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February

February 2, 2018

FRONT CLASS REVIEW
We hope you and your families all enjoyed a fun and relaxing holiday in December. The children were so excited to reunite with their friends after the break. We have had a lot of interesting and new activities in this new season, month and year!

At circle time, we learned about animals in the Arctic region, as well as land and water forms like lakes and islands (and many more). We continue with French on Fridays, and the children have been very excited to begin leading our show and tell circle time. This month we spoke about M.L.K. day and the Chinese New Year holiday with the help of a guest speaker/parent. Thank you Julia! We held A LOT of birthday circles (ceremonies) this month, which is such a special moment and is something the children really look forward to.

Our classroom also launched off our human body unit in mid-January. We are beginning with body parts and skin and are now covering the 5 senses, to include touch, sight, taste, hearing and smell. Next month, we will work inward to cover muscles, bones and organs.

Some more complicated works, with many steps, were introduced. We now have a hand-washing material and a table-washing work.

As the children learn more and more about the human body, this next month should be very exciting!

BACK CLASS REVIEW

In January, the class was ready for the children with winter-themed materials. After the break, the kids were excited to see their friends and talk about the gifts they received and the trips they went on.

Once the kids were settled in, we began a geography theme where we talked about models and how our globe is a model too. We introduced the sandpaper globe and colored globe, and they saw how a flat map is formed from a round globe.

Different types of water and landforms were introduced, and kids learned the names of opposite landforms such as “peninsula and gulf,” and “lake and island.” We also learned about the layers inside our earth.

In science, we learned about how hot air goes up and cold air moves down. We did an experiment to see it. We also saw how shadows are formed.

Soon we will be moving into our big unit: The Human Body. The children will learn about their own body and how it is similar and different from others.

Classroom Review

January 19, 2018

FRONT CLASS REVIEW

December at school went fast. We started already in late November with the secret presents for moms and dads for under the tree. There were cards to be made and wrapping to be crafted and off course the main gifts to be designed. The children had a lot of fun choosing and preparing; we hope you are enjoying their gift for you!

Alongside we learned some Christmas favorites like: “Rudolf the red nosed reindeer” and “Frosty the snowman” as well as “Jingle Bells”. We learned a little about Hanukkah and Kwaanza and took a trip around the Christmas-celebration world like Santa on a surfboard and having a BBQ – only in Australia!

On Tuesdays we continue with our science projects. In December we looked at a candle’s behavior under a glass in a bowl of water and started to grow our own crystals. The children have good ideas when it comes to asking the question for our experiment. They come up with their own hypothesis and are keen observers during the procedure. They understand the drawn conclusion and look forward to the next science day.

The book exchange was fun as always, but our last day with the Christmas celebration was a nice end to 2017’s school time.

We are happy to see you all back and we hope everyone had a lovely holiday break! We are now getting started with new topics for January and the children are already enjoying learning about landforms and the layers of the earth.

BACK CLASS REVIEW

During December, we got into the holiday spirit! The kids not only learned about Christmas, but Christmas all around the world. When teaching the children about Christmas, we also taught them about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and even what Christmas is like in China. The kids also did a variety of holiday-themed works, such as learning how to play the game Dreidel, sewing paper mittens together, and learning parts of a Christmas tree. One of our front classroom teachers, Ms. Dykstra, taught the children about the history of St. Nicholas. The children made ornaments for our classroom Christmas tree and special presents for each of their parents.

The kids also have been learning about extreme weather conditions during our science-themed circle time once a week. Our class also enjoyed participating in the Book Exchange, where each child brings in a book that they own, and during the book exchange, gets to choose a new book (that one of their friends brought in) and take it home. Finally, for our in-house field trip, we had Ms. Govindaraj’s friend Radha come in and play the Indian string instrument, the veena, for us. The kids were ecstatic for the holidays! We hope you enjoyed your vacation and that everyone is excited to come back to school and begin some new topics!

Classroom Review

November 30, 2017

FRONT CLASS REVIEW

This month, our front classroom has been as busy as ever! At circle time, the children have been learning about the Pilgrims’ journey to North America, as well as about the Native Americans (Wampanoag people) who lived in the region.
We have also been continuing with French on Fridays, and science lessons on a Tuesdays. We have practiced our earthquake drill and talked about what causes

earthquakes, as well as how we stay safe if an earthquake happens. After the windstorm, we talked about power outages and what makes the power go out. We have practiced our scientific observation and memory skills as well! The children have been enjoying working with each other on lessons, as well as celebrating Thanksgiving together with songs, poetry, crafts, and a classroom “feast.” It has been great to see everyone becoming comfortable in the classroom and gradually widening the number of activities they are willing to try. The older children have also been enjoying a leadership role as they teach the younger children some of the lessons they have mastered!

