October 2014 Monthly Overview

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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: 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.

October 2014 Monthly Overview

Written by

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

 
10/06:     Reptiles
  • Introduction to reptiles, examples of reptiles
  • All reptiles are cold blooded, vertebrates (spine),
  • All reptiles have scales, lay eggs with hard shell
 Preschool lesson (afternoon): We will be learning different pumpkin facts and enjoying pumpkin themed crafts and activities.
 
10/13: Amphibians
  • Introduction to amphibians, examples of amphibians
  • Amphibians are cold blooded, live on land and water
  • All amphibians have soft, moist skin and are vertebrates (spine)
 Preschool lesson (afternoon): We will be learning different tastes of fall and enjoying fall themed crafts and activities.
 
10/20: Fish
  • Introduction to fish, examples of fish
  • All fish are cold blooded, live in water, most have scales
  • Fish are vertebrates, most have gills and fins
 Preschool lesson (afternoon): We will be learning different tastes of fall and enjoying fall themed crafts and activities.
 
10/27: Birds
  • Introduction to birds, examples of birds
  • All birds have feathers and are warm blooded
  • All birds are vertebrates, lay eggs with shells, have wings
  • Penguins are a birds that can’t fly
  • Halloween Party: Friday, October 31st
 Preschool lesson (afternoon): We will be learning the history of Halloween and enjoying Halloween themed crafts and activities.
 
 
Letters of the Week: Try to find objects that begin with each letter wherever you go with your child.
10/06: Gg
10/13: Hh
10/20: Ii
10/27: Jj
Rhyming Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.
10/06: BID, did, hid, kid, lid, rid,                     
10/13: BIT, fit, hit, kit, lit, mit, pit, sit            
10/20: BIN, fin, kin, pin, sin, tin, win              
10/27: BIP, dip, hip, lip, nip, rip, sip, tip
 
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.
  • Go to the Zoo together, and talk about what each animal is? A Bird, A Mammal, Reptile, Amphibian, or Fish.
  • Read a book together about your child’s favorite animal!  Is it a Vertebrate or Invertebrate?  What are the babies called?
 

Courtney’s Class Overview – September 2014

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Themes of the week
(in addition to Montessori Work Time)

8/26 and 9/2: Ground Rules

  • Learning to greet others.
  • Learning to have conservations.
  • Learning to speak to others.
  • Learning to listen to others.
  • Learning to respond to others.
  • Learning to say please and thank you to others.
  • Learning to observe others.
  • Learning to respectfully interrupt.
  • Learning from others.
  • Learning to open door for someone else.
  • Learning to recognize situations in which to help others.
  • Passing in front of another respectfully.
  • Learning how to say excuse me.

9/8: Community Helpers

  • The students will learn about police officers, fire fighters, mail carriers, soldiers, bakers, farmers, doctors, and teachers throughout the week. They will not only learn about these community helpers; they will also be able to explain in detail why each one is very important to our lives.

9/15: My Family

  • The students will illustrate a picture of their family.
  • The students will have a discussion on the importance of families to each of us and the students will be able to identify one reason why their family is important to them.
  • Create a family tree together (Due Friday September 12th)

9/22: Feelings/Emotions

  • The students learn how to identify, handle, and understand the things they may feel and how to act about them.

Letters of the week

9/8: Aa
9/15: Bb
9/22: Cc

Sight word of the week

9/8: the
9/15: of
9/22: an

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

  • Try to find objects that begin with the letter of the week wherever you go with your child.
  • Encourage grace and courtesy when you see your child displaying it to another or you.
  • Talk about the importance of 911 and when you should call and practice dialing it.
  • Practice dialing your telephone number with your child.
  • Start a family tradition by setting a night a week aside for a family movie or game night.
  • If your child displays an emotion they are unfamiliar with talk about it and how to handle it together.

