About mom

Hello boys and girls,

Did you know that your set of teeth are called baby teeth ( or milk teeth)?  Some of you are starting to lose your baby teeth, which will be replaced by a set of grown-up teeth ( or permanent teeth).  It’s very exciting when the tooth gets wibbly and wobbly, isn’t it?

This book is about William who wanted so much to have a wobbly tooth,  When his tooth finally comes out, he has an amazing story to tell everyone.

“Wibble Wobble”   Written by Miriam Moss, illustrated by Joanna Mockler

Click HERE

When you lose your front teeth, give everyone a big smile!!  They’ll love your smile!!

Do you know how many teeth you have?  The children have 20 teeth (10 upper and 10 lower teeth).  Open your mouth wide in front of the mirror and count the lower teeth.  Do you have 10 lower teeth?  Your mom and dad, and grown-ups have 32, including 4 wisdom teeth (16  upper and 16 lower teeth).

Be careful not to lose your tooth when they fall out.  You can put your lost tooth under your pillow, and maybe a tooth fairy will find it and leave you with something else.  When will your next tooth get wobbly?   Till then, take good care of your teeth, and brush your teeth carefully every day!

Hello boys and girls,

Since this is Advent, preparing for Christmas to come, let’s get ready by making a “family wreath”, and get everyone in your family involved.   You can make your family wreath to hang up in your living room for this holiday season.

A family handprint wreath: with the handprints of everyone in your family and, perhaps, your family pet(s)

You will need some green construction paper of different shades, if possible.  If you have some green paint, you can even paint the papers green, in different shades by adding a little bit of white. Or, you can color them green with crayons after you trace everyone’s hands.

Go ask your family to let you trace their hands.  If there are four people in your family, you’d have four pairs or eight handprints. After tracing them,  they can start cutting them out. If you want to, you can even do your pet’s paws!

Make a circle outline using all the handprints that are cut as in the photo.  To decorate the wreath, use red dots, sequins,  pom-poms, small pine cones, popcorn or anything you might have and stick them with glue onto the wreath.

This family project might take some time, so enjoy the time making your wreath together. You trace each other’s handprints, cutting them out and arranging the handprints to form a wreath.  You can put on the ornaments at the end. If you could take a family photo, you can trim it and put it on the wreath;  it will make your wreath extra special.  Don’t forget to write the year 2020.

 Threading decorations

Materials needed: a thick paper or a piece of cardboard to cut out a circle, and thread or yarn in Christmas colors.

Cut out a simple circle from some scrap cardboard by first tracing the lid of a jar or something circular.  Cut some notches around the sides as shown in the picture. Get some thin crochet thread or yarn in Christmas colors (red, green, gold, etc.).

Start threading the notches and you can move to notches on the opposite side of the circle, continue going round and round.  Your design could be done at random or in a pattern.  The results will make for a creative ornament.  Have fun!

Now, a little “dancing time” to the music of …    Jump for Joy, Jesus is born

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

Hello boys and girls,

Here’s a story about a little frog who didn’t want to be a frog. Let’s find out why.

“I Don’t Want To Be A Frog”  written by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt.

Please click here.

Questions:

Why do you think the little frog didn’t want to be a frog?

What did he want to become?  At the end, what changed his mind?

If you could be any animal, which animal would you like to be?  And why?

Now, if you want to stretch out a little, here’s a song you can sing and move to.

“If I were an animal, what would I be?” (Action Song)

Have you ever seen real frogs?  They are slimy; they hop and eat bugs.

Can you describe some characteristics of cats, rabbits, pigs and owls?

What’s special about them?

Would you like to make an origami frog that jumps?

You can make many frogs and have a “hopping race” with your family!

If you prefer to see a diagram, click here to print.

Here’s a  song about the life cycle of a frog.

Have a nice summer!  Stay healthy and… help your mom and dad around the house.

Hello boys and girls,

Here’s a story about Mrs. McNosh who loves to do her wash. But wait!

