This third month of enrichment classes has certainly built on the previous two months, and it can be seen in ever facet of the students’ work! The skills the students have learned from the beginning of the year are thoroughly concreted and they are building connections to much bigger ideas and goals. Let’s take a look inside the enrichment classrooms for this month.
In Art, students worked with water colored pencils to explore shades, tints, and value scales. Unlike water color paints, students confidently colored their canvas with these pencils, then brushed on water to thin the colors, move them around, and blend them. Watching colors blend to create new colors is always an exciting experience for the students. This approach was used for three different works of art this month; a hand drawing which accentuated warm and cool colors, an experimental painting of an ice cream cone using different saturations of a single color, and a psuedo-stained glass window that concentrated on blending colors with contrasting edges. Students also added definitions and examples to their tri-fold art booklets under value scales and tints. Through these exercises, students realized and came to fully appreciate the process of changing the tint and shade of a color, as well as how these ideas fit into their everyday life.
In Latin, students have been focusing on their studies of Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Poseidon, Aphrodite and other gods and goddess. Students have been doing independent literature based research on these gods or goddesses of choice. Within this research, students are discovering what role each god or goddess played in society, what elements of daily life they were likened to, and any connections or influences they have on modern English vocabulary. The students also took time out to draft hypothetical Christmas cards from their god or goddess of choice; pictured, “Have a smooth sailing Christmas- Poseidon.” This research has been escalated from the direct instruction of the previous months to a interest based approach that truly internalizes this information in the learner. By making these connections to their everyday lives, students are not only finding the value in Latin history, but also gaining research experience, widening their understanding of the foundation of English language, and solidifying their conceptualization of social normalities of the past.
In Music, students have been working diligently on their handbell skills and technique in preparation for the Christmas Program. Students have been practicing identifying which bell is associated with which note, reading music, and a plethora of traditional holiday songs, both with the handbells and singing. Within the Montessori method, there is a built-in emphasis on students’ ability to learn about music and express themselves through music. The physical action of listening to and playing music speaks to students of all ages. Students began by listening and observing the teacher play the music with the handbells as she modeled how to handle the bells and the correct way to play them. This is followed by the routine and reinforcement of Music class where they work toward success and enjoyment. The final step includes sharing what they have practiced for others, both in the classroom for their peers, and on the stage for a formal concert. This cycle is holistic in that students learn from their environment, work toward a goal set by themselves, and present their works to others.
This month definitely built on the previous months in all Enrichment Classes. Students have been drawing from their solidified skills and have created works that are thoughtful, intentional, and skillful. We can’t wait to explore what the next month’s journey in Art, Latin, and Music.
