A Peek into Elementary Enrichments | October 2018

Written by

Elementary Enrichments are in full swing now that October is nearing its end.The students are enjoying learning the hand bells in music class, trying new games in gym, and being intoduced to creative art techniques. Latin began the 15th and the students are fascinated by it! Mr. Matt will be with us on Monday mornings to work with small groups of students on Latin history, vocabulary, and language skills.

Lower Elementary just completed their pumpkin paintings. They learned how to shade using darker colors to create a three-dimensional look. They also learned about shadows and how to use them to add dimension in the artwork. They are continuing to learn how to shade and create light with their pumpkin still life projects in watercolor.

Upper Elementary just completed their projects studying Modern Abstract Artists, Mondrian and Kandinsky. They were allowed to choose which artist they wanted to reference and create their own design reflecting the artist’s style but with their own twist of imagination. Their artwork is impressive! Check out the hallway at the front of the building to see their designs!

           

Above: Ms. Kathleen providing background information about the painters.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

The first two weeks of Latin lessons were successful. The students learned how to translate basic phrases from Latin to English and from English into Latin.  If you spend a lot of time watching American sitcoms and studying your English slang. If you are a non-native speaker and come across these words, you may take them all literally. Slang words spotlight the cultural experience of a generation.

Below are a few examples of words and phrases they have been learning over the past two weeks. Ask them about their lessons to hear what they have been learning!

Translate from English to Latin:

The boy is good.

The dog is big.

Translate from Latin to English: 

Puella-

Familia-

Puer-

Another fun way for our students to explore their creative sides is in music class with Ms. Lisa.

This month, the Elementary students are learning to read notes from the treble clef. They are using this knowledge as well as rhythmic studies to learn to play Christmas songs on the bells. They are also working on proper singing and breathing and using these skills to enjoy singing Christmas songs. We hope to share some of these songs with parents and other guests at the Christmas show. Can you believe we are already thinking about Christmas??!! It is right around the corner! All of these skills, especially playing the bells require great concentration and self control. We have also learned that singing properly requires more concentration than some might think. All of our students are working so hard!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

       

Above: These first graders are learning to play Christmas inspired songs. Tis the season!

Friday mornings are always a blast for the students. Our gym teacher, Mr. Warner, keeps them entertained with all kinds of fun games and activities. Some of their favorites are hockey, scooter dodgeball, kickball, and capture the flag. The students stretch before every class and we make sure to send them with water to keep them hydrated.

We are so thankful for our Enrichment instructors at Absorbent Minds. Our students are learning many skills that will help them focus, collaborate with their peers, and relieve any frustrations they feel throughout their day. Most importantly, they are having fun!!!

Check back next month for another Elementary Enrichment update.

A Peek at Our Week | Elementary | Week of October 22

Written by

“Let the teacher not lose sight of the fact that the goal sought is not an immediate one, but rather to make the spiritual being which she is educating capable of finding his way by himself.” -Maria Montessori

This week was full of exciting lessons and events. We completed lessons with taste tests, challenging math works, and continued our exploration of the history of Earth. We were thrilled to perform “Caps for Sale” for our families and all the Primary Classrooms. We decorated for the Halloween party, prepared the food, and played games together. Putting on all student performances and planning student only parties, gives children the opportunity to learn how to work and collaborate with others. This also gives them real life experience about what happens when a team or group doesn’t work well together or communicate! Thank you to all the parents that helped us sew and that provided the materials we needed for our Halloween party!

This student is practicing forming and reading decimal numbers into the millionths. After mastery of forming and reading decimals, she will add, subtract, multiply, and divide them using our materials. The Montessori Decimal Material allows students to physically build and manipulate decimal numbers to understand their relationship to whole numbers.
This week we discussed the Clock of Eras. This material is another representation of the Timeline of Life. It shows students different eras of the Earth’s existence broken down into a 12 hour clock. We discussed different changes in each era and the etymology of the era names. Students are recreating the clock for their follow-up work.
These fourth year students are using our blank timeline to recreate the Timeline of Life. This blank timeline is used throughout the Upper Elementary curriculum and can be adapted to measure any length of time. These students calculated where to place labels for each era from 4.5 billion years ago until now!
The first year students had a lesson about nutrition. They discussed which foods are healthy and how often to eat all their favorite foods. While they discussed nutrition, they sampled different foods from each food group. Here, they are sampling grapefruit! This student was not impressed!
When we start a new short story in our “Rocket Rollers” Reading Group, I read the story first and we talk about unknown vocabulary or different spelling rules they will see in the story. This second year student heard we were beginning a new story and asked to lead reading group! He read “Jack and the Beanstalk” to these first graders and discussed the story with them!
We had such a blast preparing for and performing “Caps for Sale.” Each student had a chance to use the sewing machine to make their own cap! So many students had their very first sewing machine experience this week! They were so proud and had a lot of fun. Thank you to our parent volunteers that helped make this possible!

