St. Francis of Assisi Montessori Academy

The Month of February

2010-03-10T21:46:00.000-08:00

The Month of February saw the children attending a performance of Ferdinand the Bull, and a live show featuring Jungle Jack Hanna and live animals from all over the world!

The children continued their studies of Asia, focusing on China, India, and Thailand. They tried various ethnic recipes from these countries for snack, such as Coconut Milk and Bananas, and serving themselves Chai tea from a tea pot. The children enjoyed learning about the animals, landmarks, food, music instruments, and the Catholic Church in some of these countries.

The month of February has also been a month of leaps and bounds in learning with some of the language works we have on the shelves. The 3-5 year olds are learning to recognize letters and their phonetic sounds through a series of picture and letter matching, as well as many other interesting language works. 3 letter phonetic words are beginning to be read by some of the older children in the class. It is very exciting to see the children flourishing!

One of our very talented and creative teachers created a beautiful "Stations of the Cross box" for our Catholic Living work. This was introduced in February, as part of the children's lessons on Lent. They have thoroughly enjoyed working with this lovely material, and matching the objects to each Station of the Cross card. One example of the objects used is a band aid for the 3rd, 7th, and 9th stations, to remind the children of Jesus 1st, 2nd, and 3rd falls. Another example is a 3D Immaculate Heart with roses and a sword piercing it representing the 4th station where Jesus meets the Blessed Virgin Mary, His Mother.

The children also seem to be taking more and more of an interest in working with the Botany puzzles and matching, as well as the continent maps and Zoology puzzles and matching. These are all wonderful skills that help them become keen observers and helps them become familiar with the world in which they live in.

Below are some snapshots taken of the children in the classroom during the month of February:

Children engrossed in their "Stations of the Cross box" Presentation

A Stations of the Cross book and statue of "The Pieta" on our Catholic Living Shelf

Looking at the Stations of the Cross book

Working on Matching the Stations of the Cross cards and objects

A group activity of phonetic "I Spy". "I spy with my little eye, something that starts with 'rrr'"Using fine motor skills to make "bead and pipe cleaner" sculptures in Practical Life. These fine motor activities help to strengthen the hand for coordination, control, and writing.

Working with the Sensorial material to sort and match cylinders of varying heights and diameter

Working on strengthening the muscles in the hand for writing and other activities by stretching rubber bands around a jar

Working on matching various shapes of leaves using cards and puzzle pieces from the Botany shelfCarefully putting away Botany work back on the shelfThe Culture shelf featuring some items from Asia and specifically Thailand
Working on the Binomial Cube representing a basic algebraic formulaWorking on matching 3 letter picture cards and labels

Working on matching "parts of a flower" puzzle pieces to a labeled diagram as part of Botany work

Montessori and Pope John XXIII

2010-03-10T19:41:00.000-08:00

From the forward in, The Child in the Church, by Maria Montessori, edited by E.M. Standing:

" The Late Pope John XXIII, when he was Patriarch of Venice, was pleased to celebrate Holy Mass for the participants of the Fourth National Montessori Conference. At the end of the ceremony, he addressed a particularly cordial greeting to those attending.
In a brief discourse he stressed the value of Montessori education, in spired by respect and love for the child, and mentioned the fundamental principles of the method. He also recalled his meeting with Doctor Montessori when he was Apostolic Nuncio at Paris.
Pope John XXIII said: "It is possible to see a clear analogy between the mission of the Shepherd in the Church and that of the prudent and generous educator in the Montessori method, who with tenderness, with love and with a wise evaluation of gifts, knows how to discover and bring to light the most hidden virtues and capacities of the child."

Snapshots from Today

2010-01-14T19:53:00.000-08:00

Working with pressure cylinders from the sensorial shelf.

Working with knob less cylinders and extension cards from the sensorial shelf.

Working on Practical Life.
Left: Arranging flowers in vases. Right: Chopping apple slices for snack.

Culture and Geography area this week

Matching puzzle map of Europe with labeled control map.

Matching puzzle map of Asia with labeled control map.

Matching child size version of items used at Mass to cards and labels.

Working on a puzzle of the parts of a leaf from the Botany shelf.

January Continent Studies: Asia

2010-01-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

The children will be learning about the continent of Asia for geography/cultural studies, during the month of January. As part of this study, yesterday the children attended an exciting and beautiful performance of the Peking Acrobats from China, including live music with Chinese instruments. They will also be working with cards depicting Asian foods, music instruments, landmarks, and Catholic missions and faithful in Asia. The children will also be working with the puzzle map of Asia, taking a look at some miniature replicas of Asian animals, learning about various Asian inventions, learning about Asian martyrs and making Asian snacks, amongst other things! Today the children especially enjoyed making an Asian fruit salad and chopping their own fruit in Practical Life for snack.

