Montessori

Here is the schedule for our online learning for school closure during the next two weeks – January 25 to February 5th.  Please email your child’s teachers if you need the password or link addresses for any online classes or refer to the email sent on Friday, January 22nd.  Kindly do not share this blog address or password with anyone else for safety purposes.

On this blog, your child’s teachers will read a story per day and post it.  On Wednesdays, Mrs. Forbes-Dias will be posting a Principal’s Challenge, which we would like your child to do any time on Wednesdays, perhaps in the afternoons.  Kindly send photos or video clips of your child doing the activities which will be posted to your child’s teachers.

We hope you like the stories your teachers have chosen for you!

 

DAILY/WEEKLY SCHEDULE FOR ALL CLASSES:

Day of Week	Time	What’s Happening?	Link
Daily (Mon. ~ Fri.)	Published at 10:00	Montessori Story Blog (Listen to a story a day from different teachers and the Principal’s Challenge on Wednesdays)	Blog address: https://blogs.saintmaur.ac.jp/mo    Password: Ask your child’s teacher                 (password protected-do not share)
Mondays	8:30 – 9:00	Circle Time by Class  (Story, Songs, etc.)	Class Link  (Refer to the email or ask your child’s teacher.)
	10:30 – 11:00	Numeracy Day by Age (teacher will advise)	3-4 year olds – use Ms. Sallie’s Class Link    4-5 year olds (LA 1) – use Ms. Mimi’s Class Link    5-6 year olds (LA2) – use Ms. Catherine’s Class Link
	2:00 – 3:00	Language Arts  – in various groups (4-6 year olds)	Language Arts Link   (Refer to the email or ask your child’s teacher.)
Tuesdays	8:30 – 9:00	Circle Time by Class  (Story, Songs, etc.)	Class Link
	10:30 – 11:15	Theme Time by Class	Class Link
	2:00 – 3:00	Language Arts  – in various groups (4-6 year olds)	Language Arts Link
Wednesdays	8:30 – 9:00	Circle Time by Class  (Story, Songs, etc.)	Class Link
	10:30 – 11:15	Online P.E./Movement Class  For ALL Children	P.E./Movement Class Link (Refer to the email or ask your child’s teacher.)
		Updated change: Principal’s Challenge Afternoon	Check the Principal’s Challenge on the blog mentioned      above.        Mrs. Forbes-Dias will post an activity in the morning and we would like your child to use the afternoon to challenge him/herself with the activity. Please take a photo or video and send it in to your child(s teacher.
Thursdays	8:30 – 9:00	Circle Time by Class  (Story, Songs, etc.)	Class Link
	10:30 – 11:15	Theme Time by Class	Class Link
	2:00-3:00	Language Arts  – in various groups (4-6 year olds)	Language Arts Link
Fridays	8:30 – 9:00	Circle Time by Class  (Story, Songs, etc.)	Class Link
	10:30 – 11:15	Arts & Craft Time by Class	Class Link
	2:00-3:00	Language Arts  – in various groups (4-6 year olds)	Language Arts Link

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 children,

Today I have two fun Christmas crafts and a dance to share at the end.

First up let’s make a-

“Paper Plate Bauble“

You will need:

• a paper plate
• paint, colour crayons or pencils
• stickers, paper punch shapes and/or cut up pieces of coloured paper
• a piece of string or ribbon

1. With either paint, crayons or pencils just colour one side of the paper plate.
2. If you painted your plate, let it dry and then decorate your plate with dot stickers, paper punch cut out shapes or simply cut up pieces of coloured paper and stick the pieces onto your plate.
3. Lastly, cut out a piece of construction paper in the shape of a square, a piece of string or ribbon and attach it to  the top of your plate.
4. Hang up your paper plate bauble on your wall to enjoy and to make your home festive!

Next let’s make a-

“Paper Chain Santa, Snowman and Reindeer”

You will need:

• Construction paper strips in red, white, black & brown
• glue stick or stapler (parent supervision needed)
• a pom pom. You can also draw your own red nose on your reindeer (optional)

Instructions on how to make your paper chains are HERE

 

Now let’s get our bodies moving to the  Jingle Bells Dance! HERE

 

 

Hello Children,

Here are some fun activities you can do today that’s related to Christmas!

 

Let’s start with a song/dance:

 

 

 

Here are two craft activities:

       PAPER PLATE CHRISTMAS TREE

You will need:

• A paper plate per tree
• Materials to decorate your tree with – stickers, cut up paper (origami, colored paper, etc.) of any shape, pom poms, beads, anything you have!!
• Some brown paper for a base, if you want to hang the tree or a toilet paper roll to make it stand!
• Scissors, Glue and Green paint or crayons.

