Making Music!

Your children have quite enjoyed having the opportunity to play an individual instrument. Here is a little demo of what music making sounds like in the classroom!

It's a New Year!

Happy New Year! We've gotten off to a great start. Your children came back and dove right into work. Time really flew! We talked about goals and discussed different goals we are working to achieve. Here are a few that were mentioned:

*Learning to read
*Making new friends
*Remembering to brush our teeth
*Choosing to be happy
*Trying something new
*Growing up to be a ballerina, football player, etc.

Practical Life this month is filled with new unique works. Here are some favorites:

*Baby bathing and dressing
*Flour sifting and sweeping
*Silver polishing
*Sewing a button bookmark
*Shaving cream
*Tonging ice cubes
*Basting water into the penguin habitat

Kambria Bowman basting water into the animal habitat; separating land animals from water animals.

Collins Chapman learning how to apply shaving cream and remove it with a (toy!) razor:)

Kellen Mills sewing a button bookmark

This month we are studying music. We are making rhythms with various instruments. We are listening and drawing to music. We are learning the instrument names and to which family they belong (i.e. strings or woodwinds). We are moving to music and singing lots of songs, and much more. Needless to say, the volume in the classroom will be a little more than a busy hum this month. If any of you play an instrument and would like to give a short presentation at the beginning or end of class, we would love to have you. If anyone has a unique instrument they would like to show, we welcome you also.

Jocelyn Hatch, Caleb Lyman, and Trevor Tenney

All together!

Braelyn Brimhall, Baylee Bowman, and Kaelynn Hipps.

New student: WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME BACK CALEB LYMAN AS A KINDERGARTNER IN MONTESSORI! This is Caleb's 3rd year in Montessori and he jumped right back into the swing of things. He had many familiar friends greet him.

Poem : SNOW CLOTHES

Today I put my snow clothes on,
But nothing came out right,
The snow pants wound up backwards,
My scarf was much too tight.

The mittens went on crooked,
The jacket wouldn't zip,
My bootlace got all knotted,
And my hat began to slip.

But now my clothes are on just right,
I fixed them all quite fast,
I'm warm and ready- out I go,
In the snow at last!

By: Mary Ryer

Snowy Treat
Make your own snow cones in a cup with maple syrup or juice.

Snow Art:
Fill 3 squirt bottles with red, blue, and yellow water (it's food coloring, use a lot!)
Let your child spray the snow and mix colors. Fabulously fun!

Shoveling Snow:
Shoveling the walks? You can get child size snow shovels at Target and possibly Lowe's or Home Depot. Children love the process of clearing a path or just piling up the snow!

Benefits of Montessori:
*Your child learns at his/her own rate.
*Your child learns how to focus and concentrate.
*Montessori accommodates all learning styles.
*Your child will master the important life skills of being a self-directed learner.
*Your child will achieve independence by learning how to take care of herself- her body, her belongings, and her environment.
*A Montessori classroom is a place where children learn order.
*Your child will be treated with respect and dignity.
*Perhaps the biggest benefit of a Montessori Education is that it TEACHES CHILDREN HOW TO LEARN INSTEAD OF JUST WHAT TO LEARN.

Answer to a frequently asked question:

Q: Is Montessori for every child?

A: “The short answer is yes- there is no child who would not benefit from a Montessori education. Montessori addresses uniqueness because it is an individual program tailored to the strengths and challenges of each student. Maria Montessori spent a lot of time observing exactly how and why children learn. She understood that all children, whether they have strengths or challenges in particular areas of learning, they need their own time to master it. They don’t need to be constantly worried about being “Ahead” or “Behind” anyone else.

Every Montessori school is the living legacy of this educational breakthrough. Montessori works for every child no matter who they are or where they come from.”

-M: The Magazine for Montessori Families by Karen Skinulis and Stanley Shapiro

Tired of holiday treats and junk? Try some of these Healthy snacks for children: WE WILL BE MAKING SOME OF THESE IN CLASS!

Animal Crackers:
Grind 1 c. of oatmeal in blender
Add:
1 1/2 T of honey
1 tsp. of salt
1 ½ c. of flour
½ tsp. of baking soda

Cut in: ½ c. of butter

Add:
¼-1/2 c. of buttermilk
Roll very thin. Cut out with cookie cutters.

Bake at 400 until brown (10-12 minutes).

Fresh Fruit Salad:
Apples
Bananas
Tangerines
Cut up fruit into bowl, add:
3 T vanilla yogurt & stir

Opt.: sprinkle wheat germ or granola on top.

Peanut Butter Balls:
½ c. peanut butter
2 1/2 T dry milk
2 T raisins or chocolate chips
2 T honey
¼ c. shredded coconut

Mix:
Roll into sesame seeds or roll plain. Enjoy!

Deck the school with bows of holly Tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la! December is always a short and busy month. We will be creating crafts, singing carols, and reading timeless stories all month long! We are really focusing on the joy of giving and encouraging children to show their love through their helpfulness, happy attitudes and acts of kindness at home and at school. Be watching and try to catch them doing something good!

We will keep our spirits bright with a Christmas Party on Thursday Dec. 18, 2008. We will be having our annual class gift exchange. Children will draw names and are invited to bring a $1-3 gift wrapped for that child.

Service
We would love to do a class secret service for someone or something if you have any ideas see Amy or Karen.

I enjoyed our conferences together. Your children are doing great! This is a young class but one of our most academic years ever. Your children are zooming right along. If you could not schedule a conference you will be getting a phone conference the first week of December. I will send the progress reports home with your children.

The Perfect Gift
Find a classic story or a wonderful illustrated book. Wrap it up and slip it under the tree. You have just given your child…..special time with you and something that can be enjoyed over and over. Opening a book can be like opening a whole new world of adventures beyond belief. Reading out loud is a great activity for the whole family. Give the perfect gift give a book!

Some of My Favorite Authors:

Jan Brett
Eric Carle
Mercer Meyer
Max Lucado
Jez Alborough

Pilgrims and the Indians... re-enactment

Montessori grasps on to the importance of each Holiday... Thanksgiving being no exception. Our Thanksgiving Party included the story of The Stone Soup, making of Pilgrim and Indian hats (each child had the choice of which they would like to be), the re-enactment of the Pilgrims and Indians at Plymouth Rock, ended with a wonderful feast of the Stone Soup that each child helped contribute ingredients to that day. It was a wonderful, educational, and most importantly FUN day!

Trevor Tenney and Taylor Mills.. greeting eachother just as the Pilgrims and Indians did.

So much fun!

And that is the rest of the story.....

Collins Chapman:)

Kelten was so happy to pose as an Indian!

Kellen Mills first workstation as Pilgrim:)

Kaelynn Hipps and McKay Wood acting out the Thankgiving workstation of the Pilgrims and Indians.

Kayson Merrill... so careful in balancing.. and SO CUTE.

Briley Decker... one of our cutest girl Indians.

Brooke Chlarson and Taylor Mills... two lovely Pilgrims!