Saturday, December 13, 2014

Week in Review: December 8-12

We had a fantastic week in Lower Elementary! Students are busy rehearsing for our holiday program on Tuesday night!

For language jobs this week, first grade students worked with prefixes, reviewed adding "s" and "es" to make nouns plural, and matched animals to their homes. Second grade students worked with prefixes, wrote their own sentences containing prepositions, and were introduced to some irregular plural words. Third grade students worked with homographs, adverbs, and irregular plural words.

For math jobs this week, first grade students solved multiplication problems using the golden beads, added fractions, and reviewed telling time. Second grade students worked with multiplication, subtracted fractions, and worked with telling time. Third grade students solved division problems, added fractions containing whole numbers, and worked with elapsed time.

For cultural jobs, students began research on a flag from a country of their choice. Students used the internet and atlases to learn facts about the country and their flag. Students also drew a replica of the flag they had chosen. We can't wait to see the finished products!

Next week will be a busy and exciting one for our students! We will go bowling at Oak Mountain Lanes on Wednesday and sing at Shelby Ridge Nursing Home on Thursday! We look forward to a wonderful week!
Reminders
- Homework will not be sent home on Monday, December 15th  due to the Winter Holiday break.

-Please be sure to send in permission slips for our bowling trip as well as our trip to Shelby Ridge. Along with the permission slips, please send $5.00 for the amaryllis bulbs as soon as possible.

Important Dates 

December 16th- Holiday Program (Lower, Upper, and Middle) 7pm
December 17th- Lower Elementary goes bowling 10-11am
December 18th- Lower to Shelby Ridge 10-11am
December 19th- Dismiss at 1pm - No Aftercare
December 22nd - January 2nd - No School (Winter Break)

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Week in Review : December 1st-5th

We had another wonderful week in Lower Elementary! We have enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather. From planting bulbs to experimenting with simple machines, students had been busy at work!

For language jobs this week, first graders were introduced to syllables and prefixes, matched animal names with their homes, and continued creating plural words by adding -es. Second graders reviewed syllables, worked with prefixes and prepositions, and created plural words. Third graders worked with syllables, reviewed homophones, explored analogies, and created plural words.

For math jobs this week, first graders counted coins, solved multiplication problems with the golden beads, read tally charts, and explored basic geometry concepts. Second graders rounded amounts of money, read tally charts and pictographs, and explored geometry concepts involving various positions of a straight line (vertical, horizontal, and oblique). Third graders rounded amounts of money to the nearest dollar, practiced math operations, read bar and circle graphs, and explored the relationship between two parallel lines.

For cultural jobs his week, students heard the last Great Lesson. This fifth great lesson was called "The History of Numbers". Students also had an opportunity to complete experiments with simple machines. Students used every day objects to create a lever, screw, and an inclined plane.

Montessori Minute - Golden Bead Multiplication


The child is introduced to the concept of multiplication with the Golden Beads. Multiplication is initially presented as addition, with the same value multiple times. For example, 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12. The addition of 3, four times, is the same as 3 x 4 = 12. The Golden Beads provide a concrete experience for the child to multiply numbers visually. The student first completes multiplication problems that do not require exchanging, for example: 222 x 4 = 888. They then progress to problems that do require exchanging, such as 222 x 6 = 1332. In the initial lesson students learn the language of multiplication: multiplicand and multiplier, or factors, as well as the term product.


Reminders
- Homework will be sent home on Monday, December 8th but will not be sent home on Monday, December 15th  due to the Winter Holiday break.

-Please be sure to send in permission slips for our bowling trip as well as our trip to Shelby Ridge. Along with the permission slips, please send $5.00 for the amaryllis bulbs as soon as possible.

Important Dates 

December 5th - Middle School Holiday Store (Lower goes from 10-11)
December 16th- Holiday Program (Lower, Upper, and Middle) 7pm
December 17th- Lower Elementary goes bowling 10-11am
December 18th- Lower to Shelby Ridge 10-11am
December 19th- Dismiss at 1pm - No Aftercare
December 22nd - January 2nd - No School (Winter Break)

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Week in Review : November 17th-21st

We had another excellent week in Lower Elementary! Students did a wonderful job sharing their thoughts on love and giving during our Peace Ceremony on Friday!

For language jobs this week, first graders had further practice with homonyms, explored adding -es to the end of words to make them plural and wrote their own "noun families". Second graders chose a word study job, created plural words and worked with preposition boxes. Third graders worked with homophones, created plural words and matched adverbs to the correct verb.

For math jobs this week, first graders practiced counting quarters, solved addition and multiplication problems, practiced adding fractions, and told time to the quarter hour. Second graders were introduced to the Bank Game, solved multiplication using the checkerboard, practiced adding fractions, and told time to the minute. Third graders solved subtraction and division problems, multiplied fractions, calculated elapsed time, and rounded numbers to the ten thousands place.

For cultural jobs this week, students continued their research of a flag from North America as well as their study of the Earth's various climate zones. After learning about the cave drawings, students also got a chance to create their own cave drawing using oil pastels and brown paper. Come check out their drawings which are hanging in the hallway!

Next week, students will be busy with language, math, choice, and cultural jobs! We look forward to a great (although short) week!

