Sleeping Bunnies- Action Song by Russ with new original verses written b...

I am teaching toddlers and constantly searching for fun music and movement songs. I love Russ' original version of Sleeping Bunnies. He also has tons of other songs you can check in you tube.

The Helpful Garden: Basic Practical Life Trays

The Helpful Garden: Basic Practical Life Trays: Today's post is all about our classroom's Practical Life Trays.  I am creating this post because I want teachers and homeschooling families...

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GIVEAWAY!

 Montessori Print Shop Primary Teaching Manuals Bundle

from my favorite Montessori Materials shop!

MPS is giving away the Primary teaching manual bundle. The Primary Teaching Manuals Bundle includes 4 Montessori Teaching Manuals – Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, and Math. The manuals are based on AMI principles from Jennifer’s AMI training through the Foundation of Montessori Education (Toronto, ON). The courses were taught and guided by Renilde Montessori in 1993/94.

The presentations and lessons included are for children who are approximately 2½ to 6 years of age. This, of course, depends on the individual child, and many activities also work well for 7- and 8 year olds. (Note: In Montessori education, primary is generally ages 2½-6 or 3-6 with elementary at ages 6-12.)

Each lesson includes:

• materials list
• material photo(s)
• detailed step-by-step instructions
• notes to the teacher
• purpose of activity
• points of interest
• control of error
• suggested age for presentation

Montessori Print Shop Primary Teaching Manuals

"Unless you’re already an AMI-trained teacher and have your own AMI-based albums, these are the ideal teaching manuals to have along with any other Montessori materials you already own. It’s easiest to add ideas and personalize your own unique way of teaching Montessori when you have a solid foundation to return to whenever needed." 

                                                                                                           -Living Montessori Now

What You Will Win:

2 very lucky winners will receive full sets of Montessori Print Shop teaching manuals available by download! Here’s what each Montessori Print Shop Primary Teaching Manuals Bundle is valued at:

	Practical Life Teaching Manual (Theory + 75 lessons)	15.99
	Sensorial Teaching Manual (Theory + 45 lessons)	17.99
	Language Teaching Manual (Theory + 30 lessons)	21.99
	Math Teaching Manual (Theory + 52 lessons)	21.99
	Total if purchased individually	$77.96
	Save 15% on the Bundle	11.69
	Price for the Primary Teaching Manuals Bundle	$66.27

If you don’t win, this is still an amazing deal and well worth it!

 

BIG BIG BIG GIVEAWAY!!!

Awaits those who join the BIG BIG Giveaway hosted by Living Montessori!

Montessori Printshop one of my go to for beautifully made Montessori Printable Materials is giving  2 grand prizes of 1122 beautiful printable Montessori materials in digital file format! That’s all the Montessori Print Shop PDF files, including new 6-9 Grammar Boxes/Filling Boxes!!!

But wait...

There’s even a second-place prize of a $100 MPS in-store coupon! This is perfect for school or home use for children ages 18 months to age 7 or 8 (grammar to age 9)!

Head over to  Living Montessori Now!

Movement indoors and outdoors

Other than keeping students calm and restful during naptime, movement is important for our students. We need to incorporate movement in our lessons. Montessori talks about sensitive period. at the Preschool age she talks about refinement/coordination of movement being from 2.5 to 4.5 years of age. According to Montessori "this is when the child may start using both hands in coordination of fine movements, being able to hold small items with pincer grip and release voluntary. Gross motor can be coordination of walking, running, balancing while carrying a jug of water and jumping. The child acquires this coordination through repetition of purposeful motor activity. Model to your students how to use hoops, cones, balls, bean bag in different activities or games.

This picture shows students after being shown how to use hoops ala hopscotch or obstcle course over a period of time initiated this activity by involving their classmates. Playtime started by me giving themhoops to play with. I didn't tell them what to do. I left it up to them how they would use the hoops. Some used it as a hula hoop, others used it as wheels to roll. The older students wanted to use it for an obstacle course. The only rule was that they can use the hoop if the one using the hoop gives it to them. After a few minutes I saw around seven hoops and a long line.

They invited everyone to play with them and even the younger kids joined in. I love Montessori.

