“The satisfaction which they find in their work has given them a grace and ease like that which comes from music.” — Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child
Monday, November 7
We started our day by exploring some new food prep materials, such as the cucumber cutting work. Thanks very much for this week's donations of cucumbers, apples, and bananas.
The playdough fairies delivered a lucky shamrock! Thanks, Upper El.
Here, one of our friends is learning to count using the Spindle Boxes, a traditional Montessori math material.
Reading is always a popular work choice.
Snack time involves practicing many practical life skills.
The children enjoyed another dance and movement class with Ms. Jenny. After warm ups, Ms. Jenny and the children took their feet mice on an adventure to the forest. They acted out all the things and animals they saw in the forest.
They especially enjoyed singing and dancing to a new song about strolling through the park. Here is the variation Ms. Jenny created, sung to the traditional tune of the 1880s version:
I was strolling through the park one day,
In the merry, merry month of May,
I was taken by surprise, by a pair of lovely eyes,
While strolling in the park one day....
Each child was given a turn to substitute "strolling" for an action word of their choice, and everyone had fun pantomiming. Some of the actions words were: swinging, sliding, eating, picking flowers, rolling, puddle jumping, and picking carrots.
At the close of dance and movement class, Ms. Jenny taught the children a Thanksgiving song, using American Sign Language. Here it is (sung to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star):
Thank you, thank you, sun so bright,
Thanks you, thank you, stars at night
Thank you for my family,
Thank you for all that I see,
Thank you, thank you, every day,
Thank you, thank you, is what I say.
Here are some pictures of our afternoon work:
The Addition Strip Board
Art, Addition with the Colored Beads, Story Illustrating
Block Building
Tuesday, November 8
This morning at calendar time, we talked about election day. During our morning work period, some kindergarten children began handwriting booklets. Others chose continent map work, drawing, and bead stringing.
Ms. Ida came for music class, and the children had fun identifying tempo (largo and presto) in "Flight of the Bumblebee," by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. They also practiced singing Lila Sniga in largo and presto while tapping their rhythm sticks; the children got a big kick out of this and were laughing throughout. Finally, they sang "A Little Squirrel Went Scampering," and pantomimed all the animals the squirrel met on his journey.
Other Tuesday Candids:
Working with the Sound Boxes: identifying ending sounds
Reading from the Big White Book
Illustrating a Story
Coloring a Book from the Polling Station
Practicing Handwriting
The Turkey Workey
Playdough Time
This morning, a playdough starfish was waiting for us in the classroom:
Wednesday work included an introduction to the continent of North America.
Animals of North America Three-Part Cards
Sharing a Completed Work
Other Wednesday Candids:
Food Prep: Banana Slicing
Animal Habitats of the World
Working with the Sound Boxes
Thursday, November 10
Today at Calendar, we read a story about Veterans Day.
During morning work period, many children were interested in the Land and Water Forms, a Montessori material that allows children to explore the topographical features of the earth in a tactile way.
In the afternoon, the Land and Water Forms were moved to the water table, so children could practice pouring water into the forms themselves.
Other Friday Candids:
Sharing an Illustrated Book
Exploring the Science Tray
Jobs Time: moving the food baskets
Rolling Up a Mat
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