November 2014 Monthly Overview | Tallmadge Campus

Written by

Our Academic Enrichment time is daily from 12:00-1:00pm.  This time is specifically designed for our Kindergarten students to join together as a group to work and progress through the advanced materials and lessons in the Montessori primary curriculum. Throughout the school day in their classroom they are still working individually with their classroom teacher on these and other materials at their level.

11/3: Telling Time to the minute

  • Review previous lessons on telling time
  • Introduction to the minute
  • Flashcards, Clock & Worksheets

11/10: Currency/ Coins

  • Introduction to coins (pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters)
  • Identifying coins and amounts
  • Working with coins and worksheets

11/17: Currency/ Coins

  • Introduction to dollar bills
  • Identifying dollar bills
  • Working with money and worksheets

11/24: Parts of Animals

  • Parts of the mammal, reptile, amphibian,
  • Parts of the bird and fish
  • Working with the animal puzzle and control chart

Synonyms of the week

11/3: OLD, ancient, elderly, used, seasoned, mature
11/10: BIG, vast, gigantic, huge, large, enormous, colossal
11/17: SMALL, tiny, miniature, minute, little, petite

 

Things to do at home this month to reinforce our themes:

  • Look for our words of the week when reading a story, cut out pictures beginning with the letters of the week.
  • Play “I Spy” with items beginning with the letter of the week, or find things around your home that begin with the letter of the week.
  • Practice telling time on the clock at home. When you sit down to dinner, ask them to tell you what time it is, when they go to bed, have them check the clock. Have fun with Time!
  • Practice exchanging money with your child. When you go to the store, have them help you pay!

Ms. Kate’s November 2014 Monthly Overview

Written by

Themes of the Week

(in addition to Montessori Work time)

11/03: Weather

  • Clouds (cumulus, cumulonimbus and cirrus) and sky watching
  • Different types of weather. How snow is formed, precipitation, thunderstorms and wind
  • Tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and blizzards
  • Rainbows, ROYGBIV

Afternoon lesson:  Various weather crafts, reinforcing the letter “j” and the calendar

11/10: Being Healthy

  •  Monday 11/11 NO SCHOOL | Teacher In Service Day (Parent/Teacher Conferences All Day 8am‐7pm)
  •  How can we keep healthy, what foods can we eat
  •  Food groups, Healthy habits and exercise
  •  What are germs, how are they spread?

Afternoon lesson: Healthy crafts and games, healthy choice snacks, reiterating the letter “k” and calendar

11/17: All About Dinosaurs

  •  Different types of Dinosaurs
  •  Herbivores, Omnivores, Carnivores
  •  Fossils
  •  Extinction

Afternoon lesson: Different dinosaurs crafts, types of dinosaurs, dinosaur movement songs, reinforcing the letter “L” and calendar.

11/24: History of Thanksgiving

  •  Mayflower, Pilgrims
  •  Native Americans and Squanto
  •  What are we thankful for
  •  Thanksgiving Feast 11/26 (11:00‐12:00pm) 12:00pm Early Dismissal (No Aftercare)
  •  Thursday/Friday NO SCHOOL—Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holiday!

Afternoon lesson:  Thanksgiving crafts and songs, reinforcing the letter “M” and calendar.

Letters of the Week: Try to find objects that begin with each letter wherever you go with your child.

11/03: Jj
11/10: Kk
11/17: Ll
11/24: Mm

Sight Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.

11/03: green
11/10: brown
11/17: white
11/24: yellow

Things to do at Home this Month to reinforce our themes:

  •  While reading a book have your child point to all of the letter of the week she/he can find. Have them do this with the sight words as well. Play I‐Spy using things that only start with the letter of the week/ sight words.
  •  Record the weather daily (make it into a weather journal). Create a weather collage out of magazines. Have your child cut out clothing and objects/toys they would wear or use for the different types of weather.
  •  Have your child help you with your grocery list. Cook dinner together!
  •  Make a book about all of the things you and your family are thankful for. Share your book with your family on Thanksgiving Day.
  •  Explore your neighborhood. See if you can find any fossil plant prints on rocks in your yard or neighborhood.

