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From the Heron's Nest: Ms. Baum's Classroom Blog May 17, 2010 From The Heron’s Nest: The children’s country projects are coming together, and they are eagerly anticipating the big event. Each child has chosen a country to research and they will present their work on a board. Most of the work is being done at school, with the exception of a representative food from the country. We would like to ask parents to help your child prepare a sample of food from his or her country. It doesn’t need to serve 27! Just enough to give those who would like to a taste. Children may also wear a costume representing some aspect of the country. It doesn’t need to be official. Have fun dressing up! Quite a few families have dress from various countries, so let us know if you need help. The Cultural Fair will take place on Wednesday, May 26th, from 4:00 to 5:30pm. Children should plan to stay after school that day, to prepare the classroom. We look forward to seeing you. We have been practicing the play, and the children are doing a great job already. It would be great if you could cue your child on his or her lines. We would like to go script-free by next week. We are beginning the scenery, which will consist of painted backdrops of jungles and deserts. We would like to start costumes this week. If parents who could help could meet on Wednesday at 3:35-ish I will present my ideas and we can develop a plan of action. It will involve sewing and painting fabric, I think. Well, it is a busy, productive time of year. We are preparing the progress reports and look forward to meeting with you. Photos this week include a sidewalk chalk drawing, and some ongoing work in the classroom.
May 10, 2010 Thank you to all the moms, and a dad, who came and made our Mother’s Day tea such a success. The children really enjoyed the preparation and serving.
The children are working hard on their Country Research Project, the culmination of which will be a Cultural Fair to be held on Wednesday, May 26, from 4:00 to 5:30. We welcome parents and friends to attend. The children will present their projects, wear a costume representing their particular country, and serve a native dish.
We start working on our play in the afternoons this week. Many of the children already know quite a few of their lines. We will be working on Scenery in Art, and costumes after school. Some parents have already offered to help create the costumes. We will let you know times, and children will be welcome to help. Meanwhile our morning work period continues in full force!
April 27, 2010 We had a great visit from the Chewonki Owls. We learned about their habitats, which owls live in Maine, and how different they are from other birds. We really enjoyed seeing the live owls up close. It was good to see Max Hinkley, a former student, who came along as the assistant. In art the children explored color, mixing paint on the paper to make collage paper for an Eric Carle project. In History we continue our study of the fundamental needs of people. We learned how many people are involved in producing one loaf of bread, and how interconnected people have to be in today’s communities. The children sat in a circle, each representing an occupation. Each passed a ball of yarn to a child whose help they needed in order to live and do their job. The end result was an impressionistic web of how completely interconnected we all are. The children also used pennies to demonstrate how, besides paying directly for our goods and services, we also need to contribute some of our pay for community workers, such as the police, constructors of roads, etc. The Elders continue their major research project on early humans. As we come back from our vacation we swing into a really busy time of year. We will be beginning to work on our play, which is quite complex and will require a lot of hard work from the children. This week the children will be working on painting and decorating our class project for the auction. The Middles and Youngens are studying mammals. The whole class will be exploring the flora and fauna of the DRA farm. The Elders will be focusing on arthropods. Hope your vacation was great!
April 12, 2010 We have had a week rich in the arts. On Monday the class presented a Spring Music Concert for the school. The class presented a program of song and penny whistle with Miss Kaity conducting. Children who take lessons on other instruments performed solos and duets. The children worked hard on the program and did an excellent job. Below are pictures of some of the soloists and the class performing.
In Art, we followed our theme of the history of writing and art by exploring Aboriginal art from Australia. Mr. Bross showed the children how the Aboriginal people created symbolic pictographs using dots of color.
We have chosen our play. It is The Just So Stories, based on those of Rudyard Kipling, a comedy by Joseph Robinette. The playwright has kept the humor and unique language of Kipling, while making it humorous and manageable for young children. We will be assigning parts this week so that children can begin memorizing their lines over vacation if they choose. We will be asking for help as the play gears up: please look for e-mails!
