March 2017

Dear Parents,

I can’t believe that it is already March. February has gone by so fast. I can’t believe that there are only 31/2 months of the year left. It has been an incredible year so far and I know that the rest of the year will be good as well.  

Last month we were focusing on amphibians. We learned that there are different types of amphibians, more than just frogs. Toads and salamanders are amphibians too. Amphibians have slimy, smooth skin, hatch from eggs and live both in the water and on the land. We learned that frogs undergo metamorphosis and transform from eggs to tadpoles to frogs. The kids discovered that tadpoles have gills and a tail. As the tadpole gets bigger, it grows its hind legs first and then their front legs. As the tadpole grows into a froglet, it loses its tail and starts to be able to live on land. The kids created a hanging chart that is folded to show the different stages. They also created frog puppets out of paper bags by painting the bag and gluing on legs and eyes.

The kids celebrated Valentine’s Day last month by passing out Valentines to their friends. They really enjoyed that process. In February the kids were visited by a teacher from the Seattle Opera named Nicole. She taught them a little bit about being a conductor and had them help her tell a story using singing and motions.      

This month we will be focusing on reptiles. We will learn about the different types of amphibians: lizards, alligators and crocodiles, turtles and snakes. We will focus on their characteristics and how they are alike and different. I have decided to include dinosaurs in our unit due to the interest of the children. We will learn the names of different dinosaurs and what makes them different.  

On March 18th we will have our Montessori Celebration concert. The kids are learning a song to sing at the concert with Ms Amy. They are enjoying practicing the song. I hope that everyone will be able to come to the concert.

On March 9th the school will be closed. Childcare will be available on the 9th. On March 10th school will be closed for an inservice day. These two days the school will be closed so that the teachers, including me, will be able to go to a conference in San Diego to learn new strategies to help our classrooms and our students.

Miss Erin