Below are some images of what the children saw at the Peking Acrobat show. These images were taken from various sources online, as cameras were not allowed:

We are always looking for various objects, such as coins, textile samples, small dolls, small pottery, post cards, miniature flags, Catholic images, etc... from around the world as part of our geography/cultural studies in both the 3-6 and the 6-9 class. If you have some items you would like to donate, please contact us by email at: sfoama@gmail.com
Thank you and God Bless!

A look back at Fall/Winter 09'

2010-01-07T08:31:00.000-08:00

A visit to a local organic farm for an Autumn nature walk:

The children made pumpkin bread from scratch and delivered it to the volunteers of Project Defending Life on the feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. The children used nuts they had cracked in one of their Practical Life activities, and had to follow a sequence of simple recipe cards to know when to mix and how much to pour, etc...
In December, the children learned about the various music instruments heard in an orchestra, learned about ballet, and attended a performance of The Nutcracker.
The month of December brought about a study of Mexico which included coins, books, textiles and indigenous dolls that the children could touch and become familiar with. There was also a music lesson on the instruments used by the mariachi in preparation for a live show featuring dance and music that we attended. December also had the children making corn tortillas from masa and cooking them for snack, and also a study of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Mexican Christmas tradition of Las Posadas.

Nov. 11-St. Martin de Tours

2009-11-11T17:15:00.000-08:00

Today was the feast day of St. Martin de Tours. The children were told about St. Martin de Tours and how he cut his cloak in two to share with a poor beggar who was cold on the side of the road. Later that evening St. Martin had a dream that the beggar was actually Jesus. The 3-6 year old children were very curious and asked why St. Martin decided to cut his cloak. It was the perfect opportunity to relate to them how St. Martin loved Jesus and how we should also follow his example in kindness and charity. Some of the children worked on a poster to place in our church vestibule for coat donations, while one of the older children searched for and read verses in the Bible that corresponded to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. The children learned that in Matthew 25:35 Jesus says: "I was naked and you clothed Me". Today, after a review of what St. Martin did, we took the children over to a local news station to donate the coats, along with a picture and story about St. Martin, for their yearly kids coat drive. Graciously and unexpectedly, the children received a tour of the station and were even able to see themselves in front of the weather screen on a tv monitor. Afterward the children were shown the room were their donations would be kept to later be given out to needy children across the state. They were told that there were children who didn't have coats and that their donations would truly help keep them warm. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about spreading the Faith and blessing others by performing works of mercy.

The Children took a look at the coats they were about to donate and say a little prayer to help see Jesus in everyone they meet.

In front of the news stations helicopter
In front of the news station building

Inside the news room
In front of the weather screen
Look it's me! The children on the tv monitor
In the control room
The happy children in front of donated coats

School Days: Past Month Snapshots

2009-11-05T13:51:00.001-08:00

3-6 Classroom

Practical Life: Matching nuts and bolts

Language: Looking at a book on baby animals

Culture-Art: Working with wet chalk pastels

Practical Life: Learning to set the table

Language & Culture (Performing Arts) Field Trip:
Pope Joy Hall- Good Night Moon and The Runaway Bunny puppet show based on the books

Catholic Living: Feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret visit to the Blessed Sacrament in honor of this Saint's mission to spread this devotion

6-9 Lower elementary class Science-Astronomy & Geography: Learning the order of the planets

Snack Time: Suns in commemoration of October 13, miracle of the sun at Fatima. The children learned about Fatima and Our Lady's message to pray the Rosary.

Language: Phonics lesson on the short vowel i sound with 3 year old

Language, Math, & Sensorial: Lesson on difference in lengths, long, longest, etc..
(preparation for math number rods 1-10)

Language & Culture-Botany: Working with life cycle of a pumpkin cards

6-9 Lower elementary class Language & Science-Zoology: Researching and observing a real bee

Language & Practical Life: Practicing fine motor skills for writing by tracing geometrical insets

Practical Life: Practicing precision and control of movement by
transferring floating ping-pongs with a ladle

6- Lower Elementary Math: Working on memorizing math facts with addition charts

Catholic Living: Learning the Liturgical colors at the class altar

Practical Life-Care of the classroom: Watering a class plant

Language, Math, & Sensorial: Lesson on diameter and height, short, shortest, tallest, etc.

