// Photos: First week of December! //
// Week of Nov. 26: Curriculum Update //
Our students returned from their Thanksgiving break excited to share how they spent their long weekend with their respective families. Yellow Room is learning more about our class pet ‘Bubbles’ this week. We have been taking our tortoise out for a lil while every day for the children to observe him and discuss about what he eats, how he walks, how his shell protects him and other important facts about reptiles. Children have been excited to see Bubbles come out of his tank everyday and interact with him.
This week we also introduced to the concept of ‘migration, hibernation and adaptation’. Children are taking turns to work with materials related to this concept where they sort pictures of animals who migrate, hibernate or adapt. Our classroom shelves also have new works this week which the children are happy to see and explore.
“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” - Maria Montessori.
// Photos from the last week in November //
So what's the big deal about arriving to school on time?
// This week at HPMS //
This week our students returned after a long weekend and shared with us how they spent their day off. Yellow room started talking about what it means to be ‘thankful’ and how to be thankful. Some children shared during circle that they are thankful for their parents, siblings and extended families. Children were also excited to be introduced to new art on the art shelf this week where they can make a turkey by using paper cutouts and glue. In preparation of our ‘Stone Soup’ celebration next week, we started talking about what Stone Soup is and discussed how it will be prepared in the classroom.
“When some things go wrong, take a moment to be thankful for the many more things that are still going right.” - Annie Gottlier
// The Days Leading up to Thanksgiving //
// Curriculum Update: Week of November 5 //
The Yellow Room continued their studies on birds by reviewing the lifecycle of a bird, specifically, as a chicken. We learned that an adult female chicken, called a Hen, lays her eggs and keeps her body on them for approximately 21 days to keep the eggs warm. If the eggs are fertilized (a new word for many yellow room students!) then a baby chick starts to grow inside the egg during those 21 days until it is ready to hatch. When the chick hatches, it will grow up to become a Rooster (adult male chicken) or a Hen (adult female chicken).
Also, we wanted to wish all of our celebrating families a very happy Diwali! We are thankful for the families that came into the classroom to help share their culture with us and allow us a learn and experience a little bit about the beautiful Festival of Lights.
Finally, during circle we discussed the midterm elections from Tuesday. We asked if anyone had joined their families to vote and if they knew why it was important to do so. We discussed Susan B. Anthony, and her fight to secure women the right to vote, and well as a general overview of how an election and voting works.
“Somewhere inside all of us is the power to change the world.” - Roald Dahl
// Photos: Week of November 5 //
//Curriculum Update: Week of October 29 //
This week children took a closer look at nature and observed the change in colors on the leaves especially during our walks to the park. They learned the difference between evergreen and deciduous trees so that they could identify the same when outside. We also reviewed and ended our study on mammals this week and introduced birds. We stopped at the park to observe pigeons and notice how their bodies are different than mammals.
Lastly, we want to thank our upper elementary students who have been coming down every week to read during circle, clean our classroom and straighten up our shelves.
“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” - Albert Camus
// Photos: Week of October 29 //
Brought to you by "The Media Mavericks" (Upper Elementary & Middle School Students @HPMS)
// Week of October 22: Curriculum Update //
This week children were introduced to the parts of a pumpkin and got an opportunity to see and feel each part at circle. We then carved our classroom pumpkin into a Jack ‘O Lantern and the children took a poll on what kind of face it should have which you can see outside our classroom. Additionally, our picture day this week was a success where children put up their beautiful smiles and excitedly posed for the camera.
“Nothing you wear is more important than your smile.” - Connie Stevens
// Week of October 22: Photos //
// Week of October 15: Curriculum Update//
The children greatly enjoyed their trip to Abma Farms this week! They were excited to arrive back and share stories of the animals they fed, pumpkins they picked, and donuts they devoured! It sure put us in the Autumn mood, as we adjusted to the colder temperatures and a park full of fallen leaves during the rest of the week.
Additionally, a major highlight was our wonderful author visit on Friday. The classroom prepared for the author of “I Heart Art” by reading the book before her arrival. The children learned what a portrait is and enjoyed the funny comparisons to hat-wearing penguins and lopsided trees!
“And all at once, Summer collapsed into Fall.” - Oscar Wilde
// Week of October 15: Photos //
// Curriculum Update, week of Oct. 9 //
The children returned from their four-day weekend eager to jump back into the swing of things! This week, we continued our study on Land, Air, and Water, with a focus on land and water. They children were introduced to their first landform (Island) and first water form (Lake). They learned that an island is land completely surrounded by water, and a lake is water completely surrounded by land - with an instruction on how to create their own versions in the classroom!
Each day, we have been practicing our calendar, where children help with the date at circle and has been supporting their rote counting as a group. They have been singing their days of the week song daily, and have recently begun working on a new song for the months of the year as well!
Finally, as Autumn as officially begun to set in, the children have been enjoying the (slightly) cooler days at the park! During our walks there, we have started our observations of the trees, their leaves, and their colors. We encourage you to keep the discussions going with your children and have them point out if they notice that leaves have since changed or begun to fall during your own walks around town.
“Here is an essential principal of education: to teach details is to bring confusion; to establish the relationship between things is to bring knowledge.” - Maria Montessori
// Photos from the week of Oct. 9 //
//Curriculum Update: Week of October 1 //
This week, the school celebrated their 12th birthday! The children have spent the past few weeks practicing their Peace Day songs and greatly enjoyed singing along with the entire school at the gazebo in Hamilton Park. The classroom voted on their favorite song and chose “Peace like a river” as the winner.
Another vote the classroom took was their favorite apple! We did an apple tasting for Gala apples, Honey Crisp apples, Red Delicious apples, Golden Delicious apples, and Granny Smith apples. The children focused on the color of the skin, the texture of the flesh, and if each apple was juicy or dry and sweet or sour, before choosing which one was their favorite. Red Delcious came out as the winner, but be sure to check out our graph across the hall from Yellow Room to see which one each child chose!
Finally, the children have greatly enjoyed coming in to explore some new works and themes around the classroom. Some popular choices have been parts of an apple, corn tweezing, and acorn gluing, as we begin our Fall studies!
“Peace is what every human being is craving for, and it can be brought about by humanity through the child.” -Maria Montessori
// Photos from the Week of Oct. 1 //