Montessori Minute- Preposition Grammar Boxes 


Grammar boxes help children learn and analyze different parts of speech. Students work with the materials in Grammar Box 5 to further their understanding of the function and usage of prepositions. They work with prepositions associated with spatial and temporal relations, as well as possession. 

Reminders
- Homework will not be sent home on Monday, November 24th due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Important Dates 

November 21st - Talent Show 7:00
November 25th - Dismiss at 1:00 No Aftercare
November 26th, 27th, 28th - NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)
December 5th - Middle School Holiday Store (Lower goes from 10-11)
December 16th- Holiday Program (Lower, Upper, and Middle) 7pm
December 17th- Lower Elementary goes bowling 10-11am
December 18th- Lower to Shelby Ridge 10-11am
December 19th- Dismiss at 1pm - No Aftercare
December 22nd - January 2nd - No School (Winter Break)





Sunday, November 16, 2014

Week in Review: November 10th -14th

We had a wonderful week in Lower Elementary! Students were busy at work rounding numbers, researching the flags of North American countries, and editing sentences for correct punctuation, commas, and capitalization.

For language jobs this week, first grade students were introduced to homonyms and edited sentences. Second grade students reviewed homonyms, homophones, and homographs, edited sentences, and reviewed the rules for making words plural. Third grade students continued working with suffixes, edited sentences, and reviewed the rules for making words plural.

For math jobs this week, first grade students practiced addition facts, counted sets of quarters, and reviewed skip counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's. Second grade students worked with math operations, practiced counting coins to solve word problems, and reviewed rounding numbers to the ten, hundreds, and thousands place. Third grade students worked with math operations, practiced making change, and reviewed rounding numbers to the tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands place.

For cultural jobs this week, students began independent research on a flag from a North American county. Students also participated in the Fourth Great Lesson - The Coming of Language as well as a lesson identifying the different climate zones found on the Earth.

Next week, students will solve problems using various math operations, work with fractions, finish their flag research, and investigate some of the earliest known cave drawings found in France.

Montessori Minute- The Fourth Great Lesson 
The Fourth Great Lesson is the Story of Language and Written Communication (sometimes called Communication is Signs). It presents the basic story of how people living in different places developed their own spoken languages, and then began to create ways to write their ideas down. The story explains how trade, involving long journeys, was one impetus to develop written language, as was the need to maintain records and set down a record of events and stories. Included in the story are pictographs, symbols, hieroglyphs, early alphabets, and the invention of the printing press. This lesson introduces many concepts and serves to awaken the curiosity for further study into multiple areas such as: Reading (e.g. literature, poetry, non-fiction, myths and folk tales, authors, reading comprehension, reading analysis, literary terms); Writing (e.g. elements of style, function, voice, composition, letter writing, research, study skills); Structure of Writing (e.g. alphabets, spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence analysis, word study, figures of speech); Language (e.g. origins of spoken language, foreign languages, history of languages, speech, drama).



Reminders
- Homework is sent home each Monday. Please return homework the following Friday. We also encourage students to read every night for 30 minutes and to record it on their reading log.

-JBMA is currently participating in a community service project by collecting food supplies for The Catholic Center of Concern. Lower Elementary is collecting cereal (boxed or bagged). Please continue to bring these items in through Friday, November 21st. On November 21st, everyone is encouraged to bring FRESH fruits or vegetables to the Peace Ceremony.

Important Dates 

November 21st- Peace Assembly 9:00
November 21st - Talent Show 7:00
November 25th - Dismiss at 1:00
November 26th, 27th, 28th - NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)







Monday, November 10, 2014

Week in Review: November 3rd-7th

We had a great week in Lower Elementary! Students worked very hard and we are pleased to see how much they are progressing each week !

For language jobs this week, first grade students worked with homographs, practiced their addition skills, edited sentences for beginning capitalization, and learned vocabulary terms for animals and their young. Second grade students practiced with homographs, homophones, and homonyms, were introduced to prepositions, and edited sentences for capitalization. Third graders continued working with suffixes, were introduced to adverbs, and edited sentences for capitalization.

For math jobs this week, first grade students practiced addition, learned about the communicative property of addition, told time to the quarter hour, and were introduced to adding fractions. Second graders worked with multiplication, reviewed the commutative and associative properties, told time to the five minute or minute mark, and practiced adding fractions. Third graders worked with math operations, explored elapsed time, identified the commutative, associative, and identity properties of addition and multiplication, and were introduced to multiplying fractions.

The highlight of our week was working with students from Indian Springs school! They helped us in building a solar oven from a pizza box. We made S'mores just with the power of the Sun!

Montessori Minute

Fraction Circles used as a concrete way to introduce all aspects of fractions within the math curriculum: correct terminology, equivalent fractions, all arithmetic functions, conversion between fractions and decimal fractions, and measurement of angles.

Reminders
- Homework is sent home each Monday. Please return homework the following Friday. We also encourage students to read every night for 30 minutes and to record it on their reading log.

-JBMA is currently participating in a community service project by collecting food supplies for The Catholic Center of Concern. Lower Elementary is collecting cereal (boxed or bagged). Please continue to bring these items in through Friday, November 21st. On November 21st, everyone is encouraged to bring FRESH fruits or vegetables to the Peace Ceremony.