6-9 classroom Geography: Continent research on North America

Language: Phonics lesson with the sandpaper letters

All Saints Day 2009 at St. Peter & Paul parish hall

Snack Time Videos!

2009-10-20T12:50:00.001-07:00

The Montessori lessons in Practical Life help the children to become independent and successful participants in real life activities. Below you will find two short videos from today's snack time.

Fall Fun at the Pumpkin Farm

2009-10-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

On Monday, the children of St. Francis of Assisi Montessori Academy got to take a trip to a local pumpkin farm. The kids have been working with some "life cycle of a pumpkin cards", and were really excited to get to harvest a pumpkin of their very own. The day was beautiful and sunny, and started out with a visit to the farms' "bunny village", and then to see some goats, geese, and a steer. Then it was on to the hayride out to the pumpkin patch. The kids had fun looking out on the farm property, pointing out all of the tractors in the field and finally spotting the pumpkin filled patch. The kids had fun choosing the best pumpkin they could harvest that, per the drivers advice would be, "no bigger than your own head!" ;)

Afterward it was on to a healthy lunch and various activities provided by the farm such as, giant tractor tires for climbing, a corn kernel pit to dig and play in, a giant tube slide on the side of a hill, hay bale climbing, a corn maze, and some more fun in the corn kernel pit!

The children really enjoyed themselves, as did the adults. It was a blessing to see our children among good Catholic company, having fun, learning, and just enjoying the beautiful weather God had given us that day. Some of the dad's and a mom even got in on the action and joined their children down the very tall and fun tunnel slide!

It was a great day and wonderful for the children to not only work with pumpkin life cycle cards in the classroom, but to actually get out in the field and experience the harvest for themselves.
Please enjoy some photos from our wonderful day below!:

Feeding the Goats

The Perfect Pumpkin!

Playing in the Kernel Pit

Taking a Break from climbing Hay Bayles for a Photo

"Discoveries" in the Corn Maze

Down the Slide!

The End of a Great Day!

Feast of St. Michael

2009-10-07T12:28:00.000-07:00

On September 29, the children of St. Francis of Assisi Montessori Academy (SFOAMA) celebrated the feast of St. Michael. At circle time the children heard all about St. Michael and the battle in Heaven. They also heard about how he is the defender of the Church and that Pope Leo XIII composed a powerful prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. The class then recited the prayer to St. Michael and then had an interesting surprise! It was a dragon pinata that they had to hit with their "sword" while saying, "Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!". One by one the children took turns hitting the pinata while reinforcing that verse in the prayer. We told the children that each time they have a temptation to call on St. Michael to help us defeat the devil, and that God will have his sweet reward for us in Heaven. Soon enough, the children had a sweet little "earthly" reward when the pinata finally gave way with some fruit leather and snickers bars!
At snack time the children enjoyed a treat of "devils food" cupcakes that they had to stab with little toothpick "swords", and they also received St. Michael holy cards and medals. To end our day, the children played our version of "pin the tail on the donkey", and had to match little paper swords to St. Michael's sword while blindfolded.
It was a very fun day for the children, and we can still hear them saying, "St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!", which is both very cute and rewarding to us moms/teachers! :)
Enjoy a few photos from our celebration below:

State Fair Day!

2009-10-01T20:49:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday September 22, Saint Frances of Assisi Montessori Academy had their State Fair day! The children had a lot of fun looking at baby animals, participating in a mock "farmland" experience, and watching shows with performing pigs and even endangered tigers all the way from Asia! It was a fun day for everyone. Here are some pictures from our State Fair day below:

Picking "apples"

Learning to lasso a "bull"

"Riding" a tractor

Learning where wool comes from
Next to a crop of wheat on the "farm"
"Milking a cow"
"Harvesting their crop"
Participating in the "backyard circus" parade
This little cowgirl won a trophy at the "pee-wee stampede"

Yet another winner at the "Pee-wee Stampede" for "riding the bull"

September 21: Feast of St. Matthew

2009-09-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

Above: A primary student placing a miniature priest vestment on our class model, "Fr. Pine".