Ms. Kristen’s November 2014 Monthly Overview

Written by

Themes of the Week
(in addition to Montessori Work time)

11/03:     Family

  • Learning ASL family signs.
  • Sharing our Family Tree projects.
  • Members of our family, family traditions and celebrations.
  • Discuss how pets are also part of our families.

11/11:    Turkey

  • Learning the parts of the Turkey
  • Singing songs about Turkeys
  • Discuss how the Turkey is a bird, based on the characteristics of birds.
  • Discuss why we eat Turkey on Thanksgiving.
  • Turkey Crafts and Songs

11/17:    Pilgrims and Native Americans

  • Who were the Pilgrims? Who were the Native Americans?
  • Learning about Pilgrim life.
  • Learning about how the Native Americans helped the Pilgrims.
  • Working on our costumes for the Thanksgiving
  • Working on our center pieces for the Thanksgiving Feast..

11/24:    All About Thanksgiving

  • Discussing the foods we eat at Thanksgiving.
  • Discussing what it means to be thankful.
  • Finish preparing our costumes for the the Thanksgiving Feast.
  • Finish preparing our centerpieces for the Thanksgiving Feast.
  • Singing songs about Thanksgiving 

Letters of the Week: Try to find objects that begin with each letter wherever you go with your child.

11/03: Jj
11/11: Ee
11/17:Hh
11/24: Nn

 Sight Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.

11/03: Jig
11/11: Egg
10/17: Hop
11/24: No

 Things to do at Home this Month to reinforce our themes:

  • I encourage you to include your child in the preparation of one of the dishes for your Thanksgiving meal. Look up a new recipe and include them in measuring, backing, serving, etc.
  • Discuss with your child their favorite family tradition or celebration.
  • Include your child in everyday household chores, activities, and errands. Montessori believed that in order for the child to best adapt themselves to their environment, they need to go out and participate in everyday activities in the world around them.
  • Discuss with the child what they learned about the first Thanksgiving. Ask them about the foods they learned were served at the first Thanksgiving, and make a comparison to what is on your Thanksgiving table.

Ms. Courtney’s November Monthly Overview

Written by

Themes of the Week
(in addition to Montessori Work time)

11/3: Body Parts

  • The children will be able to identify specific body parts (Heads, Shoulders, Knees & Toes).
  • The children will start to develop body awareness.

11/10: Food Groups/Nutrition

  • The children will become aware of five food groups (dairy, protein, vegetables, fruits, and grains).
  • Categorizing different foods from each food group.
  • The children are informed that eating different foods from each food group will help them grow, think, and have energy to play.
  • Learning how to recognize different foods from each group.
  • The children will sample a variety of healthy foods.

11/17: Indians/Pilgrims

  • The children will learn about the tools Pilgrims used long ago.
  • The children will learn that life was difficult for the Pilgrims in America and that everyone, including the children, had to work hard.
  • The children will learn where the Pilgrims left and where they were headed in America.
  • The children will be reading and learning about the very first Thanksgiving.

11/24: What I am thankful for

  • The children will learn the meaning of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for families, friends and special things in times we share.
  • The children will learn doing things for others is important, and makes us feel good inside.
  • The children will learn that we can show thankfulness all the time, not only during holidays.
  • The children will learn there are many ways to share.

Letters of the week

11/3: Ii
11/10: Jj
11/17: Kk
11/24: Ll

Things to do at home this month to reinforce our themes:

  • Perform a simple cleanup task for a needy neighbor. It might be as simple as raking leaves from a yard or driveway, or tidying a porch or garage.
  • Make Thanksgiving dinner together.
  • Make a weekly menu together to place on the refrigerator that is balanced according to the food pyramid.
  • Read labels of food together.
  • Let your child pack their lunch.
  • Do the hokey pokey together.

