Geography Explosion in Room 3

The geography curriculum in a Montessori Early Childhood classroom allows the child to see the world in an ever expanding way. The child begins to become aware of physical differences on our planet through work with the land and water forms.



Land Forms: Island & Lake

 

The sandpaper globe shows the child that the Earth is made up of land and water. Then the painted globe shows the seven continents.

 



 

The children manipulate the wooden puzzle maps of; the world, each of the continents, and the United States. In doing so they learn the shapes and sizes of the different countries and states and then eventually the names associated with them.

 

The children can use the puzzle maps as a guide when making their own maps, by tracing and coloring them. 





 



 

 





 All this hands-on experience helps the children understand just how large our globe is. As they begin to learn about different cultures around the world they will hopefully embrace it's wonderful diversity.

 

Submitted by: Lindsay Turner

Welcoming Peace

Each school year brings with it a wonderful variety of holidays, celebrations and traditions from a world of cultures.  At The Montessori Academy we take pride in having more than 25 different countries represented in our community and this rich diversity gives us the ideal opportunity to create awareness and embrace the value holidays holds for each one of us. Families are encouraged to share their culture and traditions in the classrooms and at the end of the school year our celebrations culminate into the International Festival – a special time set aside for sampling foods, wearing native costumes and engaging in activities which highlight traditions from around the world.

 

While we know that holidays help us to honor our heritages and establish a shared bond among groups of people, we also know that the excitement that surrounds them can often distract and create a sense internal chaos especially in the young child.  In a Montessori classroom, though the excitement of the holidays is acknowledged, there is intentional restraint from generating any additional excitement for the children and perpetuating fantasy.  Halloween costumes are not worn, Santa doesn’t visit and the Easter Bunny doesn’t deliver baskets with chocolate eggs. In our classrooms it is important for us to keep our day-to-day routines stable, thereby offering the children a place of calm and peace – a respite to feel centered away from the hustle and bustle that assaults them from every direction.

At this time when excitement for the holidays increases with each passing day, please join with us as one school community to work together to keep The Montessori Academy a place of welcome peace for our students.

Submitted by: Deborah Drendall, Head of School

Soccer Shots Week #5

Catalogs are going home in folders and totes today.  This is provided to TMA families as a resource for children's gifts.  Many of the teachers have compiled wish lists and they are attached to your orange order form.

All orders are due Friday, November 9.

Books & Burgers

What:  Fundraiser 

When:  Friday, Oct 26

Where: Five Guys & Barnes & Noble (University Park Mall)

A percentage of all sales that day come back to school! ANYONE can participate!

See special codes below:

FIVE GUYS - Just tell them you are with TMA

 

BARNES & NOBLES: Either provide B&N coupon

(found on website, in weekly memo or at front desk)

OR 

for online sales, use code 10906824.

(online promotion extended to Oct. 31)

 

Don't forget to pick up your Scrip at the front office before you head over.

It provides the school an additional percentage!

Dad's Night

 

 

Self Portraits

Yesterday the afternoon Kindergarteners in room 3 had the opportunity to read the book People by Peter Spier.  This books talks about all of the different types of people that live on the earth.  Following the story, the children sat down looking at a mirror and drew self portraits of themselves.

Outdoor Environment

Recommened Beginning Spanish Book

Soccer Shots Week #4

Homemade Play Dough Recipe

1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Salt
1 tablespoon Cream of Tartar
1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
1 cup Water

Directions:
1. In a medium sized bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well. Add wet ingredients to bowl and, again, mix well.

2. Add contents to a large pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it forms a ball.

3. The dough is ready when the mixture pulls away from the pan and when the wet parts begin to look dry.

4. Turn the dough onto your countertop and knead it until smooth. It will be quite warm to the touch, so be careful!

5. Add food coloring, glitter, extracts, etc. AFTER the dough has cooled. The color and scents won't "take" as well when the dough is hot/very warm.

Peace Rose

Have you ever wondered how your child resolves differences with friends in the classroom setting?  Between the ages of three and six is a perfect time to teach a child how to resolve her own problems with other children.  For those times when talking is the appropriate way to solve a dispute, now is the time to give them those words. 

 

In our classrooms we use the book, The Peace Rose, as an example of how children can resolve their own problem "using their words".  The book is a simple, beautifully illustrated example of how two children may want something at the same time and hurt feelings are the result of  arguing over it.  Name calling may ensue or even the dreaded "I won't be your friend anymore", harsh words for a three year old to hear.  Instead of resorting to tears and running to the teacher, children are taught to get the peace rose and talk about their feelings.  "Susie" holds the rose in her hand, meaning it is her turn to talk, then hands the rose to "Billy" so he can have his turn to talk, uninterrupted.  Most of the time holding the rose for one round is all it takes for the child to feel that their side has been heard, then they each place a hand on the rose and say "friends".  Quite often we see hugs or hand shaking at the end of  this display and the children return to their works. 

 

 

 

 

Every classroom has a beautiful silk rose in a special place so the children know where to go when they have a dispute to settle, and the beauty of the rose is one of the attractions to this work.  The more that children are allowed to settle disputes on their own, using words, the more freedom we are giving them to grow up in their world.

Submitted by: Cindy Shelley

Buenos Dias!

Greetings

triste                                                               feliz

We read this book with Senora Aida

Counting

Colors

  

Discussion Recap

Thank you to all of the parents that attended the first “Parent Coffee & Discussion” of the 2012-2013 school year on Friday, October 5.  We had a wonderful discussion on Children at Play: Toys, Games, and Imaginative Play.  We were able to see some toy samples as well as discuss alternate holiday and birthday gift ideas for young children.  Exchanging stories of our children and how they pretend play was also very interesting. 

 

I hope you can join us next month on November 2, for a discussion/introduction of Montessori in the Home. –Julie Gabrielse, Director of Early Childhood.

 

For Small Hands Cataloges will be sent home soon.

 

Soccer Shots Week #2

Piano Offered to All-Day Kindergarten Students

Beginning October 3^rd, the all-day kindergarten students in rooms 3 and 5 will participate in piano lessons as part of TMA’s curriculum. 

Mark Priest, certified Suzuki Instructor with the Suzuki School of Music, will be working with the students on the basics of keyboard and music theory in an interactive way.

Dear Mom & Dad,

I need to tell you some stuff about what I want to wear to school. I know you want me to look cute and adorable, (which I do--no matter what I wear) but I really want to be able to paint in the classroom and play on the playground without worrying about getting dirty and ruining any special clothes. All I want is to be comfortable and able to put on and take off my things without any help, especially when I need to go to the bathroom or when I need to put my coat on to go outside.

Which reminds me, winter will be here soon, and my class will be going outside every day as long as the wind chill temperature is 20 degrees. That means I will need to have my outside winter clothes with me every day...even when it snows!

Here is a list of things I will need:

winter coat

snowpants

hat

waterproof mittens

waterproof boots

 

 

Please remember all 5 of these items or else I will have to stand on the sidewalk watching all my friends play and sled without me. That would make me very sad.

Thanks Mom and Dad for all your help! Love you!