Welcome Letter 2018-19

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the new school year!

It is a pleasure to have you and your child be part of the Lincoln family. We hope you had a wonderful summer and we are eager to start this coming year with all of you.

Here is some information that will help us start the school year successfully…

·         There will be a Primary Montessori Picnic at Platt Park, Saturday, August 18^th from 11 to 1 pm. Platt Park is located at 1500 S. Logan St. Please bring your blankets and/or chairs and lunch for your family. Hope to see you there!

·         Please note the Primary Montessori classrooms will not have an Open House on Friday, Aug 17^th, instead we will have the picnic to welcome our students.

·       The Montessori Primary classrooms have a specific parent orientation which is scheduled for Wednesday, August 22^nd from 4:45 to 5:45 pm. We encourage all families, new and returning, to attend as information changes from year to year. We encourage you, if at all possible, to come to this meeting without your children. Back to School Night for the whole school will also be on the same night at 6 pm.

·          Student start dates are as follows….

                        New and returning Kindergartners will start on Monday, August 20^th

                        New and returning Four Year Olds will start on Wednesday, August 22^nd

·         To make the transition to school as smooth as possible and provide the attention needed to acclimate the Three Year Old children to our classroom, we phase these students into the classroom in small groups. Three Year Old Parents - Please reference the list of start dates that you received in your registration packet.

            With warm regards,

            Ms. Sheela

September newsletter

Dear Parents,

And we are off!! We had a wonderful 2 weeks, the new children are getting acclimated to the classroom and learning the basics of how to interact in a Montessori environment. The new students are understanding that each work has a lesson, how to choose works they have been given a lesson on, how to carry their work to a table or get a work rug for a floor work. They have been learning how to tuck and untuck their chairs when sitting up or getting up from their table, how to unroll and roll a work rug and how to put the work back in the place where they got it from. The older students have been great examples for the new students and enjoying the responsibility in assisting the younger ones.

We have begun the year with study of the World Map, the concept of continents, and creating a flat map from a spherical globe. September will also include understanding the difference between living and non-living and plant and animal, vertebrates and invertebrates. The Kindergartners have also been introduced to the artist Henry Matisse and inspired to make Self-Portraits.

We sing a song with the children at this time each year called “At the Beginning.”

“At the beginning is a good place to be.

What will each day bring for you and me?

New life, new friends, new things to do.

At the beginning is a good place to be.”

Reminders:

Scholastic orders are due this Friday, Sept 9^th, 2016.

No school for 3 and 4 year olds on Monday, Sept 19, 2016.

Messages for me:

If you are picking your child early or they are being picked up by somebody else, or if there is anything you need me to know, please write a note and give it to Ms. Paula/Ms. Danielle or email me, instead of telling them about it at drop off. It is hard for them to remember and pass the message to me.

Conversation Starters:

Here are some ideas to get a conversation started with your child about their day:

What work did you do today at school? What was your favorite part of the day? Did you do any work on the carpet side? Did you do any work in the Practical Life area? What did you do at recess? What songs did you sing at Line/Circle Time?

Have a wonderful September!!

Ms. Sheela, Ms. Paula and Ms. Danielle

Pink Tower Exploration

 Pink Tower and Brown Stairs extension

 Cleaning the Easel

 6 Long Chain 

 Painting with watercolors

 Boat Pose

 Metal Insets

 Opening and Closing

 Sink and Float

 Matching shapes

 Building words with the Movable Alphabet

 Tonging red and green apples

 Movable Alphabet

 Easel Painting

 Cylinder Blocks

 Lockboard

Practicing writing numerals on the chalkboard

February Newsletter

February 2015 Newsletter

Happy Groundhog Day!

On Monday, we talked about Groundhog Day and how this furry, little critter can predict a long or short winter.  The children had to predict whether the groundhog had seen his shadow.

President’s Holidays

There will be no school on Monday, Feb 16^th for President’s Day and Tuesday, Feb 17^th for a Planning day. This month we will be discussing the role of our current president of the United States as we include the history of past presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  We will read Presidents’ Day by Anne Rockwell and George Washington , Our First President by Garnet Jackson.

