February 2015 Newsletter
The Children's House of Nantucket

 

Each month here at The Children's House, the teachers rotate classrooms and create new and engaging environments in each curriculum area.  Every room contains developmentally appropriate materials and activities that showcase seasonal themes, cultural events, and scientific topics.  Upon entering school last Monday, the children were amazed to find the Science Room transformed into an archaeological dig!

 

Our budding paleontologists have the opportunity to examine fossils with a magnifying glass, find bones by sifting through sand, and even have the chance to hold a real mammoth bone that is over 1.5 millions years old! 

 

Other activities include sorting herbivores and carnivores and playing dinosaur memory. Those interested in learning more about dinosaurs are making research books. Each page features a different continent and lists the dinosaurs that inhabited that region many millions of years ago.  

 

                  
Making fossils with play dough & 
dinosaur research recorded in Third Year journals

 

 

In the Geography Room, we are celebrating Chinese New Year, which began on February 19th. There are many activities to help familiarize the children with Chinese culture, such as sewing fortune cookies, using chopsticks, and drawing the Chinese flag. One of the most popular activities has been building a model of the Great Wall of China with architecture blocks. The children have also especially enjoyed learning about the 12 animal signs in the Chinese Zodiac.

 

A related project in art is creating Chinese lanterns by folding colorful paper in half and making a series of cuts along the folded line. In addition to beautifying the classroom, these lanterns are an opportunity to practice scissor skills, which help build hand strength and fine motor development.

 



Dramatic play while practicing using chopsticks
&
one of our peace education materials that uses storytelling to highlight the importance of appreciating differences 




What is Your Child's Chinese Zodiac?


 

Feb 7, 2008-Jan 25, 2009

Rat

- creative, problem solver, imaginative, hard working

 

Jan 26, 2009-Feb 13, 2010

Ox

- gentle, peace loving, conservative, independent

 

Feb 14, 2010- Feb 2, 2011

Tiger

- Strong, noble, independent, and courageous

 

Feb 3, 2011-Jan 22, 2012

Rabbit

- affectionate, talented, ambitious, good judge of character 



Chinese New Year dragons!

Third Year artwork inspired by one of our favorite books:

Those Mean Nasty Dirty Downright Disgusting but...Invisible Germs
by Judith Rice

Created in the Third Year enrichment program taught by Linda Zola

From the American Montessori Society, 
(of which MCHN is a member school)
For all basketball & Montessori fans!

"NBA superstar Stephen Curry, and his remarkable family, tell us how a Montessori education has helped shape their outlook on life in an exclusive interview, filmed at the Christian Montessori School at Lake Norman where Stephen's mother, Sonya Curry, is the head of school."
-American Montessori Society, amshq.org

Living Montessori: Stephen Curry & Family
Living Montessori: Stephen Curry & Family


 
Thank you to our wonderful lunch parents!

If you are available to help at lunch please sign-up in the coatroom, we would love to have you!
 
Labeling pictures &
making books in Language!

Through our Grace and Courtesy curriculum, there are always opportunities for the children to look beyond themselves and express kindness, consideration, and gratitude for others. 

This month, in honor of Valentine's Day, the children made cards for hospitalized veterans thanking them for their service and wishing them good health. We hope the veterans at The Soldiers' House in Holyoke enjoyed receiving their valentines! 


   
Transferring beads with a tool &
 experimenting with primary color mixing in Practical Life!

   

Dinosaur scrubbing is an opportunity to practice following a multi-step sequence
&
flower arranging cultivates care for the school environment as well as precise and gentle movements

February Poem

Try, Try Again

'Tis a lesson you should heed
try, try again;
If at first you don't succeed 
try, try again;
Then your courage should appear, 
For if you will persevere.
You will conquer, never fear,
Try, try again.

by, 
T. H. Palmer


School will be closed February 23-27 

See you March 2nd!

2015-2016 Enrollment Reminder:

If you have not done so already, please re-enroll with Smart Tuition by Feb. 27th

Start by clicking here


This link will prompt you through the steps to roll over your account to the 2015-2016 school year. 

If you have any questions please contact the school!

Outside in the snow on February 17th!


Save the Date!

Saturday 3/21: Casino Night @ The Dreamland

&

Please note the following corrections to the April calendar: 

There will be no school Friday April 3rd (Good Friday)
&
There will be school on Friday April 17th




 

Thank you to the Congleton's for donating the first item!
By simply using the MCHN link, our families have earned 
over $780.00 so far this school year! 
 
Please click the amazon button below and bookmark the page for future orders!

 
Thank you for your support!
The Children's House of Nantucket
Phone: (508) 228-5454 Email: ackmontessori@gmail.com 
P.O. Box 2121/7 Pheasant Drive Nantucket, MA 02584