What to do:

1. Take your paper plate and ask your mom or dad to draw lines for you to cut it into a smaller triangle, a medium size triangle and a slightly larger triangle.
2. Something like this: 
3. Color or paint your triangles green. If you use paint, don’t forget to let it dry before going on.
4. Paste the three triangles together to make a tree.
5. Paste the brown base on the tree.
6. Add any decorations you have to make the tree beautiful!!

HAND PRINT CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT / CARDS:

   . 

You can make one, two or all of these!!  Have fun!

You will need:

Santa Claus:

• White cardstock or construction paper
• Red crayon, colored pencils or paint for the hat
• Skin color crayon, colored pencils or paint for the face
• Cotton balls
• A small red pom pom
• Googly eyes
• A medium-sized white pom pom

Elf:

• White or Skin color (peach) cardstock or construction paper
• Green crayon, colored pencils or paint for the hat
• Skin color crayon, colored pencils or paint for the face if you are using white paper
• Red crayon for cheeks
• Cotton balls
• A Small red pom pom
• Googly eyes
• A Medium-sized white pom pom

Reindeer:

• Light brown or white cardstock or construction paper
• Light brown crayon, colored pencil or paint, if your cardboard is white.
• Brown crayon, colored pencil or paint, if you wish to color the antlers brown
• A larger red pom pom (for the nose)
• Googly eyes
• If you want lights, you will need white paper, draw and color them.
• Magic marker

***Googly eyes and pom poms are optional. If you don’t have them, just draw them or use paper to make them!!

Card: To make the card, fold any color cardstock or construction paper into a size bigger than your hands or which one or ones you want to put on the front. Write a message inside, such as “Merry Christmas!”                  Don’t forget to sign (write) your name!!

What to do:

Look at the picture at the top to see your end product!!

Santa:

1. Have someone trace your hand and cut it along the lines.  Be careful of the curves!
2. Place the hand with the wrist up on the table in front of you.
3. Color/paint the center with the color of the face.  If you’re using paint, remember it needs to dry first.
4. Color/paint the top part and the thumb with red for the hat.
5. Glue on small googly eyes.
6. Take the cotton ball, make a  mustache and glue down and use the rest for the bottom of his hat
7. Glue the red pom pom for Santa’s nose and the white one for the tip of his hat.

.         

Elf:

1. Have someone trace your hand and cut it along the lines.  Be careful of the curves!
2. Place the hand with the fingers up on the table in front of you.
3. Color/paint the three middle fingers in green.  If you’re using paint, remember it needs to dry first.
4. If you’re using white paper, color/paint the bottom part of your hand (palm) and the thumb and pinky (poiny elf ears) with skin color.
5. Spread the cotton ball and glue down to the bottom of the hat (green fingers) to make the brim of the elf’s hat.
6. Add the googly eyes, pom pom nose, draw the mouth and add two small circles for the cheeks. Finally, glue the white pom poms for his hat and you’re finished!!  (If you don’t have pom poms, don’t worry, just crumple up some tissue paper which will make it look just like pom poms for the hat.)

.           

Reindeer:

1. Have someone trace your hand and cut it along the lines.  Be careful of the curves!
2. Place the hand with the fingers up on the table in front of you.
3. Color/paint either the whole hand light brown, if you are using white paper.  If you would like to color all of the fingers a darker brown, you may. They will be the antlers. If you’re using paint, remember it needs to dry first.
4. Glue the googly eyes for the eyes and the red pom pom for the nose.  If you don’t have them, you could draw them.
5. Take the white paper and draw some Christmas lights and color them (or cut them out from colored paper).
6. Glue them on to your antlers and draw lines with your magic marker as if the cord is tangled!

           

You can put a string on the hands and hang them up like ornaments or make cards.

 

Happy Making!!  Please post any work that you’ve done!  We’d love to see them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Today is the last day for our P.E./Movement Blog.  We hope you had a good time with us singing, dancing, moving and exercising.  The blog will stay open for the summer, so please look back and keep exercising!!

 

3 Year Olds (in Ms. Barbara and Mrs. Almoula’s group)

It’s almost summer!!  Let’s go swimming and be goldfish!!

 

And here is a Freeze Dance.

 

 

4 Year Olds (in Miss Yuri and Ms. Hoshi’s group)

Congratulations on completing your 30 days challenge!

I hope you enjoyed exercising and drinking water to stay healthy!

As we have been emphasizing the importance of exercising, I would like you to continue moving your body and having fun at the same time! For our last blog entry, I made a video of 7mins exercise you could do over the summer by yourself, with your family or with your friends!

Make sure you watch the video till the very end 🙂

 

Exercise with Miss Yuri!!       Click here to exercise!!

 

I hope you enjoy it

 

 

5 Year Olds ~ Pre-First Graders (in Mr. Dale and Mr. Myk’s group)

Hello Everyone!