October 2014 Monthly Overview | Tallmadge Campus

Written by

Our Academic Enrichment time is daily from 12:00-1:00pm.  This time is specifically designed for our Kindergarten students to join together as a group to work and progress through the advanced materials and lessons in the Montessori primary curriculum. Throughout the school day in their classroom they are still working individually with their classroom teacher on these and other materials at their level.

 9/29: Biggest (Solar System) to Smallest (your home)

  • Review hemispheres
  • Introduction to solar system and planets
  • Our continent, our country, state and county
  • City, street, address and phone numbers

10/6: Landforms

  • Island/Lake, Isthmus/Straight
  • Bay/Cape, Peninsula/Gulf
  • Archipelago/Chain of Lakes
  • Use of landform cards, and water trays

10/13: Telling Time

  • Parts of the clock
  • Telling time to the hour
  • Telling time to the half hour
  • Flashcards, Clock & Worksheets

10/20: Telling Time

  • Telling time to the quarter hour (quarter past/ quarter till)
  • Flashcards, Clock & Worksheets

10/27: Telling Time

  • Review telling time to the hour, half and quarter hours
  • Telling time to the minute
  • Flashcards, Clock & Worksheets

Letters of the week
9/29: Dd
10/6: Ee
10/13: Ff
10/20: Gg
10/27: Hh

Synonyms of the week
9/29: ACTIVE, lively, energetic, dynamic, vigorous, hasty
10/6: CALM, peaceful, quiet, inactive, serene, slow
10/13: HOT, burning, scorching, blazing, boiling, sizzling
10/20: COLD, freezing, chilly, frigid, frozen, cool
10/27: NEW, novel, fresh, original, unique, current, unused

 

Things to do at home this month to reinforce our themes:

  • Practice telling time on the clock at home. When you sit down to dinner, ask them to tell you what time it is, when they go to bed, have them check the clock. Have fun with Time!

October 2014 Monthly Overview | Cuyahoga Falls Campus

Written by

Our Academic Enrichment time is daily from 12:00-1:00pm.  This time is specifically designed for our Kindergarten students to join together as a group to work and progress through the advanced materials and lessons in the Montessori primary curriculum. Throughout the school day in their classroom they are still working individually with their classroom teacher on these and other materials at their level.

09/29:      Biggest (Solar System) to Smallest (your home)

  • Review hemispheres
  • Introduction to solar system and planets
  • Our continent, our country, state and county
  • City, street, address and phone numbers

10/06: Landforms

  • Island/Lake, Isthmus/Straight
  • Bay/Cape, Peninsula/Gulf
  • Archipelago/Chain of Lakes
  • Use of landform cards, and water trays

10/13: Telling Time

  • Parts of the clock
  • Telling time to the hour
  • Telling time to the half hour
  • Flashcards, Clock & Worksheets

10/20: Telling Time

  • Telling time to the quarter hour (quarter past/ quarter till)
  • Flashcards, Clock & Worksheets

10/27: Telling Time

  • Review telling time to the hour, half and quarter hours
  • Telling time to the minute
  • Flashcards, Clock & Worksheets

Sight Words of the Week:
09/29: from he
10/06: you his
10/13: for with
10/20: she were
10/27: use your

Synonyms of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.
09/29: ACTIVE, lively, energetic, dynamic, vigorous, hasty
10/06: CALM, peaceful, quiet, inactive, serene, slow
10/13: HOT, burning, scorching, blazing, boiling, sizzling
10/20: COLD, freezing, chilly, frigid, frozen, cool
10/27: NEW, novel, fresh, original, unique, current, unused

 

Things to do at Home this Month:

  • Practice telling time on the clock at home. When you sit down to dinner, ask them to tell you what time it is, when they go to bed, have them check the clock.  Have fun with Time!

Mr. John will be sending homework home to reinforce these lessons. Please turn homework into the orange box outside of Mr. John’s classroom.  Please email him if you have any questions: jkotradi@thesmarterkids.com.

 

October 2014 Monthly Overview

Written by

Themes of the Week
(in addition to Montessori Work time)

9/29: Five Senses

  • The students will learn about their five senses and their parts of the body that correspond to each sense.

