This Week in the Oak Room

Wow! What a busy week in the Oak Room.  Our children were working so hard and exploring so many new things!

We are learning a lot about what we hear around us.  Sounds are everywhere.  The children were introduced to different kinds of sound this week;  Living, Natural, and Artificial.  Maybe over the long weekend you and your child can listen for these different types of sound sources at home and while you’re out.

For our peace lesson this week, we have been talking to the children about being kind and have had two more ribbons added on to the kindness wreath.  The kids really enjoy this activity and have been thinking of ways to make Miss Darci and I notice they have performed an “act of kindness.”

Welcome to our newest student Gurpartap!

It’s cold, but please remember that we do go outside if it is above 32 degrees, so send those hats and mittens!

Flu season is most definitely here.  We sanitize the classrooms regularly, but we are spending more time together indoors.  If your child is running a fever or exhibiting any flu-like symptoms, please keep them at home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours. Thanks you.

Next week we will continue our study of Asia with a focus on the country of India.  The children will be making flags, preparing food and learning about what life is like for children who live in that particular part of our world.

Child quote of the week:

Celia: “Miss Holly, Santa Claus stinks.  I asked for a Barbie and he brought me a ukulele.”

Note: Celia speaks very fondly of her ukulele, but has made this statement to me every day since returning from break.  I’m not at all sure what she needs me to do with this information.  Maybe I’ll have to write Santa!

“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.” – Maria Montessori

This Week in the Oak Room

This Week in the Oak Room

The new year is off to a great start in the Oak Room!  We have had a lot of fun in the snow, both real and pretend!  You may have noticed our beautiful snowflakes and snowmen we made to celebrate this lovely time of year.  Miss Darci even got some icicles for us to examine!  Very interesting…

Madison and Emery enjoying our “pretend” snow…

Next week we will be learning even more about snowflakes and icicles as we continue our study of the weather.  We’re also taking turns as the daily meteorologist and making predictions about the outside temperature.  We had an exact hit on Thursday with Maisie’s guess of 36 degrees!

We’re taking a trip east and beginning our study of Asia.  There is so much to learn about the world’s largest continent!  If any of our families have anything to share from a trip to this area of our planet, we would love to see it.

Give peace a chance. (Yes, I had to go there!)  Maria Montessori devoted much of her life to world and inner peace, therefore it is a very important part of our curriculum.  We have expanded our “peace” area of the classroom with even more jobs to help the children learn to respect themselves, others and their world, to be kind and respectful and complete activities designed to sooth and calm the spirit.  We introduced our “kindness wreath” on Friday.  Please ask your child about it; this is an excellent opportunity to discuss what kindness means to your family and see what it means to them.

We are so happy to start the second half of our year and watch your children flourish and grow.  Have a great week!

Pretend Snow Recipe:  2 boxes of cornstarch mixed with one can of shaving cream. FYI: this is messy, but so much fun!

Child quote of the week:

Miss Holly: “Would you like to do the sound cylinders with me Collin?”

Collin:  “No, thank you. We have enough noise right now.”

“Education today, in this particular social period, is assuming truly unlimited importance. And the increased emphasis on its practical value can be summed up in one sentence: education is the best weapon for peace.” – Maria Montessori