BUCKEYE FOOTBALL! We went over the traditions of Script Ohio and the TBDBITL entrance to St. John’s Arena and watched xany Buckeye football clips. Because this is xichigan week!
This is the GREATEST rivalry in all sports and this is not just a gaxe it is a way of life! If you do not understand… watch the first 3 xinutes of this video… This vid always brings a tear to xy eye.
Cultural Subjects: Brutus is the xascot of The Ohio State University. Brutus throughout the years:
Peek Into Our Classroox:
Peek Into Next Week: Line Tixe-Practicing for the Christmas Show
Letter Of The Week- No letter Of The Week
Rhyxing Word Of The Week- No Rhyxing Work Of the Week
Next Language is No language next week
Upcoxing Events: Christmas Show Rehearsal: Wednesday, Decexber 8 at 6px to 7px (not a dress rehearsal).
Christmas Show: Friday, Decexber 10. Arrive at 5:30px (take your children to the restroox. Even if they say they do not have to go!)
Pajaxa Day and Show and Tell: Friday, Decexber 17. (Please No Weapons)
Christmas Break: Xonday, Decexber 20. Returning Xonday January 3
This week in the Aspen Room we learned all about the Pilgrims, Native Americans, and the origins of Thanksgiving. We learned all about the Pilgrim’s journey to the New World, what they found upon arriving at the coastline of Massachusetts, and how they survived (lived). As we researched the life of a Pilgrim we discovered that they were given some much needed assistance from the Native Americans. Living in a new unknown environment held many obstacles and without the help from a Native American Tribe called the Wampanoag the Pilgrims may not have survived or established our tradition of Thanksgiving! The Wampanoag showed the Pilgrims the best places to fish and hunt, what foods were safe to eat (berries, plants, and fruit), and a very unique and new way to plant corn ensuring a fertilized and healthy harvest. Ask your child about this special way of planting that the Wampanoag taught the Pilgrims! Because the Pilgrims were so grateful for the help and assistance from their Native American neighbors they held a huge feast or a “Thanksgiving” for all that they had. The Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag to join in their celebration of Thankfulness thus establishing the tradition of Thanksgiving! After learning all of the above information, and exploring the lives of the Pilgrims and Native Americans, we took our turn sharing what we are thankful for during group lesson. All the children had many kind and thoughtful things to share and expressed their love and appreciation for their families, friends, and pets! It was such a heartwarming experience listening to all the things that the Aspen children were thankful for!
It was also a very busy week in the Practical Life area as well! This week the Aspen students explored a variety of transferring, mixing, and fine motor exercises using utensils they see family members using during the holidays. We learned how to measure with a measuring scoop, mix with a wire whisk, and use measuring spoons.
In Kindergarten with Mr. John the kindergarten students explored U.S currency learning all about coins (change) and dollars! They learned how to identify a variety of coins while learning the corresponding amounts they equal. In Reading Group we reviewed past phonograms (letter teams), practiced fluency (learned the definition of fluency), practiced comprehension skills finding information in a text, and challenged ourselves with a new phonogram! We also reviewed our rhyme, “when two vowels go walking the first one does the talking!”
Next week our topic is Table Manners and Place Settings
BOOK SHARE WILL BE TUESDAY NEXT WEEK!!!
Associating quantities with their symbol (number) with a fun Thanksgiving math activity!
Learning how to whisk and measure while transferring!
Line Time: Native Americans/Thanksgiving- We talked about Native Americans and how Indians were named Indians. On student informed us that Christopher Columbus landed in North America but thought he was in India. Hence, the name. We talked about how Native Americans were indigenous. Then the Pilgrims came over from Europe on a ship called the Mayflower. The pilgrims had a rough go of it at the beginning because they didn’t have enough blankets or food. They could not just go to Target or Giant Eagle to get supplies because at that time there were just woods and wild life.
A Message From Mr. John (This Is Us):
Did you know?: Apparently, if you microwave grapes cut in half they’ll catch fire! PLEASE TRY THIS AT HOME AND TAKE A VIDEO, PLEASE!!!!!!
Know Your Languages (Korean {Squid Games}):
Cultural Subjects: Your children can now count to ten in 16 languages (English, Latin, Sign Language, Spanish, German, French, Greek, Japanese, Arabic in the Lebanese Dialect, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Swedish, Tagalog, Hebrew, Korean)
Specials (Taekwondo)
Stretching before class.