Important Dates 

November 11th - NO SCHOOL (Veterans Day)
November 21st- Peace Assembly 9:00
November 21st - Talent Show 7:00
November 25th - Dismiss at 1:00
November 26th, 27th, 28th - NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Break)

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Week in Review : October 27th-31st

We had a fantastic week in Lower Elementary! From learning the parts of the Sun, to carving a pumpkin, to playing Halloween games during our party, this week was fun for all!

For language jobs this week, first grade students were introduced to homographs, put sentences in a logical sequence, and discussed whether sentences were a question or a statement. Second grade students had more practice with irregular and regular verbs, practiced with homonyms, and placed the correct punctuation at the end of declarative, exclamatory, interrogative, and imperative sentences. Third grade students had further work with prepositions and suffixes, edited a paragraph for capitalization and punctuation, and placed sentences in a logical sequence.

For math jobs this week, first grade students practiced addition facts, wrote number words 80-100, explored adding "double numbers", and counted dimes. Second grade students wrote number words to the thousands and beyond, found various combinations of coins in order to equal a particular amount, and practiced math operations (addition, multiplication, subtraction, division).

For cultural jobs this week, students explored the parts of the Sun through a powerpoint presentation and by matching three part cards. Students are looking forward to building a solar oven out of a pizza box next week!

The highlight of our week was the Halloween parade and party on Friday! Thank you so much to all the parents who donated items or time to make it a success! The students had a blast!

Next week, students will continue working with math operations, explore the commutative, associative, and identity properties, tell time, and work with homophones, homographs, and homonyms.

Montessori Minute- Racks and Tubes 


This material which is called either Racks and Tubes or Test Tube Division, is used as the final bridge towards abstraction in long division. It includes different sets of racks with tubes representing the decimal family hierarchies with exactly 10 beads in each tube; this allows for control of error in exchanging. The material also includes four different boards on which the different divisors are placed according to the decimal hierarchy as represented by the divisor number. Color coded skittles are also used to indicate the divisor quantity and decimal hierarchy. 

Reminders 

*Homework will be sent home each Monday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.

*Students are welcomed into the classroom promptly at 8:00. Students who arrive on campus before 8:00 should attend early care.

*Please send a change of clothes to be kept in your child's book bag. This will help lessen the amount of disruption to your child's (and your) day when bathroom accidents or spills occur. Thank you!

Important Dates 

11/11- Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL  


Thursday, October 23, 2014

Week in Review : October 20th - 24th

We had another fantastic week in Lower Elementary! We enjoyed a visit and lesson from Ms. Rebecca this week!

For language jobs with week, first grade students practiced matching words that rhymed, created phrases containing an article, adjective, and noun, and had extra practice with homophones. Second grade students worked with homonyms, sorted rhyming words containing various spellings (such as high and sky), and identified regular and irregular verbs. Third grade students continued their work with suffixes, identified rhyming word families, and wrote sentences containing prepositions.

For math jobs, first grade students worked on addition skills with various materials. They used the Bead Frame, addition boards, and the stamp game. They were also introduced to polygons and wrote their number words from 70-80. Second graders solved addition and multiplication problems that contained a missing variable, solved multiplication problems with the checkerboard, and found equivalent fractions. Third grade students solved problems containing missing variables, explored the nomenclature for polygons, worked with adding and subtracting fractions, and had practice with all four operations (addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division).

For cultural studies this week, students explored the changes to the American flag throughout history.

Next week, students will work with all math operations, count money and make change, and put sentences into logical sequence. We look forward to the fun Halloween festivities on Friday!

Montessori Minute- The Bead Frame 


This material is the next step toward abstraction after the Stamp Game. It can be used for instruction in all the operations. The Bead Frame is a special abacus. It is a frame with four horizontal wires each with ten beads color-coded by category; green for units, blue for tens, red for hundreds, green for thousands. Along the left side of the frame are pre-printed symbols 1, 10, and 100 on a white background and 1,000 on a gray background. There is a space between the white and gray areas to denote the movement from one hierarchy (family) of numbers to another. Working with the Small Bead Frame is an important step in the progression from addition with concrete materials to abstract addition. 

Reminders 

*Homework will be sent home each Monday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.

*Students are welcomed into the classroom promptly at 8:00. Students who arrive on campus before 8:00 should attend early care.

*Please send a change of clothes to be kept in your child's book bag. This will help lessen the amount of disruption to your child's (and your) day when bathroom accidents or spills occur. Thank you!

Important Dates 

10/27- Talent Show Auditions 
10/31- Halloween Parade 9:00 Party 1:00-3:00 
              - Please contact Gisele Westercamp if you can help out! 
11/11- Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL  





Monday, October 20, 2014

Week in Review : October 13-17

Even though it was a short week, students worked very hard! We had a great week!

For language jobs this week, first graders worked with homophones (words that sound the same but are spelled differently), matched adjectives to the correct  noun, and worked with using the correct type of punctuation in sentences (question mark or period). Second graders worked with homographs (words that are spelled the same, but sound different and have different meanings), identified present tense and past tense verbs, and sorted sentences based on their type (interrogative, imperative, exclamatory, or declarative). Third grade students worked with suffixes, symbolized sentences that contained prepositions, and identified types of sentences.

