Archive for December, 2017

17
Dec

Week 16 Recap

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Hello Everyone!

Past Week:

This past week our class took their mid year DIBELS reading assessment with the reading specialists.  The 3rd graders will do the second part of their assessment after we get back from Winter Break.

In cultural we did Geography this week.  Thursday Ms. Misha wasn’t there and the kids worked on unfinished work in the afternoon while waiting for our fire drill, so we missed out on some cultural time that afternoon.  We will circle back to what we didn’t get back to Geography in January.

Level 1s: The compass and learning directions on a simple map

Level 2s: Earthquakes

Level 3s: 7 weather elements, weather fronts, and kinds of precipitation

Friday we had studio and then in the afternoon we visited the library and then did our class meeting check in with going over what Random Acts of Kindness are and what does that mean.

Upcoming Week:

This coming week will be a lot of fun, but also very busy!

Monday– will be our classroom feast.  If you wish to come help set up the tables and chairs, please come at 11am.  The kids go outside to recess at 11:30 and I’d like all the food and set up to be ready to go by the time they come in and are ready to eat.  Since we will be having a Holiday luncheon, you do not have to send a lunch with your child on Monday.  Please make sure you visit our sign up sheet to bring something for our feast and if you plan on attending.  If you are providing food, please make sure it feeds a crowd.  I will be making chili and will bring some bowls.

Tuesday– we will still have early morning recess and then will do morning cultural before the students go off to specials until lunch time.  In the afternoon the Junior High will be in the gym to share their International Festival projects.  We will visit at some point in the afternoon during their 1-2:30 time frame.

Wednesday– Upper El’s International Festival will begin at 9:00am.  We will spend the morning visiting their projects.  In the afternoon will be our class Christmas party.  The set up can begin at 11:30am.  The festivities will begin after the kids eat lunch.  It is also Box Tops Day on the 20th.

Thursday– in the morning we will get our room ready for Lower El’s International Festival and get all the projects set up.  Ms. Stef’s class will join up with our class to make Christmas cards and paper ornaments.

Friday– No School- Winter Break Begins.

10
Dec

Week 15 Recap

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Hello Everyone!

Holiday Feast Approaching- Sign Up 

Our Classroom Feast has been reserved for December 18th beginning at 12:00 noon and going to around 1:30.  If you would like to come help set up, please come at 11:00am.  Here is the sign up to bring food/supplies for our luncheon:

Holiday Feast Luncheon Sign Up

After we are done eating the students will present their research on how other countries from around the world celebrate their December holidays.

Box Tops:  I have been told that The Box Top Store will be Dec. 20th

Construction for New Junior High Building:

As you can see, the construction for the new junior high building is underway!  Since the playground is being torn down, we have figured out how to accommodate recess.  Recess will be held out back where the tether ball and basketball hoops are.  Since it is a smaller space, we arranged to have only 4 classes outside at a time during certain times.  Our classroom will still go outside at 11:30am, except on Tuesdays which is still first thing in the morning.

International Festival:

Remember that International Festival is approaching!  Projects on South America are due by Dec. 21st.  Please visit the Projects tab up at the top for additional project how to details 🙂

EPIC! Online Library

The online library program Epic, can only be used while at school 🙁  Home access can be obtained for a monthly fee of $5.99 right now.  We will add Epic to our repertoire of programs for when students need to do at school research, or would like to read.

Past Week:

Ms. Nikki began her in class co-teaching with us this past week and gave lessons on handwriting, adding/subtracting, and addition/subtraction math games.  Ms. Misha is beginning to take on more lessons as well, so we have a nice schedule going on where many students are being seen for lessons, reviews, check ins, and extra support from the teachers.

We had the COW Wednesday afternoon and we worked on Zoology/Physiology in cultural lessons this past week.

Friday we had our classroom meeting time to discuss kindness.  We did an activity with toothpaste.  I had students break into 4 groups and they all were give some toothpicks.  I squeezed out some toothpaste onto to some paper for them.  The toothpaste represented unkind words that we some times say and how it can be a challenge to take back those words.  For most people, unkind words hurt and some can leave a mark on us.  The students had the task of putting the toothpaste back into the tube of toothpaste using only toothpicks.

Friday we also read a book A Wish to Be a Christmas Tree and the students made a bird seed treat to bring birds to one of your trees at home.

In cultural this past week:

Level 1s: Amphibians learning and lifecycle of a frog

Level 2s: The ear and how we hear

Level 3s: Flat and roundworms (Platyhelminthes and Nematodes)

 

Upcoming Week:

Nothing too much is going on this week.  Thursday will be a Fire Drill.  Level 2s and 3s will do Geometry in leveled group lessons and Level 1s will do money. Geography will be up for cultural lessons.