100th Day of School

On Tuesday, February 11th, we will celebrate our 100th day of school we will do fun activities using the number 100!

Chinese New Year

We will celebrate Chinese New Year with our dragon parade on Feb 20^th at 11:15 am, please join us in the hallway to see our parade.

Gung Xi Fat Choy! (Happy New Year)

Valentine’s Day Party!

On Friday, February 13th, we will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special snack and exchange Valentine cards.  We will have the children make one valentine in class to exchange at school on Valentine’s Day.   We will put all the children’s names in a basket.   Each child will choose a name of a classmate and give their valentine to that child.   We will use this as an opportunity to practice our manners.   We will have a treat to share at group time.  Anyone interested in providing this treat (strawberries or apples?), please let me know.

Parent Observations

February is a great time to come and observe your child in action in the classroom.

Parent –Teacher Conferences

Conferences will be held at the end of March or beginning of April , I will send you more information about signing up soon.

February finds us finishing our study of amphibians, Asia and the Solar System

Dates to Remember

Feb 20^th -Chinese New Year Parade at 11:15 am

Feb 16^th and 17^th – No School

January Newsletter

Welcome back and Happy New Year!!

We hope your time home with your families was a special one.

Thank you so much for your generosity and thoughtfulness this holiday season.  

We have had a wonderful first week back at school. The Practical Life shelves are stocked with exciting new works with colors reflecting the season. The children have been busily engaged with the physical skills of tweezing, pouring, spooning and twisting.  These exercises help to strengthen the fine motor muscles in the hand and the “pincer” grasp a child needs in order in to hold a pencil properly for handwriting 

In January we’ll learn about:

·         Africa

·         Martin Luther King

·         Winter /Snow/Snowflakes/Animal Tracks

·         Hibernating Animals

·         Amphibians

·         Antarctica

·         Penguins

 

Author and Illustrator Study:

Jan Brett- we will get to know this author and illustrator while enjoying some wintry stories. We have already read the ‘The Gingerbread baby’ in December, and last week we read, ‘The Mitten’ and the “The Three Snow Bears”.

 

Sound of the week:

‘O’-Olive the Octopus

 

Reminders:

Scholastic Orders due on Fri, Jan 16^th, 2015

No school on Mon, Jan 19th - MLK Day

A pair of shoes to be worn in the classroom

Change of clothes in the lockers

Water Bottle

Qualistar:

Thank you for completing the online survey. They will be here any day now to observe our classrooms, please remember to send snacks from two food groups.  

Snack Ideas from Each Food Group

Grains	dry cereal, whole grain crackers, mini rice cakes, sliced bread, mini bagels, graham crackers, whole wheat tortillas
Vegetables	veggie "matchsticks" (thin sticks) made from fresh carrots* or zucchini,* bell pepper rings, cherry tomatoes*, steamed broccoli, green beans, sugar peas, avocados
Fruits	apple slices*, tangerine sections, strawberry halves, bananas, pineapple, kiwi, peach, mango, nectarine, melon, grapes*, berries, dried apricots*
Dairy	cheese slices or string cheese, mini yogurt cups, milk, cottage cheese
Protein Foods	egg slices or wedges, bean dip, hummus, slices of lean turkey* or chicken*, shelled pumpkin seeds, sun butter

*If not prepared correctly, these foods could be choking hazards.  

More snack ideas that combine two or more of the food groups:

·         yogurt topped with diced peaches or berries

·         whole grain bread spread with sun butter and sliced bananas

·         graham crackers and yogurt

·         apple slice with cheese

 

 

Happy January!!!

 

Ms. Sheela, Ms. Kelly and Ms. Paula   

Stone Soup

 

A Peek inside our classroom

Comparing sizes

parts of a Bird, labeling

Building words with the Movable Alphabet

Zucchini from our garden

Using watercolors to paint our Earth

Cards and Counters, making sets

November 2014

Thank you to all the parents who helped with our Halloween Celebration, it was a blast!!

