• Deeper concentration
• A satisfaction with the completion of the work
• The desire to learn through the materials
• Excitement about and focus on the work

These outcomes are evident in the faces and behavior of Montessori children. They are actively learning in the environment so thoughtfully created by the work cycle. Therefore, classrooms hum as the children radiate joy in their work.

We did take a break from our busy day in order to visit the Book Fair!  Children enjoyed browsing the shelves and working with teachers and parent volunteers to compile “wish lists.”  We will be sending these lists home with the children this week in Friday folders; we hope you can stop by the Book Fair as well!

All children are full of wonder about the world around them.  The beautiful Fall foliage and seasonal changes provide a wonderful teaching opportunity as well as captivate the children’s attention and imagination.  We are learning that Autumn is another name for  Fall.  The Fall colors, crops, and even how animals are beginning to prepare for winter are all great discussion topics for the children to take part in and learn about.

On Tuesday, we had a small Harvest Celebration in our classroom.  We worked together as  a class to decide how to carve our pumpkin.  First, we brainstorm ideas of what shape the eyes, nose, and mouth should be and then we vote on it to make our decision.  Every child has a chance to come up and scoop out some of the pumpkin pulp and seeds. We also voted on his name and “Mr. Muffin Head” was the clear winner!!!

Over the past week the children were asked what they were thankful for and we used their words to write a poem titled, “Thankful.”  Each child then painted a placemat and we placed their poem on top of it.  Thank you to Ali Fowler for helping the children with this project.  We hope you enjoy them as much as we did.  They will be displayed in the classroom until next week but we will make sure you have them back in time to use at your Thanksgiving dinner.

Last, but definitely not least, we enjoyed a wonderful and fun snack provided by Tiffany Beech.

Our Extended Day children had fun cutting and arranging an array of vegetables in the shape of a skeleton.  As they were building and discussing the different parts of a skeleton, they had to decide which vegetables would work best to build “Skully.”  They definitely didn’t make any bones about eating their veggies this time!

Ms. Kayser and I enlarged our windows on the world this week by introducing the wonders in space. In her book, Nurturing the Spirit in Non-Sectarian Classrooms, Aileen Wolf says that ” Interesting discoveries are often made, not when we have new landscapes to look at, but when we have new eyes to look at what we see everyday.  Fostering children’s sense of wonder means helping them to slow down and to linger in their observations of all that surrounds them.” And so we began with observations.

Our first activity commenced with a question to the children, “How many of you saw the sky this morning?” Several children raised their hands.  We asked the children to draw what they saw.  When they had finished, we took the class outside and invited them to lie on their backs and look more carefully at the sky. After they had observed carefully (and were asked many probing questions), they were asked to draw the sky again. We compared the two drawings and discussed our observations. This, our first  cosmic activity shows the children how to look more carefully at the details in the sky.  We have begun our exploration of the wonders of space!

The Harvest celebration was a success. Our marvelous black pumpkins were prepared by your children, holes drilled and lines drawn to create  “unknown” constellations. We hope the lights shown bright! The children also enjoyed creating delicious, holiday inspired popcorn hands. A ghoulish treat. The Extended Day children took pleasure in using a variety of vegetables they had prepared to create a vegetable skeleton. We enjoyed making, naming and then eating our friend, Veggie Skully.

…move?

…have more plants/animals?

…breathe?

…grow?

This critical thinking helps children to differentiate between the two constructs.

Mrs. Simmons and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with you at Conferences last week and sharing all of your children’s wonderful progress.  Thank you for sharing your children with us every day!

Please note:  Beginning on November 6th, our three and four year-old friends will once again have Physical Education class.  Our class will have PE on E days, from 10am-10:30am.  On those days, please make sure your child wears or has in his/her locker a comfortable pair of soft-soled shoes.  Thank you!

There are pumpkins everywhere in our class! Having pumpkins in the classroom provides so many opportunities for the children to observe and introduce basic science and mathematical concepts.

In Practical Life, we have pumpkin spooning, pouring, pumpkin hammering and even pumpkin scrubbing.  In Science, we learned about the parts of a pumpkin and the pumpkin life cycle.  We compared pumpkins to categorize them as small, medium and large.  We counted the lines/ridges on pumpkins and learned why some pumpkins have more and some have less.

In Math, we were faced with the very difficult question of how do you measure the circumference of a pumpkin? Ask your child and see if they can tell you.  We worked with pumpkin patterns and learned fun facts about pumpkins.

Last but not least, we baked delicious pumpkin muffins. They were a big hit at snack. Baking with 19 children should never be underestimated!!!!   We are so grateful for Kim Smith’s patience and for being so well prepared to help all of the children be a part of this activity.

Please Note– Change To Our Specials Schedule

Beginning on October 30th, our 1st and 2nd year students will now have gym every “B” day. 

The chill to the air, the first fire in the fireplace, the smell of pumpkin spice. It’s finally fall!

     This week your children experienced Autumn, not just as a date on the calendar, but as an opportunity to use our sense of smell to really savor the season. The smells of pumpkin, leaves, and spices brought smiles and evoked particular memories.

Maria Montessori believed there is a sensitive period for developing the senses. Although the senses are an integral part of our lives, children during the early years, have the greatest potential to develop and retrieve them. It is precisely this idea that demonstrates the purpose of Sensorial materials in the Montessori classroom. The Sensorial materials are powerful tools, which allow children to become aware of their unconscious impressions and bring these impressions into conscious awareness. Additionally, they enable your children to create a basis of order in their mind allowing for intelligent exploration of their environment.

Montessori encourages children to indulge fully in Sensorial intake. This is one of the most natural and integral ways in which people learn and develop their senses.

PLEASE NOTE-Change to Our Special Schedule
Beginning Oct. 30, our 1st and 2nd year students will now have gym every ‘D’ Day.
Continue reading “Mrs. Carroll’s Class: Crisp Fall Scents!”

All it takes is one seed to grow a pumpkin. And from that one seed…a whole lot of learning ensues.
Your children enjoyed exploring the life cycle of a pumpkin this week. They measured the circumference and diameter of various pumpkins, graded pumpkins by size, counted with pumpkins seeds, sorted and matched pumpkins, hammered tees into a sugar pumpkin, and used labels to identify the various parts of a pumpkin.
We will conclude our study by baking the meat of a pumpkin into a delicious treat and then returning the skin back to the earth where we will observe it’s decomposition and await it’s new beginnings in the spring.

This week we began our journey into the world of prominent artists, such as Van Gogh, Degas and Matisse, and their masterpieces.  Through Picture Matching activities, children will learn to distinguish different works of art from one another as well as to identify the artist who created them.  We discussed how art helps people express themselves, and that we are all artists too!  Art is a way for children to communicate their feelings. It is through art that children develop their fine motor skills. In the Montessori environment, we provide open-ended art activities that help children explore and use their creativity.  A favorite activity in our class is for children to share with friends on Circle the beautiful pictures they have created and to tell us the story they are conveying to others through their artwork.

We welcomed the beginning of Diwali this week as well.  Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights, signifying the triumph of good over evil.  After learning about the significance of the holiday, we had a wonderful time making our own small, votive candle holders.

Montessori classrooms explore other cultures from around the world in order to discover the similarities and differences in our shared humanity. Not only is cultural diversity a central tenant, but where those cultures came from through the study of ancient cultures and peoples are, as well. The celebration of diversity assures that a child’s understanding of the world and culture will flourish as he or she matures.