A well loved and well used movement activity inside a Montessori classroom is walking the line. Between the ages of 3 to 6, the child needs to practice, perfect, and consolidate the body’s movements. For this reason, Dr. Montessori began using the “Walking on the Line” as a Practical Life exercise. This exercise helps the child control his body, develop balance and perfect equilibrium, as well as to strengthen the mind’s control of its body’s movements. The “line” used during this exercise is a continuous and permanent shape in the environment. (from Montessori Primary Guide)

I changed the line into a crooked line from one end to the other end of the classroom.

 Walking at the same time balancing a bean bag pillow on the head.

 Crawling on the line.

Hopping on the line.

I  will be thinking of other movement and walking the line activities that are purposeful and controlled. Having them practice controlling their movements will discipline them in how they carry themselves. I like the bean bag on the head. The students really were careful and controlled their movments all throughout the line.

Living Montessori Now is having giveaway!

Go to http://livingmontessorinow.com/2012/03/20/ipad-giveaway-sponsored-by-montessori-compass/ and check out this giveaway!

 

iPad 2 Giveaway Sponsored by Montessori Compass!

Check out Montessori Compass

 

MC was designed to help bridge the gap between home and school. MC's goal is to simplify the day-to-day administrative chores for Montessori educators while providing a convenient way for busy parents to remain actively engaged with the school community. The end result is a more personalized connection with the classroom for all stakeholders in a child's education.

MC is a web-based system from the ground up that addressed the unique needs of the entire Montessori school community - including Montessori record-keeping, school management, parent communication and much more.

MC is a software solution for the classroom.

-Montessori Compass Webpage

Montessori Services Practical Life Activities Giveaway!

It’s Montessori Education Week, a perfect time for a giveaway of $52 worth of practical life materials from Montessori Services!

Deb at LivingMontessoriNow is having a giveaway sponsored by Montessori Services. Visit Living Montessori Now to see how to enter the giveaway. Giveaway ends March 8... Hurry!!!

Happy Happy Day... Valentines Day

Valentine Boxes using to-go boxes ... c/o one of the teachers. Each student painted using their color/s of choice, stickers and hearts of all sizes and colors.

Valentine  exchange

Valentine loot!!!

Lots of sweet temptation...Hid the boxes away from little hands.

 February Cutting exercise. Hit with the 4 year olds. thanks to doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com

 Valentine card writing work also a hit. thanks to montessori journey.
Math cutting work - cut and glue numbers 1-10 another idea I read from montessori journey to add to the Feb theme I used valentine colors so pretty. Will let them try 1-20 this week.

This is handwriting and journaling practice for students.

Just a few of our Valentine work. will add pictures of Africa work soon.

Super Giveaways!

Super Giveaways!

Check out these fun giveaways..I know I am!

First there is a great $25 Amazon or Target Card giveaway over at

Made in the Shade in Second Grade

And then a $20 Amazon Card at Color Me Kinder

And last but not least an awesome Beautiful Customized Picture giveaway at

Taming my Flock of Firsties!

So many giveaways ... so little time! Get started to win these awesome prizes from these awesome blogs.

halloween parade

 Snapshots of our boys

and our girls.

Share time: friends got to share their costumes.

 School Halloween Parade

 Class picture

November acitivities

Thanksgiving Tree

 Thanksgiving feast

Group picture

Fire safety month

 Fire engine tour/parade

Talk on fire safety

New School Year

It's November and I've only now had the chance to write about the new school year. I am now co teaching with another teacher both of us get a chance to lead and next week is already the first of two parent teacher conferences. This post is sooo late but I still wanted to write about the big leap to being assistant and having a classroom of my own. There are ups and downs. More freedom and more choices. Putting theory into practice. Challenges pose more stress, more work (progress report). Rotating jobs, keeping jobs interesting and adding seasonal jobs. There's time management and lesson planning. I like it and getting the hang of it. Another aspect of my new role co teaching requires a more defined job role with both teachers to create a harmonious atmosphere. Still working on this... both of us need to really sit down and talk about what we need to do when one is lead and one is assisting.

