2015-2016 - Grace Montessori School

Congratulations to Our Third Graders
by Diane Cimorelli on 06/13/16
We are always very proud of all our students, but this week we are especially proud of our third graders
for their achievements in the standardized testing they recently completed. Last month the third grade
students in our Elementary Classroom took the Stanford Achievement Tests. The tests were then sent
out and graded, comparing the test results of our students with all students, at all grade levels
throughout the nation, who took the tests. The scores are in, and they are quite impressive.
Without disclosing any confidential information about the children and their scores, we can tell you the
overall average scores for our five third grade students, when compared with all students who took the
tests, placed the GMS students at a 5th grade level of achievement. That means our third grade
students’ scores are those of the average 5th grader in the country.
In the mix, there were some other notable accomplishments. Four students received perfect scores in
the area of word study skills; three received a perfect score in thinking skills; three received a perfect
score in math problem solving. Two received a perfect score in spellings. There were two perfect scores
in listening skills and one perfect score in science.
As we recognize the efforts of our students, we must also offer praise and gratitude to the elementary
teachers, Ms. Jessie and Ms. Radhika, who prepared these students for the level of excellence they have
achieved. Our congratulations to all!
Primary Classroom News April 2016
by Diane Cimorelli on 04/29/16
Classroom 2
The children had an exciting month learning about plants (their parts and how to care for them) as they
prepared for the Earth Day celebration by performing a play that stressed the importance of caring for
our planet by planting trees. We love the recently added nature tray in our room and we are sure to fill
it with many new flowers, feathers, and interesting items from our nature walks in the beautiful spring
weather! The children observed how the stamens and pistils are more clearly visible in the tulips
compared to the daffodils in our garden! They also enthusiastically identified the mourning doves,
regular visitors in our playground, by their bird calls alone using lessons from the previous month!
After covering Georgia O'Keeffe in our United States unit, we traveled to Europe and recreated famous
masterpieces of Vincent van Gogh (the 3-D version of "Starry Night" was the most fun) and
Edgar Degas. In April, classroom 2 studied famous landmarks and flags of European countries while
listening to Mozart and Beethoven! In May, we will learn about the continent of Asia through music, art,
and famous landmarks. Classroom 2 cannot wait to start the unit on space in May! We are
also looking forward to celebrating Mother's Day soon!
Classroom 3
April brought a string of beautiful weather and the children are enjoying their outside playtime. We have
finished the Human Body unit. The kids are proud to have learned many of the bones of the human
skeleton. Many of the older kids enjoyed standing up to point to and name the scientific bone names.
We also had a challenging human body model that that let the children touch the different bones and
organs in the body. We talked about the five senses, and had fun using our faces to show emotions. We
will continue to explore Spring themes in May. We will also be starting a unit on the planets and space.
Classroom 4
We spent the month learning about insects as we watched our ladybug larva transform into adults.
When they were ready we released them in our playground garden so they could eat, live free, and
hopefully lay eggs so we could have more ladybugs to enjoy. We also took a nature walk to search for
and discover signs of spring. On our trip we saw birds, seeds spouting from walnut shells, and lots of
wild violets. Our Earth Day celebration was lots of fun with planting, singing, and poems about recycling.
We hope everyone who attended enjoyed it as much as we did. This month we can’t wait to celebrate
those people who as are so special to us our mother’s. We will also be learning about seeds, doing more
planting for our own gardens and studying the human body.
Greeting from Class 5 Toddlers April 2016
by Diane Cimorelli on 04/27/16
We have been enjoying the transition from winter to spring. It is nice to put the snow boots away for the
year and bring out the sneakers.
This spring we have been studying the magnolia tree in the playground. We have watched the transition
from dormant to budding tree. Then we watched the buds burst into flower. The flowers faded and
wilted. Now they are replaced with green leaves. We have enjoyed looking at the cycle of the tree and
how it has interacted with the weather.