For math jobs, first grade students practiced their addition math facts, solved larger addition problems using the stamp game, and practiced telling time to the our and half hour. Second grade students solved large multiplication problems using the snake game and checkerboard and also practiced telling time to the 5 minute mark. Third graders solved multiplication/subtraction problems with the snake game and also worked with elapsed time.

For cultural lessons this week, students heard the Third Great Lesson : The Coming of Humans, completed a weather lesson which discussed why we have different seasons, and began a unit on astronomy by identifying and defining objects in the solar systems (novas, nebulas, black holes, planets, asteroids, etc).

Next week, students will work with the parts of speech, polygons, fractions, and much more! All students will receive cultural presentations on the Fundamental Needs of Humans and will identify the changes and symbolism behind the American flag through the use of a timeline.

Montessori Minute
The Third Great Lesson: The Coming of Humans 

The Third Great Lesson is the Coming of Humans. This lesson involves the timeline of human chart that along with cards demonstrates the major steps in the emergence of modern humans. In addition, this lesson focuses on the three gifts that make humans special: a creative mind to imagine, opposable thumbs on our hands to do work, and a heart that can love. This lesson introduces many concepts and serves to awaken the curiosity for further study into multiple areas: History (e.g. timelines, prehistory, ancient civilizations, world history, history of specific countries and continents) Culture (e.g. art, artists, music, composers, dance, architecture, design, philosophy, religion, grace and courtesy) Social Studies (e.g. current events, government, economics, commerce) Science (e.g. scientists, inventors, scientific method, inventions, simple machines).

Reminders 

*Homework will be sent home each Monday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.

*It is time for first quarter conferences! Conferences will be held Wednesday, October 15th through Wednesday, October 22nd. We have placed a sign up sheet outside the door to Classroom 3. Please stop by to sign up for a time to conference! Thanks and we look forward to meeting with you!

*Students are welcomed into the classroom promptly at 8:00. Students who arrive on campus before 8:00 should attend early care.

*Please send a change of clothes to be kept in your child's book bag. This will help lessen the amount of disruption to your child's (and your) day when bathroom accidents or spills occur. Thank you!

Important Dates 
10/21 - Make-up pictures and sibling pictures 
10/27- Talent Show Auditions 
10/31- Halloween Parade 9:00 Party 1:00-3:00 
              - Please contact Gisele Westercamp if you can help out! 
11/11- Veterans Day - NO SCHOOL  



Saturday, October 11, 2014

Week in Review: October 6th-10th

We had a wonderful week in Lower Elementary! Students enjoyed the presentation of "The Wizard of Oz" at the Children's Theater and our visit to the park!

For language arts jobs this week, first grade students reviewed synonyms/antonyms, completed an adjective grammar box, and classified common and proper nouns. Second grade students studied homographs, identified past and present regular verbs, and capitalized proper nouns found in sentences. Third grade students explored suffixes, reviewed prepositions, and identified common and proper nouns found in sentences.

For math jobs this week, first grade students compared fractions, solved addition problems with the stamp game, practiced counting sets of nickels, and were introduced to the Snake Game. Second grade students compared fractions, solved multiplication problems with the checkerboard, practiced counting sets of mixed coins, and wrote numbers using expanded notation. Third grade students compared fractions, used the checkerboard to solve multiplication problems, practiced subtraction, and counted sets of dollars and coins.

For cultural lessons, students continued their study of flags. Students discussed the symbolism and history behind the American flag as well as proper care and respect for the flag. Students also began discussing weather by defining it as the condition of the air which changes day to day. Students also learned that the sun has a tremendous impact on the Earth as it provides the energy which affects the  weather.

Next week, students will tell time, have grammar work, discuss different types of sentences, and use materials (Snake Game) to complete addition, multiplication, and subtraction problems. We look forward to a great week!


Montessori Minute - Snake Game Addition


Using the colored beads, the child forms the beads in a pattern that resembles a snake. The child previously completed simple addition by discovering and counting combinations of the colored beads that equaled ten. The second step of the Snake Game involves counting and exchanging. The child now physically uses the ten bars to replace the combinations of colored beads.


Reminders 

*Homework will be sent home on Tuesday 10/14 due to the school holiday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.


*It is time for first quarter conferences! Conferences will be held Wednesday, October 15th through Wednesday, October 22nd. We have placed a sign up sheet outside the door to Classroom 3. Please stop by to sign up for a time to conference! Thanks and we look forward to meeting with you!

*Students are welcomed into the classroom promptly at 8:00. Students who arrive on campus before 8:00 should attend early care.

*Please send a change of clothes to be kept in your child's book bag. This will help lessen the amount of disruption to your child's (and your) day when bathroom accidents or spills occur. Thank you!

10/13- NO SCHOOL
10/16-10/17- Parent Teacher Conferences
10/17- School Play at 7:00 p.m. 




Monday, October 6, 2014

Week in Review : September 29th - October 3rd

We had another fantastic week in Lower Elementary! We enjoyed seeing the students all dressed up for picture day!

For language jobs this week, all students completed a quarterly review consisting of all the material we have covered this quarter. Students also practiced reading sight words, took a STAR Reading test, and completed their weekly reading jobs (SRA and Barnell Loft).

For math jobs this week, all students completed a quarterly review consisting of all the material we have covered this quarter. Students also took a STAR Math test and practiced their math facts.