“A Peek at Next Week”

Next week our blog will be written by two students! You can look for a student written blog at the end of each month! Our first year students will be creating a noun family chart, will continue their study of the constructive triangles, and will complete their continent study of North America. Our second year students will discuss the four types of sentences (exclamatory, interrogative, imperative, and declarative), will review the Detective Triangle Game, and will finish their research of a country in North America. Our third year students will learn to measure in grams and milliliters, will discuss adjective suffixes, and will begin studying equivalence with our metal insets. Our fourth year students will change mixed fractions to improper fractions and improper fractions to mixed fractions, will review homonyms and indirect objects, and will discuss the creation of the universe. Fifth year students with begin plotting points on a graph, will review homonyms, and will study adverbials. Upper Elementary students will also take their first note taking quiz which will show them if they are taking notes effectively or not. This will give students an opportunity to learn which information is vital at lessons and prepares them for middle school and beyond! All students will begin typing lessons next week!

REMINDERS:

  • Book Fair next week!
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences – Friday, November 16 – No School Day for students. I will send out a sign-up genius for conferences in next week’s blog!

Taekwondo class wrap up.

Written by

Today the first group of Master Barnick’s TaoKwondo class took their belt tests and all students who completed their testing moved up to the next belt level! Congratulations martial artists!

Martial arts helps students learn how to listen and follow directions, have respect for adults/teachers, learn discipline and patience as well as engage in physical activity.

Want to get your kids involved in more after-school activities? Martial arts Boston academy are a great way for kids to burn energy, learn new skills and learn self-discipline and defense.

Check out some pictures below from the first six weeks!

Ryan breaking a board.

Hiyah!

Finn testing for his white belt with a yellow stripe.

A Peek at Our Week | Ms. Courtney’s Classroom | Week of October 15th

Written by

This week we learned all about pumpkins and the different parts like: flesh, pulp, stem, seeds and rind. The children were able to explore the inside of a pumpkin  by digging out the insides and touching the seeds and pulp. The children also created a venn diagram of apples and pumpkins.

Work Time

Cursive: This student worked really hard to successfully write the first two letters of her name on the chalkboard.
Addition: This child is using the golden beads to discover that when you put two small numbers together you get a larger number and that this process is called addition.
Composing Quantities: This child is practicing the sequence of numbers in the decimal system units, tens, hundreds, and thousands and recognizing what different quantities look like.
Pyramid Puzzle: This child is matching the different colors together in order to create the pyramid shape. This puzzle involves not only the ability to concentrate but the ability problem solve.
Spindle Box: This child is matching the correct quantity of spindles to each numeral symbol. He is also being introduced to the concept of zero and what its symbol looks like, while also seeing the natural sequence of the numerals.

Bring Your Parent to Work Time

Reminders:

October 26 | Halloween Party

October 30 – November 2 | Book Fair Week

November 16 | Parent / Teacher Conferences | NO SCHOOL for Students

A peak into next week: Bats

Academic Enrichment | Week of October 15th | Tallmadge

Written by

The children learned the characteristics and parts of trees, flowers, leaves, insects and arachnids  by using and working with the puzzles and control charts in the classroom.

Cursive Handwriting: The students learned and practiced the correct stokes to successfully make a lowercase a and lowercase d. To make a lowercase a they learned to curve up to the midline, roll back around to the baseline, swing up to the midline and down to the baseline. To make a lowercase d they learned to curve up to the midline, roll back around to the baseline, swing tall to the top line and slide down to the baseline.

A peak into next week: Introduction to 9 Tray/ 45 layout/composing numbers using the golden beads

Peek In Our Week | Mr. John’s Class | Week Of October 29, 2018

Written by

Line Time:
Birds-  We ended our journey of studying animals with the bird.  We learned birds are vertebrates and are warm-blooded, which means that they can make their own body heat even when it is cold outside. Whether it is sunny and hot outside or there is a snowstorm and it is very cold, warm-blooded animals have body temperatures that usually stay the same.  They are born from hard shelled eggs and have feathers.  A lot of birds fly but some do not.  The flightless birds are the ostrich and penguin.  We are not sure if chickens fly. 

 

I thought I saw a Pooty Cat!