BACK CLASS REVIEW

This year’s November has been typical for Seattle, with lots of dark, gloomy, and wet days. Yet, the kids are having lots of fun learning and experiencing new things in class every day. This month’s theme in school has been Thanksgiving. From the beginning of this month, we learned about pilgrims and how Thanksgiving came into existence. Kids built turkeys using pine cones and hand prints, and wrote what they are thankful for on the tails. They also made bonnets and headbands to reflect the Native American spirit. We read the book Stone Soup , and as in the story, all the kids contributed vegetables to make the soup. They also prepared butter and pumpkin bread for their feast. On Wednesday, November 22nd, they all enjoyed their self-prepared feast! There were no complaints! Apart from Thanksgiving activities, we continued our class curriculum. We practiced wood polishing, metal polishing, and bubble making. We also learned about the water cycle and we worked on science experiments about static electricity and the bending of light. Next month, here in creative Montessori, we are very excited about Christmas activities, and we are sure the kids will enjoy the month making holiday-related projects.

Classroom Review

October 30, 2017

FRONT CLASS REVIEW

This month, the kids are using and learning from all the Montessori materials, are involved in making art projects, and are getting to know each other. Many strong friendships are developing. Every week, we include lessons on French and science, which the children are enjoying. We started the month by talking about the season of Fall, the reason for leaves turning color, and the parts of a leaf. We went on to learn the continent names, and we have a song about the continents that we often sing.

As we are getting closer to Halloween, we’ve learned about the parts of a pumpkin and how they grow. We will be carving our own pumpkin near the end of October. Every day, we sing Halloween songs or have a Halloween story. On the actual day of Halloween, we will show off our costumes and have a healthy treat together. Mrs. Govindaraj, who is from India and teaches in the back class, told us about the celebration of Diwali and showed us beautiful saris and colorful sand designs that she was able to make before our eyes.

BACK CLASS REVIEW

It has been an exciting first couple of months. The older students have had a lot of fun showing the younger students how the Montessori classroom works. The kids have also been very busy having fun, learning, and making new friends.

At circle time, we have been learning about the calendar, reading books, singing songs, and taking part in a variety of musical activities.

The kids are singing and enjoying the “Light a Candle for Peace” song, which helps us focus on how to treat each other with kindness and respect. Along with practicing kindness toward each other, we have also been focusing on practical skills that build independence. We are teaching the children to hang up their coats, serve their own snacks, and pour their own water. As they learn how to do more for themselves, they gain a great sense of accomplishment.

This month, the children have also been enjoying Halloween-based materials and art projects.

We look forward to what the rest of the school year will bring at Creative Montessori!

Classroom Review

April 26, 2017

Front Class:

The Front class has resumed our study of the seven continents after wonderful Spring Break. We’re currently learning all about Asia and Mrs. Govindaraj, from the Back class, showed and explained to us all about the sari. We also had a dancer and a Tabla player. The kids had fun making Easter baskets and cards and had an egg hunt. WE also learned about Passover. Soon we will celebrate Earth Day with things to do to protect our earth, and we’ll plant a flower seed in a toilet paper tube so it can go straight into the ground when it is brought home. We have received larvae for a Painted Lady Butterfly, and we will learn about its life cycle. Our class has many May and summer birthdays, and we will celebrate each one during the months of May/June. The last 3-4 weeks of school we’ll spend time playing musical instruments, scarf dancing, preparing for our walk to St. Edwards State Park and maybe more recess time out in the sun. The kids have strong friendships with each other at this time of year, and they love spending time together. It has been a wonderful year with all these great kids!

Back Class:

We started off April with making spring cards and Easter baskets for our egg hunt. Kids enjoyed having Easter and spring materials on the shelves. The Easter egg hunt was their favorite part.

We are still on our world tour. At present we are in Asia after we visited Africa we learned about their culture Food and biomes. We looked into types of animals that live there. We brought back African necklaces as a souvenir. Visiting Asia kids got henna on their hands. They felt it as a different experience, and they enjoyed getting it. An Indian classical dancer came and showed some beautiful movements. Adding on We had a tabla ( India drum played with our hands not sticks ) artist came and played the tabla for the kids. They were mesmerized by it. Kids will bring back clay lamps as souvenirs. Soon we will be going to Australia.

We are fortunate to have Dean’s mom come and play the keyboard for us.

As we have lots of flowers blooming around us, Kids got to open up a real flower to see and learn the parts.