We are learning about the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. If you follow this link you can see what
we have been learning. https://youtu.be/7AUeM8MbaIk
We are reading lots of books and learning new songs. Here are links to some of the songs we are singing.
Five Little Monkey Jumping on the
Bed https://youtu.be/0j6AZhZFb7A?list=PLY_qdA8JW8lCMi1ihXz4udT0iFt36LFEX
Five Little Ducks https://youtu.be/FG6GXdUOR_Y?list=PLh-1JU15_Ti4odUBHYhLwHCz-AZZ64xjLight A Candle for Peace https://youtu.be/50i-KO-uNU8
We are also learning about animals and their names. https://youtu.be/cJg4YFtvOp8
Along with all of these things we are taking time to play outside every chance we get. We are coloring,
drawing, using markers, manipulating play dough, and taking time to breathe. We are learning about
quiet time and how to quiet our bodies by breathing. Sometimes we just need to sit and breath. We
bring out our candle and practice just being in the moment. Other times we need to Shake Out Our
Sillies. https://youtu.be/NwT5oX_mqS0
Greeting from Class 5 Toddlers March 2016
by Diane Cimorelli on 03/07/16
We had been stuck inside for a few too many days last month, but that gave us lots of opportunity to
explore and do new things.
We have played with the parachute. A few of the elementary students helped us so that we could make
our parachute fly up to the ceiling and float down to the ground. All of us had a blast. The elementary
students that came to visit also stayed long enough to read us some stories.
We also have been playing with the yellow ball. We are learning about rolling, catching, and
tossing. These are skills that take lots of practice!
We have taken time to learn about washing things. Our Mega Blocks turned out to be perfect material
for this lesson. They are big enough to hold on to so that they are easy to scrub. They catch water nicely.
They create bubbles with the soap. We can pour water from them. These simple objects hit several
developmental needs of the toddler and they had lots of fun.
We have also been exploring different art mediums during the last month. We have been using collage,
markers, crayons, and water colors. Each of these mediums gives us an opportunity to develop our fine
and gross motor skills.
We hope that you have had a great month. We have!
Elementary Biomes Project
by Diane Cimorelli on 03/02/16
Following a traditional Montessori lesson on human settlements in the Torrid Zone, third graders chose
a particular biome located in this zone to research. Using books, internet sources, and other classroom
materials, the students gathered information about how people in these areas meet their needs. After
completing this written portion, the third graders created beautiful three-dimensional models. It was an
enjoyable project both for the children who created them and for the school community who enjoyed
viewing them on display.
Primary Classroom News February 2016
by Diane Cimorelli on 03/01/16
Classroom 2
Classroom two studied the human body by reading about the digestive, respiratory, nervous, and
circulatory systems. Many children made life-size drawings of their bodies complete with all the major
organs. We had fun celebrating the 100th day of school, Heritage Day, and Special Person Day! An
exciting event was Ms. Leah welcoming her beautiful baby girl, Skylar, on February 17th!
In the upcoming weeks, we will expand upon the discussion about our place on planet Earth by
continuing our exploration of the United States. Children will be recreating famous flower art work by
American artist Georgia O'Keeffe as we prepare to welcome the spring season. Classroom two has just
begun the study of backyard birds of Pennsylvania by memorizing their names and identifying bird
calls. Following this we will dive into the world of dinosaurs and the afternoon children will also learn
about units of length measurement.
Classroom 3
The children of classroom 3 had a great time in February preparing cards, gifts, and songs to celebrate
Valentine’s Day and Special Persons. They learned how to punch out hearts with a push-pin on a soft
surface. The older children also practiced the technique it takes to cut a folded paper to make a heart.
The class was given a lesson on how to combine two metal insets – the triangle and quatrefoil – to
create their own special heart shape. They produced some amazing art! Handwriting is improving as a
result of the fine motor practice, and many of the children are proud of their growing finesse with a
pencil on paper.
