Something VERY exciting happened in our classroom this week! We have baby chick eggs incubating! In April, we study birds, so this observation fits right in with our new unit.

Once the baby chicks hatch, they will go back to the farm that they came from, located in Easton. We thank Mrs Sargeant for arranging the eggs for us!

When we can bring real-life experiences into our classroom to deepen our understanding of our lessons, it is Montessori in action! Ask your child about our eggs!

In a Montessori classroom, learning is often a hands-on experience that invites curiosity and fosters a sense of wonder. One of the most captivating subjects for young learners is the world of colors. A study of rainbows and the science of color mixing is an exciting way to engage children in discovering the beauty and magic of the world around them. Recently, our classroom embarked on an exploration of rainbows, primary colors, and the fascinating process of color mixing!

Once the students were familiar with the idea of a rainbow and the variety of colors it holds, we delved into the core concept of color theory—the primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. We used Montessori color materials like the color tablets to visually explore and differentiate between these hues. The tactile nature of the materials, paired with the children’s natural inclination to touch and explore, made this lesson particularly engaging.

Through sorting activities, students were able to identify and arrange primary colors, gaining an understanding that these colors cannot be created by mixing other colors. This revelation led to our next exciting step—color mixing!

With the foundational understanding of primary colors, it was time for the children to explore the art and science of mixing colors. The children were free to use red, yellow, and blue in any combination they wished to see what would happen. It’s been an exciting week!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Marissa & Sue

The month of March brings our study of rainbows! We all are anxiously waiting for Spring weather, so why not bring it into the classroom?! We will be learning all about rainbows, weather, and the water cycle with some fun hands-on experiments upon our return from break. This week, the children have been having fun learning the order of all the colors in the rainbow. We have also been practicing a fun poem; ask your child if they can recite it with you!

Rainbow, rainbow in the sky,
Peeping out as clouds go by.
Red, orange, yellow, green and blue,
There is purple in there, too!

Have a wonderful Spring Break, and hopefully, the weather cooperates for some fun outside time!

Read Across America is a national event celebrated on March 2nd, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. This initiative was created by the National Education Association and implemented to encourage a love of reading in children. At FWM, we also turn that day into Pajama Day, and the children bring their favorite book to share. We hope you enjoy the pictures.

An online article from nationaldaycalendar.com has some beautiful ideas on how to motivate children to read wherever they are.

• Keep books everywhere you spend time. Put them in the car, in every room of the house, and tuck them in backpacks and purses. Make them easily accessible.
• Visit the library often. Knowing how to use the library and learning the benefits of a library fosters a love of reading as well as genuine respect for the services libraries provide.
• Get caught reading. Children imitate what they see the adults around them do. Whether they see you read a magazine, newspaper, or novel, let them know reading is the cool thing to do.
• Read to your children. No matter their age, reading aloud strengthens their vocabulary and language skills. It also opens up opportunities for discussion.
• Have your children read to you, too. You never know what you might learn!

Reading is an integral part of each school day. I hope that Ms. Sue and I can pass on our passion for literature to your children.

Happy Reading!

Marissa & Sue

This Thursday was our 100th day of school! In the afternoon, we celebrated this momentous occasion with our Kindergarten crew.

Students counted and brought in 100 items from home; we had a 100-item snack, played many games, and did crafts.

My favorite game is “Race to 100!” In it, children play side by side, rolling a die and continually adding a number to their last until they reach 100!

Kindergarteners are experts on our beloved 100 Board in the classroom, and this tradition is such a fun way to celebrate their hard work!

This week has been all about love and friendship! A huge part of our classroom learning is what we call “Grace and Courtesy.” We practice grace and courtesy with each other by using our kindest words (even if the message may be a difficult one), always respecting and listening to each person’s viewpoint, tucking in chairs, getting work ready for the next friend, and taking care of our classroom for the greater good of the community.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to highlight grace and courtesy. A holiday that is about love, family, and friendship helps us to reflect on the things we do on a daily basis that not only benefit ourselves but those around us.

The children took great care in passing out their special Valentine’s Day cards and even used supplies in the classroom to make special cards for people at home.

We hope your holiday was as special as ours!

Marissa & Sue

We have had a busy week filled with birthday celebrations, visitors, snow and mud, and lots of talk about Valentine’s Day. We have been hoping and wishing for Spring and have discussed some of the first signs of the lovely season – my favorite being the sighting of robins! We have been singing “Red Red Robin” – ask your child to sing it for you!

We have begun our study of Africa for the month of February. We were amazed and excited to hear that there is a Lake Victoria (the same name as one of our classmates!) in Africa.

Next week, we will begin decorating our Valentine’s Day bags in anticipation of the arrival of many cards. Please send in your child’s cards any day before Friday (we’ll celebrate on Thursday).

Have a wonderful weekend,

Marissa & Sue