Classroom Review

March 1, 2017

Front Class:

This month, we had lots of fun with our Valentine’s Day party and crafts. We’ve also started learning about the continents of the world, beginning with North America. We have tasted North American foods such as maple syrup (from Canada) and chips with salsa (from Mexico). We’ve talked about the culture and geography of North America, and learned about some of the animals that live here. Some of the children have made maps of North America, showing either the countries or biomes of our continent. We’ve also been singing the song “This Land is Your Land.” This week, we are moving on to South America! As the year goes on, we will “visiting” all the continents. The children are continuing their great work in reading, math, writing, and social skills as well. It’s really great to see their friendships developing as they learn how to navigate bumps and relate to more of their peers. So much has happened since fall, and we are looking forward to touching base with parents at our upcoming conferences!

Back Class

At the back class we completed the peace curriculum after which we moved onto some fun Valentine projects, the kids made their Valentine bags and a card for their parents. Now we have moved into geography and studying the continents in depth. We studied North America in which we were privileged to have Mrs. Warsinske share her collection of Native American artifacts. The kids enjoyed looking at them. Kids made salsa and enjoyed eating chips and salsa. They tried pancakes with maple syrup as some samples of North American cuisine. Now we are studying South America in which we studied their culture and food and also learned about different animals that live in the rainforest. Children made their empanadas with a potato and carrot filling and got to enjoy eating them. We are currently making panpipes a South American instrument. Soon we will move on to Europe, and then to other continents, kids are enjoying getting their passports stamped as they visit each continent

Classroom Review

January 31, 2017

CLASSROOM REVIEW

Front Building:

We began January in the front class with a conversation about winter. We had to change the month, the year and the season on our calendar after our break. Snow and ice are part of our winter here in the PNW. In the classroom, we have art and books about cold and snow as well as our parts of a snowman book. Thank you for sending your children with hats, gloves and warm coats!

We also introduced a model of the earth as a sandpaper globe first to feel the difference between ocean and land and afterwards we introduced our colored globe with continents (in Montessori North America is orange, South America is pink, Europe is red, Africa is green, Asia is yellow, Australia brown and Antarctica is white). Then that globe was cut into two hemispheres (with the help of colored play dough) and turned into a map of the world. The children learned about the difference between land, air, and water and we will talk about the different land and water forms as well like lake and island, etc. There will be models for each to explore on the shelf in Practical Life. All these activities lead us into our unit for this year: Continents of the world (and a little about some countries, too). It will be exciting to learn about animals, music, living habits, foods, biomes and so much more starting with North America in February. So stay tuned for some fun facts.

Back Building:

Hello, families! We were happy to see everyone back at school after a relaxing holiday break! The children came back excited to work in the classroom and to be reunited with their friends. We began January by filling our classroom with winter-themed works, snowflake math works, snowman art, etc… We talked about what happens during this season, and we experienced some extra cold weather! We spent two weeks on a Peace Curriculum, where we focus on a different “Peace Virtue” for each color of the rainbow. We have bottles filled with colored water as a visual representation in our classroom as well. Red represents “truth,” orange is “personal best,” yellow is “peace,” green is “friendship,” blue is “kind words, ” and purple is”joy.” We practiced role playing these virtues in a circle and introduced a peace basket work where a child can meditate on an individual mat and explore peaceful objects whenever he/she needs to feel more peaceful. This activity is a nice mid-year reminder that we treat each other and our classroom with respect and kindness!

We also began our geography study that will span the next few months. We introduced the globe and explored the concept of landforms and water forms through small models that the children can fill with water. We also have cards that the children can use to make land and water form booklets. Near the end of the month, we will dive into studying North America, and cover each continent specifically after that. We will learn about the people, customs, landmarks, food and landscapes that make each continent special.

Classroom Review

November 28, 2016

Front Building:

Following our Halloween festivities, we began November talking about the parts of a pumpkin, the life cycle of a pumpkin, and even hammering nails into a pumpkin. We have been talking about the Thanksgiving “story” with the pilgrims and Indians. We included why the pilgrims left, their voyage, and what the pilgrims and Indians each had to offer to one another in the New World. We talked about how and why the Thanksgiving feast became a tradition that we continue to celebrate nearly 400 years later. While some worked on parts of a Mayflower book, others worked on crafts related to Thanksgiving (corn art, etc…). Most recently we began to learn about the parts of a turkey.