For cultural jobs this week, students explored the Clock of Eras and completed research of a plant found on the Timeline of Life. Students also studied the different types of designs found on flags and identified them by name.

Next week, students will compare fractions, work with adjectives and prepositions, and count money. We also are looking forward to our field trip to the Children's Theater!  It should be a great week!



Montessori Minute -Clock of Eras 
The geologic time scale is a system of chronological measurement that relates geological stratification to time. It is used by geologists, paleontologists, and other earth scientists to describe the timing and relationships between events that have occurred throughout the Earth's history. Montessori attempts to give students a sense of the geological eras on Earth.
Reminders 

Homework will be sent home each Monday and is to be returned the following Friday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.

It is time for first quarter conferences! Conferences will be held Wednesday, October 15th through Wednesday, October 22nd. We have placed a sign up sheet outside the door to Classroom 3. Please stop by to sign up for a time to conference! Thanks and we look forward to meeting with you!


10/7- Lower Elementary goes to Children's Theater
10/7- Open House 6:00-7:30
10/13- NO SCHOOL
10/16-10/17- Parent Teacher Conferences
10/17- School Play at 7:00 p.m. 




Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Conference Schedule Now Posted!

It is time for first quarter conferences! Conferences will be held Wednesday, October 15th through Wednesday, October 22nd. We have placed a sign up sheet outside the door to Classroom 3. Please stop by to sign up for a time to conference! Thanks and we look forward to meeting with you!

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Week in Review : September 22nd-26th

We had a another wonderful week in Lower Elementary! It is safe to say that all of us are enjoying the cooler weather that Autumn has brought our way!

For language jobs this week, first graders practiced with synonyms, were introduced to adjectives, and identified common and proper nouns. Second graders had more practice with homophones, sorted past tense verbs, and worked with common and proper nouns contained in sentences. Third graders learned new prefixes, continued working with verbs, and sorted common and proper nouns.

For math jobs this week, first graders told time to the hour and half hour, reviewed place value to the thousands, wrote number words for 40-50, and solved addition problems with the stamp game. Second graders told time to the quarter hour, worked with expanded notation, and were introduced to the checkerboard. Third graders worked with elapsed time to the hour, worked with expanded notation, and solved multiplication problems using the checkerboard or stamp game.

For cultural jobs this week, students heard the Second Great Lesson - The Timeline of Life. Students also were introduced to volcanoes and began researching a specific volcano. Students began an extended unit on flags by identifying the parts of the flag.

Next week, students will review all language and math concepts from the first quarter. Students will also receive cultural lessons on  volcanoes and flags as well as complete research on a specific plant found on the Timeline of Life. It will be a great week!

 
Montessori Minute - The Timeline of Life 
The Timeline of Life is a long timeline divided up into the Geologic Eras of the Earth's history. The eras are represented by color coding along the timeline. There are sets of cards illustrating and describing some of the major elements of the story of the Earth's formation and the development of life during each era. This material gives the children a memorable introduction to this field of study. It leads to many other areas of exploration and study over the years ahead.



Reminders 

Homework will be sent home each Monday and is to be returned the following Friday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.

 9/30- School Picture Day
10/7- Lower Elementary goes to Children's Theater
10/7- Open House 6:00-7:30
10/13- NO SCHOOL
10/16-10/17- Parent Teacher Conferences
10/17- School Play at 7:00 p.m.


Saturday, September 20, 2014

Week in Review - September 15th-19th

We had another fantastic week in Lower Elementary!

      For language jobs this week, first graders were introduced to synonyms, classified items as "living" and "non-living", and worked on building sentences with a capital letter and a period. First graders also took a walk with Mrs. Sue to look for objects in nature. When they returned, students worked together to add articles in front of those nouns. Second graders worked with homophones, symbolized sentences, classified nouns into categories, and used a thesaurus to find synonyms. Third graders continued working with prefixes,  identified irregular past tense verbs, classified nouns into categories, and sharpened their dictionary skills. 

      For math jobs this week, first grade students counted pennies, identified fractional pieces, wrote number words, and solved addition problems by using golden beads. Second graders solved multiplication problems with the stamp game (Stamp Game - See Below), reduced fractions to their simplest form, and counted sets of mixed coins. Third graders solved multiplication problems with the checkerboard or stamp game, counted sets of mixed coins, and added fractions.

The highlight of our week was our microscope lesson with Mrs. Sue! Students looked at bacteria (found in pond water), insects, and a feather through the microscopes.

      Next week, students will have practice with synonyms, homophones, prefixes, place value, expanded notation, and common/proper nouns. All students will receive presentations on the second Great Lesson (The Timeline of Life), volcanoes, and the parts of a flag! It will be a great week!


Montessori Minute: Stamp Game 

This material is the next step toward abstraction after the Golden Beads. It can be used for instruction in all the operations. It is comprised of different colored wooden stamps; which have a numerical value imprinted on them. They are also color coded in accordance with the family hierarchy colors (green = units/thousands/millions and so on; blue = tens/ten thousands/ten million and so on; red = hundreds/hundred thousands/hundred million and so on). This material is also used in conjunction with color coded counters and skittles as needed. 


Reminders 

Homework will be sent home each Monday and is to be returned the following Friday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.