Today the children heard about St. Matthew at circle time. They learned that today was a Martyrs feast day and that today the priest wears red for the martyrs who spilled their blood for Christ. Then one of the children got to put a miniature sized red priest vestment on "Fr. Pine", our little wooden priest model. They also learned about how St. Matthew went from collecting coins for taxes to collecting souls for Christ, as Jesus told Matthew "Follow Me". During the work period, the children took turns wrapping up little stacks of coins to donate to Project Defending Life. They learned that money is not what brings one happiness and peace in this world, but that following Jesus will bring us peace in this world and happiness in Heaven. At Project Defending Life, the children were able to see pictures of babies in need that would be helped by their donations and prayers. Afterward, the children made a visit with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.Above: Primary & Lower Elementary Class paying a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.

The 3-6 year old Primary class had a wonderful day back after the weekend. The children all seemed to be very focused and stayed very busy choosing various practical life works from the shelves. It was very exciting to see them so concentrated and remembering to practice class etiquette such as carrying their trays carefully, rolling up their work rugs, and keeping low voices so as not to disturb others at work.
The 6-9 lower elementary class got to enjoy the feast day activities along with the 3-6 primary class today. They also got to dive in a little deeper into St. Mathew as an evangelist. They learned about how he wrote his Gospel to, "convince the Jews that their anticipated Messiah had come in the person of Jesus". The children brought up how the parable of the publican and the pharisee made them think of St. Mathew, and a very great discussion was held about humility and hearing the call of God.

Above: Jinny sharing art techniques the children might enjoy.

To end our day, the moms/teachers were very blessed to receive a visit from an actual Montessori art teacher who volunteered her time to share techniques and ideas for presenting art activities to the children

Below is a short video and a few more pictures from our wonderful day. Enjoy!

Above: A primary student taking a closer look at Fall photograph cards with a magnifying glass.

Above: A primary student learning to carefully polish a mirror as part of the Montessori practical life activities.

Above: A primary student wrapping coins to donate to Project Defending Life as part of our St. Matthew feast day activities.

Above: A primary student practicing to use a toothbrush by scrubbing sea shells as part of the Montessori practical life activities.

Above: The children donating their coins at Project Defending Life and receiving holy cards from the staff.

Above: The students looking at pictures of babies that Project Defending Life helped to save.

3-6 Class: Montessori Materials Purpose

2009-09-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

-Catholic Living & Learning
Liturgical Year:
Prayers, holy cards, stories, discussion, snacks & crafts: Recognize the liturgical color used by the Church on specific days, Celebrate the saints and feast days the Church has given us, give the children a sense of beauty and joy for their faith, Identify and reinforce characteristics to imitate in the lives of the saints
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Child sized Mass kit, Mass 3-part cards: Recognize and identify various objects used for the Mass
Wooden stand for miniature priest vestments: Recognize and identify appropriate liturgical colors for the season or feast day, recognize and identify names of priestly vestments
Parables, Stories of the life of Jesus, Figurines and objects depicting parables, Rosary Boxes etc.:
Familiarize and deepen the understanding of parables, mysteries of the Rosary, catechism, and life of Jesus. Memorization, contemplation, and desire to be close to the Good Shepherd.

-Math
Numeration

Number rods: Learning quantity 1-10, intro to the sequence of numbers

Sandpaper numbers: Teach recognition of written symbols and how to form them

Spindle box w/ 45 spindles: Introduction of zero, sequence of numbers 0-9

Numeral line: Learning to count 0-9, arrange numerals in sequence

Cards & counters: Recognition of numbers 1-10, visual impression of odd and even numbers

Memory game: Development of memory retention of quantity, internalization of numeration
Decimal System/Operations

1-9000 small and large numeral cards: Acquaint child with written form of units, tens, hundreds, and thousands

Golden beads, 10 squares for banking, 100 squares for banking, 1000 squares for banking:

Visual impression of units, tens, hundreds, and thousands; enables child to see feel, and experience math problems concretely
Linear Counting
Short bead stair, Bead stair sets, 1-10 w/ wooden box: Counting by one, preparation for abstraction

Bead chains for cubing: Introduce skip counting, increase ability to rote count

Bead chains for squaring: Preparation for skill counting, preparation for multiplication

100 board w/ tiles: To develop memory for numerals 1-100, reinforce rote counting 1-100

Teen boards w/ storage, Ten boards w/ storage: Learn names and sequence of 11-99 and associate names with quantities

Stamp game:Uses concrete material for manipulation of the four operations (+, x, ÷, -)

Memorization & Abstraction

Addition strip board: Presentation of basic addition facts, analysis of number

Multiplication board: Understanding and memorization of multiplication facts

Addition charts: Memorization of basic addition facts

Multiplication charts: Memorization of basic multiplication facts

Subtraction charts: Memorization of basic subtraction facts

Subtraction strip board: Presentation of basic subtraction facts in concrete form