10/6: Leaves

  • The students observe the differences in leaf shape.
  • The students observe the different fall colors and the fun we can have with leaves.
  • The students sort a variety of fall objects.
  • The students learn different textures and identify them.

10/13: Apples

  • The students will describe an apple using all of their senses.
  • The students will discuss the shapes apples come in.
  • The students will taste test red, green, and yellow apples.
  • The students will explore the inside of an apple.

10/20: Pumpkins

  • The students will identify feeling words such as happy, sad, scared, etc.
  • The students will guess and count how many seeds are in a pumpkin.
  • The students will practice measuring to make a treat.
  • The students will practice team work.

10/27: Bats

  • The students will learn about the life cycle of a bat.
  • The students will research facts about bats.
  • Halloween party (Friday, October 31st)

Letters of the week
9/29: Dd
10/6: Ee
10/13: Ff
10/20: Gg
10/27: Hh

Things to do at home this month to reinforce our themes:

  • Have students describe things at home using their senses.
  • Go on a family walk to see how many different kinds of leaves you can find together.
  • Take a trip to an apple orchard.
  • Make homemade applesauce from your child’s favorite apple.
  • Bake pumpkin seeds.
  • Take a trip to a pumpkin patch.
  • Research other nocturnal animals.

October 2014 Monthly Overview

Written by

Themes of the Week
(in addition to Montessori Work time)

09/29:    Down On The Farm

  • Learning ASL farm animal signs
  • Learning what animals live on a farm
  • Life cycle of the chicken
  • Making butter, learning about other foods made from milk
  • Sink or float experiment with eggs

10/6:      Healthy Eating

  • Learning about the food pyramid
  • Learning about foods that are beneficial for our bodies and what is “junk food”
  • Learning the difference between fruits and vegetables
  • Making a healthy snack as a class
  • Singing songs that reinforce healthy food choices

10/13:    All About Spiders

  • Learning the parts of the spider
  • Stories about spiders-”The Very Busy Spider” by Eric Carl, and we’ll begin reading “Charlotte’s Web
  • Discuss the ways spiders are helpful
  • Discussing the difference between arachnids and insects
  • Learn about the spider life cycle

10/20:    All About Bats

  • Learning the parts of the bat
  • Reading “Stellaluna”
  • Learning about echolocation, and how it helps certain species of bats see
  • Ven Diagram comparing bats to birds
  • Making a “bat cave”

10/27      All About Pumpkins/Halloween

  • Discuss how pumpkins grow and the pumpkin life cycle
  • Discuss what we can make with pumpkins
  • Decorating our own white pumpkin in class using crayons
  • Taste testing pumpkin pie
  • Singing songs about Halloween and Pumpkins
  • Halloween Party Friday, October 31st! 

Letters of the Week: Try to find objects that begin with each letter wherever you go with your child.
9/29: Pp
10/6: Yy
10/13:Ss
10/20: Ii
10/27: ie

Sight Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.
9/29: Pig
10/6: Yes
10/13: Sit
10/20: It
10/27: Pie

Things to do at Home this Month to reinforce our themes:

  • Plan a healthy meal as a family. Include your child in the preparation.
  • Ask your child to show you some of the ASL signs they’ve learned for farm animals.
  • While reading to your child, point out the sight words they are learning this month.
  • Pick out a pumpkin together with your child. Discuss with them what they have learned about how pumpkins grow, what foods we can make with pumpkin, etc.

October 2014 Monthly Overview

Written by

Themes of the Week
(in addition to Montessori Work time)

09/29: All About Apples

  • Johnny Appleseed
  • Life cycle of an apple
  • Apple graphing, apple tasting and cooking with apples

Preschool lesson (afternoon) We will be reviewing the letter “Ee” and will learn the ASL sign for “E.”  Students will be making different apple crafts.

10/06: On The Farm

  • Jobs found on the farm
  • Animals found on the farm, categorizing animals into groups
  • Food from the farm
  • Machinery found on the farm

Preschool lesson (afternoon) We will be reviewing the letter “Ff” and will learn the ASL sign for “F.” Student will be making different farm crafts and learning about farm animals.