 

Cultural Subjects:
Your children can now count to ten in 10 languages (English, Latin, Sign Language, Spanish, German, French, Japanese, Greek, Arabic with the Lebanese Dialect, Italian, Russian, and Romanian)

Peek In Our Classroom:

     

 

    
Let me explain these 4 photos.  It is a sorting work with 5 “objects” that include blue rocks, large white glass discs, small white glass discs, small blue glass discs, and small green glass discs. He sorted all 5 objects with 5 cups.  I removed a cup and he sorted in 4 categories (blue rocks and blue glass discs, green glass discs, small white glass discs and large white glass discs). I removed another cup leaving 3 cups.  He figured out/sorted (blue rocks and blue glass discs, large white glass discs and small white glass discs, then green glass discs). Removing one more cup leaving two cups he sorted rocks and glass discs.  This is problem solving at its finest.   Phhheeeew, that was a lot.  I wonder if there are different ways we can sort?

 

This student was featured in last week’s blog practicing handwriting. Here she is a week later working on handwriting. This student is in what Maria Montessori called a Sensitive Period. Montessori sensitive periods refer to a period of time when a child’s interests are focused on developing a particular skill or knowledge area. These periods come and go. When one window of opportunity closes another opens.

 

Practical Life activities provide skills that children and adults encounter in everyday life. This child is mastering hanging is coat on a hanger.

 

This child is working on the Sandpaper Letters found in the Language Area. The aim for the Sandpaper Letters is to learn the sound and shape of the letters of the alphabet. To gain a muscular memory of the shape of the letters as a prelude to writing. She is remembering the letters by touch, sight, and sound.

 

Next Week:
Line Time- Insects/Arachnids/Invertebrates

Letter Of The Week- K k

Rhyming Word Of The Week- ox

Next Language will be Swedish

Snack will be brought to you by Ryan

 

Upcoming Events:
11/15/2018 Thursday— Operation Christmas Child Packing 

11/16/2018 Friday—  Parent Teacher Conferences   <<<  NO SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN  >>> 

Follow the link

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B48A8A92DA6F94-2018

11/20/2018 Tuesday—  Harvest Party

^^^^^  Still time to observe my classroom  ^^^^^

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090b48a8a92da6f94-mrjohns5

 

Lunch Bunch

 

How many laughs do you think this produced?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take A Peek Into Our Week/ Ms. Kate/October 19, 2018

Written by

What a fantastic week we had!! Our theme was all about fall! We had fun learning about the four seasons, acorns, leaves, what our favorite things to do in fall, chlorophyll, and more! Your kiddos had a blast with different types of crafts, songs, and graphing activities!

I absolutely love having a pet in our classroom. Here are just a few benefits of why having a classroom pet is such a great idea. Pets provides new ways to learn, they encourage a nurturing attitude, it builds self esteem,and it teaches responsibility .
This week Ms. Ame and I introduced how to make silence in our classroom. When making silence the children will develop concentration, precision, as well as social awareness, as they wait for a turn , without disturbing the classmate who is working. They learn to speak softly in response to the teachers quiet voice, and to stop moving and listen when our bell is rung or the lights are turned off. The children did exceptionally well with it!!
The sand tray helps promote writing success! It’s purpose is to help a child learn how to trace letters and numbers on their own, while allowing for the same tactile and sensorial experience as the sandpaper letters and numerals.  
This week this cutie and I worked on object box number one with each other. This work teaches them that there is another way to communicate, helps them realize that a written word is a group of sounds represented by graphic signs and has a meaning. It is also an introduction to reading.  

REMINDERS:

Our Halloween party is this Friday! If you signed up to bring anything in, you can start bringing it in now!

Book share is Friday! Please bring in any spooky books to share!

A Peek at Our Week | Elementary | Week of October 15

Written by

“It is our choices that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” – Albus Dumbledore (J.K. Rowling)

As we have discussed in conferences, Parent Education Nights, and in our blog, the Elementary aged child is in a new stage of development where social connections are extremely important. When a child is just beginning to navigate these waters of what is fair or unfair, right or wrong, socially acceptable or not, there are plenty of times when they make the wrong decision and need guided through the proper way to handle situations.

This week in our classroom we discussed “The Four Agreements.” These are four standards we have all agreed to hold ourselves to in the Elementary classroom to help us be kind, caring, and productive members of our classroom and of society. We discussed what each agreement means and that we would continue to practice them together every day. Please take some time this weekend to discuss them with your child!

The Four Agreements:

  1. Mutual Respect – We recognize and appreciate our differences and similarities. We consider and honor all values, beliefs, and needs of others. We respect individual skills, talents, and contributions. We offer feedback to each other that encourages growth.
  2. Attentive Listening – We pay close attention to others and let them know they have been heard. We maintain eye contact, withhold our own comments, and paraphrase key words to show we’ve been listening. We listen with our ears, eyes, and our hearts.
  3. Appreciation/No Put Downs – We show kindness and respect. We avoid negativity, name calling, and hateful gestures or behaviors. We treat each other kindly. We state appreciation for all individuals.
  4. Right to Pass – We have the right to share or pass while still participating. Choosing the right to pass means that the person prefers not to share personal information or feelings or to actively participate in the group at a particular moment. Being a silent observer is still a form of participation and can lead to greater learning.