9/23- Internet Safety Meeting (sponsored by the PTO) 6:30 p.m.
9/30- School Picture Day
10/7- Lower Elementary goes to Children's Theater
10/7- Open House 6:00-7:30
10/13- NO SCHOOL
10/16-10/17- Parent Teacher Conferences
10/17- School Play at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Peace Ceremony - September 19th, 2014

Our first Peace Ceremony of the 2014 school year will be held on Friday, September 19th at 9:00 in the gym. Lower Elementary is hosting the ceremony this quarter! Reena, Stephen, Zara, and Rebeca will be presenting the elements (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water). Please join us in this celebration of peace!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Week in Review - September 8th-12th


We had a wonderful week in Lower Elementary!


For language jobs this week, first graders reviewed antonyms, explored the parts of a friendly letter, and matched objects to the correct article (a/an). Second graders worked with synonyms and antonyms, identified the parts of a friendly letter, placed words in ABC order by their second letter, and symbolized sentences found in a verb grammar box. Third graders continued learning about the meaning of some common prefixes, wrote friendly letters, explored irregular verb tenses, and placed words in ABC order by looking at their third letter. 

For math jobs this week, first grade students reviewed place value to the thousands, reviewed the names of basic quadrilaterals, wrote number words, and practiced telling time to the half hour. Second graders solved multiplication problems with the stamp game, explored definition cards for the basic quadrilaterals, and told time to the quarter hour. Third graders solved multiplication problems with the checkerboard, identified types of triangles (Detective Adjective Game - See Below), and practiced telling time to the minute.

The highlight of our week was the third graders' dramatic telling of  "The Drama of the Archeozoic Ocean." They did a wonderful job explaining how sea animals such as the coral and sponges work together to take in excess calcium found in the ocean waters.
Next week, students will count coins, work with fractions, explore classification, identify the parts of the inner Earth, and use microscopes to look at pond water! What a great week it will be !


Montessori Minute - Detective Adjective Game  


In this activity students are detectives that use clues (adjectives) to locate the described triangle. This activity reinforces the concept of adjectives as words that describe nouns as well as the concept that adjectives can be combined to provide additional detail about an object. In addition, the students experience a logical sequence to adjectives in a series (e.g. the small, blue, equilateral triangle versus the equilateral, blue, small triangle). A child can play the Detective Adjective Game individually with the teacher writing clues, independently by reading prepared sentences, and in a group setting.


Detective_adjective_zpsd2531d06
  



Reminders 


- Homework will be sent home each Monday and is to be returned the following Friday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.
-Thank you for returning all work binders!

9/19- Peace Assembly
9/23- Internet Safety Meeting (sponsored by the PTO)
9/30- School Picture Day





Third Graders presenting "The Drama of the Archeozoic Ocean"














Saturday, September 6, 2014

Week in Review - September 2nd-5th

We had another great week in Lower Elementary!


For language jobs this week, first graders reviewed antonyms, worked with articles (a/an), and placed words in ABC order by their first letter. Second graders worked with synonyms and antonyms, identified words as nouns or verbs, and placed words in ABC order. Third graders learned the meaning of some common prefixes, worked with verb tenses, and placed words in ABC order by looking at their second letter. 

For math jobs this week, first grade students were introduced to the coins and their values, wrote number words, and identified fractions as belonging to a "family" which share a "name" (the denominator). Second graders counted coins whose value totaled under $1.00, reviewed fractions, and read number words. Third graders counted coins over and under $1.00, reviewed adding fractions, and wrote number words.

In cultural studies, students continued with the science experiments which stem from the first Great Lesson. This week, students explored the properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Students also watched crystallization occur as a mixture of salt water evaporated from a black piece paper.
Next week, students will complete more word study work, explore how to write a friendly letter, work with telling time, and identify if numbers are greater than, less than, or equal to each other. Third grade students will also preform a dramatic telling of another Great Lesson - "The Drama of the Archeozoic Ocean" to the first and second grade students!     



Reminders 



- Homework will be sent home each Monday and is to be returned the following Friday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder.
-Please be sure to return your child's notebook and work binder which were sent home on Thursday, September 3rd.

-Personal Timelines are now due. Please have your child send in their timelines as soon as possible. We have loved looking at these wonderful works displayed in our hallway!

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Safety First!



Week in Review - August 25-29

We had a fantastic week in Lower Elementary! From science experiments to playing soccer in the gorgeous sunshine, students did a great job of working together to accomplish their goals!

For Language jobs this week, first graders sorted nouns by identifying them as a person, place or thing. They also completed phonics work and were introduced to antonyms. Second graders wrote noun families, identified blends (cr, tr, br, scr) found in words, and worked with synonyms. Third graders reviewed verb tenses, prefixes, and created words using various blends. 

For Math jobs this week, first graders used triangles to create shapes such as a trapezoid, rectangle, square, and parallelogram. They also practiced telling time to hour and built numbers with the golden beads and stamp game. Second graders created shapes using various triangles, reviewed time to the hour and half hour, and used the golden beads to practice multiplication. Third graders reviewed the different types of triangles (right angle, scalene, obtuse, etc.), practiced telling time to the five minute mark, and worked with the checkerboard to do multiplication problems. All students worked to identify even and odd numbers. 