10/13: All About the Fall

  • Four seasons
  • Leaves and chlorophyll, leaf graphing
  • Nature walk
  • Acorns and squirrels
  • History of the scarecrow

Preschool lesson (afternoon)  We will be reviewing the letter “Gf” and will learn the ASL sign for “G.” Students will enjoy fun fall crafts. 

10/20: All About Pumpkins

  • Properties of a pumpkin
  • Life cycle of a pumpkin
  • Use our 5 senses to observe/communicate about pumpkins. Conduct a buoyancy experiment to discover whether a 
pumpkin will sink or float in water.

Preschool lesson (afternoon) We will be reviewing the letter “Hh” and will learn the ASL sign for “H.” Studets will be learning all about pumpkins and will enjoy making pumpkin crafts.

10/27: History of Halloween

  • History of Halloween
  • Halloween themed works, activities and lots of fun!
  • Halloween Party Friday, October 31st!

Preschool lesson (afternoon) We will be reviewing the letter “Ii” and will learn the ASL sign for “I.” Students will enjoy Halloween crafts, activities and will even write their own Halloween story.

Letters of the Week: Try to find objects that begin with each letter wherever you go with your child.
09/29: Ee
10/06: Ff
10/13: 
Gg
10/20: Hh
10/27: Ii

Sight Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.
09/29: And
10/06: He
10/13: She
10/20: Has
10/27: For

Things to do at Home this Month to reinforce our themes:

  • While reading a book have your child point to all of the letter of the week she/he can find. Have them do this with the sight words as well. Play I‐Spy using things that only start with the letter of the week/ sight words.
  • Go apple picking! Cut an apple in half and create apple prints. When you cut an apple, count together to see how many seeds there are. Every day you can create a new apple dish (applesauce, baked apple crisps, apple pie, etc.) Enjoy the Fall!
  • Make a collage from pictures in magazines of items you would find on a farm
  • Go on a “Fall Walk” together. Talk about what colors you see, the sounds you hear, and what the air smells like. Collect leaves 
and take them home for leaf rubbings. Go to a pumpkin patch and find a pumpkin together. Guess how many seeds are in‐ side your pumpkin. When you clean out the pumpkin count the seeds together.

Mr. John’s Corner – April 2014

Written by

Cuyahoga Falls School

The Continent Song, Che Che Kule, It’s a Small World.  Those songs are still ringing in my ears and I still find myself whistling these tunes.  As you know these were the songs sung at the International Festival.  Throughout the month we learned about all the continents and some of the individual countries within the continents.  The students had fun learning about the climates, foods, clothes, and differences of how children attend school.

1123I wanted to thank all of those who came in and talked about different countries.  This adds so much to International Festival month.  All the presentations are fun, informative, and the children learn a lot and teachers enjoy it.

It never ceases to amaze me how  much our students can learn in a short amount of time.  They did a fabulous job with their lines and performing the songs.  1094Not to mention how colorful the stage was with their costumes.  I cannot give enough thanks to the people who prepared the food!  I ended up in a food coma that night!



Kindergarten
In the kindergarten lesson we continued our work with grammar. We studied three articles, a, an, the.  We learned that “a” hooks up with consonants, an is very picky. “And” only hooks up with vowels and “the” is not picky at all and hooks up with anything! We know a pronoun replaces a noun.  We looked at the adjective which describes nouns and pronouns, the adverb which describes the verb and usually ends in “ly”, the conjunction which connects two sentences or thoughts and acts like a bridge and the three words we learned that do this are and, but, or.

Cultural Subjects

My line time and the kindergarten class count to ten in 27 different languages (English, Spanish, Sign Language, German, French, Greek, Italian, Romanian, Russian, Tagalog, Polish, Irish, Welsh, Hebrew, Arabic w/the Lebanese dialect, Japanese, Hungarian, Swedish, Swahili, Korean, Serbo-Croation, Hindi, Flemish/Dutch, Malay, Cebuano, Kiswahili and Hindi.)