This week was filled with a variety of new lessons and follow up work that tied in to the Great Stories such as "The Creatures on a Quest" a story about how many oceanic creatures found a problem within the salty oceans and needed help to find a solution which lead us to the discovery of the coral reefs. Ancestral Mathematics calculated how many generations must have survived for us to be here today! For you to be here today from 12 previous generations there needed to be 4,094 ancestors over the last 400 years! Divisibility lessons on the Peg Board, Multiplication on Checkerboard and Large Bead Frame, Division with Racks and Tubes, and Polygon explorations lived throughout the work cycle each day. Word Study Journals were used to record Language work with Word Families and was part of each 2nd and 3rd year child's personal check in with me. Each Friday I hold individual check ins with each child as we strategize ongoing work, work in progress, perhaps finding a reasonable end date for a research that needs to come to fruition, discussions about what support they may need to accommodate any specific need or if they are finding they need a refresher to a lesson or how we can now move on to the next lesson. These check-ins are vital in supporting each child and their work habits as it gives me room for ways to build connections and hold children accountable in their part of their work cycle construction and follow up work. Group discussions covered how we can model grace and courtesy with each other in our conversations and interactions with each other, our noise levels during work cycles, asking consent from others before touching each others, for example "may I have a hug please?" versus going in and touching others without their awareness and most importantly, their consent. Our Juniper children are the greatest advocates for themselves and others and I have been so greatly moved at how our elders and mid cycles are supporting new friends in our community with social/emotional language and intuitive discussions about how to be caring and supporting friends and peers!

Please finish bringing in the meaning behind your child's name if you have not done so on Monday. We are planning a really heartfelt project and we need everyone represented. It is also a monumental way to build appreciation for their personal history and to share their legacy. 

Next week our theme is bread and how breaking bread is a language in itself. Please send in YOUR favorite food of comfort made by either your parent or grandparent and why it was your favorite! I hope to collect these for our children and have them tied into many lessons. 

We hope to see you tomorrow at our Montessori Journey! Happy Friday!

Reminders:

*Pack utensils in lunch

*Please send a spill proof water bottle

Calendar:

* September 16- Montessori Journey 

Sincerely,

Veronica