One More Week and I'm Done

I've not been posting at all! I've been out of touch and out of reach. But I've got good news! One more week and I'll be done with my Montessori Training. It's been a journey and a challenge but I know I just need to finish my Integrated Unit on Dogs and present it to class and I'll be done. Last day will be this June 23 a Thursday and Graduation Day for our Preschool is June 24.
Soo many things to finish like student portfolios and prepare my jobs for my presentation but I know I'll be able to accomplish all this.
I'll post pictures of my Unit and Preschool Graduation!

Giveaway in Montessori Print Shop

This June, Montessori Print Shop has great giveaways any Montessori enthusiast would love to join. Hop on over to their website and check it out!

Merry Christmas

For Unto Us a Child Is Born

 

Today we celebrate the birth of a man from Galilee. This man was born, as all of us are, as a small helpless being, dependent on the care and protection of a mother and father.

  

This child was born in a stable on a journey decreed by a Roman emperor in order for an accurate taxpayer's census to be prepared. In the times of Caesar Augustus, expectant mothers were not allowed the luxury of staying at home during a census. Paying taxes was more important to the Roman Empire than the birth of a child.

  

Shepherds, due to a lack of education and wealth, were considered the lowliest members of a community. Shepherds, though, were the first to recognize the birth of a child who would become the Prince of Peace.

 

 Wise Men, kings from other countries, journeyed to bring gifts to this child. These kings realized the potential of this child. Another King, believing that the prophecy of the birth of the "King of Kings" had been fulfilled, ordered the slaughter of all male children under the age of three in his kingdom.

 

 To protect their child, Mary and Joseph left their home, their families, and their livelihoods. This child and his parents fled to Egypt to escape King Herod's murderous edict.

 

 At the age of twelve, this child's parents allowed him to follow his desire of becoming a rabbi, even though he would spend most of his adult life as a carpenter. The last three years of his life, from the age of thirty, this man traveled from city to city with his followers and students.

 

He talked to people about how to be kind to one another and how to have a personal relationship with the Creator of the Universe. His teachings were considered treason by the governing powers at the time, and he was sentenced to death.

 

 This week we celebrate the birth of a man from Galilee. In our celebration let us remember that we all are born as children of God with enormous potential that even a simple, uneducated person, such as a shepherd, can comprehend.

 

 

In our merrymaking, let us remember that each of us has possibilities that should be encouraged by those in our world who are in positions of wisdom, wealth and influence. Those of us who hold these positions of power should seek to share our gifts and offer them to our children, as the Wise Men did.

 

 

We need to be prepared to protect our children from the treachery and greed of those who would be the King Herods in our world.

 

 

Using Mary and Joseph as our models, we need to trust our children to follow their paths and believe in our children's and our own unique abilities to heal the world.

 

Every person on our planet is born a child. No matter what our beliefs in terms of religion, nationality or faith, the message of the child called Jesus speaks to us all, if only we will listen. The message is simple.

Jesus said that the two most important acts we can perform in the world are these:

• Love the Lord thy God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
• Love your neighbor as yourself.

A message simple enough for a child to understand.

  

For unto us a child is born. We need to remember that each of us is that child.

 

Source: Kids Talk

Merry Christmas

On our shelves - December

Monday the students were treated to a nice surprise seing the classroom all decorated with the Class Christmas tree and Advent Calendar

Ms. C also had a lot of new and fun Christmas work  to share with the class.

Bell hanging work - there are ten hooks and ten bells to hang. This is also sensorial, appreciation of sounds, listening to bell. This work was popular in all age groups.

Christmas wooden characters matching work.

Christmas berry ornament tonging work. Visually appealing to the young ones.

Christmas sorting work. Next year, a variation to this work could be sorting the objects coming in different colors.  

We made handprint Santa's. The older ones needed little supervision with the gluing and designing.

We also  had a Christmas tree decorating work which I saw in My Montessori Journey's blog a couple of years ago. This is our second year doing this work and the students love it.

 The wooden Christmas ornaments work is sensorial in nature. Touch, and see little details on the ornaments. This particular student has been doing this work during the whole work period.

 Other children doing Christmas work.

This is a nesting box with a winter scene. The children need to be exta careful because of the delicate material of the box.

I've already packed the Christmas work and working on Winter art ideas for January.