// Weeks of Feb 25 & March 4 //
For any Birthday Celebrations.... please be aware:
// Curriculum Update: Week of Feb. 18 //
During this short school week, our Circle Room friends enjoyed several new activities. In our Peace Education area, an exercise which illustrates how our hearts are full of love when we “Turn on our Love Light” and show kindness to others was introduced. This work encourages discussion of ways we can be kind to others.
In the Practical Life area, a Weaving Board exercise is now available. The students can weave a thick ribbon under and over elastic bands. This work appeals to a child’s strong sense of order as it promotes hand-eye coordination, independence, and concentration.
At this point in the year, the children are accustomed to gathering at circle time and singing about the days fo the week. They are so proficient at the calendar activities, that each day a new student is invited to stand near the wall calendar and lead the class in song. The children are whole-heartedly enjoying the experience of being a leader at circle time.
// Presidents' Day Week //
// Week of February 11 ❤️ //
This week...
This week, we were happy to be joined by our new classroom assistant, Ms. Deborah! The students are quickly becoming attached to her and her gentle manner of addressing and assisting them.
As we introduce a new month on our classroom calendar, we can appreciate that the activities displayed on our shelves are gradually undergoing a transformation to resemble the work found in an Early Childhood classroom.
In our Sensorial area, three Geometric Solids have been introduced: the cylinder, the cube, and the sphere. The children have been familiar with the term “cylinder” when naming such objects as the Knobbed Cylinder Blocks and the Knobless Cylinder boxes. They also have heard the Pink Tower materials described as “cubes”. The term “sphere” is new to most of the students and they are absorbing and applying their newfound vocabulary. They have discovered that the Sandpaper globe is a sphere!
The Sound Cylinders were also presented. The student matches cylinders based upon the sound they make when shaken gently. The purpose of this exercise is to awaken a sense of auditory discernment. In addition, extension activities have been introduced to add new challenges to both the Knobless Cylinder and napkin folding work.
The students and teachers were thrilled to have milder temperatures this week and took advantage of the opportunity for outdoor Movement fun!
// Week of February 4 //
// Curriculum Update: Week of Jan 28 //
This has been a very productive week in the Circle Room!
Some new materials that the students are enjoying: building with MagnaTiles on the light table, solving some challenging new puzzles, guiding a metal ball through a maze using a magnetic stylus, and operating a music box.
As the students grow, they are experimenting with more sophisticated and challenging materials. The experience of operating a clear plastic music box is calming and educational. As the student gently rotates the handle he or she can observe the spinning cylindrical drum and see how the metal tines vibrates to create music. The whole classroom hushes spontaneously as the pure sound of “The Itsy Betsy Spider” tinkles out of the little music box. It is an activity that necessitates some self-control, as the music box will not play if the handle is turned too fast or forcefully.
With the frigid temperatures, we have been enjoying lots of indoor movement opportunities and have availed ourselves of the equipment in the Activity Room for exciting obstacle courses. Whenever possible, we get outdoors for some winter fun, as well!
// Week of January 28 //
// Week of January 21 //
Although it was only a four-day week, we packed a lot of fun into this week!
The highlight of the week was our field trip to State Theatre New Jersey to enjoy three favorite Eric Carle tales masterfully performed through the use of puppets. The children enjoyed spending time with their classmates, other Bridge students and their teachers. They also enjoyed wearing the special Very Hungry Caterpillar necklaces that they strung with Ms. Patricia.
In the Practical Life area and new grinding work is available. Students can sharpen their coordination and strengthen their hands while using a mortar and pestle to reduce coarse Himalayan pink salt to a fine, sand-like texture. Like all Practical Life activities, this work can help to increase concentration. The zipper dressing frame is becoming a popular work as children begin to understand the steps involved in fastening their zippered winter coats. With the frigid temperatures early in the week, we had lots of zipper action!
// Week of Martin Luther King Day //
// Curriculum Update: Week of Jan. 14 //
This week in the Circle Room, some new Movement activities were introduced. A child-sized yoga mat is now available for the practice of some basic yoga poses and for a peaceful candlelit meditation activity. A core principle of the Montessori philosophy is peace education. The yoga and mediation activities are designed to bring awareness to the process of breathing and to perform slow deliberate body movements which can impart feelings of physical and emotional well-being.