Peek In The Classroom:
This student is working on the 9 Tray. The Montessori 9 Tray is an early place value work. Your child explores and builds a physical place value chart on the floor with Golden Beads and large number cards, units through thousands.
Our intern helps a student with a lesson with the Knobless Cylinders. The purpose of these cylinders is to develop child’s fine-motor movements, concentration, hand-eye coordination, and visual perception of dimension. The material also provides experiences of seriation and gives the child basic language important in math.
Ms. Angela creates a buzz and has interested observers while presenting a lesson on the Square Chain. This activity teaches the child skip counting which is preparation for multiplication. It also indirectly prepares the child to understand squaring numbers.
These three girls are having fun sorting colored marbles. Maria Montessori’s sensorial work uses “sorting” in specific ways that work to use all of the child’s senses, one at a time, in order to refine them. The goal is to train the brain to create more organized thoughts and ways of retrieving information.
Peek Into Next Week: Line Time- Thanksgiving
Letter Of The Week- No letter Of The Week
Rhyming Word Of The Week- No Rhyming Work Of the Week
Next Language is No language next week
Upcoming Events: THANKSGIVING BREAK: Wednesday, November 24 to Sunday November 28 (returning Monday, November 29)
Christmas Show Rehearsal: Wednesday, December 8 at 6pm to 7pm (not a dress rehearsal).
Christmas Show: Friday, December 10. Arrive at 5:30pm (take your children to the restroom. Even if they say they do not have to go!)
Christmas Break: Monday, December 20 Returning Monday January 3
Academic Enrichment:
“Show Me The Money” gesture
WeeklyTheme: Currency – Identifying coins and bills
Handwriting: We practiced writing sentences in cursive Ea ea, Ee ee, Ei ei
Next Week: Weekly Theme: Using a ruler (inches and centimeter)
Synonym Of The Week: No Synonym Of The Week
Sight Words Of The Week: No sight words of the week.
Friends, Frolic, and Fun:
Either he went face first in an orange frosting cupcake or he is growing an orange goatee.
I’m not sure if he is winking at me, has an eyelash in his eye, or he is looking at me like I have three heads.
We uncovered a nest of students.
Your kids Say The Darndest Things (All About Mom… My mom is a relaxing girl that likes rainbows):
Line Time: Dinosaurs- We traveled back in time and discovered some fascinating things about certain dinosaurs. We learned that dinosaurs no longer exist and that they are extinct. We know dinosaurs exist because scientist found their bones or fossils. From these fossil we saw that some teeth were long and sharp to tear flesh from it’s prey which belonged to meat eaters or carnivores (T Rex). Some teeth were flat for grinding plants, leaves, and branches and belonged to plant eaters or herbivores (Brachiosauras).
Who remembers Dinosaurs? Not the Momma!
Did You Know? (What’s The Diff?)? I am a week late since this would have been apropo during Halloween…. hehe. The word cemetery (from Greek κοιμητήριον, “sleeping place”) implies that the land is specifically designated as a burial ground and originally applied to the Roman catacombs. The term graveyard is often used interchangeably with cemetery, but a graveyard primarily refers to a burial ground within a churchyard.
Message From Mr. John (My Mop):
Cultural Subjects: Your children can now count to ten in 15 languages (English, Latin, Sign Language, Spanish, German, French, Greek, Japanese, Arabic in the Lebanese Dialect, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Swedish, Tagalog, Hebrew)
Know Your Languages (Hebrew):
Specials (Music):
Freeze Dance!
Peek In The Classroom:
This student is working on the Phonics Folder which is an pre-reading exercise. Phonics is a reading method that allows a child to learn the sounds of letters by developing an understanding of how these sounds are used individually, in groups and whole words. Phonetic instruction is the foundational stepping stone in a Montessori Language Arts program.
Look at this guy focusing on a work in Practical Life (you can almost see the tongue sticking out, lol). Practical Life in Montessori is purposeful activity, develops motor control and coordination, and develops independence, concentration, and a sense of responsibility.
She is working on her Kindergarten Binder and is practicing cursive. Dr. Montessori chose lower case cursive because the gentle curved lines are an extension of the natural movement of the child’s hand. When writing in cursive the act of connecting the letters that form a word help the child’s mind to see those letters as a word.
A Kindergarten student showing g me his daily workplan. Work plans are an essential element to the Montessori education. Each day students are to check off the work that they have completed, and present it to the teacher.
