Greetings Spanish Lime Families,
Welcome to October. Raise your hand if you are happy to be home and back to our outstanding community. I am!!
The Spanish Limes expressed many stories, thoughts, feelings, and ideas about their experience with Hurricane Irma and wrote them down thoughtfully in their journals. We are a proactive and empathetic community and the students brainstormed ideas on helping out. Many plants have been taken away from our historic community. The Spanish Limes suggested they could plant new trees, flowers, and herbs around Key West during one of our walkabouts. We plan to help the community right away so if you care to donate any maturing plants or seeds (grass seed included), please send them in with your child anytime. I have already heard stories of so many families and students investing their time and hard work to give relief to this disaster. It pulls all my heart strings to see gratitude and community at its finest. “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain,” – Vivian Greene.
Although October is here, much of what we planned to do in September is extending thru October. The first great lesson was presented to your child, The Story of How the Universe and Earth was Created, sparked research of all kinds. Some examples of questions and research promoted by the student were:
-Space; Planets
-Volcanoes; Largest, located around the world/Types/Parts
-Plate Tectonics; Pangaea/Continents/Erosion/Land Forms
-Weather: Hurricanes/Clouds/Atmosphere
-Fossils; Invertebrates/Rocks
-Oceans
-Moon Phases
-Calendar Work: Seasons/Months/Days.
If you are interested in seeing your child’s work displayed and hearing the Story told, please join me for Parent Education Night on October 18th from 5:30-6:30. All are welcome! Childcare is available. This story involves science, drama, intriguing information/facts and a sneak peak of the Second Great Lesson, The Coming of Life! Prepared to be amazed!
The second Great Lesson is told a few weeks after the first Great Lesson. This story is called –The Coming of Life. It is accompanied by the Timeline of Life, a long impressionistic chart printed with vibrant color, illustrating many of the events discussed in the story. We explore how life changed by having cells that compartmentalized. We discuss each period, what Era means and what animals were dominant at that time. We look at the armored fish that were slow and heavy, and the Sea Scorpion (the Ptergotus) that could crunch through any armor with his claws. When they evolved, amphibians that lived in the waters began to seek fewer predators on land and they became dry and scaly. Reptiles got bigger and bigger and one special group developed special hips and became dinosaurs. The mammals took over soon; they were huge like the wooly mammoths.
We talk briefly about the human at the end as this is another story…
Ms. Ann has been graciously joining the Spanish Lime work cycle. She aids in small group readings, handwriting/spelling and classroom assistance. We are lucky to have her intellectual and calming presence.
Afternoon enrichment is in full swing! Reminder: Monday P.E. with Ms. Sally (bring/wear P.E./Tennis shoes), Tuesday and Friday Music with Ms. Melissa Casler. Wednesday Art with Ms. Ann, Thursday Theatre/Drama with Ms. Caroline.
A note from our darling music director, Ms. Mellisa Casler:
Even though the year started with some time off due to Hurricane Irma, music has had five, 45 minute classes. The approach that I, Melissa Casler, bring to the Montessori School is the Orff Schulwerk approach, which was developed from composer Carl Orff and dancers Dorothee Guenther and Gunild Keetman mid-century in Germany. Shulwerk in German means “school work.” This approach focuses on the elementals of music taught through speech, singing, playing instruments, movement, and improvisation. Just like the Montessori classroom, process is an important aspect of the music experience that leads to independence and creativity. Some of the elements we have been exploring are: form in music, playing instruments, developing steady beat as we sing and move, and learning a folk dance. We look forward to more happy moments of joyful music making in October.
Sincerely,
Ms. Sally