What is she hanging on the clothesline?

Mrs. McNosh Hangs Up Her Wash    Please click the title.

Questions and suggested Activities:

Mrs. McNosh was quite silly hanging some of the things up on the clothesline. What did she hang up to dry? There were quite a few items.

On a piece of paper, draw a clothesline at the top. Then, draw some funny things that you want to hang up on the clothesline.  Don’t forget to use the pegs to hang them up.

Can you find what doesn’t belong in this picture?   Click here  to color the pictures and circle what doesn’t belong. (Open PDF in preview to print. )

Watch how Alicia washes using a washboard.

Do you have many pairs of socks?  Gather them, and let’s match the socks!

Can you fold a T-shirt? Take a look at this demonstration.

How to show a child to fold a T-shirt

Montessori Practical Life Lesson on folding to help fold laundry…

Have fun folding laundry at home and helping in the chores.

Hello boys and girls,

What’s your favorite food?  Is it hamburger, soup, pizza or spaghetti?  Well, Minnie “loves” spaghetti more than anything!  She can eat it all day long.  Let’s see how much she loves spaghetti.

“More Spaghetti, I Say! ”  written by Rita Golden Gelman, Illustrated by Mort Gerberg.    Please click here..

Questions and suggested activities.

*What’s your favorite food that you love to eat, that you can’t get enough of?  Tell your mom and dad why you love it so much.

*Do you know what your family’s favorites are?  Why do you think they love that food so much?

*Eating too much of anything is not good, and not healthy.  Let’s try to eat a little of everything at every meal,  not only the things that we like.   Do you like salad?  Vegetable soup? Fish? Meat? Have you tried to eat food that you had not eaten before?  You never know until you try it!

If you have some spaghetti and pastas—and a little bit of clay—here’s a fun activity.

Can you be creative and build something?

For a challenging science experiment using spaghetti and marshmallows, you may want to try this activity with the whole family.

Would you like to draw spaghetti with meatballs? You can draw any way you like.  Here’s just one example.

Are you getting hungry?

Here’s a recipe for a spaghetti dinner.  Please click on the blue words (not the picture).  

One pot of spaghetti with meat sauce. How does that sound? Yummy!

Hello boys and girls,

In Japan, May 5th is Children’s Day  and a national holiday.  It is part of Japan’s “Golden Week”.

In today’s story, I’d like to talk about some of the celebrations observed in the country, including Children’s Day.

“Japanese Celebrations”    by Betty Reynolds   Please click the title.

Questions  and suggested activities:

Have you seen any Koinobori (carp streamers) as you were taking a walk around your neighborhood?  Can you describe where you saw it?

March 3rd is “Girls’ Day”, for girls to celebrate.  May 5th used to be called “Boys’ Day”, but now it has been changed to “Children’s Day” when we celebrate the good health and happiness for both boys and girls.

Would you like to make a traditional Samurai warrior’s helmet to wear?  If you have some old newspapers, ask your parents to put together two spread sheets on top of each other. Then, you take the left corner at the bottom and bring it to the top to form a triangle. Fold the bottom crease before cutting off the right side edge carefully with a pair of scissors. For the next steps, please enjoy the video below by clicking on the “play button” in the center.

Would you like to learn and sing a popular song about Koinobori?

Japanese Children’s song : Koinobori

When the song was first made, the verse talked about a big father carp and his small children carps (as in the song above).  Later, in the mid-Showa era, the Koinobori had two big carps (for the father and the mother), along with the small carp(s) (for the child or children) to represent the family.

Now, if you are up to it, would you like to make your own three-dimensional Koinobori?

You will need a piece of paper, some crayons, scissors, glue, some colorful tissue paper, and some old newspapers for stuffing. You might need some help from a grown-up, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy coloring it on your own.  You can have fun filling in with crayons you choose.  Maybe your family might make one Koinobori each to decorate your home. Please click the “play button” below to get started.

Would you like to do some coloring?

