Geography and Peace

This week, we’ve been busy exploring two important aspects of our classroom community – understanding our physical world through geography and learning to resolve conflicts peacefully.

We introduced the Peace Table to help children navigate disagreements with calm and respect. Being able to calmly resolve disagreements is an important life skill, and the Peace Table gives our children a concrete tool to practice this essential capability. When we asked the children what peace means to them, their responses were thoughtful and wise.  

“It means being calm and taking deep breaths.”
“It means going to my room alone sometimes.”
“I do a reset when I need to.”
“It means not getting angry at my brother when he pranks me.” 

Our Geography study has captivated the children’s attention! We began by categorizing Earth into air, land, and water, then introduced the sandpaper globe to help distinguish between land and water through touch. The colored globe came next, where we learned the names of all seven continents. The children have been delighting in our new song, “Do You Know The Continents,” which we often hear them singing quietly as they work.

This week, we introduced Montessori landforms, starting with island and lake. These beautiful sensory materials allow children to see and feel the difference between a body of water surrounded by land (lake) and a body of land surrounded by water (island). Throughout the year, we’ll explore more landforms, including bay, cape, peninsula, gulf, isthmus, and strait.

One child told another this week: “When we are older, maybe we can be scientists who figure out things because we are really, really smart.” These moments remind us of the confidence and curiosity that bloom in a Montessori environment!

We’re also witnessing beautiful mixed-age dynamics as our kindergartners give lessons in Practical Life and Sensorial to our younger friends, demonstrating the leadership and compassion that grow naturally in our community.

Extending Geography Learning at Home

• Sing along! Ask your child to teach you the “Do You Know The Continents” song
• Point out geography: When reading books or watching shows together, ask, “What continent do you think this is?”
• Nature observations: On walks, notice bodies of water and land. Is that a lake or a pond? An island in a stream?

 

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Monday, October 13: No School – Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Tuesday, October 14: Zaki Koteiche’s Sharing Box & Flowers
October 14–17: Playground Volunteers – Maycie & Sam Ralbovsky
Friday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm
Friday, October 24: No School – Parent/Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 31: No School – Montessori Schools of CT Conference 

Sign-ups for Parent/Teacher Conferences on October 24 are now open! Please register as soon as possible through the Parent Sign Ups module at myfwm.org. Forms will close on Friday, October 17.

 

 

When we introduce new concepts or materials to the children, we often do so using a three-period lesson. This is an important tenet of Montessori education and it helps to move the child from basic understanding of a concept to mastery.

Period One is the introduction stage. In this stage we are isolating new vocabulary to the children. For example, if we are introducing the color tablets, we say, “This is blue.”  Repeating that statement and allowing the child to manipulate the blue color tablet are crucial during this stage.

Period Two is all about association and recognition. It is often a separate lesson. We do not ask the children to remember the vocabulary or recall the concept.  We are simply reinforcing the concept taught in Period One. We use words such as “Show me the blue tablet” or “Can you place the blue tablet on your lap?”

Period Three is the recall stage and the first time we ask the child to remember the concept independently. We ask them, “What is this?” when showing them the blue color tablet. We are careful not to begin Period Three until we know they are ready for success.

Every time a child masters a new concept, it builds the foundation for the next lesson or concept to be taught.

We are wrapping up our study about all things apple.  We learned about the parts of an apple and the life cycle of an apple.  We made homemade applesauce that the children were able to enjoy at snack time. We introduced our first food prep activity for the year, apple slicing. The children clean and cut up an apple and then offer a slice to their classmates. We tasted four different types of apples, and then everyone had a chance to share which apple was their favorite. Lastly, we read a story titled “The Little Red House  With No Windows and No Doors And A Star Inside.”  Ask your children if they know where to find such a house.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love!

Michelle & Maria

Week of Sept 29–October 3

UPCOMING EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Monday, October 6: Connor Horch’s sharing box week begins
Monday, October 6: Class and individual photo day
Monday, October 13: No School
Thursday, October 17: Kindergarten Field Trip to New Pond Farm – More details to follow soon.
Weather Note: Mornings have been chilly while afternoons warm up significantly by recess time. Please dress your child in layers they can easily remove and manage independently.
Classroom Needs: We’re collecting red Target shopping bags (they have so many uses in our classroom!) and any children’s magazines you’ve finished with. We cut up the pictures for storytelling activities. Thank you!

This Week in Our Classroom

All About Apples

Our classroom has been bursting with apple discoveries! The children have explored apples through every sense and learning area, from practical life skills like peeling and preparing apples to scientific observation of apple anatomy and life cycles.

We conducted a formal apple taste test featuring four varieties: Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Red Delicious, and Honeycrisp. After careful tasting and discussion, each child cast their vote for their favorite. One thoughtful child shared, “I don’t like apples, but if I did, I would vote for the Pink Lady apple because I like the color pink.” The winner? Granny Smith apples took the crown!

The children worked together to make applesauce in our classroom crockpot, which we enjoyed for snack the next day. Watching the transformation from fresh apples to warm applesauce gave the children a concrete understanding of how cooking changes food.

We’ve also been learning about Johnny Appleseed, examining the parts of an apple, and exploring the apple life cycle from seed to tree. I read the children a riddle story with a surprise ending: “What is a house with no door, no windows, and a star inside?” Ask your child if they can tell you the answer!

The excitement and engagement around this simple, familiar fruit remind us how children’s natural curiosity can transform everyday objects into rich learning experiences.