August

The great transformation !!!

Welcome back to all our Montessori families,

I hope all of you enjoyed your summer!

The outdoor classroom is finally coming full circle with many new changes!

As you read this, the great transformation has began!

We created an outdoor atmosphere which will truly be enjoyed from this moment forward.

September updates will include many exciting changes that the children will enjoy this coming school year.

Remember learning is endless!

Love Ms. Val 

June is here and the end of the year is near! Have no regrets, we have accomplished so much in our outdoor world!

In years to come we will gather around to look at the pictures we have taken. We will see how quickly the children have grown, just like the garden!

Always remember our journey of learning and our achievements! Remember to never leave any stone unturned! Take what you have learned and tuck it in your pocket. When life asks you a question about nature, your answer will be close by!

Friendships we have made are priceless. We wish all of our FMS families a great summer with friends and family. Make wonderful memories! Soon we will create a new path and walk it together in our outdoor world.

We will miss you all! Remember, learning is endless!

Love,

Ms. Val, Ms. Marian & Ms. Kim

What brings magic to May? Can you guess? Is it the rustling of the wind in the fullness of trees? May brings many wonders, which you can actually hear if you take the time to listen. May’s magic is not here to stay, so enjoy it and don’t let it pass, because 31 days can go rather FAST!!!

The outdoor world is coming alive. Just look at the excitement in the children’s eyes. Our backyard detectives are hot on the case, leaving no stone unturned as they solve each case!

What are ladybugs good for? Just ask our children, they have the answers! Ladybugs are our first defense in the garden against various plant-eating pests such as aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, and other soft-bodied insects. The children have released over 2,000 ladybugs into our outdoor world!

The ladybug life cycle is as follows: egg, larva, pupa, adult. Observation, documentation, and lots of artwork will help our young detectives remember this learning experience.

We are waiting for the tomatoes to ripen, along with the strawberries, but our apricot tree is producing while we speak. The children have been trying the sweet fruit and liking what they taste! Mint leaves are now in abundance–please feel free to help yourself and try them in tea, water, and cooking. Enjoy!

Camp spaces are filling up, so please don’t be last; the activities this summer should be a BLAST!

Remember, learning is endless!

Love,
Ms. Val, Ms. Marian & Ms. Kim

April began with a 5k Family Fun Run that raised funds for Camp Cartwheel and also for our outdoor classroom! We are racing forward to our dream of a new, spectacular outdoor world of learning. Visions are created in the mind and transformed into reality. Thank you to all our FMS families who participated in the event. The design for the remodel of our classroom can be seen below.

The garden is growing, and the children are enjoying harvesting the fruits of their labor. Here you can see them digging up and washing carrots that we have grown from seeds. We are also looking forward to delicious strawberries that are almost ripe.

Education is not only the filling of a bucket but also the lighting of a fire in the mind. Hands-on learning works the best. “Involve me and I learn,” it is that simple! Now is the time to look at the happy faces of our children when learning becomes fun.

As you can see, learning takes on many faces: observing, identifying, discussing, and reading. This all strengthens the foundation that will support the house of higher learning. Look closely at the last picture of the new praying mantis babies hatching from their chrysalis in the garden! After weeks of waiting and learning about these helpful insects, we were able to see them emerge just before spring break. 

Summer camp is just around the corner! If you sign up by May 1, the application fee will be waived. We’re filling up fast, so please don’t be last!

Remember, learning is endless!

Love, Ms. Val, Ms. Marian & Ms. Kim

She comes in like a lion, and hopefully goes out like a lamb. Welcome to March!!

March has one foot in winter, one foot in spring. What will it be? Spring manages to bring out the artists in our chlidren, as you can see!

“Creativity and imagination are the keys to producing life-long learners,” according to Robert and Michelle Root-Bernstein, Sparks of Genius. Art allows the children to imagine what their minds can see and do. Our outdoor world is full of young talent, waiting to be discovered.

The children have been finding that worms and insects are ready for spring. They have been great detectives at finding these little creatures.

You will always find the building blocks of learning in our outdoor world.

There are many ways our children can improve their concentration, learn problem-solving skills, and piece together how things work.  In the garden we practice:

1. eye-hand coordination for improving motor skills

2. measuring, scooping and discovering

3. reading, discussing and observing

Our garden has been planted, and the children are waiting for the fruits of their labor. Praying mantis eggs were added this past week in the chrysalis you see pictured. The praying mantis is a beautiful insect with a voracious appetite which feeds on harmful insects that invade our garden. These hatchlings will help to control pests the organic way!

Knowledge is power and education is priceless!

Remember, learning is endless!

Love,

Ms. Val, Ms. Marian & Ms. Kim