Many children volunteered to present a Yoga salutation to our guest at Special Persons Day. It takes a
special confidence to perform solo, and in a group, for an audience . And we felt as proud as they did!
We will continue these practices as they build self-esteem to stand up and present their gifts to the
world!
We are studying the genres of the Animal Kingdom. I know from experience that this is a favorite unit of
study. They love to learn the scientific names for animal parts and behaviors, and are often keen to
recite them aloud. This is a real victory for our shy students as well as the natural performers. They are
working hard to remember and sort animal facts. Have your child talk to you about their favorite animal
and what makes them unique!
Classroom 4
In Class 4 February was a fun month. We charted the weather and excitedly anticipated any changes like
a sunny day suddenly changing to a light snowfall. We learned that the weather is an ever-changing
thing and that the weather can be different in places that are close by. Like the morning, there were
rainbows in the sky for some on their way to school, and at Grace, it was raining.
Best of all the Children had a wonderful time, sharing their work with the all the Special People who
came to visit. We hope they had as much fun as we did.
In March, we will be learning about the different classifications of animals. So study up on mammals,
reptiles, amphibians, marsupials, fish, and birds, as we are sure there will be lots of questions.
Greeting from Class 5 Toddlers February 2016
by Diane Cimorelli on 02/04/16
We have been having lots of fun in the toddler room.
We are spending lots of time learning about dressing for the weather. We are learning the difference
between snow boots, rain boots and street shoes. We are learning about closures on our shoes too.
Some of us have hook and loop closures. Others of us have strings to tie.
We are learning about the differences between gloves and mittens. Mittens are easier to get on but
they don’t give us as much dexterity as gloves. Mittens are often warmer too.
We are learning about sequencing with all of our winter ware. Shoes or boots on first, then comes our
coat, hats and mittens. It’s really hard to put on boots or shoes with everything else on first.
We are learning about taking turns. This isn’t an intuitive thing for our children and it takes lots of
patience on everyone’s part. Last week we started learning to play Don’t Break The Ice. It’s a terribly fun
game where you get to pound on fake ice cubes with a little plastic hammer. But you have to wait your
turn before get to use the hammer. The kids love it when the guy falls through the ice.
One of the highlights of the day is getting to be the snack helper. Our older students are helping to peel
clementines for snack and set up the snack area.
Valentine’s Day is coming up. Our toddlers will be doing some Valentine type activities in the classroom.
Primary Classroom News January 2016
by Diane Cimorelli on 01/29/16
Classroom 2
In January, Classroom 2 learned about Martin Luther King Jr. We read nonfiction books about his life,
and watched a movie called "My Friend Martin". The children enjoyed talking about how it doesn't
matter what color our skin is, and that we can all be friends. We also talked about the causes of snow
and fun activities we like to do in the snow. Sledding and building snowmen definitely won! In the
afternoon, we started our book study of Sleeping Beauty. All the children in the afternoon class read the
story together and then answer comprehension questions. The kindergartens are very excited about
going to see the play. In February, we will learn about important historical figures like George
Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The 100th day of school is fast approaching! Please keep your eyes
open for an email further explaining how we will celebrate. We will also make our Valentines Day bags
to put our valentines in.
As of February 1st, Ms. Fatima will join our class in preparation for Ms. Leah's upcoming maternity leave.
We are excited to welcome her!
Classroom 3
The children of classroom 3 are happy to say “2016” when the recite the date each morning. We
focused on Martin Luther king Jr for the first part of the month. This is an important unit that can be
tricky to discuss. But I am always amazed at the passion children feel for injustice. We take time to put
our hands in a circle to note that everyone has their own unique skin color. Some phrases that the
kindergarteners have worked with are, “I have a dream…,” “Everyone can be great,” and “Only love can
drive out hate.” These and other phrases were explored in Doreen Rappaport’s Martins Big Words. They
had fun making anagrams from the big word “segregation”, which they learned means “to separate.”