Beginning in December we look forward to talking about how people celebrate the holidays in December all around the world. We will likely cover the Hanukkah story, the story of St. Nicholas (Germany), Christmas in the U.S. and more. We will be making ornaments for our classroom tree, making a Christmas card and gift for our families, and enjoy a yummy festive holiday party on the 23rd.

We will also have our traditional holiday book exchange. Please have your child bring a new or used book of their choice to be given to another child in class. Each child gets to leave with a new and exciting book to keep!

We would also like to invite you and your child to participate in a holiday gift-giving opportunity. We will soon have a donation box for “Toys for Tots” where you may drop off an unwrapped toy for any age child to be donated to a family in need financially. This is a great opportunity to get your child involved and lay some groundwork on the importance of helping those less fortunate.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

Back Building:

This November has been all about Thanksgiving! We have studied the story of Thanksgiving and learned about the Pilgrims making their long, uncomfortable journey across the ocean to their new home. We focused on how the Native Americans were so helpful to the struggling settlers and how this cooperation led to the very first Thanksgiving feast! They taught them how to hunt, fish, build homes and harvest the land; needless to say, the Pilgrims were very thankful for the Native Americans. We explored many versions of this story and even used little figures to act out the story. We talked about the ways that modern day people celebrate Thanksgiving, most importantly by spending time with friends and family. We also read the story Stone Soup and had our own feast of soup filled with vegetables that the children brought and cut themselves, pumpkin pie, olives, cornbread muffins that we made together in circle and butter that the children churned themselves. We’ve done several special turkey art projects, too.

In December we will focus on several winter Holidays! Mrs. Dykstra will teach us about Saint Nikolaus and the traditions related to St. Nicholas. We will also learn about Hanukkah and Christmas. We will make a special holiday gift, have a holiday party with food and crafts, do holiday artworks all month and read holiday books. We will also have a toy drive for needy children! We will do our annual book exchange where the children each bring a new or gently used book to exchange so that each child brings a different book home.

We hope you all have a relaxing and fun holiday season!

Classroom Review

October 26, 2016

Front Building:

What a fun and exciting time of year this is! Over the past month, we’ve seen the children really settle in and feel comfortable at school. We are enjoying everyone’s excitement for exploring the classroom, meeting new friends, and getting going with lots of new lessons!

At circle time, we’ve learned about spiders (parts of spiders, spider behavior, and types of spiders), and will be learning about pumpkins and Halloween festivities for the remainder of the month. The children are enjoying all the newly-introduced work on our shelves – seasonal activities, art projects, and more traditional Montessori materials – and we look forward to our holiday party with food and costumes on Halloween day. On Fridays, the children have been learning French vocabulary, including some basic verbs, greetings, vocabulary pertaining to the weather, and colors. We’re continuing our “sound of the week” theme with letter sounds on Tuesdays, and sharing day on Wednesdays.

We enjoyed talking with those who were able to attend Meet and Greet Night and are looking forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming fall conferences!

– Ms. Hendrickson, Ms. Chi, Ms. Dunnington, and Ms. Dykstra

Back Building:

We have been putting away our apple works and bringing out our fall activities. Kids have learned about the life cycle of a pumpkin as well as parts of a pumpkin. We have talked out spiders too. Now we are talking about bats. In the afternoon kids have been enjoying yoga and science experiments. To prepare us for an earthquake we have been practicing what to do if there is an earthquake. As Halloween is around the corner we have been reading Halloween books, doing art projects and singing Halloween songs like 5 little pumpkins and Witches Brew (kids all time favorite)

~Ms. Govindaraj, Ms. Hopper, Ms. Urbach, and Ms. Olisker

Lyrics to 5 Little Pumpkins:

5 little pumpkins sitting on a gate
The first one said: “Oh my, it’s getting late!”
The second one said: “There are witches in the air.”
The third one said: “But we don’t care.”
The fourth one said: “Let’s have some fun.”
The fifth one said: “Let’s run, run, run.”
The WHOOO went the wind
And out went the lights
And the 5 little pumpkins rolled out of sight

Lyrics to Witches Brew:

Dead leaves, seaweed, rotten eggs, too.
Chorus: Stir them in my witches brew. I’ve got magic, abra, kazam, kazoo
Spider webs, moldy bread, mucky muck, too.
Chorus:
Finger nails lunch pails, apple cores, too.
Chorus:
Wrinkled prunes, mushrooms, motor oil. too.
Chorus:
Floor wax, thumb tacks, purple toes. too.
Chorus; (very soft) Stir them in my witches brew, I’ve got magic, abra, kazam, kazoo….BOO!

Material of the Month

Sound Cylinders:

Direct Aim- Testing and development of the auditory sense; development of auditory concentration.