SHOW AND TELL
Bring a picture of a paw print.
Topic: Wild Animals
Learn about the land animals that share our world.
The value is frugality, which means that we only use what we need, and that we never take more than our share.
For ecology we’ll explore how much of the earth is available for our use.
Outside we’ll go on an animal hunt.
The songs we’ll be singing are The Bear Went Over the Mountain, Animal Fair, Five Little Speckled Frogs, Pop Goes the Weasel, and Today.
For creative dramatics we’ll hear the story How the Rhinoceros Got His Wrinkled Skin.
Our art activities are paint on burlap, goofy animals, and Teddy turtle and Ginny giraffe puppets.
For motor development, we’ll work on flexibility with yoga poses. For motor planning we’ll work through an obstacle course, play traffic lights, and do a stunt relay.
BOUNDLESS POTENTIAL
Of the world’s geniuses, Leonardo da Vinci ranks toward the top. Michael Gelb distilled what he considered da Vinci’s principles and published seven steps to genius in a book How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci. Gelb says, “Although it is hard to overstate Leonardo da Vinci’s brilliance, recent scientific research reveals that you probably underestimate your own capabilities. You are gifted with virtually unlimited potential for learning and creativity.” This means our children, too. If we follow the examples set by da Vinci for problem solving, creative thinking, connecting with the world around us, and harmonizing body and mind, we can liberate the unique intelligences of our own families. Da Vinci’s principles are:
- Insatiable curiosity - This natural impulse becomes an approach to life and learning.
- Direct experience – This is a hands-on approach to making life up-close and personal with persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Maria Montessori said, “The hand is the instrument of the mind.”
- Refinement of the senses – Da Vinci said, “All our knowledge has its origin in our perception.” In Montessori, we have an entire category of equipment called ‘sensorial’ to teach children refinement of the senses.
- Embracing paradox – As we learn more, we face ambiguity and uncertainty. In the natural world, it becomes things we can’t control, so we learn to adapt.
- Balance – Whole-brain thinking enables us to balance art and science, logic and imagination, seriousness and play, East and West, male and female.
- Physicality – The cultivation of grace, ambidexterity, and fitness sharpens our whole outlook.
- Interconnectedness – We seem to be on the cusp of a new order called globalization. Our children will visit regularly with people over the whole earth. This puts everyone’s issues in our own backyard, whether it’s ecological, political, or social concerns.
Gelb’s book is a wealth of exercises to focus us on each area, but more delightfully, Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods sets the prescription of simply going outside. The beauty of being outside in unstructured activities is that we tap into our inherent genius that da Vinci talks about. We believe in living up to every person’s potential.
Coming Up
Bad Weather – If we have to close or adjust opening hours due to bad weather please, instead of calling the school check our Facebook and our web site for updates. In addition, we follow the Spring Branch ISD, if they announce school is closed we will also be closed.
Labor Day Holiday – The school will be closed on Monday, September 4, in honor of all those who work.
On Paw Prints – Did you know that the sidewalk leading up to the Jesse Jones Nature Center near Humble has paw prints in the concrete? We see deer prints in the mud in the electric highline wire easement. Occasionally we pick up a feather. Where else can your child see evidence of the animals that live with us in our environment?
Luau – Make a point to check out our Facebook page to view pictures from the luau. If you have any pictures from the luau consider emailing them to the school to be added to our page.
Classroom News
We would like to say thank you to J.R. and his sister Lydia for bring the reptile exhibit to our school. The students in the toddler and primary classes had the opportunity to see a box turtle, an albino snake and a large 9 foot snake that stretched out across the floor. The students were told that snakes shed their skin as they are growing and they were able to see what that skin looks like up close.
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