The children were so excited by the historic snowfall. We have used it as an opportunity to write about
their snowy activities. Valentine’s Day and President’s Day in February will give us a chance to explore
emotions and some American history.
Classroom 4
In class 4 this month we read about Martin Luther King Jr. This lead to a discussion on the different
ways we can be peaceful. To encourage this in the children, we put a silence work into our classroom.
While doing this work the children learn to sit silently and calmly while listening to the environment
around them (similar to meditation). The children have really taken to this work and it is used daily by
students of all ages. In January we also began our very timely study of weather. The students had much
to share about our recent blizzard.
In February we will continue with weather studies. In recognition of Chinese New Year which falls on
February 8th, we will be learning about the continent of Asia.
Greetings from Class 5 Toddlers January 2016
by Diane Cimorelli on 01/15/16
School is back in swing and we are having a great time in the toddler room. Four of our friends from last
semester graduated to primary classrooms and we have new friends to get acquainted with.
We are spending lots of time learning about classroom rules and how to do things together. We are
learning about how to get our snack. How to wait for our friends while they get their coats on to go out
to play, and taking turns on the slide.
Our day is busy and we are having lots of fun. We read, play and learn together. We are developing and
practicing new skills and enjoying our day.
Interfaith Chapel and Level 1 Catechist Classes
by Diane Cimorelli on 12/17/15
Kate Heflin teaches our Interfaith Chapel and Level 1 Atrium classes. Parents may sign-up primary
students at the time of enrollment for the Atrium class. Interfaith Chapel is one of the enrichment
classes offered weekly to students in the Elementary program.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd -Level 1 Atrium for Primary Students
In the Primary Atrium, children work with different materials—dioramas, tracings, puzzles, maps and
booklets—to learn about the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus is emphasized as the Good Shepherd who
cares for his sheep. The children also learn the basics of Catholic/Episcopal liturgy, such as the colors of
the church seasons, the gestures, and the sacraments of Eucharist (Communion) and Baptism. We
bookend our work time with lots of singing and always close each session with voluntary prayer, where
the children express gratitude for their blessings in life. On their own initiative, they pray for their
parents, their pets, their friends, their favorite toys, and oftentimes for the whole world.
Interfaith Chapel for Elementary Students
In the Interfaith Chapel, we switch gears away from the Atrium a bit. Here the emphasis is more
academic, as opposed to encouraging a specific practice. We have finished our Hinduism unit, where
we learned about some of the deities and Vedic stories, explored the concepts of karma and dharma,
and put together a Diwali celebration entirely from scratch. We are currently in our Christianity unit,
with focus on the Bible and the life of Christ. The Christianity unit explores some of its Jewish heritage,
and the Judaism unit this spring will likewise refer to Christian traditions that arose out of the Jewish
faith. Our next unit will be Buddhism, to include a Fourfold Assembly celebration, and we will close the
year learning about the Five Pillars of Islam. In this program, we draw connections between faiths,
emphasizing respect, compassion and understanding.
Ms. Kate is certified as a Level 1 Catechist by the National Association of the Catechesis of the Good
Shepherd, United States. Kate has worked as a museum educator for Historic Bethlehem and as a floor
educator for The Da Vinci Science Center. She currently leads two troops (twice winning the
Outstanding Troop Leader award) and co-manages the Emmaus and Salisbury areas for Girl Scouts of
Eastern Pennsylvania. Kate has a BA in English/art history from The University of the South and a JD
from George Mason University School of Law.
Greetings from Class 5 Toddlers December 2015
by Diane Cimorelli on 12/15/15
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Feast. Our kids made applesauce for our feast. With the help of Mrs.
Magee and Ms. Gail they chopped apples and we then cooked them. On the day of our feast we had
homemade applesauce and cornbread. We set our table and enjoyed a delicious snack.
The Barnes and Noble book fair was a lot of fun. It was nice to see some of you there. Thank you for the
books that have made their way into our classroom. The children are especially enjoying the book
Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton.
