Some of you may have seen papers coming home telling you how many worms tall your child is! We love measuring with non-standard units, and it was fun lining up the squishy rubber worms to make a line as long as a person. This next month, we'll be measuring each other using cinnamon sticks.
Also next month, the animal group we will learn about will be insects. We will have a unit on hibernation and migration, and other ways animals adapt to the winter weather. Closer to Thanksgiving, we will learn about different kinds of winter squash. I have a few additional comments about our Halloween plans on Monday. It is a school-wide policy to not allow make-up with costumes. Our Halloween parade is in the afternoon, but all Montessori students are encouraged to dress up in costume. Our classroom Halloween fun will be for all students in the morning. Finally, we kindly ask that parents do not send in candy to share. However, if you'd like to participate, we welcome parents to visit and help with the activities. Stay for 30 minutes or all morning! Actually, that invitation is open all the time!
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Don't be surprised if your child asks you how many smoke detectors you have in the house. Or if they tell you they know what to do if they smell smoke or see fire. OR if they let you know that it's almost time to change the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors. These are just a few of the important topics we covered with our visiting firefighters this morning. First, we watched a fun video, then had a question-and-answer session. Then we got to see the fire engine up close! Thank you to the Swormville Fire Company for a great presentation!
Halloween is coming, although as we discuss every day in class, not until the very end of the month! However, we thought we'd let you know our Halloween plans for that spookiest of days. We will keep to our regular schedule as much as possible, except that we will have different Halloween-themed activities available along with our regular work. We welcome children in costumes for that day; please be aware, though, that they are going to need to be able to move and see freely in these costumes. If there are any extra-special parts of the costume that would be heartbreaking to lose or break, it might be best to keep them at home. Loose or bulky costume accessories will probably spend most of the day in your child's cubby, until they can be added for the school's Halloween parade. Also, please note that we are a classroom dedicated to peace, so we kindly ask that you do not include toy weapons in your child's costume! Our goal is for the day to be fun, but not overwhelming to our young students.
Please let us know if you have any questions. Thank you so much for all your cooperation! We finished our September unit on apples, making our fresh, homemade applesauce, and also taste-testing different kinds of apples. Now, we are focusing on the theme of fall. While we're waiting for more leaves to fall off the trees, we are also learning about different classifications of animals. The first group we're learning about are mammals. This week, we learn that mammals are warm-blooded, vertebrates, covered with fur or hair, and feed their young milk. We've been playing a game called Mammal or Not?, and will continue to play this game this week. Most months we will add another group of animals to learn about. When more leaves fall on the ground, we will go on a leaf hunt. Look for a notice in your child's mail to find one special leaf at your home to bring in to school. We will catalog the various colors and shapes. We will also learn some of the parts of leaves. We continue to go outside as often as the weather permits. We go outside as long as it's not raining, and the temperature, adjusted for windchill, is above 25 degrees. We might not be outside for long in colder weather, but the fresh air is important. I realize that the temperature can be inconsistent this time of year, so please dress your child appropriately for the weather. Layers are a good idea, so that your kiddo can add or take off according to their comfort. On a similar note, please label your children's jackets and sweaters. Some of the clothing can be similar, and it makes everyone's lives easier to look for a name on a tag. Thank you everyone, for your assistance and patience in helping your children adjust well to the new school year. Their comfort shows everyday in new friendships, growing independence, and bigger smiles. |
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Ms. Teresa is just one of the three fantastic teachers in St. Mary's Montessori Children's House! |