 

Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!

Ms. Kaley

 

3
Dec

Week 14 Recap

Posted in Classroom, Holidays, Home Projects, Shared School | No Comments »

Hello Everyone!

DATE REDOS!

I have some dates to edit!  School will go until December 21st.  I marked until the 20th.  The International Festival will begin on December 19th with the Junior High, December 20th will be Upper El, and December 21st will be Lower El’s presentation day.  The RED paper that went home this past week has all the information regarding the International Festival.  If your child misplaced it, please visit the project tab up top and then click on the link to review the information.  Remember that the project is due by Dec. 21st!  Thanks!

Our Holiday Classroom Party will then be December 20th in the afternoon still.  Our room mom, Katie, will email you with any details she might need for the party 🙂

I am also rescheduling our Class Feast date.  I am moving it to Monday December 18th.  It will begin at noon.  We will have a sign up sheet to bring food to share for this event. After our lunch we will have the students share their research on December holiday/Christmas traditions from around the world.  They all chose their topic this past week in class as part of their December writing prompt assignment.  this week they will begin reading the research and learn to write responses based on what they read to share with you on feast day!

A Note from MAPA (MMA’s parent committee):

Maria Montessori Academy Parents Association (MAPA) is very excited to announce that effective December 1, 2017 we will be using Track it Forward to schedule and record volunteer hours.
We feel that using track it forward will help us provide the most positive experience possible when signing up for and recording volunteer hours. This program will allow families to track their hours on their own electronic devices, send out reminders for sign ups and help us become a more centralized Montessori family.
Families are asked to donate 40 volunteer hours a year per family to the school. As a member of MAPA (all parents are automatic members) the MAPA presidency is trying to provide as many opportunities to complete this act of service yearly and Track it Forward will allow families to sign up to volunteer.
In sending your children to a Montessori school you are taking the initiative towards bettering your children and families. MMA’s mission statement is “Education for a better world” and by volunteering you are providing opportunities to help make this a better world.
The reason I volunteer is to provide my children with opportunities they may not get at other schools. “Only a life lived for others is worth living.” — Albert Einstein. By volunteering you are giving of yourself to your children and the children of others. Volunteering does not have to be a big sacrifice of time away from the family or money spent, many teacher at the school offer opportunities to volunteer at home and MAPA has opportunities to volunteer where you can bring your children.
Ways you may be volunteering and not even know.
· Attending a MAPA meeting
· Room mom calls and asks you to cut something out or bring something to the class
· Coming into the school and reading with children
· Bringing in food for an activity
MAPA in cooperation with the MMA is trying to say “thank you” to those that have sacrificed time and volunteered this year by giving those families with 10 service hours completed an “act of service.” The details are still in the works but we want everyone to know that we appreciate and value all of those that have volunteered.
How Track it forward works:
You can sign up in one of two different ways. On the website https://www.trackitforward.com/site/mapa or email mapa@mariamontessoriacademy.orgwith your family’s last name and the names of your children and we will send you an invite. Once in you can track your family’s hours and sign up for volunteer hours.
Again we appreciate all that our wonderful MMA families do!!!

Past Week:

We welcomed a new student this past week, her name is Stevee and she is a first grader.
Fraction lessons were reviewed this past week and next week will be Geometry for Level 2s and 3s while a fractions follow up lesson will continue with first graders.  Level 1s will begin to learn identifying fractions using pictures.  Level 2s and 3s will do their own independent follow up work on greater than and less than with fractional parts this week as well.
Ms. Rachel came in on Wednesday afternoon and presented her monthly Botany lesson
All students met with me throughout the week in their language groups and chose a December holiday or how they do Christmas in that country.  They will be learning informational writing by reading about their topic and then learning to take that information and write about it in order to present it.
In cultural this past week: History
Level 1s: Past, present, future review, what is a century and decade?, What is a timeline
Level 2s: Universe overview/review and The Sun in the solar system
Level 3s: Working on our timeline booklet.  We got up to the Carboniferous Period
Upcoming Week:
The beginning of our week is going to bring a chill!  Please make sure your child has warm attire to wear outside.  This will be especially true for Tuesday morning’s early recess to accommodate PE and Music in the morning during their regular recess time.
Ms. Misha will not be at school Thursday
Friday will be an early release day!  Please remember to have your child picked up at 1:00pm.
Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!
Ms. Kaley