            Children’s Day Coloring 1 – click here to open

Children’s Day Coloring 2 – click here to open

Special celebrations (events) in Japan

Please click the above link if you are interested in learning more about celebrations in Japan.  (from Web Japan)

Hello boys and girls,

Did you know that Saint Maur International School is the oldest International school not only in Japan, but also in all of Asia? Founded in 1872 by the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus, our school is 148 years old.

Since you attend the Montessori School at Saint Maur, here is a book about Montessori Schools around the world, where the children are peacemakers.

Please click the title here.    Our Peaceful Classroom 

Written by Aline D. Wolf and illustrated by children from Montessori Schools around the world.

Questions to answer:

Did you notice familiar materials in the book that you see in your own classroom?  What did you see?

Tell your family what you like about your Montessori classroom.

What is your favorite work to take out from the shelves?

When you finish your work, do you put the materials back in their place for the next person to use?

How do you keep your classroom nice and beautiful?

Do your classmates help each other?

Song: Teaching Peace

Let’s learn this song together!

(Chorus) Teaching peace all the world around,

You and me, every city every town

One by one in our work and in our play…

We are teaching PEACE by what we do and what we say!

1. It’s up to us to show we care,

Reaching out to everybody everywhere!

Heart to heart and friend to friend…

Circling all around the world and back again!

(Chorus)

2. So take my hand and come along…

It’s time to sing the world a brand new song!

So sing it loud and sing it clear…

All together now so everyone can hear!

(Chorus)

Sound off! 1,2,3,4…

(repeat) 2. So take my hand and come along…

(Chorus)

Suggested activities:  Choose one.

Would you like to draw a picture of your peaceful Montessori classroom and explain about it to your family?

Do you know where your classmates are from? If you know their flags, can you draw flags of your friends’ countries?

Make a poster of how we can be a peacemaker.

Example:

Be kind
Be helpful
Take care of nature and animals

More songs if you like.    A Song of PEACE for Kids

Hello boys and girls,

Happy Easter to you and your families!

Easter is the most important celebration in the Christian church. Easter is a new beginning, and a  time of hope.  Easter comes during the spring season, when new life begins.  So today, I am going to read a story about baby animals.

Please click the title to listen to the story.   Baby Animals

Song:  Let’s learn this song so we know the names of the animals and their babies.

  Click here to sing together

Easter is celebrated all over the world:

This video gives you some facts about Easter, how Easter is celebrated in different parts of the world, what candies are popular, the history of Easter baskets, and more.

How are you, boys and girls?  It’s already the last day of March.  Which month comes next?

Look what someone made with “Sticks and Stones”!   Does it bring a smile to your face?

My story today is called “When I Was Little” by Jamie Lee Curis, illustrated by Laura Cornell

Please click the title.         When I Was Little

The girl in the story had four birthdays since she was born. That means she is now four years old.  She is thinking back on the days when she was little, calling it a “memoire”, her true story, remembering what she was like when she was little.

Questions after listening to the story:

How old are you now?

Do you know how many birthdays you’ve had since you were born?

What are some of the things you remember when you were little?

Ask your mommy or daddy to show you some photos when you were a baby or a toddler.

What are you doing in these pictures?  Ask how you were like when you were little.

Did you cry a lot when you were a baby?

What was your favorite food?  Favorite toys?  Favorite things to do?

Suggested activities.

Now that you are much older, what are some of the things you can do that you couldn’t do when you were little?

What are some of the things that you will be able to do when you are much older?

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Are you excited to get older and learn new things?

Now that you are older and you can do more things than when you were little, are you able to do more on your own?  Are  you being helpful around the house?

Look at the chart below and see what you are able to do.

Draw a picture or tell your family about:

“When I was a baby….  Now I can… ”

When I am grown up, what will I be able to do?

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And here’s a funny video of what babies do…

Would you like to make a booklet “All About Me”?

You can make your own booklet, or ask your parents to print the following worksheets to make a booklet.

to print please click here