In cultural studies, students continued with the science experiments which stem from the first Great Lesson. This week, students watched as some paraffin wax changed from a solid to a liquid to a gas when placed over a flame. Students explored how iron filings were separated from a mixture of sand when a magnet was held above the bowl. Students also created a viscous solution by placing sugar into water and comparing it to regular water. 

Reminders 

- There will be no school on Monday, September 1st due to the Labor Day holiday.  Have a great long weekend! 

- Homework will be sent home each Monday and is to be returned the following Friday. We also encourage students to read for 30 minutes each night and record it on the reading log found in your child's red folder. 

-Personal Timelines are due Sept. 2nd! 

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Week In Review : August 18th - 22nd

Wow! What a busy week we had in our room! 

During language jobs, first graders explored nouns, compound words, and completed several phonics jobs. Second graders worked with noun families, completed work with a grammar box, and explored antonyms. Third graders worked with verbs and reviewed synonyms/antonyms.

During math jobs, first graders were introduced to fractions, used the bead chain cabinet to practice skip counting, and practiced spelling number words. Second Graders reviewed addition facts and skip counting. Third graders reviewed 1 digit multiplication and practiced math facts. 

These were just some of the many jobs students completed this week! Students were also extremely excited and engaged as they did science experiments with solids, liquids and gases.
This coming week, we will continue to work and grow as a learning community. Students will work with nouns and verbs, practice telling time to the hour and half hour, explore even and odd numbers, and work  with triangles to construct other shapes.  We will also continue science experiments which stemmed from the First Great Lesson - The Coming of the Universe. 

REMINDERS:
- All homework is typically sent home on Monday and is to be completed during the week. It is due on Friday. The first homework packet should be returned on Friday, August 29th. 

-Reading Logs are to be signed each night. Be sure to return them each day in your child's red folder.

- Student Personal Timelines are due Tuesday, September 2nd.   

Have a great week! 

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Homework

Your child will receive a homework packet beginning on Monday, August 25th. These packets will go home each Monday and are to be returned on Friday. The first packet should be returned on Friday, August 29th. These packets will look different each week, but will contain practice materials based on the types of work we are doing in the classroom. . If you have ANY questions or concerns, please contact us by phone or email. 
Catherine - catherine@jbma.org

Monday, August 18, 2014

Week In Review: August 11-15

We had a wonderful first week in Lower Elementary! We explored the classroom, participated in community building activities, began our work cycle, took a nature hike, and much more! We ended the week with the First Great Lesson - The Coming of the Universe. We look forward to next week where students will have presentations on grammar symbols, the checkerboard, vocabulary, addition, and multiplication.


Classmate Bingo 

Classmate Bingo 

Classmate Bingo 


Nature Walk - Looking for items that start with each letter of the alphabet 











Monday, August 11, 2014

First Day of School!


The 2014-2015 school year is off to a wonderful start! The excitement was evident as students were all smiles as they entered the classroom! They were excited to see old friends and to meet new ones. We spent the day getting acquainted with the classroom (and each other), hearing wonderful stories, and working together to establish a peaceful community for the year ahead. Everyone had a great day and we look forward to many more! 

Some Reminders: 

- Please sign and send in any paperwork send home today or during orientation. 

- Red folders were sent home with students today. Please check these folders daily for important information. We encourage students and parents to read together for at least 30 minutes every night and to record the book title on the reading log. 

-Students will need a separate pair of "no skid" shoes for P.E. These shoes will remain at school and will be used when students have P.E. class in the gym. 

- Students are allowed to bring in one small food item for snack each today. We observed several students becoming confused about snack time and eating a part of their lunch instead. If possible, please take a moment to discuss with your child what you are packing for snack and gently remind them to eat only their snack during snack time. 

As always, please feel free to contact us via phone or email! Thank you for sharing your children with us! 

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Back to School Orientation

It's beginning to look A LOT  like "Back to School" time! Teachers have been busy preparing our beautiful environment in eager preparation for the 2014-2015 school year.We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Lower Elementary orientation on Thursday, August 7th at 10 am! We will discuss important information about the coming school year and have an opportunity to answer any questions you may have. We are looking forward to a great year!

Monday, May 19, 2014

End of Year Reminders

We are nearing the near of the school year and excitement is in the air!


Here are a few reminders as we finish the 2013-2014 school year :


1.) Students will be going bowling on Thursday, May 22nd. Please be sure to send in your child's permission slip, $6.00, and bring a pair of socks!


2.) The cafeteria will be closed on Friday, May 23rd. We are ordering pizza on this day. Your child may bring his or her sack lunch or you may bring in $4.00. This money will cover the pizza and drink. This day is also Pajama Day! Students may wear appropriate pajamas to school on this day.


3.) Progress Reports go home on Wednesday, May 21st.


We have had a wonderful year and look forward to a great week!

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Week in Review : May 5 - 9


We had another wonderful week in Lower Elementary! Students were very busy with lessons and yearly reviews of math and language skills.

For language jobs this week,  First grade students edited sentences for capital letters and punctuation. Second grade students edited sentences for spelling errors, punctuation, and capitalization. Both first and second grade students worked on a quarterly review in language arts. 

For math jobs this week,  First grade students practiced counting by 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, and 10's. Second grade students reviewed how to find the perimeter of a quadrilateral and were introduced to finding the area of a quadrilateral.
We are very proud of our third grade students who took their standardized testing and did a great job!  