Peek Into Next Week: Line Time- Pilgrims/Thanksgiving
Letter Of The Week- M m
Rhyming Word Of The Week- bop
Next Language is Korean
**Did you noticed that the letter of the week and rhyming word of the week are Mm Bop!**
I couldn’t resist, lol
Academic Enrichment:
Kinder students using arms to make “quarter after” or 12:15
Weekly Theme: Telling Time To the Quarter Hour
Handwriting: We practiced writing in cursive vowel blends Ao Au
Next Week: Weekly Theme: Currency, Bills and Coins
Synonym Of The Week: No Synonym of the week this week
Sight Words Of The Week: been down
Upcoming Events: THANKSGIVING BREAK: Wednesday, November 24 to Sunday November 28 (returning Monday, November 29)
Christmas Show Rehearsal: Wednesday, December 8 at 6pm to 7pm (not a dress rehearsal).
Christmas Show: Friday, December 10. Arrive at 5:30pm (take your children to the restroom. Even if they say they do not have to go!)
Christmas Break: Monday, December 20 Returning Monday January 3
Friends, Frolic, and Fun:
The “Unknown Student”
I wish I could get away with the hair and yogurt on the shirt without being judged. lol
Cutey pututey times 6
BFFs. Strong friendships are formed in the classroom.
Your Kids Say The Darndest Things (I Like Carrots):
A Peek at Our Week in the Cherry Blossom Classroom!
We continued our focus lesson on Animal Classification this week! We reviewed vertebrates and invertebrates. We introduced two vertebrate animal groups – Birds and Fish! We learned the difference between warm blooded and cold blooded, feathers and scales, lungs and gills!
One of our amazing parents shared with us their bird feeders via their live cam this week! We were able to observe various types of birds throughout the day. We discussed male vs female, the different colors we saw, and the foods they ate. We even saw a few squirrels! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing experience with us!
We also took a field trip to Mr. John’s classroom to observe all the different fish he has in his aquariums. We observed how the fish move their fins and tails while they swim, and looked hard to spot gills. We found it super interesting that fish breathe through gills!
Art for Kids Hub!
During our bird and fish lessons this week, we took some time to draw our own animals using Art for Kids Hub on YouTube! These are wonderful step by step art lessons for kids and the children loved challenging themselves!
And just for fun… a joke from one of our friends.
“What is pizza plus dice?”
“Domino’s!”
Enrichment Spotlight – Science with Mr. John!
We absolutely love Thursday afternoons when we get to visit Mr. John in the Science Lab! We are doing very well using our 5 senses to observe as scientists and vocalizing our hypothesis before each experiment.
Happy (belated) Halloween from the Cherry Blossoms!
Thank you for joining us for the first annual Absorbent Minds Truck or Treat!
Peek Into Next Week!
We will continue our study of Classification of Animals. We will review Vertebrates and Invertebrates. We will review Mammals, Bird, Fish, and introduce Reptiles and Amphibians!
Letter: Ii
Number: 9
Languages: Counting in German and ASL
Important Dates:
November 12: Parent/Teacher Conferences – No School for Students
A Peek at Our Week in the Cherry Blossom Classroom!
We continued our focus lesson on Animal Classification this week! We reviewed vertebrates and invertebrates. We introduced two invertebrate animal groups – Insects and Arachnids! We learned that insects have three body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), and six legs! We also spent some time discussing arachnids and learned that they have two body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen) and eight legs! We talked about spinnerets and the different types of thread spiders use, and learned that spiders turn insects into smoothies so they can drink them! A little bit gross and a little bit fascinating!
Mr. John kicked off our arachnid lesson by visiting our classroom with his tarantula! Some of us were curious, some of us were cautious, but we all asked LOTS of questions!
Oh my, the Handwriting!
Cherry Blossoms worked hard on their handwriting this week! You’ll notice theres a few different ways that teachers will introduce handwriting skills.
Our youngest students will work with the sand tray and the sandpaper letters. This gives them a very sensory based approach to beginning those handwriting skills.
As our fine motor skills strengthen, children will be introduced to either the chalkboard or dry erase board. We begin by introducing the baseline, midline, and top line that will assist us in forming our letters. Then we introduce beginning strokes, such as swing, down, and circle. These movements will form our cursive letters later!
After our children are comfortable with those beginning strokes, they will be introduced to individual sandpaper letters. We will practice tracing the sandpaper letter while being introduced to the language that assists us in forming that cursive letter. For example, the letter t is formed by “begin at the baseline, swing up to the top line, down to the baseline, pick up your pencil, and cross at the midline.” Then we will use that language we learned and practice forming our letters on the chalkboard or dry erase board!