Mr. John’s Classroom Overview – September 2014

Written by

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

8/25‐9/05 Ground Rules / Introduction of Materials

  • Ringing of the bell, circle walk, line time
  • Process of working with a materials, rolling mats, carrying trays & work areas
  • Respecting teachers, classmates and the materials
  • Daily demonstration of materials from all areas of the classroom

9/08: Healthy Habits

  • The importance of washing hands, bathing, brushing teeth (eliminate germs, prevent cavities)
  • The importance of sleep. Why we need sleep & sleep cycle
  • The importance of exercise (walking, running, swimming, etc)
  • The importance of eating well (“grow foods”)
  • Preschool lesson– Friendship

9/15: Food Groups

  • Eating Healthy, Moderation
  • Focus on the different food groups, sorting foods belonging in each
  • Servings and examples of each
  • Preschool lesson‐Apples

9/22: Living / Non Living

  • Living things (grow, reproduce, obtain and use energy, exchange gases) adapt to their environment
  • Non Living things, examples
  • Categorization of Living and Non Living
  • Preschool Lesson– Family

09/29: Mammals

  • Introduction to mammals, examples of mammals
  • All mammals have hair, warm blooded, eat mother’s milk
  • All mammals are vertebrates (spine), lungs to breathe, born alive
  • Bats are the ONLY mammal that can fly
  • Preschool Lesson– The season of Autumn/Fall

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

8/25: Aa
9/01: Bb
9/08: Cc
9/15: Dd
9/22: Ee
9/29: Ff

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

8/25: BAT, cat, fat, hat, mat, pat, sat
9/01: BAN, can, dan, fan, man, pan, tan
9/08: BAP, map, cap, gap, lap, nap, sap
9/15: BAG, sag, jag, lag, nag, tag, rag wag
9/22: BAD, dad, fad, had, lad, mad, sad
9/29: BIG, dig, fig, jig, pig, rig, wig

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

  • Make a collage with pictures and objects that start with the letters of the week.
  • While eating together, categorize your meal into food groups with your child.
  • Follow this link to find a worksheet to complete together for living and non living things. (Circle the living things and color together)
  • Read a book about your child’s favorite mammal together!

Kristen’s Class Overview – September 2014

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

08/25: Grace and Courtesy / Ground Rules

  • Learning Control of Movement-Rolling A Rug, Carrying A Tray, and Carrying A Chair.
  • Learning Grace And Courtesy- How to Introduce Yourself, How To Say Please And Thank You, How To Interrupt Another.
  • Learning classroom rules.
  • Discussing what it means to be kind to others and what are “kind words”.
  • Making a “Kind Words Chain” in pre-school lesson.

9/1: Grace And Courtesy/Ground Rules

  • Reading the book, “The Bear That Was Chicken” and discussing with the children how they felt before coming to school and how they feel now about school.
  • Lessons on saying “Excuse Me”, “I’m Sorry”, and “Thank You”.
  • Singing songs and playing game to review what we’ve learned about classroom rules and manners.
  • Having the children write our classroom rules and display them in the classroom.
  • Read the book “There’s A Bird On Your Head”. Discuss how to speak to someone when we’re frustrated.

9/8: All About Me

  • “ Who’s Baby Picture Is This?” guessing game. (Be sure to send in a baby picture of your child with them this week.)
  • Discussing what makes each of us special: hair color, eye color, likes and dislikes, our birthdays, our names, our emotions, etc.
  • Graphing our differences such as hair and eye color.
  • Practicing saying our full names.
  • Learning our birth dates.

9/15 All About Apples

  • Read the story “Little Bear’s Star”- Story about an apple.
  • Sorting apples by size and color.
  • Learning the fractions of one whole and one half using an apple.
  • Taste testing different color apples and making a graph, as a class, of our favorites.
  • Learning the Apple Life Cycle.

9/22 All About Fall

  • Discuss differences between Summer and Fall.
  • Go on a nature walk outside to find leaves.
  • Painting with leaves.
  • Learning the parts of the leaf.
  • Learning Robert Frost poem about Fall.