Next week, students will solve word problems, work with plural and possessive nouns, and practice graphing skills.
Students will also begin work on a vertebrate research paper. Students will choose a vertebrate and create a two or three paragraph paper with cover sheet and works cited page. We look forward to seeing the research our students can do!

REMINDERS:
-All homework is typically sent home on Monday and is to be completed during the week. It is due on Friday. Students will be given Spelling tests and Math Timed tests in class every Friday. 

Per the handbook, if a student has a fever or vomiting, they may not return to school for 24 hours. This simple practice helps all of us to be present and ready to work each day.



                                                                         May Events

May 13th - Latin Dance Performance 6:30
May 16th- End of Quarter
May 21st- Progress Reports go home
May 23rd- LAST DAY of School- Dismiss at 1:00

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Latin Dance Performance on May 13th!

Everyone is invited to join us May 13, 2014 at 6:30 for the Annual JBMA Latin Dance Recital.

This year we will have a special guest, Fabian Sanchez. Mr. Sanchez is a professional dancer born in New York City, New York, who grew up in Colombia. Fabian was the 2006 Mambo world champion.

Mr. Sanchez joined as a pro dancer on ABC's hit Dancing with the Stars, Season 6 and was paired with Oscar winner and deaf actress Marlee Matlin. He and his wife are owners of a Fred Astaire Dance Studios franchise here in Birmingham.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Week in Review : April 28 - May 2

We had another wonderful week in Lower Elementary! Students had a great time on field day as they raced on scooters, played water games, created an egg crate for an egg drop contest, and created a team cheer. 

For language jobs this week,  First grade students wrote their own poems, symbolized parts of speech in a written sentence, and completed a word study choice job.  Second grade students practiced writing haikus, symbolized the parts of speech found in written sentences, and completed a word study choice job. Third Grade students wrote an original poem, analyzed sentences, and completed a word study choice job. 

For math jobs this week,  First grade students worked with subtraction, created a book of geometric solids, and counted sets of coins. Second grade students worked with division, solved problems by adding and subtracting fractions, and completed two-step word problems. Third Grade students practiced all math operations, solved problems by adding, subtracting, and multiplying fractions, and solved word problems using all operations. 

In science, students continued to study vertebrates. Students viewed a Smartboard presentation on birds, which included viewing some video clips of birds we might see around the school. At the end of the week,  students went bird watching along the campus and spotted Canada geese, Mockingbirds, Cardinals, and Chickadees!  Check out http://www.birdzilla.com/nifty-fifty/alabama.html to learn more about birds found in Alabama! 

Next week, First and Second grade students will be busy at work editing texts, responding to texts, and taking STAR Reading and STAR Math tests.  Students will also complete 4th quarter language and math reviews.

We wish our Third graders the best of luck as they complete SAT testing this week! They will do great! 

REMINDERS:
-All homework is typically sent home on Monday and is to be completed during the week. It is due on Friday. Students will be given Spelling tests and Math Timed tests in class every Friday. THIRD GRADERS WILL NOT HAVE HOMEWORK THIS WEEK DUE TO THE SAT's.

Per the handbook, if a student has a fever or vomiting, they may not return to school for 24 hours. This simple practice helps all of us to be present and ready to work each day.



                                                                         May Events

May 5th-9th - 3rd Grade Testing
May 16th- End of Quarter
May 21st- Progress Reports go home
May 23rd- LAST DAY of School- Dismiss at 1:00

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

School Closing at 1:00 TODAY

Due to possible inclement weather, we will be closing today at 1:00. 

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Week in Review : April 22 - 25

We had another great week in Lower Elementary! Even though it was a short week, we worked very hard and accomplished a lot! 

For language jobs this week,  First grade students found inferences in poetry and practiced reading comprehension skills.  Second grade students had practice with poetry and reading comprehension skills. Third Grade students were introduced to various types of poetry and practiced reading comprehension skills.

For math jobs this week,  First grade practiced identifying geometric solids, worked with subtraction facts, and explored liquid measurement conversion. Second grade students sorted geometric solid shapes, had practice with division, and explored liquid measurement conversion. Third Grade students practiced all their math facts, identified vertices, edges, and faces of the geometric solids, and practiced liquid measurement conversion.  

In history, students discussed which service project they would like to do during the month of May. Be on the look out for more information about how you can help our students make a difference!

In science, students continued to study vertebrates. Students have compared/contrasted amphibians and reptiles. As a follow up, students completed the 3 part cards for either the amphibian or reptile and then filled out a Venn Diagram (comparing and contrasting the two) with a partner!  

Next week, students will be busy at work exploring poetry, working with fractions, telling time, completing word problems, and editing text. 

REMINDERS:
-All homework is typically sent home on Monday and is to be completed during the week. It is due on Friday. Students will be given Spelling tests and Math Timed tests in class every Friday. 

Per the handbook, if a student has a fever or vomiting, they may not return to school for 24 hours. This simple practice helps all of us to be present and ready to work each day.

April Events

April 29th- JBMA Student Art Show


                                                                         May Events
May 1st- Field Day
May 5th-9th - 3rd Grade Testing
May 16th- End of Quarter
May 21st- Progress Reports go home
May 23rd- LAST DAY of School- Dismiss at 1:00