Dear Parents,
Welcome to the pleasant month of October! Fall is a favorite time of the year for all of us. The gentle transition of the trees, with green leaves changing into a colorful palette of reds, oranges, yellows and browns is a beautiful reminder of the wonders of nature. Our Gimmel children are not only enjoying their outdoor play time but also observing the changes in trees.
The Montessori botany leaf cabinet activity provides a solid understanding of the leaves from various trees. The children will collate the leaves on our Nature Table, and compare their relative shapes such as linear, oblong, and triangular. We will also learn to identify the different types of trees - such as oak, maple, and weeping willows - in our neighborhood. Our kindergartners and older friends will be tracing the leaf shapes, naming them, and creating their own booklets.
In the Language area, we are happy to see the emerging readers in our Gimmel room. After spending a prolonged period learning the phonetic sounds of the alphabet as a first step, and later using the Montessori Movable Alphabet box to encode words, these students have gained the confidence to decode. It is rewarding to watch their progress.
We have started our science experiments with the color-mixing activity, which involves creating new colors by mixing the primary colors. The reactions of the children experiencing the color changing right before their eyes are magical, where red and blue makes violet, while yellow and red makes orange. Seeing the children’s face light up in joy when they discover a new combination is a treat to watch. Further, we have introduced balancing scales, where the children will explore balance, compare weights and learn the concepts of heavier, lighter and equal, using various objects such as acorns, pinecones, and pebbles from nature.
We have introduced Flower Arranging as an activity in Practical Life. This work gives the children an opportunity to appreciate the color and fragrance of different flowers, and instills care and love for nature. The activity involves a young child choosing his/her favorite flower, carefully cutting the stem, choosing a vase, pouring water through a funnel into the vase, inserting the flower, and finally carrying and placing the flower vase on a table of his/her choice. A complete sequence of this work, including the subsequent cleanup gives a sense of accomplishment and immense satisfaction to the child. What a great lesson in Grace & Courtesy to learn at a young age! We enjoy seeing our community awash in colors, thanks to the flower contributions from Marice, Romy and Lenny.
Have a wonderful week, and thank you for your support as always!
- Morahs Uma, Kara, Chaya, & K.