In the classroom we have been learning about how animals adapt to the changes of winter. We have been singing a new song about hibernation. In the song we ask the questions about animals like, “In the winter, where’s the frog? Sleeping in a pond or log.” We also discovered a new book that tied in nicely to our interests in animal behaviors, “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner with illustrations by Christopher Silas Neal. This book shows how animals survive the cold wi

Recently, we placed extension cards in the Sensorial area to encourage the children to extend their learning with some of the most basic Montessori materials: The Pink Cubes, Brown Prisms, and Red Rods. Most of the class has seen these materials in past years if they are returning student to Pine Grove. The extension cards challenge older students to make new patterns and designs using the Sensorial materials, often combining materials together. One of the most popular extens

At the one person work station, a variety of classroom plants can be found each day. The plants have many smooth leaves. The children take turns using an eyedropper to put a few drops of water on a cotton pad and gently wipe each side of each individual leaf. The children examine the leaves and search for ones that have not been cleaned. When all the leaves have been cleaned, they let Luda know and she hunts for a plant in the classroom, or even in the school that needs some

In the Preschool classroom, we are currently studying the beautiful country of Italy. We have been discussing and exploring many of the delicious and familiar Italian foods that we often eat here in the United States. One morning, Caelainn brought in her pasta maker and the children each had a turn taking a piece of dough and putting it through the machine to make fresh spaghetti. Once the pasta was finished, we cooked it and each child had a turn to try it. Many of the child