 

Today will be the last day of Flashy Feet Fridays in our Montessori Blog. I hope you enjoyed all of our Flashy Feet practice and that it made your legs fast and strong. I will be linking all of our videos here so that you can watch and do them as many times as you want. For today, we will follow the same format as last week where I also write how many times you do each move. Have fun with today’s practice!

 

15 star jumps

15 seconds high knees in place

10 skater jumps

5 moon jumps

5 Frog jumps

 

-quick break-

 

3 times High knees (over obstacles)

3 times Sideways high knees (over obstacles)

3 times Sideways jump (over obstacles)

2 times Hop (over obstacles) left and right foot

1 time sideways hop (over obstacles) left and right foot

 

-water break-

 

take a quick break after each jump

3 Tuck jumps 

3 Pike jumps

3 Straddle jumps

 

The list might look long but I’m sure you’re all ready for it as your legs have grown fast and strong. If you think you need to rest some more or in between the exercises, it is totally fine to do so. Just remember to always do your best in the movements so that your feet learn to do the right things. 

 

Don’t forget to drink water!

 

 

Thanks for exercising today!!  The days are getting warmer.  Remember to have a drink of water in-between and after your exercises to stay safe and healthy.  Also, wash your hands, eat healthy and exercise every day!

 

Have a wonderful summer and keep exercising!!

Hello Parents & children,

Today I am reading you a funny story about a little pup called George.

Have a listen to the story Bark, George by Jules Fieffer HERE

 

Then see if you can answer these questions about the story.

 

1. What is the first animal sound George makes?
2. How was his mum feeling about George? Why was she feeling like this?
3. Who did George visit for some help with the problem?
4. Could he bark like a dog in the end? 
5. What other language could he speak at the end? 

 

The weather is warming up so I found these cool, tasty recipes to make at home.

 

These will cool you down HERE

 

And THIS & THIS just looked fun to make! 

 

**Substitute allergy prone ingredients or just remove, but have fun enjoying your fruit in a fun way! 

 

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.

Today is our last Guest Reader Day.  We would like to thank our 4 guest readers for giving the children an opportunity to listen to more stories.  They also experience different types of books, different styles of reading and different voices.  These are all important for a child to develop a love of books, thus a love of reading and learning.

 

As this is our last Guest Reader Day, two teachers wanted to share their stories with you!  They are Miss Yuri and Mr. Dale.  Please enjoy their stories!!

 

Here is Miss Yuri’s Story!

                   Click here to view

 

Here are some activities to enjoy:

 

Elephant and Piggy Activities – click here to open.

 

Here is Mr. Dale’s Story!

 

              Click here to view.

 

Here is a fun activity for you to do:

 

Making Paper Chains with Mr. Dale

 

        

 

We hope you’ve enjoyed stories by our guest readers–Mr. Dale, Miss Yuri, Mr. Myk and Ms. Schumacher.

Thank you for joining our Blog during the school closure!!

 

Here are our P.E. / Movement activities for today.  It’s sad that we don’t have our live class anymore, but you can still exercise with the activities below.  Are you ready?

 

3 Year Olds (in Ms. Barbara and Mrs. Almoula’s group)

Here is an old-time favorite.  Mommies and daddies can join you too!!

 

 

4 Year Olds (in Miss Yuri and Ms. Hoshi’s group)

This is the last week for our blog entries and just a few more days till you end your 30 days challenge! 

For those who have been trying to jog with me last week, the link to the video is now accessible to anyone with the URL so you should be able to see it without any problems! 

If you feel like jogging, you could just go to the park from here–

Explore and jog with Ms.Yuri

 

For today, I will introduce you to “Circus Yoga” which you could do after your daily exercise challenges!
You could check this poster to see how to do some circus themed yoga!

Circus Yoga

Enjoy and see you on Friday! 🙂

 

 

5 Year Olds ~ Pre-First Graders (in Mr. Dale and Mr. Myk’s group)

Hi Everyone!

 

One day, Mr Dale, Ms Yuri, and I went to the Lower Rec Hall to exercise and have a bit of fun. We were very very surprised with what we saw there!

 

What’s going on in the Lower Rec Hall?!

 

There were animals roaming around! We went about playing and exercising and the animals just stayed there with us. If you click on each of the items and animals in the Lower Rec Hall, you will be taken to different activities and songs that you can play along or dance or move to! 

 

It’s getting really warm now so do not forget to drink water when you do these activities. We even have our water bottles there to take a sip in between exercises. I know that these movements can really be a challenge but I’m sure you can all do them with lots and lots of energy!

 

Always be safe when doing these movements and dances, okay? I hope that you enjoy these videos and have fun moving!

 

 

 

Thanks for exercising today!!  The days are getting warmer.  Remember to have a drink of water in-between and after your exercises to stay safe and healthy.  Also, wash your hands, eat healthy and exercise every day!   See you on Friday for our last blog post P.E./Movement Class!!