DECEMBER 2022

Peek Inside our Children’s House Community

Hello Bobcat families,

Thank you for coming to observe our classroom and get to know a little bit more about the Montessori philosophy and how it looks on the works. Mixed- age children walking around the classroom, following their own needs and interests, independently choosing works, learning from each other are some of the most important and captivating things of the environment… an environment of love and respect. A loving and peaceful learning place.

When I sit on my chair and dedicate a few minutes to observing the children, I feel so proud of every one of them. I witness them working and respecting the materials, but what I admire the most is how much compassion and love they have for one another. Seeing how a younger child looks up to an older child and how the older child guides a younger child is a gift.

Thank you for coming to our Social! We had a great time together. The children had fun and it was a great opportunity to get to know each other. Thank you to Katherine, Caroline’s mom, for coordinating everything and making our social a magic night.

May this month be filled with surprises, love, happiness and peace for you and your families.

Happy December,

Ms. Hany and Ms. Joselyne

CACTUS WREN

Dear Cactus Wren Families,

It is incredible how quickly this past semester has flown by. The children have grown and learned these past months and we are so excited to see where the new year leads them!

Thank you families for all that you do and the support you provide for your children and our Cactus Wren community. We hope you have a peaceful,and restful, break and wish everyone health and happiness. Happy holidays families and we look forward to our new year ahead!

Warmly,

Ms. Laura & Ms. Annette

Hello Gray Fox families,

What a great year we have had together! When I sit back and reflect on 2022, I am once again reminded of everything the kiddos have accomplished and I am so lucky to be their guide. To round out the year, we dove into an extensive exploration of our Earth, its makeup, as well as land and water forms.

We learned that the Earth, our home, is made up of several layers including the crust, sedimentary rock, fossils, ruins, magma and molten rock/metals. Additionally, we explored the Earth’s plates that float on top of the layer of magma. We learned that when they collide they cause earthquakes and tsunamis and that they also form variations of mountains including tall peaks, islands, rounded cliffs and ridges.

Furthermore, we explored the layer of our atmosphere and all of the types of weather it controls, such as rain, hurricanes, tornadoes, hail and dust storms. The children were very intrigued to learn that weather is predicted by satellites, balloons and airplanes that measure the density of clouds.

It has been fascinating to learn so much about our Earth and its cycles together. Diving into these topics has given us a profound sense for how big, amazing and beautiful our Earth is and has inspired all sorts of creative writing and experiments in the classroom.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday filled with lots of love and cheer. I am looking forward to seeing you all when we return next year! 🙂

Warmly,

Ms. Kayla & Ms. Edna

JACKRABBIT

Hello Dear Jackrabbit Families,

What a wonderful year the Jackrabbit classroom is having. We are thankful for all the learning experiences that 2022 will leave behind for each and one of us, and we are looking forward to the New Year. At this point of the year, it’s easy to see the children encouraging and inspiring each other. They are so kind and warm to each other and to the adults around them. The children have built this community day by day and it is such a pleasure to observe it.

Thank you to all the families who were able to attend the classroom social. We enjoyed gathering and spending time together as the children played and enjoyed delicious food. Our next social will be held in the Spring.

Here is the recipe for the month. I am sure your child will be happy to have the opportunity to bake with you during this winter break.

Fresh Orange Scones

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar

zest of one large orange

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, frozen

1/2 cup sour cream

1 large egg

Instructions :

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside

-In a medium-sized bowl, gently toss flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a separate small bowl, whisk sour cream and egg until completely smooth. Set aside

-In a large bowl, stir sugar and orange zest together until sugar is moistened and zest is evenly distributed. Pour in flour mixture and toss to combine

-Grate frozen butter into mixture. Using your hands, work in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Gently stir in sour cream mixture until just about combined. Do not over work the dough!

-Again, very gently press the dough against the sides of the bowl a few times and form a ball. The dough will be sticky at first but will come together as you form it

-Place dough on a lightly floured surface and lightly pat into an 8" circle about 3/4" thick. Cut into 8 triangles (like a pizza). Transfer triangles onto prepared baking sheet leaving about 1" between each one

-Bake scones for 15-17 minutes or until the tops begin to golden. Don't take them out too early or they will be too soft. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes on the pan before transferring onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely

We have been singing winter songs in Spanish called “Copo de nieve”. It has become one of the favorites to sing during group time. Here is a link http://youtu.be/bdJZV6333Ww

We wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year with much love and gratitude,

Ms. Yadira and Ms. Karen