We are learning new songs for the winter holidays. We have added instruments into our classroom. We
have rhythm sticks, tambourines, jingle bells, shaker boxes etc. The kids love to make music.
We are enjoying the winter themes of snowmen and reindeer. There have been quite a few coloring
pages that the kids have done. We have just finished making a reindeer from our footprint. They are on
display in our classroom. We will send them home after our holiday celebration next week.
We invite you to share some cheer with us in our classroom. Our class will be hosting a holiday party.
Our students are preparing a couple of songs for you. We will also have some light refreshments. If you
have a special holiday, traditional or cultural food to share, we would love to sample it! (no nuts
please).
Primary News December 2015
by Diane Cimorelli on 12/01/15
Classroom 2
In November classroom 2 started to learn about the 6 groups of animals in the animal kingdom. We
started with mammals, insects, and birds. The students enjoyed learning about the parts of a turkey, and
scooping and roasting pumpkin seeds to eat for snack. The kindergarten students enjoyed learning
about cornucopias, which means horn of plenty. We connected our adjective lesson with the fruits we
found in our cornucopia. The students also enjoyed preparing and cooking a vegetable soup, and making
their very own butter to share at our Thanksgiving feast. In December and January we will finish our
animal kingdom study by learning about amphibians, reptiles, and fish. We will also learn about winter
weather, various holiday traditions that families celebrate around the world, and historical figures, like
Martin Luther King.
Classroom 3
The children of classroom 3 had a great Thanksgiving feast. They peeled and cut their own vegetables
and enjoyed a yummy vegetable soup with crackers, bread, and cheese. We had little apple and cherry
pie bites for dessert. They were adorable in their Native American headdresses and leaf necklaces. The
big kids used the cornucopia work to separate fruits and vegetables and learn about adjectives. This
time of year is an excellent opportunity to discuss the things in life that we are thankful for. December
will be full of excitement. We’ll use the month to talk about Hanukkah, Christmas, Three King’s Day,
Quaanza, and Korean New year. These holidays are explored in a chapter book by Suzy Kline
called, Harry and the Horrible Holidaze. It is always great to hear the children’s excitement when they
talk about their own family celebrations. Please come to our holiday feast on December 18, to celebrate
with our classroom family! And feel free to bring a traditional dish to share!
Classroom 4
The children of Classroom 4 have been digging into history this month! They have learned about the
similarities and differences of the Native American tribes. They were most interested to find out that not
all Native Americans lived in Teepees and that the Adobe tribes invented cotton clothing! The children
have learned that Christopher Columbus erroneously called Native Americans, "Indians", as he thought
he had landed on the shores of India! During this month, we have also cut vegetables and prepped a
meal of vegetable soup, bread, cheese and apples to celebrate Thanksgiving with their peers. This
included our Kindergartners setting the table. It has been an exciting month! Next month, we will learn
about Winter celebrations in many cultures.
To see more pictures, visit us at Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/grace.montessori.1
Greetings from Class 5 Toddlers November 2015
by Diane Cimorelli on 11/20/15
We have been having a busy fall. In anticipation of Thanksgiving we have been learning about the
Pilgrims and their arrival in the New World. We have read books about Thanksgiving and talked about
what being thankful means. We are introducing the concept of counting our blessings.
We have enjoyed watching an entertaining video about Thanksgiving. Please follow our link and you too
can enjoy a fun rendition of the The Story of Thanksgiving https://youtu.be/faUYJ9fMiGg
We are continuing to sing the songs included in our last update. We have begun learning the words and
melody to You Are My Sunshine.
On rainy days we have movement and indoor play. We dance and move to the rhythm of songs. Here is
an example of one of the songs we use. https://youtu.be/NwT5oX_mqS0
We continue to practice using please and thank you with our friends.
We have introduced new works into the classroom. One new work is bead stringing. We have also
added a new matching work. It is a work that has eight sets of matching cards of birds native to our
area. Hopefully in the course of the year our kids will get a chance to see some of these birds in the wild.
