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)