This week we had our first “Bring Your Parents to ‘Work Time’!” Take a peek below at the fun we had!

Ms. Kelley is giving a handwriting lesson to these students and two of our parent visitors! In our classroom, we use a handwriting approach that appeals to all learning styles. Throughout each lesson we air trace each letter with our arms, trace over Ms. Kelley’s example, and write our own examples, all while repeating key phrases to help us remember the proper formation of the cursive letters!
This fourth grade student and his dad are writing and reading Chinese words together. This student asked for a list of beginning Chinese symbols and pronunciations. They wrote sentences together and listened to examples with Ms. Marlee!
This student and his mom are helping create our Halloween decorations for our party next week! They made different pumpkins and creations to make our room spooky for the party!
This first grader and his dad are working together to learn about Stellar Evolution. They drew examples and discussed what each stage was!
This student and her dad are working on her “Word of the Week.” Each week, Upper Elementary students choose a word that they think no one else will know. Next, they design a poster that illustrates their word, without giving away the definition – like a movie poster. On Monday, during Community Meeting, these students perform a skit to show what their word means. At the end of each skit, the Lower Elementary students guess what the word may mean. The Upper Elementary students share their definition and part of speech at the end.
This third grader and his mom worked on multiplication equations and came to an equivalence lesson during their time together. Later, she was able to see the work this third grader did with making molecular compounds!

Thank you to all of our parents that were able to make it! Your students really love showing you what they do each day and we love having you!

A Peek at Next Week

Next week, we will have our two “Caps for Sale” performances. Make sure you check your email for the details!

Lower Elementary students will study adjectives, constructive triangles, nutrition, and weather. Upper Elementary students will discuss decimals, greatest common factors, etymologies of words, the adverb, and the structure of the Earth!

REMINDERS:

  • “Caps for Sale” Parent Performance – Wednesday, October 24, at 8:30 in the gym.
  • “Caps for Sale” Cuyahoga Falls Student Performance – Friday, October 26. Drop off at 8:15
  • Halloween Party – STUDENTS ONLY – Friday, October 26 – Afternoon

A Peek Into Reading Group

Written by

With Ms. Faith

The last story we read in Reading Group was called Jamaica’s Blue Marker. In the story a little girl, Jamaica has to share her blue marker with a little boy, Russell even though she doesnt want to. The boy scribbles on her work after getting mad at her. The class ends up finding out he is moving, so they throw a good bye party. Jamaica doesn’t end making a card for him, and then feels bad about it, so she ends up giving him the blue marker he had borrowed.

Throughout the story, we discussed what we wondered about, what Jamaica was thinking when she gives Russell her blue marker, and how they would feel about giving away their blue marker if they were Jamaica.

 A chart we created for when we share in discussion.

 

The kindergartners are writing about whether they would be happy or sad about giving away their blue marker if they were Jamaica.

A Peek Into Next Week

– The students will be reading a poem about a cat who has no home.

– The students will learn about the speaker of a poem and what stanzas are in a poem.

-The students will learn the vocabulary words: silky, dainty, and elegant.

Continue reading…

Academic Enrichment | Week of October 8th | Tallmadge

Written by

Parts of Animals: The children learned the characteristics and body parts of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish by using and working with the animal puzzle and control charts in the classroom.

Cursive Handwriting: The students reviewed and practiced the correct stokes to successfully make a lowercase r, lowercase w, lowercase j, lowercase p, lowercase i, lowercase t, lowercase u and lowercase s. For the lowercase r they were taught to swing up to the midline, dip and then down to the baseline.  For the lowercase w they were taught to swing up to the midline, down to the baseline, swing up to the midline, down to the baseline, swing up to the midline, dip connector at the midline.For the lowercase j they were taught to swing up to the midline, drop down halfway below the baseline, swoop, and pick up the pencil then dot. For the lowercase p they were taught to swing up to the midline, drop down halfway below the baseline, slide up to the midline, circle around to the baseline, touch and glide. For the lowercase i they were taught to swing up to the midline, down to the baseline,
pick up the pencil, dot. For the lowercase t they were taught swing tall to halfway between the midline and the top
line, down to the baseline, pick up the pencil, cross at the midline. For the lowercase u they were taught swing up to the midline, down to the baseline, swing up to the midline, down to the baseline. For the lowercase s they were taught swing up to the midline, scoop around, touch, glide.

A peak into next week: Parts of Plants