April 5, 2010 From the Heron’s Nest…… Happy Spring! Sometimes the children become involved in a project in a way that challenges them on many levels and in many ways. The Shadow Puppet Theatre project proved to be one of these. The task set for the children was to form small groups, imagine some characters, think up a small play, write the script, create the shadow puppets, and then present their play. Their first challenge was to form a compatible group of children who could agree on the subject of the play and the characters. We left it as much as possible up to the children to choose, guiding when asked, and making sure that they understood the commitment to their group. They worked hard to form their groups, and were courteous and thoughtful to make sure that no one felt left out. (Grace and courtesy, forming cooperative groups.) The next challenge was to come up with the characters and the scenario. They had to take into account that there was limited space behind the screen, each could only work one or two puppets at a time, and that the story had to involve solving a problem. (Story writing, characters, plot, beginning, middle and end, working together towards a common goal) After they had decided on the plot, the children began to write their scripts. They worked hard on deciding on and recording the dialogue. (Language, dialogue, writing) Then came the puppets. As the children worked on creating their puppets, they learned how to give a silhouette enough details to identify the character. They tried each puppet out and made adjustments. (Problem-solving, using scissors, constructing)
And then they practiced and practiced……
It was wonderful to see how hard they all worked at cooperating within their groups. It is hard not to have your idea necessarily be the main one, and to let everyone in your group have a say in the process, but each group successfully produced a play. On Thursday some of the groups put on their plays for Ms. Wilson’s class, and we will continue this Wednesday for Mrs. Lavigne’s class.
March 22, 2010 From the Heron’s Nest…. One of the important aspects of the Montessori environment is to teach the children the problem-solving skills which they need to become successful, happy, contributing members of the group, and of society. The children learn to understand their roles of responsibility within the classroom and the school. We want the children to learn to think, speak and interact thoughtfully, and to be fully involved in making their learning environment a safe and comfortable place to learn and grow. When individual problems come up in the classroom the children are encouraged to try and work them out respectfully between the individuals involved. Problem solving strategies could include apologizing, walking away, counting to 10 to cool off, tell them to stop, or using an “I” message. If this does not work, then the child may use the Peace Process to work the problem out. If the child feels uncomfortable or if the other child is not cooperating they may ask a teacher to for help. Sometimes the problem is not solved, or continues to happen, and then the child may put the problem on the Class Meeting agenda. The Class Meeting is a safe place to solve problems between individuals or groups of children and to develop solutions for whole class issues. The children have worked on helping individuals with behaviors that are disruptive or unsafe, on how to organize fair lunch seating, on how to make sure that children are not left out of games and work groups, and managing the safety and tidiness of the classroom. May problems can be resolved just by the discussion. Some problems need a more structured resolution. Last Week the Upper Elementary and Lower Elementary met to discuss the use of Legos (much in demand) at indoor recess. The classes did a terrific job in defining the problem, suggesting solutions and choosing one. It was great to see them running the meeting independently, and reaching a fair solution. We will probably be testing the solution on Monday, as it looks like it will be raining!
March 11, 2010 From the Heron’s Nest Our class continues to be active, busy, and working hard. One of Quinn’s chickens came for a visit, as the Middles and the Youngens started their study of the bird. The Youngens observed the hen carefully as they made their scientific drawings.
In Literature the class listened to a BBC radio version of the poem “Hiawatha”. It was very dramatic and exciting! The class learned about a model of the Earth’s history that is depicted as a clock. It is the “Clock of Eons”, and shows the relative length of each of the eras and eons. The tiny red line just before 12 o’clock shows how little time humans have been on earth compared to the age of the earth. The Elders are working on the prehistoric Time Line of Humans. They are working hard on creating their own Time Lines of Humans, and studying the development of humans.
Some of the children are studying math facts and the commutative law using number charts. They discovered that instead of having to study 100 multiplication math facts, you really only need to learn 55!
In Geography the children are doing experiments to study the elements that make up the earth. Some of the experiments involve combining 2 elements and observing whether they make a mixture or a solution.
The class discussed with Miss Caity holding an informal concert during music time to which they would like to invite parents and Primaries. It is tentatively on March 29th. Children who play musical instruments may perform if they would like, and the class will sing and play their penny whistles.
February 9, 2010 One of the ways to encourage the children to further explore the information given in a lesson is to engage them in extensions of the lesson. Once the initial impressionistic lesson is presented, some kind of activity or work is given. In History, the Youngens and the Middles are studying the needs of humans: the last two weeks have involved land and water transportation, and how humans have sheltered themselves over the ages. The Elders are involved in their study of early humans. So this week we celebrated cave painting, using brown paper, twigs and sticks broken to make primitive paintbrushes, “puddles “ of water, and dry paint and chalk . Enjoy the product, because the process was wonderful! The extension work for the shelter, clothing, and transportation was to make a cardboard model of a vehicle or ship, and a cardboard doll with paper clothing from their choice of period. For the Youngens, in their study of the flag, they made a personal design. We also dissected a fresh Quahog clam as the Elders pursued their study of invertebrates.