A Peek into October and November

Scooping out the Pumpkin seeds

Estimating the Pumpkin Seeds (there were 517 seeds in the pumpkin)

Graphing and Voting for the eyes, nose and mouth for our Jack O lantern

Lifecycle of the pumpkin

Studying how apple trees grow,  and the parts of an apple (stem, skin, flesh, core, seeds)

Counting, voting for the favorite apple and cutting apples for the Applesauce

Tasting the roasted pumpkin seeds and applesauce

In Geography we began visiting the continents starting with North America, the children were introduced to the countries of North America.

In Zoology, we began our study of mammals; the children had a lesson on the Bats and Parts of a Horse

Other popular works have been corn tweezing, sunflower tweezing, hammering tees on a pumpkin, and pin-punching the world map.

Next Week

We will be making stone soup (taken from the story,’ Stone Soup’) and fresh butter next Wednesday, November  19, 2014 with the class, so we will need some ingredients to be brought in. To be sure we get all the ingredients; I assigned certain items to each student. The children will wash, cut and prep the vegetables to make the soup on Wednesday and on Thursday we will eat our soup for snack.

If there is a problem bringing in any items, please let me know and I can take care of it. We need all these items by Tuesday, Nov 18, 2014 except for the bread if we can have it on Thursday morning that would be great!!

Ingredients

3 year old boys- one potato each

3 year old girls- one carrot each

4 year old boys- one celery stalk

4 year old girls- one small zucchini

Kinders-

Vivienne- can of black beans

Mia- veggie broth

Miles- 1 small bag of frozen green beans

Josiah- can of tomatoes

Campbell- 1 small bag of frozen corn

Maddox –1 small bag of frozen peas

Zach- an onion and a couple of garlic cloves

Giuliana- heavy cream (quart)

Tesla-Loaf of bread

Dylan-Loaf of bread

Large Movement in the classroom-

 Turkey Pokey

(Hokey Pokey)

You put your right wing in

you put your right wing out

You put your right wing in

And you shake it all about.

You do the turkey pokey

And you turn yourself around.

That's what it's all about.

Add'l verses:

Left wing

Drumsticks (legs)

Stuffing (tummy)

Wattle (head)

Tail feathers (bottom)

Turkey body (whole self)

Although we enjoy very well equipped classrooms we are always looking to add to our collection of cultural materials from around the world. Since many of our families are world travelers, we have created the following ‘wish list’.

·         dolls from around the world

·         child-sized shoes, hats, clothing, instruments or cookware from different cultures

 As the snow begins to fly remember to send your child with boots, jackets, hats and mittens each day since we will be going outside on all but the most severe days.

·         All belongings should have names in them.

·         A pair of tennis shoes in their lockers to wear in the classroom.

·         Please check the Lost and Found lockers periodically.

Health and Wellness

Please be guided by your child, as the season of flu, fevers & other contagious illnesses continue. Children who have had fevers must be fever-free for at least 24 hours before returning to school. However, if your child is showing signs of lethargy, crankiness, has greenish discharge, or any other symptoms, please keep them home! Childhood

illnesses are typically very contagious, and your child will not love school if they are not feeling 100%. Please be sure to call the school to report absences.

Reminders-

·        Parent-Teacher Conferences - Nov 13^th to Nov 19th

·        Soup ingredients needed by Tuesday Nov 18, 2014

·        Wednesday, Nov 19 - Thanksgiving Luncheon

·        Nov 24^th   to Nov 28th-Thanksgiving Break

·        Monday, Dec 1^st- No School for 3 and 4 year olds

·        Monday, Dec 8^th- Winter Concert, only for full day students

Classroom Pet Sitting and Rugs Washing- Please let me know if anybody is interested in taking care of our classroom fish and if anybody is willing to take the classroom rugs home to launder during Thanksgiving Break.

Have a wonderful November!!!