We now have a barn set in our classroom. It is getting lots of use!
We have been spending time learning about owls. We have a book about barn owls in the classroom. It
is taking us through the life cycle of the owl. This link will show you different species of owls and the
calls that they make https://youtu.be/ezaBqCf0hv0
We have been coloring and gluing, reading books, and playing outside. We took a walk through our
labyrinth and listened to the wind rustling through the grass.
We hope that you enjoy exploring our world with us.
Primary Classroom News October 2015
by Diane Cimorelli on 10/29/15
Classroom 2
Autumn is in full swing in classroom 2! We have learned about the life cycle of pumpkins in preparation
for our much anticipated pumpkin patch field trip. The students enjoyed searching for pumpkin leaves,
vines, juvenile pumpkins, and the flowers pumpkins grow from. The kindergartners loved dissecting the
various pumpkin parts we found at the patch. The students also enjoyed pumpkin scrubbing, scooping,
toasting and eating pumpkin seeds, and creating a jack-o-lantern. The students also learned about why
fall leaves change colors and bats. They loved taste testing and voting for their favorite apple. Next
month we will learn about animal kingdoms including mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and birds.
We look forward to speaking with each family about your child's progress at the conferences on
November 9th and 10th.
Classroom 3
The children in Classroom 3 have been working hard with materials relating to the Fall Season. They
started October learning about the parts of a tree, and parts of a leaf. We prefer to celebrate Fall
Harvest rather than traditional Halloween at Grace, but we cannot deny the influence on children at this
time of year! We find that it is a great time to study spiders and bats. The children really love these
creatures. Ask your children to tell you about the parts of a spider and you might be surprised to hear
them tell you about the cephalothorax and pedipalps! Asked about a bat, and many children can tell you
the idea of echolocation, and can name other nocturnal animals as well. Everyone had a wonderful time
at the Unangst Tree Farm. The children all had a hand in gutting and carving the classroom jack-olantern. November will continue more Fall traditions as we get ready for Thanksgiving.
Classroom 4
We had a great October! We learned about the changing of the leaves, the parts of a bat, the parts of a
spider, and pumpkins! When learning about the changing of the leaves, we learned that leaves change
colors because there is less sunlight, which means that the leaf produces less chlorophyll. The reds,
browns, and yellows that show up in the leaves are colors that are covered by the green chlorophyll in
the spring when there is more sunlight. When learning about bats and spiders, we learned that bats
have thumbs and that spiders have spinnerets which is where their silk is produced. Our learning about
pumpkins consisted of the parts and the life-cycle. In November, we will delve into the cultures of Native
Americans and Pilgrims.
To see more pictures, visit us at Facebook http://www.facebook.com/grace.montessori.1
Greetings from Classroom 5 Toddlers
by Diane Cimorelli on 10/27/15
We have been having a wonderful time. In anticipation of our trip to the pumpkin patch we learned
about the life cycle of pumpkins. Please follow our link and you will experience the life cycle of a
pumpkin. https://youtu.be/iXLnCd4JMH4
In keeping with the fall/autumn theme we have been singing about
apples. https://youtu.be/fKmFHRrkFuQ?list=PLAA396E4439A25EE1 . We are also learning to count to
five, forwards and backwards. It is so much fun to do when singing.
Music is a great way to introduce new topics to our children. We are currently exploring the idea of
what is real and what is pretend. We have been singing Twinkle Twinkle Little
Star https://youtu.be/yCjJyiqpAuU in this version of the song there is an owl who flies with a star. We
have been talking about imagination and how people can create things that aren’t real. We also are
talking about what is real. At the beginning of the song you can hear crickets chirping. We are identifying
the sound that they make.
The Wheels on the Bus is a favorite song of lots of children and class 5 is no exception. We are learning
about the world around us through song. Our children love to sing along and make hand motions to this
songhttps://youtu.be/ki_R_4FcFK0.