February 1, 2010 Another busy week at the Heron’s Nest! Here are some highlights. Corresponding pictures follow. In Geometry the Middles and Elders enjoyed measuring angles using the Montessori Protractor. They measured the angles of the fraction pieces from the Fraction Circles metal insets, and entered their information on a chart. In Botany, the Youngens did a seed experiment, using clay pots soaked in water to see what radish seeds need to grow. The whole class joined in an impromptu set of skits about how they imagined the early peoples might have reacted as they discovered fire, tools, and how to build shelters. The Elders are studying early humans, and the middles and Elders are studying shelter through the ages. The children use sets of three part cards of examples of shelter from each age. In Math, some of the younger children are working with bead boards to work out multiplication equations and begin to learn the facts. In Literature, the class is exploring the Native American culture. Mrs. Tabor introduced a weaving project, using burlap, yarn and feathers. Our lunches continue to be very successful, thanks to the hard work of the cooks, Mrs. DeLorenzo, Mrs. Tabor, and Mrs. Andrews. And the last picture is of Miss Kaity leading a penny whistle circle. We enjoy our varied music experiences, and make use of every minute!
January 18, 2010 As we continue our busy schedule through the winter, we are enjoying many activities. Here is an example of how reading and writing are integrated into the Science curriculum.
For the older children, cards would read carnivore, omnivore, and herbivore. The child can lay out one question, and have six animals to compare. The information needed can be gained in two ways. The child has already been introduced to a set of three-part “Who Am I?” cards. One card has a picture of an animal, one a description in the form of a question (who am I?), and a label. A set of animal fact files for each group of animals is also available. The Middles have a set of questions that are a little more advanced, and require a little more research. As the children do their research, they are reading, helping each other read, and writing down their answers. For the Middles, once the facts are gathered, they have the content of a report, and work on writing complete sentences in a logical order. As the children use this material they are also learning how to classify. When a child is learning about an animal they are also making a scientific drawing. They observe the animal and draw what they see. The children really enjoy this research. The first photograph shows a possible lay-out for the turtle, answering all questions. The second shows one question, answering for six animals. The Youngens also made models of turtles and other amphibians. And we celebrated two Birthday Walks!
January 11, 2010 This week's blog was inspired by our observation of the class, and by a quote from Dr. Maria Montessori: "When the children had completed an absorbing bit of work, they appeared rested and deeply pleased. It almost seemed as if a road had opened up within their souls that led to all their latent powers, revealing the better part of themselves. They exhibited a great affability to everyone, put themselves out to help others and seemed full of good will." During this time of year, with no exciting holidays to anticipate, and the days growing longer, the children have settled into a steady routine. A major part of the Montessori schedule is the 3 hour uninterrupted work period. From 8:45 - 11:45 each day the children work at various tasks, moving from one to another at their own pace. During the morning smaller groups of children will be called to group lessons by level, and the teachers will also be giving small group or individual lessons as needed. We set approximate times for these lessons, but we can adjust them to different situations, such as children working steadily and absorbedly on a work. We try to let children work on a job to completion and interrupt as little as possible. Montessori based her method on what she observed as human tendencies. Children want to explore, to move, and to share with a group. They like to be independent and make decisions. As they work they develop self control, use their creative imagination, and abstract ideas from their experience. This period of work allows the children to have many of these experiences. The process of interacting with each other, the work, and the physical environment, and the continuous problem-solving involved, are core to the successful learning and growth of the children. The following photos were all taken on the same morning. Such a lot of diverse work going on!
December 20, 2009 The children have successfully completed their second Hot Lunch, using our new kitchen. Last week Mrs. DeLorenzo helped the children prepare burritos. This week, all the children helped make butter, shaking jars of cream in relays. Mrs. Andrews guided them as they prepared spaghetti sauce, salad, meatballs and bread rolls. The cooking activity is a great opportunity for children to learn about the many aspects of preparing a healthy meal. Many skills are involved. The first is to understand and use the nutrition pyramid developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The children have learned the basic food groups and how to include some of each in a meal. During their planning time, they will work on choosing a menu, finding the recipes, working out the amount of ingredients needed to feed the class, and how to keep within a budget. You can see that math, reading, and creativity are involved! We plan to make as much of the meal from scratch as possible, and sometimes it may be necessary to start some dishes the day before. Another aspect of the Hot Lunch is the serving of the meal. The cooks set the tables, and then serve their classmates. We work on Grace and Courtesy, and trying new foods. Sun butter and crackers are available for those who are unable to eat the main dish. Below are pictures of students making home-made butter by shaking cream/milk in a mason jar!