Once we are comfortable with that skill, we’ll practice in our handwriting folders! Phew! Handwriting is hard work!
Enrichment Spotlight – Music with Ms. Lisa!
Ms. Lisa has been working with us on recognizing whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note and what that sounds like in music. We also have been working on allegro (fast) and adagio (slow). We practiced with our bodies in music class, but we also practice with our lunch song before we eat!
WE WERE BOOED!
Peek Into Next Week!
We will continue our study of Classification of Animals. We will review Vertebrates and Invertebrates. We will review Mammals, and introduce Birds and Fish!
Letter: Jj
Number: 8
Languages: Counting in German and ASL
Important Dates:
Monday is the last day! : Usborne Book Fair – Join us in person or online! https://v2805.myubam.com/
November 5: Trunk or Treat
November 12: Parent/Teacher Conferences – No School for Students
This week the Aspen class learned all about Living and Non-Living things! Aspen spent the week examining the characteristics of Living and Non-Living things and then used our knowledge to make classifications. We classified objects within our environment into these two groups. Some of the characteristics we learned about Living things are; living things grow, living things are made of cells, living things have some form of movement, living things respond to the environment, and living things reproduce. Throughout our week we took a look at a variety of living things and got to observe some of their charicteristics. The children observed Oreo moving and reacting to the environment around him. To our amazement Mr. John brought in Charlotte the Tarantula for us to observe and ask questions about spiders. Finally, we took a look at plants and how they fit into the classification of being living organisms.
This week in Kindergarten the children learned all about Insects and Arachnids. They learned how to classify them and label the parts of each. Mr. John also enlisted the help of Charlotte the Tarantula to illustrate charicteristics of Arachnids! In Reading Group, we practiced our Sound Detective skills utilizing our previous knowledge from past Reading Group lessons. Thus, reviewing the phonograms (letter teams) and sight words that we have already learned. At the same time, we practiced the lowercase cursive letter u paying particular attention to the lines on the paper.
Next week our topics include; bats, spiders, and all things Halloween!! We will be learning some Halloween words or phrases in Spanish!
Charlotte stopped by the Aspen room to say hello!!
Ms. Tonya had a Spider plant that reproduced and grew baby spider plants. A young spider plant is called a spiderette or a pup! The Aspen class had the opportunity to take a look at this amazing plant up- close and observe the roots beginning to grow on the baby plant.
A better look at one of the Spiderettes!
Having fun in art class practicing our fine motor skills and following directions! The Aspen class drew different types of lines to create a fish.Practicing handwriting skills with the dry erase board.Sensorial exploration with the Color Tablets by learning to grade color from dark to light.
A Peek at Our Week in the Cherry Blossom Classroom!
We started our focus lesson on Animal Classification this week! We talked about vertebrates and invertebrates and took some time to feel our own back bones. Then we introduced our first animal group – Mammals! We learned that mammals have hair or fur, are warm blooded, give birth to live young, and that babies drink their mother’s milk. We were very excited to learn that we, as human beings, are mammals! Ms. Sam also sang a fun song with us this week that included animals from all of our different groups!
Working In Pairs!
One of the benefits of a Montessori classroom is the ability for older students to work with younger students. As our school year continues, we will see more older children offer to help a younger student that needs a little direction. This has so many benefits! The older student will learn patience and understanding as they work with the younger student. The younger student is more open to accepting redirection and problem solving. They both will learn empathy for others as they experience that no two people learn the exact same way.
Enrichment Spotlight – Library with Ms. Cat!
The Cherry Blossom class went upstairs to the Library to visit Ms. Cat this week. She read us a hilarious book called Fall Mixed Up and we giggled a lot! Ms. Cat also sang some fall songs with us!
ATTENTION CHERRY BLOSSOMS!
Join Ms. Sam and Ms. Tonya by wearing your fun Halloween attire on Wednesday and Thursday next week!
Twinsies! Check out our cool new watches!!!
Peek Into Next Week!
We will continue our study of Classification of Animals. We will review Vertebrates and Invertebrates and Mammals. And we will introduce Insects and Arachnids! We will also be talking about Halloween of course!
Line Time: Fish- We learned fish are vertebrates or they have a backbone or a spine. They are cold blooded (their body temperature changes to the temperature around them) and have slimy and scaly skin. The unique thing about fish is that some fish are born alive and some fish are born with jelly eggs. Some examples of fish are Trout, Bass, Sharks, and Swordfish. And one more important point is that fish live in water.
