Hello Alcott Families,

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Happy Fall!  It's hard to believe the month of September has come and gone.  Our class has been exploring the school environment, learning to adapt to the daily routine all while making social connections with peers and teachers.  The children have been receiving introductory lessons during our circle time on walking feet, how to sit in a circle, hands in our own space, carrying a floor mat, walking around a mat, carrying a tray, and putting away a mat.  In the Montessori classroom children are invited to use floor mats to help define their work space.  Our class is learning how to cooperate with each other and how to be kind to each other's personal space.  We have a short uninterrupted work period where the children can work independently or they are invited to receive one to one lessons with a teacher.  The lessons are given individually or as a small group depending on the needs and abilities of the child.  This year the children are encouraged to walk around the classroom and to choose age appropriate activities from the shelves. We gather together for circle time and present activities such as the calendar and weather, story time or music specials.  Outdoor playtime is a critical part of the children’s routine in order to get fresh air, play, and learn about the changing seasons.  Our goal is to spend lots of time outdoors, a gentle reminder to please make sure your child comes to school with a light jacket or sweater.  The children have been working on how to use their words to express their wants and needs, to greet each other and how to ask for help.  Care for the environment is another important part of our daily routine. The boys and girls are learning to be a part of the clean-up process both inside and outside of the classroom.  We reinforce the importance of taking care of ourselves to stay healthy by washing our hands often.  We are truly having a wonderful time getting to know one another and the children are doing such a wonderful job adapting to their teachers and classroom environment. We are looking forward to a happy, healthy and fun school year.

 

Warmest regards,

Mrs. Rocafuerte and Mrs. Cinquina

 

Reminder:  

• Virtual Back to School Night is on Wednesday, October 6th from 7-7:30pm, please check your email for the Zoom link invitation

• School is closed on Monday, October 11th for Columbus Day

 

 

Theme:  All About Me

 

Art:   

Name collage

Paper tearing activities (builds hand strength and develops fine motor skills)

How to use scissors and glue sticks

Introduction to the easel

 

Cultural Arts/Geography: 

Montessori Globes (introduction of land and water)

Our Peace Table

Read: Our Peaceful Classroom by Aline D. Wolf

Read: The Peace Rose by Alicia Jewell

 

Language:

Sandpaper Letters: [Aa],[Cc] - children trace the shape of the letter with the index and middle finger and say the sound

Object/ picture matching (develops vocabulary, eye-hand coordination)

All About Me booklets (develops art and writing skills)

Name recognition and tracing (develops visual discrimination, fine motor skills)

Books: I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont, Who’s In My Family? by, Robie H. Harris

 

Math:

Sandpaper numerals (children trace the shape of the number with index and middle finger and say the number, preparation for writing numerals 0-9)

Spindle Boxes (one to one correspondence, counting 0-9)

Red and Blue Rods (learning names and counting quantities of numbers 1-10, grading rods)

Colored Bead Stair 1-9 (teaches numeral recognition and counting 1-9)

October Calendar (number recognition, tracing numerals 1-31)

 

Practical Life:

Button Dressing Frame (develops independence, care of self, coordination and concentration)

Dry pouring 1:1 without handles (develops coordination, independence and concentration)

Dry pouring 1:1 with handles (develops eye-hand coordination, independence and concentration)

Stringing beads (develops fine motor skills, eye-hand coordination)

Clamping clothespins (develops fine motor skills, hand strength, eye-hand coordination)

 

Science:

Parts of the body puzzles (develops fine motor skills, builds vocabulary)

Read: Germs Are Not for Sharing by Elizabeth Verdick

 

Sensorial:

Color Tablets - boxes 1 and 2 (matching primary and secondary colors)

Geometric Cabinet - circle, triangle, square (develops visual discrimination through the use of concrete materials)

Metal Insets - circle, triangle, square, rectangle (pink and blue metal plates that help the child acquire proficiency in using a writing tool, including lightness of touch, pressure, continuity of line)

Pink Tower of Cubes (grading cubes from smallest to biggest)

Brown Stairs (grading rectangular prisms from broadest to narrowest)

 

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Daily Schedule:

 

9:15 - 9:20 Greet students outside

9:20 - 9:30 transition to bike area

9:30 - 9:45 bike playground area

9:45 - 9:55 transition to the classroom

9:55 - 10:00 lockers/ handwashing/ bathroom breaks

10:00 - 10:45 work time

10:30 - 11:00 (Mon/ Tues) Music/ Spanish Specials

11:00 - 11:30 handwashing/ bathroom use/ snack time/ circle time

11:30 - 12:00 back playground time

12:00 - Dismissal

 

**During inclement weather Gross Motor time takes place in the gym from 10:30 -10:50am.