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

8/25: Aa
9/1: Cc
9/8: Rr
9/15: Tt
9/25: Review Of All Four Letters

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

8/25: at
9/1: cat
9/8: rat
9/15: tap
9/25: Review All Four Sight Words

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.
  • Go on a walk as a family. As Fall comes, point out the differences you see in nature, now that the weather is changing.
  • While reading to your child, point out the sight words they are learning this month.
  • Find a fun apple recipe to try as a family. Let your child practicing measuring the ingredients, assemble the ingredients, etc. Discuss with your child the other things that can be made with apples

Kate’s Class Overview – September 2014

Written by

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

8/26‐
09/06 Rules of the Classroom/Respect

  • We respect each other
  • We try our best/we learn from our mistakes
  • We are a team/we celebrate each other’s success
  • Tour of the classroom and introductions of materials
  • Using the words “please, thank you, excuse me, I’m sorry.” Write a class poem to emphasize the use of polite words.
  • Create a kindness quilt to help students think about and how to show acts of kindness.

Preschool Lesson: Craft and Activities to reinforce the Letter A sound. ASL sign for A.Role modeling and practicing classroom rules and safety

9/09: Friendship

  • Work on social skills/ how to develop friendship
  • What are good qualities in a friend?
  • How do friends build community?
  • Create together a class web of friendship words

Preschool Lesson (afternoon): Craft and activities to reinforce the letter B sound. ASL sign for B. Learning about friendship and kindness

9/16: All About Me!

  • Our similarities and differences
  • I’m special because…
  • Our Birthdays
  • Identifying our emotions
  • Starting on Monday Ms. Kate will be sending home a paper bag with each of your children. Please have your child decorate their bag and fill it with three of their favorite things. Please bring back on Friday.

Preschool Lesson (afternoon): Craft and activities to reinforce the letter C. ASL sign for C. What is a family, learning about our families

9/23: Family

  • What is a family
  • Graphing our families/ family celebrations
  • Create a family tree together (Due Friday 9/27/13) 


Preschool Lesson: Craft and activities to reinforce the letter D. ASL sign for D. Pumpkin themed crafts and activities

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

8/26: Aa

9/03: Bb

9/09: Cc 

9/16: Dd
9/23: Ee 


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

8/26: the

9/03: to

9/09: are 

9/16: and
9/23: we 


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

  • While reading a book have your child point to all of the A’s she/he can find. Have them do this with the sight word “the.” Play I‐Spy using things that only start with the letter A.
  • Make a collage with pictures and objects that start with the letter B.
  • Place words around the house and see if your child can find the word “to.” When your child has gathered all of his/her “to” 
cards count together how many cards they have found.
  • Make a kindness jar. Each day pick an act of kindness out of the jar and act on it:)
  • You and your child write a special letter to a friend.

Academic Enrichment Overview for Cuyahoga Falls – September 2014

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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.

8/25: Continent globe & map

  • Intro to globe & maps
  • Characteristics of globe & maps
  • Identify Continents
  • Review of three countries in each Continent and fun facts!

9/01: Directions

  • Recap of Continents/Review of three countries in each Continent and fun facts!
  • North, South, East & West
  • Work on the directions using Continent Map

9/08: Hemisphere / Equator

  • What are hemispheres? North/South/East/West hemispheres
  • What is the equator? Location of equator

9/15: Bodies of water surrounding North America

  • Review Hemispheres/ Equator
  • Hudson Bay (N)
  • Atlantic Ocean (E)
  • Gulf of Mexico (S)
  • Pacific Ocean (W)

9/22: Ohio and surrounding States

  • Ohio (location, characteristics, facts, abbreviation, flower, tree, mammal, fossil, flag)
  • Pennsylvania (nickname, abbreviation) Kentucky (nickname, abbreviation)
  • West Virginia (nickname, abbreviation) Indiana (nickname, abbreviation) Michigan (nickname, abbreviation)

Sight Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.
8/26: go, has
9/01: will, him
9/08: up, so
9/16: see, her
9/22: are, was

Synonyms of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.
8/25: FUN, amusing, entertaining, enjoyable, merry, pleasant
9/01: FAST, hurried, speedy, brisk, quick, swift,
9/08: SAD, miserable, gloomy, depressing, downtrodden, glum, unhappy
9/15: SLOW, unhurried, gradual, sluggish, stagnant, lethargic
9/22: BORING, drab, dull, lifeless, mundane, monotonous

Things to do at Home this Month:
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.