December 14, 2009 Here’s a highlight of recent activities. We had a great time at the Kinderkonzert, learning about the brass instruments with circus music. In music class with Miss Kaity we are learning seasonal songs, and practicing two and four part rounds. The children sound great. We continue to practice penny whistles, and learn the basics of music notation and rhythm. In Biology, the Youngens have studied the fish, and the amphibian, and the flowering plant and its roots. We are working on sprouting sweet potatoes, and forcing some bulbs The Middles are working on the internal body functions of amphibians, and the different systems of plants and other organisms. The Elders are starting their study of the invertebrates with the Poriferan, (sponge). In Geography, the Middles and Elders are continuing their study of the Earth, learning about its movement and its effect on day and night, time zones, and the seasons. We are tracking Captain Mike Tolley as he circumnavigates the globe, and relating it to our study. He is now headed from Hawaii towards the Panama Canal. In History we had a demonstration of how little time in the history of the earth humans have been around, by rolling out a ribbon all the way across the playground. The skinny red line at the end of the ribbon represented the time humans have lived on earth. In Writing, the children are writing short stories about a character and how he or she (or it) solves a problem. We then share our stories in “Authors’ Circle” and give feedback to each other. This week we had our first hot lunch using the new kitchen. Mrs. DeLorenzo helped the children cook and serve burritos, fruit salad and an apple yogurt dessert. The children did a great job cooking and serving and eating! The Middles and Elders are working hard to master their multiplication math facts and telling time on an “old fashioned clock”, (a direct quote from one of the children). So… if you could practice at home and in the car, it would really help. We would still like to have a couple of parent-volunteers to come in and listen to the children read.
September 28, 2009: The Heron’s Nest Mrs. Baum and Mrs. Tabor We are really settling into our new room. The space and light are very conducive to peace and work. This week we started Art and Music. In Art, Mr. Bross had the children drawing letters and words in a way that expressed something about them. For example, “jump” appeared to be jumping, “cold” was covered with snow, and “sad” was crying tears. The children really enjoyed the lesson, which was put out as a work for the rest of the week. We celebrated our new space with Miss Kaitie by singing our favorite songs in a large circle, and finished by dancing “Alabama Gal”. Next week we will be beginning penny whistle lessons for the Middles and Elders. The Youngens will start as soon as their penny whistles arrive. A favorite work of the class was the Magnet Job, where the children made a compass by magnetizing a large needle and placing it on a cork floating in a pan of water. This work is part of our introduction to the history of maps. In Biology we began our study of animals and plants with the “Who Am I?” cards. This is an introduction to the classification of living things. It is a 3 part card matching job. The work is introduced to each group with a three period lesson. One card describes an animal or plant without naming it. The second card has a picture, the third has the name of the animal or plant. For the younger children, an older child or teacher may read the description, and help the child find the label. Some children will work with a partner to match the cards. While giving the child information about the subject, the work also has the child practicing his or her reading skills. They may do this job quite a few times, until they can do it without help or resorting to the control, (the card sets have matching numbers on the back to check to see if they are matched correctly, or to guide the child to the correct match).
September 21, 2009: The Heron’s Nest, Mrs. Baum and Mrs. Tabor We made it! We are really enjoying our new room, especially its light and space. The children are settling in well, as we adjust to our new environment. We use personal mugs for water, so if your child has not yet brought a small mug to school, please send one in. Also, please make sure that your child has a pair of slippers at school. We have been working hard at “BAPSY”, “beginning the almost perfect school year”, a series of activities preparing the children for the Class Meeting, in which we learn to manage our classroom in a positive and peaceful way. The children are learning how to use the Peace Process effectively, with individuals and with the group. This lays the foundation for an environment conducive to learning, both socially and academically. The group determines what will make a successful “almost perfect” school year, and develops the class ground rules. Much of our time during the first few weeks of school is spent on this process. Next week we will start our 3 hour work morning work period. Class meetings will start on Wednesday, and Music and Art will begin next week. Below are some photos of some of the activities we have been doing, and an overview of the lessons we are working on.
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