Dear Spanish Lime Families,
As we head into the month of November, the Spanish Limes will be introduced to Montessori’s third great lesson, The Coming of Humans. This story discusses how long it took the Earth to finally be ready for human life and highlights how different and special we are from the other species before us. Unlike the other living organisms we discussed in the Timeline of Life, we emphasize that the human has a mind; a thinking mind that no other creature had before. Humans also have hands to hold their young and feel love not only for people close to us, but love for people we have never met. Therefore, humans have three special gifts: the hand, the mind and the ability to love.
After the story is told, we will discuss the Fundamental Needs of a Human. In order to live, people need different things. One kind of need is spiritual and others are material. Material needs are things people need to survive. One thing people need is food. Food is fuel for our body. If we did not have food, we would die. We need clothing for our bodies, and housing as another protection for our bodies. These are called material needs. There is something else we need–we need love. We need the love of our mother or father. We need that love to have someone care for us or we become unhappy and isolated. Humans like to share their wonder and joy with others. Their wonder may be found in books, art or jewelry. These are our spiritual needs.
For the remainder of the months of November and December, we will tie our story of humans with our own history and story of America and Native Americans. There are spiritual and material needs that affect people and their civilizations, as well as pivotal inventions. War and the techniques of overpowering other civilizations may become a focus in discussing our history.
History is the most absorbing and enthralling story you can tell a young child, because it is true. A good history narrative is as strange and wonderful as a good fairy tale. For instances, kings/queens, mummies, wooden horses, knights and castles can be as fascinating as giants and elves, but they really existed!
“The best way to start a story is to begin at the beginning and go on to the end”
– Alice in Wonderland.
Upcoming Events for Elementary:
Hurricane Makeup Day November 10th School Day.
Spanish Lime Bake Sale November 16th and 17th. Email and sign up to follow.
The Elementary and Toddlers have teamed up for our annual student event, Harvest Share, to bake a special dish to share with each other. This event takes place during the school day on November 17th. Pictures to follow.
Thanksgiving Potluck November 17th at 2:30. No aftercare.
Sincerely,
Ms. Sally and Ms. Ann
