SHOW AND TELL
Bring an item you found on your nature walk.
Topic: Native Americans
Understand the culture of Native Americans
The value is honor, which means that we never lie, cheat, or steal. It’s easier to say this than to do this.
For ecology we’ll take a nature walk.
Outside we’ll do a ceremonial parade.
The songs we’ll be singing are This Land Is Your Land, God Bless America, Catch a Falling Star, and Bluebird. We’ll also practice patterned singing.
Our art activities are tipi, rock painting, clay pots, totems, weaving, sand painting, and spirit dolls.
Creative dramatics will be learning about peace pipes and How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun. For motor development we’ll build stamina with running and ceremonial dancing. For body development, we’ll work on postural response with jack in the box, tracking through the woods, balancing, and walking across a log
ACTIVE CHILD/PASSIVE OBJECT
This is a great principle for children’s toys, which really are equipment for their hands and minds. The best toys are those that respond only when the child activates them. In contrast, entertaining toys such as mobiles, wind-up toys, or battery-operated items, cause a passive child to watch an active toy. This trains the child to expect to be amused and sets the frame for later attitudes. Strollers and infant seats fall in this same category. The best toys are those that respond only when the child activates them.
Magda Gerber founded the Resources for Infant Educators eons ago and gives us this information on toys to use for infants. In general, play objects for babies should be simple, sturdy, and cleanable. In a baby’s play space there should be a variety of sizes, shapes, and weights. The arrangement of objects should be orderly, and the furnishings should be geared to the child. Most importantly, play objects need to be those that the infant can touch, grasp, look at, hold, mouth, and manipulate endlessly. See how simple these things are:
Scarves - Even very young infants like to hold on to blankets, clothing, or diapers. The best first toy is a scarf about 18 inches square made of sturdy cotton or linen. Hold the scarf in the middle and stand it up to form a peak. Place it at an angle where the infant can look at it, reach out, touch it, and eventually grab it.
Containers - Lightweight containers of all kinds are wonderful. Cups, bowls, colanders, dishpans, and baskets provide many hours of activity during the first two years of life. They offer opportunities to explore notions such as in-and-out and over-and-under while the child remains in control of the activity and the object. Make sure some nest and others stack. The child should be able to make interesting noises when tapping them against each other or the floor. Ice cube trays are a favorite, and some things can be metal, wood, or stone. Plastic bottles of all sizes are eternally fascinating.
Boxes - Big ones become things to get in and little ones become things to put things into. Multiple boxes become towers, tunnels, walls, and vehicles.
Other - All children need balls, balls, and more balls; big ones, small ones, and plastic whiffle ones. Beach balls can be partly blown up so the child can grab it. Short lengths of chains are always fascinating.
Maria Montessori said, “The hand is the instrument of the mind.” We must be careful to keep the hand as active as possible.
Coming Up
Nature Walk – Show and tell for our Native American theme is to bring something from a nature walk with their family. At school, the children will be studying how Native Americans lived in harmony with nature, taking from it only what they needed to survive. A nature walk should be to see beautiful things in nature and to explore with their senses of touch, smell, and hearing. Most importantly, try to instill a sense of gratitude for the wonderful world we live in.
Harvest Festival – On Friday November 22, is our annual Harvest Festival, this is the time when each family is asked to bring a dish that is special in your home, drop it off in the morning and join us for lunch from 11:30 – 12:30. You are encouraged to bring as much food as you like, nothing will go to waste; after everyone has eaten with the help of parent volunteers we will fill to-go containers with the leftover food and give to our cities homeless and hungry. Volunteers should be gone by 1:15. Look for the sign-up form in the foyer to list what you will are bringing.
Director – Please join us in welcoming our new director Ms Wanda to our family. Although new to Montessori she brings with her over 24 years of experience as a child care director and owner. She believes that there is no limit to what a child can learn and achieve when being challenged and nurtured. Make a point to introduce yourself.
Teacher Training – Last weekend our school hosted a work shop for Montessori teachers and all the MMGS teachers also attended, we discovered new information that helps us be better for our students.
Recent Comments