Going Out

It is tradition for Montessori students to "go out" for experiential learning. The Lunchers did just that on Tuesday when they visited Homestead Farm in Poolesville, Maryland.

Farmer Holly introduced them to a variety of chickens

and showed them where the eggs are laid.

The black pigs had a smelly pigpen, but they were quite funny as they tossed their food bins! The Lunchers learned that pigs are smart and roll in mud to protect their skin from bugs and sunburn.

Baby goats are called kids. The kids are excellent climbers just like Lunchers!

This alpaca was very curious!

The Jersey bull calf was only seven weeks old and already eating grass.

Billy goats eat hay.

Off to the pumpkin patch!

The hay wagon was full of straw. Hay is used for animal food!

Decisions, decisions!

Found!

Great choice!

Ready to return?

The farm is beautiful!

The weather was perfect!

The snack was yummy!

We're glad we visited

Homestead Farm!

Back at school the Lunchers weighed and measured their pumpkins and shared their data to figure out who had the heaviest, fattest and tallest pumpkins. They also wrote about their experiences, organizing their stories in sequence.

"All thinking begins with wonder."   --Socrates

School = Friends

"Good friends help you find important things when you have lost them--Your smile, your hope and your courage."    --Doe Zantamata

There is only one important reason to go to school--friends!

Making friends is usually easy. Keeping friends is a bit harder!

It takes cooperation,

teamwork,

turn taking,

responsibility,

careful observation, and

communication

as well as sharing tools, 

toys, and space.

Grace and courtesy begin with greetings

and following directions.

It is being helpful,

thoughtful,

peaceful, kind,

and part of a group.

In the Montessori classroom we are practicing our good manners and social skills. We are learning civility by respecting ourselves, our classmates, our work and our world. In guidance, the Lunchers are discussing feelings and learning how to "cool down" and problem solve so they can share and care at school. They recently read When Sophie Gets Angry--Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang and discussed how to recognize strong feelings. I-Statements and Echo-listening are good tools for expressing your feelings and recognizing how others are feeling--life skills for sure!

"Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them but you know they're always there."