On some recent cold days, the students have enjoyed running around on the tennis court at Hamilton Park. They particularly enjoyed pretending to go on a bear hunt, while singing the popular song.
In our Math area, students are learning to count objects carefully and are encouraged to explore the Red and Blue Number Rods which help to reinforce the concept of the quantities from one to ten. They can see and feel how much bigger the fixed quantity of ten is compared to the quantity of “one”.
The Sandpaper Numerals are being employed to introduce the numeric symbols for one through nine. Once the student displays mastery of the Sandpaper Numerals, they can assign individual number cards to the Red and Blue Number Rods. In general, the winter months are typically a time of strong academic growth as the students are accustomed to being at school, understand the way we work in a Montessori environment, and have developed the ability to concentrate for some length of time. It is an exciting time in the classroom!
// Enjoy Photos from the week of Jan. 14 //
// Curriculum Update: Week of Jan 7 //
These days, the Circle Room students are engaging in more complex activities as they can understand and follow multi-step directions, possess greater fine and gross motor control, and have longer spans of attentiveness, than earlier in the school year. The children are enjoying the hex bolt driver activity, folding napkins, the button and zipper dressing frames, and creating individual collages.
In the Language area, the Sandpaper Letter “a” has been introduced with accompanying phonetic objects: an ant, an apple, an alligator, and an axe. We have read “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats and will be exploring extension activities based on the story. In the Sensorial area, follow up materials to the basic sets of Knobbed and Knobless Cylinders are being introduced. Two more students have celebrated their birthdays in school and have enjoyed allergy-friendly snacks with their friends.
As we get into the heart of winter, we will continue to visit the playground or take a walk outside to get fresh air and exercise. On extremely cold or inclement days, we will enjoy indoor movement activities.
// Curriculum Update, New Year! //
Happy New Year to all!
Returning mid-week, the students were excited to greet their classmates and teachers. Many verbally shared details of their experiences at home and traveling during the break. They were eager to delve into their classroom actives, both new and familiar.
Hibernation Day was such fun! Each child had an opportunity to spend time in the “cave.” The entire class was in attendance which made the morning even more special. The hibernation cave will remain in the classroom for a short time longer.
We have welcomed in a new season with snowflake name tags replacing autumn leaves on the classroom attendance tree. Outdoors, we noticed the bare trees, absence of wildlife in the park, and colder temperatures.
// HAPPY NEW YEAR! //
// Hibernation Week: Curriculum Update //
This has been an exciting week in Circle Room! The children painted and decorated the hibernating cave, then eagerly took turns “hibernating” inside with a blanket, stuffed bear and tiny artificial tea light candle.
Several interesting new materials are available in the Practical Life area. The bolt driver activity featuring a screwdriver-like tool which tightens bolts was introduced. The students love using a working tool and they strengthen their wrists and fingers and hone their hand-eye coordination at the same time! A winter mitten and glove donning work is very popular and offers an opportunity to practice an activity of daily life.
Five Circle Room birthdays were celebrated in December. By the time the class returns from the holiday break, half of the students will be three years old!
// Hibernation Week //
// Curriculum Update: First Week in December //
This week in Circle Room, we continued talking and singing about hibernating animals. The children enjoyed working on a special hibernating bear art project. They were able to reinforce their newfound knowledge by looking at photos of hibernating, adapting, and migrating animals. We are looking forward to Hibernation Day, next Friday!
The traditional Montessori math material known as the Number Rods, or the Red and Blue Rods, was presented. This material gives the student a visual and tactile impression of the quantities one through ten. It is a foundational material upon which many numeral and quantity based extensions will be centered in the future.
The Red Rods Maze was also introduced. It is an extension activity that builds upon a mastery of the introductory Red Rod work. This activity is truly a “big work” drawing upon a student’s ability to follow multi-step instructions, to use self-control in handling the materials, and to stay focused throughout all of the building and cleaning up involved.
It is an exciting time of year with so much growth evident in the classroom!
// Photos: First week of December! //
