We were grateful for the sunshine this week.  The children took full advantage!  Some great forts were created on the playground using sleds, and a picnic table ship sailed around the yard loaded down with some pretty scary sailors.  We also had some lessons on how to hold and throw a football from our resident football expert, played various versions of tag, and practiced hitting baseballs.

 

This week we read the story When Sophie Gets Angry – Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang.  It helped jumpstart a discussion on some appropriate ways of dealing with anger and frustration, such as taking deep breaths or taking a break until we feel better.  We talked about different emotions and how we express them, and incorporated these ideas into the song “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”

 

Our star of the week shared her book with photos of herself and her family.  We learned that her favorite color is red and her favorite game is Sleeping Queens.

 

At the art table the children were very engaged with stick painting.  We had some prolific artists who produced some really fabulous work!

 

 

We cut open a pumpkin and hollowed it out.  We will use the seeds for art projects next week.  The Wednesday afternoon students drew a face then took turns cutting out the eyes, nose, mouth, and legs.  It is a very happy pumpkin!

 

We mixed cornstarch and water together in the sensory table to make goop, a very fun liquid/solid experiment!

 

During Spanish this week we learned about Hondurus and the Lluvia de Peces (rain of fish).  Every year after a heavy thunderstorm, fish cover the ground and the children gather them up in baskets to cook and eat. Tuesday students colored the flag of Hondurus and made their own little fish, which are raining down from the ceiling.  Next week we will be learning about El Salvador and the Spanish names for parts of the body.

 

Everyone was busy cleaning up the classroom this week.  One of the Montessori areas, Practical Life, focuses on the development of every day skills, and our students love to practice them.  Everyone loves to sweep with the brooms, clean the carpets with the carpet sweepers, dust the shelves, spray down and wash the chalkboard, easels, and tables, fold the washcloths and napkins, water the plants, put away the paintbrushes, and empty out the practical life water activities.  They have truly taken ownership and responsibility for their classroom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone for accompanying your children to Bring Your Family to Sunnybrook Night.  They were so excited to show off their classroom and the skills they have been practicing!

 

Friday students enjoyed using a new rainy day activity, the Magna Tiles.  They had a great time building cubes, houses, jails, and a bullet train.  We worked on our fine motor skills by making bracelets with small beads.  For science, each student chose two primary colors (one water and one oil) and poured them into a small jar.  When we shook them, the colors combined into a new color! We also made a density column by pouring honey, corn syrup, dish soap, water, vegetable oil, and rubbing alcohol into a jar and noting the various layers formed.

 

Next week we will be practicing our second fire drill.  Our Harvest Festival is on Thursday from 11:30 – 12:30.  In preparation we will be husking, removing the kernels, and popping some popcorn.  Wednesday afternoon students will also be baking a pumpkin, then using it to make pumpkin bread.  Families are welcome to join us for a day of fall activities, snacks, and fun!  Parent conferences will be held in three weeks, on Friday, November 9^th.