Going Out

Montessori Lunchers venture off campus to enrich their learning with real-world experiences. "Going out" provides context and background knowledge.

The Lunchers arrived at The National Gallery of Art on March 7th ready to discover how some of their favorite artists used color, line, and shape to create their masterpieces.  They were also looking for "Faces and Places" with our docents.

After meeting our docents and stowing the coats, they were off to enjoy their visit.

First stop was Lavender Mist by Jackson Pollock.

What lines do you see? Vertical...

 horizontal...

and diagonal!

What colors do you see? Look closely! Use gallery etiquette!

Action Jackson put his paint in motion, but Mondrian painted careful  lines and shapes in his work.

Look closely!  

Can you find triangles?

Use color, line, and shape like Piet Mondrian.

Look closely at Monet's Garden at Vetheuil

Where would you hide in this garden?

What colors do you see?  What kind of brush strokes?

Who are these people? It's Monet's son, Jean!

Faces and places tell a story. The Lord Mayor of London was in Watson and the Shark by Copley.

Oh so much to see! We should come back soon!

On Thursday, March 20 the Lunchers were off to the Montgomery County Recycling Center. With Earth Day next month, they were going to find out how our county recycles much of its trash. They were also going to see how simple machines make it easier to sort the recyclables.

What items can be recycled?

Check the number.  We should recycle all but number 6.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The center uses many simple machines to sort the trash.

Look for wheel and axles, levers, inclined planes, screws, pulleys, AND magnets!

Hold your nose.  Use your earplugs. This place is interesting, but loud and smelly!

Observing the front loaders stacking and packing mixed paper.

The Lunchers will teach their families what to recycle at home. They will also help our Owls and morning children recycle at school. By recycling, reusing (using washable containers for lunch), and reducing the use of water and energy, they will be "keepers of the earth. " Earth Day is every day!

A Little White...

...and a little more and -- a lot of time.  That's a snow day!  What a gift for learning!

                     " In every walk with nature one receives more than he seeks."--John Muir

Time for free play is wonderful "food" for the brain-- at home, in your backyard or on the playground.

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Practice your spatial skills. Practice motor skills--rolling, lifting, shoveling.

Navigate the social world.  Collaborate, take turns, and share!

Learn cause and effect.  Three snowballs need to balance just right!

Make something new--a mouse trap?!  Creativity needs space--without the limits of perfectionism or one right answer.

The playground is a place for problem solving.  What happens when you walk in deep snow?

Unstructured play provides opportunities to develop empathy. Montessori children call that "walking in someone else's shoes--or boots."

Play happens indoors as well.

Working together to create No Ends structures provides endless problem solving,

                                    

                    divergent thinking, creative ideas,

                    and negotiating...

...until the finishing touches are just right!

Time for unstructured play reduces stress, improves concentration, and allows the brain to be available for learning. Everyone needs recess every day!

Read more about the importance of mindfulness in childhood in Mindful Parenting by Kristin Race
"Mindfulness is an exercise in paying attention to the here and now, something that in modern times is incredibly hard to do.   ...practicing mindfulness doesn't just lead to decreased stress and increased pleasure in parenting, but also brings profound benefits to kids."

Why Church?

It was Founders Day at The Woods Academy on Friday, January 24.  The Lunchers joined the graders to celebrate 39 wonderful Woods years with a school Mass in the gym.  During Mass a Luncher asked, "Why do we do church?"

The short answer is that we "do" church every day all day: praising God, thanking him for our many blessings, praying for ourselves and others, asking for the help we need, and practicing kindness and caring.

We also gather as a community to celebrate our faith.  Attending Mass helps us grow stronger in our faith as we pray, sing hymns, and listen to lessons from the Bible to help us learn how to love God and one another.

In Montessori, we call this "filling a bucket."

"Bucket filling is like magic. When you fill a bucket by being kind and loving, your bucket fills up, too."

"Your bucket holds all the love and happiness that you receive each day."

Sometimes you fill a bucket concentrating to do your best work.

Sometimes you fill a bucket focusing to finish work you have chosen.

Sometimes you fill a bucket trying new work.

Sometimes you fill a bucket sharing creative ideas.

Sometimes you fill a bucket trying something hard--and finding out you can do it!

Sometimes you fill a bucket teaching and learning.

"Every day I will bless you; I will praise your name forever."  Psalms 145:2

In February, all three Montessori classes will be reading Fill a Bucket and Have You Filled a Bucket Today by Carol McCloud.  We will also be reading books about friendship as we celebrate Valentine's Day. When you are a friend--a bucket filler--you make the world a better place!

Update from Kenya:  Mrs. Zaiser sent the following note: Montessori- You sent enough backpacks to give every student in the Maasai school KEST sponsors a backpack!  There were 78 students in the school- pre-school, baby class, and pre-unit plus 20 in class one.  They have never seen something as magnificent as a backpack and cherished them.  Wait until you see the photos!  And the crayons and colored pencils put them over the top!

**Looks like we are already filling buckets across the world! Thanks again to all our Montessori families for encouraging our philanthropy. The children were delighted to see pictures of the Maasai children wearing backpacks we sent. Now we will be working closer to home to become more thoughtful and kind at home and at school.