We have also been learning about manners. We are practicing using please and thank you with our
friends.
We have introduced some new works into the classroom. There is a new activity using toddler
appropriate nuts and bolts, hammer, screwdriver and wrench. Everyone is enjoying learning these new
skills. We have a new flashlight. It is one that has a crank. To make it light up the kids have to turn the
crank and expend energy. Soon we will talk about the concept of work and energy, that by turning the
crank we make energy to power the light.
We've added a few more pictures to Facebook http://www.facebook.com/grace.montessori.1
These are just a few of the new and fun things that we are doing.
Classroom News September/October 2015
by Diane Cimorelli on 10/01/15
Classroom 2
Welcome back to Classroom 2! Ms. Leah and Ms. Leena are very excited to welcome our new students
and welcome back the returning students. We have enjoyed getting back to the school routine and
working very hard on many challenging works in the classroom. In September we learned about the
ocean. We studied the animals and plants found in the ocean. We did this by reading books, creating art
work, watching short video clips, and acting out ocean animal behaviors. Ask your child about what they
learned! In October we will learn about "The Harvest". This theme will include learning about pumpkins,
Fall, and apples. We are very excited for our Unangst Tree Farm field trip on October 20th!
Classroom 3
Class 3 started the year off with an Under the Sea theme. It seems like a fitting way to prolong the beach
season and ease into the school year. The classroom environment is rife with stunning shells - large and
small- as well as sand dollars, star fish and even seahorses. The children have enjoyed examining the
specimens with a magnifying glass and comparing size and texture. A favorite work in the classroom is
sifting small shells from sand in a big basin. The children have learned about the parts of fish, parts of a
penguin, and parts of a sea turtle. Ask your child about turtle shells. They may be able to tell you that
the top of the shell is called a “carapace” and the bottom of the shell is the “plastron.” The children
have enjoyed punching out fish shapes with a pushpin, tracing sea creatures, making Rainbow Fish and
creating their own sea turtles!
As the month winds down, we get ready to explore the many wonders of Fall. Get ready for the
exploration of pumpkins, apples, gourds and leaves!
Classroom 4
Welcome back to a new and exciting school year! For the month of September, the children of
Classroom 4 are studying the life cycle and parts of trees, apples and pumpkins. To reinforce the parts of
a tree, the children assembled collages consisting of roots, trunk, branches, and leaves. We also
discussed that some trees grow fruit. During Kindergarten Circle, the Kindergartners were asking great
questions such as "Are there any tropical trees that grow berries?" For the study of apples, we identified
different types of apples and then taste tested to identify our favorite kind. Each student colored a small
apple picture and then our Kindergartners assembled a pictograph as part of their study of graphs and
charts. At the end of the month, in anticipation of our Unangst Farm field trip, we began studying the
life cycle of pumpkins. This topic will carry over into the month of October, in addition to the topics of
bats and spiders.
Classroom 5
We are off to a great start this year with our new toddler program. Miss Gail and Mrs. Magee are thrilled
to have a wonderful class of bright inquisitive students. We are learning about manners, being
independent and respectful. These are practical everyday life skills that we are exercising and growing.
We are learning to wait for our turn to get snack and when we are done to put our dishes in the wash
bin. We are taking care of our trash and helping to keep our classroom tidy. We are working on using
please and thank you with our friends. We love to wash our hands and make bubbles with the soap.
Watch out germs here we come!
Along with social skills we are spending time working on gross motor skills. We are jumping, running,
sliding, walking with control, crab walking, hopping, rolling a ball, throwing and catching a ball. Our days
are full and busy.
Some days we are coloring pictures. Other days we are building block towers and reaching for the sky.
We read stories and sing songs and learn about the world around us. In September we learned about
ladybugs, watched a video about their life cycle: https://youtu.be/1fmfzHLiGh4 and have been singing a
song about them. If you have heard your child talk about the lady bug song you can sing along with
them: https://youtu.be/qjhSgMqsAfM