing process, which serves as wonderful practice. (If writing their full name, remember to use uppercase only for the first letter.)

Important: Please leave the “To:” area blank. Do not address envelopes or cards with specific names. This allows children to distribute valentines independently without needing to read each classmate’s name, supporting their sense of capability and confidence. Note: If your child is able to read their classmates’ names, they may write names on the envelopes as additional reading practice—but this is entirely optional.

 

Our classroom baby, Frances, received lots of loving attention last week! Multi-step water activities like washing the baby naturally draw interest from the children, as they practice sequencing, care of others, and develop their concentration through this meaningful, practical life work. The children carefully gather their materials, prepare the water, gently wash Frances, dry her, and clean up their workspace—all while developing independence and fine motor coordination.

Another highlight from the week was the concept of rhyming! The children have been engaged in rhyming games as we explore the musical patterns in our language. We’ve been discovering that for words to rhyme, they need to share the same middle and ending sounds—a foundational skill that supports phonemic awareness and future reading development.

The children have embraced reciting our January poem with enthusiasm:

In January, it’s so nice,
While slipping on the sliding ice,
To sip hot chicken soup with rice.
Sipping once, sipping twice,
Sipping chicken soup with rice.
–Maurice Sendak

The rhythm and repetition of this poem have captured their imaginations, and many children are beginning to recite it from memory.

Extending Learning at Home

Practice the January poem together at home! The repetition and rhyming patterns help children develop phonological awareness while having fun with language. You can also play simple rhyming games during car rides or at the dinner table—choose a word and take turns finding words that rhyme with it.

Your child can practice similar care activities at home by helping to wash dishes, wipe tables, or care for stuffed animals. These everyday tasks build the same sequencing skills and sense of responsibility we’re cultivating in the classroom.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

This Week

• Monday, January 19
  No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Please review the birthday celebration schedule, as we have many birthdays and half birthdays coming up in the next few weeks!

 

What a warm welcome back I received! The children and I picked up right where we left off, and it has been such a joy to see how the returning students have grown and matured during my absence. The new students have settled into our routines beautifully, and I am enjoying the opportunity to bond with each of them and learn about their unique interests and strengths.

This week, we focused intensively on phonological awareness activities—the foundation for reading and writing. The children are learning about compound words, syllables, and breaking words into individual phonemes (sounds). We practice these skills in various settings: small-group lessons where children learn from one another, large-group activities that build community, and one-on-one work that allows me to meet each child exactly where they are in their development. The children are having fun manipulating words, discovering how language works, and building the confidence that comes from mastering new skills.

Our art area received an exciting refresh this week with several new activities. We added watercolor painting, which allows children to experiment with color mixing and brush control. A tracing projector has captured significant interest—children can project images and trace them, developing hand strength and control while exploring their creativity. The new pin-punching work has also been popular, as children use small pins to punch designs into paper, refining the pincer grip needed for writing while creating beautiful artwork.

The weather has provided us with daily opportunities for outdoor exploration. We have been adventuring into the snow every day, and sometimes twice! The children absolutely love this time outside, and the fresh air and physical activity support their ability to concentrate deeply when we return to the classroom. To make the most of these snowy days, please send waterproof boots and gloves with your child each day. We will keep this gear at school all week and send it home on Fridays.

Extending Learning at Home

Try clapping out the syllables of people’s names in your family. You can turn this into a fun game at dinner or in the car. Say each family member’s name slowly and clap once for each syllable: Mar-i-a (three claps), Dad (one clap), E-li-jah (four claps). This playful activity strengthens your child’s phonological awareness and helps them understand how words are constructed from smaller parts.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Friday, January 16: All School Early Dismissal. Primary pick-up at 11:30 a.m.
Monday, January 19: No School, MLK Jr. Day

Last week brought beautiful opportunities to celebrate the diversity of traditions within our classroom community. We explored both Hanukkah and Christmas through stories, conversations, and shared experiences that helped the children appreciate the different ways families celebrate this special time of year.

These celebrations were made possible by the generous participation of our parent community. Thank you to all the parents who contributed their time, energy, and resources to make our holiday celebrations meaningful and fun. Your involvement enriches our classroom in countless ways and shows the children the importance of community and working together.

The joy on the children’s faces during these celebrations reminded us of the true spirit of the season—coming together, sharing with one another, and appreciating our diverse traditions.

Wishing you and your families a wonderful holiday season filled with warmth and togetherness.

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thank you in advance for continuing to send snow gear—hat, waterproof mittens, snow boots, and snow pants—so the children can enjoy winter play comfortably throughout the season.

Monday, December 22, 2025 – Friday, January 2, 2026
Monday, January 5: School Resumes