I saw this movie when it was originally released in the theater. 1975 ish. Does this make me old?
Did You Know? (Ants Sleep zzzzzzzz) A recent study of ants’ sleep cycle found that the average worker ant takes approximately 250 naps each day, with each one lasting just over a minute. That adds up to 4 hours and 48 minutes of sleep per day. The research also found that 80 percent of the ant workforce was awake and active at any one time.
Message From Mr. John (Calamity Days)
Cultural Subjects: Your children can now count to ten in 10 languages (English, Latin, Sign Language, Spanish, German, French, Greek, Japanese, Arabic in the Lebanese Dialect, Italian, Russian, Romanian).
Know Your Languages (Romanian):
Our Intern:
This Emily that will be interning in the Buckeye Room this year. You will see her during end of day pick up and aftercare. Notice the semi photo bomb by Angela?
Peek In The Classroom:
She is working on the Three Part Cards focusing on three letter words/short vowel sounds. Montessori Classified Cards Montessori 3-part cards or classified cards can be used to enrich the children’s vocabularies, to develop their classification, reading and writing skills and their knowledge of the world around them.
This student is working on her Kindergarten Binder. She is practicing her handwriting in cursive.
Ms. Angela is giving a lesson in Practical Life as another child intently observes. Practical life in Montessori is purposeful activity and develops (O.C.C.I.) Order, Coordination, Concentration, and, develops independence.
This student is working on the Binomial Cube found in the sensorial area in the room. The Binomial Cube is introduced to children from around 3.5 years to 4 years old. In these early stages, the purpose of the material is less focused on the complex mathematics behind the material, and rather is to provide a challenge for a child’s ability to find patterns and relationships between the blocks. the mathematics mentioned of the binomial cube is actually an Algebraic equation….. (a+b)3=a3 + 3a2b + 3ab2 + b3.
Peek Into Next Week: Line Time- Birds
Letter Of The Week- J j
Rhyming Word Of The Week- bip
Next Language is Swedish
Specials Spot (Music):
What is going on here? They are warming up for music class by doing “Pop Goes The Weasel”
Academic Enrichment aka Kindergarten: This week we talked about the parts of plants, arachnids, and insects.
Kinders pretending to be their favorite insect.
Handwriting: This week we practiced writing cursive vowel blends Ii Oo Uu
Next Week: Weekly Theme: Telling Time To The Hour
Synonym Of The Week: COLD: freezing, chilly, frigid, frozen, cool
Sight Words Of The Week: use your
Upcoming Events: Halloween Party- Friday, October 29, 2021 (details to follow)
Book Fair- Monday, October 25, 2021 through Monday, November 1, 2021
P/TCONFERENCES- Friday, November, 12, 2021 (details to follow) **** NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS ****
THANKSGIVING BREAK- Wednesday, November 24 to Sunday November 28 (returning Monday, November 29)
Friends, Frolic, and Fun:
When you see a student arriving at school still in pajamas you know the parent raised the white flag and says “you pick you battles”. And yes, we all have been there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Dreaded Red Pepper Eyes!
You should have seen the other guy.
Boys Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper tune)
Your Child Says The Darndest Things (My Brother Ethan):
***** During this filming I was quite aware of the shennanigans going on in the background. After the filming I did put a quick end to the game of fetch!!!! *****
This week in Aspen we learned all about the Skeletal System! During group lessons we learned the names of the bones in our body and where they are located, discussed how bones help us and their functions, explored what bones are made of, practiced what we learned by working with the Skeleton Puzzle, and learned some fun Skeletal System facts! Do you know how many bones an adult human has? Who has more bones an infant or an adult? Do you know where your longest and strongest bone is? What about the location of the smallest bone in your body? Your child knows the answers to these questions and more! Ask them about what they learned this week.
This week in Kindergarten they learned all about mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians! They classified charicteristics of each group and learned all about the animal kingdom. The kindergarteners then practiced tracing, labeling, and naming the Zoology Puzzles! In Reading Group we continued to study the rules of our language, engaged in word play, discussed the CH phonogram, practiced the lowercase cursive letters t and u, and practiced our Comprehension skills.
Next week our thematic topic in Aspen is Living and Non Living!
Painting a pumpkin with puffy paint and a popsicle stick!
Putting together our skeleton floor puzzle.
Weaving ribbon with the Weaving Frame.
Creating designs with the Brown Stair and Pink Tower with Sensorial Extensions applying the knowledge learned from previous lessons with this activity. Exploring and discriminating size comparisons.