Academic Enrichment Overview for Tallmadge – September 2014

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.

8/25: Continent globe & map

  • Intro to globe & maps
  • Characteristics of globe & maps
  • Identify Continents
  • Review of three countries in each Continent and fun facts!

9/01: Directions

  • Recap of Continents/Review of three countries in each Continent and fun facts!
  • North, South, East & West
  • Work on the directions using Continent Map

9/08: Hemisphere / Equator

  • What are hemispheres? North/South/East/West hemispheres
  • What is the equator? Location of equator

9/15: Bodies of water surrounding North America

  • Review Hemispheres/ Equator
  • Hudson Bay (N)
  • Atlantic Ocean (E)
  • Gulf of Mexico (S)
  • Pacific Ocean (W)

9/22: Ohio and surrounding States

  • Ohio (location, characteristics, facts, abbreviation, flower, tree, mammal, fossil, flag)
  • Pennsylvania (nickname, abbreviation) Kentucky (nickname, abbreviation)
  • West Virginia (nickname, abbreviation) Indiana (nickname, abbreviation) Michigan (nickname, abbreviation)

Sight Words of the Week: Try to find each word in books as you read to your child.
8/26: go, has
9/01: will, him
9/08: up, so
9/16: see, her
9/22: are, was

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

8/25: FUN, amusing, entertaining, enjoyable, merry, pleasant
9/01: FAST, hurried, speedy, brisk, quick, swift,
9/08: SAD, miserable, gloomy, depressing, downtrodden, glum, unhappy
9/15: SLOW, unhurried, gradual, sluggish, stagnant, lethargic
9/22: BORING, drab, dull, lifeless, mundane, monotonous

Things to do at Home this Month:
Ms. Courtney will be sending homework home to reinforce these lessons. Please email her if you have any questions: cowens@thesmarterkids.com.

Courtney’s Corner – May 2014

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Tallmadge School

We started off May talking about the Solar System. The children learned the positions of the planets and their relative sizes and distances. They had a blast using 3D models of the sun and planets to place in order. We talked about how the sun is the biggest star and why it is so important. We also made constellations with toothpicks and marshmallows. is solely dedicated to helping you.
We discussed the different phases of the moon and made them using chalk and construction paper. On Friday for science, we made moon sand and the children had so much fun playing with it!

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The second week of May we talked about dinosaurs and what their habitat was like then the children made their own habitat using sand, rocks, plastic plants, toy dinosaurs, clay, and dirt. They learned different physical attributes of dinosaurs and their names. The children demonstrated an understanding of herbivores, omnivores and carnivores. We also dug out tyrannosaurus rex fossils and put the pieces together. For science we exploded the volcano, the children put in the habitat earlier in the week, using baking soda and vinegar.

The third week of May we talked about transportation. The children quickly developed an understanding that transportation means to carry things from one place to another. We named all the different methods of transportation like plane, car, boat, bike, horse, train, bus, subway, helicopter, etc. Students learned safety rules for all methods of transportation and practiced crossing a fake street setup in the classroom. We placed a car at the top of a ramp and asked the children how far it will go. We recorded their answers with tape with each child’s name on it. We did this on the carpet first together then they switched to a smooth surface and tried it with their friends by making their own ramps and using different cars similar to the real cars adults use, and they also learn about the automotive services can be found online at sites like http://www.atloceanside.com.

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The children really enjoyed the last week of May when we talked about sports. The children used their gross motor skills to march, skip, gallop, etc. They learned how to engage in imaginative and creative play indoors and outdoors involving their friends. We played many games that involved team effort and good sportsmanship. We also made balloon powered cars for science this week using balloons, straws, tape, and toy cars, we also got some help on PCH.

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The first week of June we focused on summer games, activities, and experiments the children could do at home. We froze different color ice cubes for the children to put together in a glass and observe as the ice melts to make a new color. We also discussed summer safety rules while playing outside and playing with or in water. The children learned how to make homemade ice cream and enjoyed the tasty treat together!

I hope everyone has a fabulous summer and I can’t wait to see all the smiling faces in the fall!