Division board: Understanding the process of division, presentation of basic division equations

Division charts Memorization of basic division facts

Positive Snake game: Preparation for addition, reinforcement of exchanging, research of ten

Fractions

Fraction insets: Explore concept of fractional differences

Fraction skittles: Introduce concept of dividing whole into parts

Time/Money

Wooden clock: Introduce concept of time, hours, and minutes

Geometry

Geometric solids: Develop concept of shapes

Geometric cabinet: Develop visual memory of shapes, discrimination of form, develops geometry vocabulary

Constructive Triangles: Refine the visual sense, develop the understanding of shapes and their relationship together

-Language

Early Language

Matching cards: Develop skill to match visually

Labeling cards: Support vocabulary development

Patterning cards: Develop visual ability to follow pattern and discriminate patterns

Sequencing cards: Support development of ability to sequence, stimulate oral language development

Classification cards: Support ability to perceive likenesses/differences, develop skill to sort items into categories

Key Sounds

Sandpaper letters: Recognition of forms by touch and sight; knowledge of sounds of the letters; muscular memory of the forms of the letters, preparation for writing

Movable Alphabet

Movable alphabet: Analysis of words as a preparation for reading, writing, and spelling

Mechanical Writing

Metal insets: Child learns and then strengthens pencil grip while studying geometric designs and color combinations
Reading

Phonetic practice readers series: Support child in the phonetic reading process

3 and 4- letter phonics cards: Develop and support the child in the early decoding process

Phonics cards with red vowels and reading strips:Support the child in decoding and isolating the vowel for reading awareness

Puzzle words with sentence strips: Expose the child to words that must be memorized for reading fluency

Phonogram books: Expose the child to the most common irregularities in the English language

Compound words, sets #1, #2 Practice in the study words and their construction

Grammar

Grammar symbols w/ wooden box: Introduce basic concepts of grammar

Farm: Uses objects to identify and develop grammar awareness What The Montessori Materials Do

-Sensorial
Visual Discrimination

Pink tower: Discrimination between heights, develops pencil grip, control (also – cubes represent the cubes of the numbers 1-10)

Brown stair: Discrimination of thickness, expanded vocabulary (thick, thin, broad, narrow) prisms represent squares of numbers 1-10

Red rods: Develop sequence of progression, introduce concept of long and short

Knobbed cylinder blocks: Discrimination of dimensions, use of pencil grip, vocabulary) large, small, thick, think shallow, deep, tall, short)

Chromatic Discrimination

Color boxes: Chromatic awareness, vocabulary of colors, discrimination between the shade gradations

Auditory Sense

Sound cylinders: Training ears to listen carefully and distinguish between slightly different sounds

Tactile Materials

Fabric matching set: Develop tactile sense, further develop concept of textures

Pressure cylinders set: Develop concept of pressures

Touch tablets w/ box: Develop tactile sense, further develop the concept of rough / smooth

Rough/smooth boards: Develop tactile sense, preparation for writing

Baric tablets w/ box: Refine the tactile sense, further develop the concept of weight

Thermic tablets w/ box:Further develop the tactile sense through temperatures

Discrimination of Form

Geometric cabinet: Develops visual memory of shapes, discrimination of form, develops vocabulary of geometry

Mystery bag w/ small geometric shapes: Develop the concept of distinction through touch

Binomial cube: 3-D puzzle whose pieces represent the binomial equation (a +b)3

Trinomial cube: 3-D puzzle whose pieces represent the binomial equation (a +b + c)3

Olfactory Sense

Smelling bottles set: Develop and refine the sense of smell

Gustatory Sense

Tasting bottle set: Develop and refine the sense of taste

-Culture
Cultural Geography

Flags of North America w/ stand: Identify the flags of North America

Continent pictures: Expose the child to pictures of life from around the world

Continent 3-part cards: To identify and visually discriminate the seven continents

Animals 3-part cards for each continent: To recognize and identify different animals from around the world

Biomes 3-part cards for each continent: Recognize and identify the different biomes of the world

World bird cards: To recognize and identify birds around the world

Physical Geography

Continent, US, and World maps: Learn to recognize continents, countries, and states

Continent globe (sandpaper): Introduction to earth as land and water

Continent globe (color-coded): Introduction to vocabulary and concept of “continent”

Land & water 3-part cards, Land & water forms: Learn to recognize & identify different land forms

Physical/Earth Science

Magnet/non-magentic comparison: Discriminate between magnetic and non-magnetic objects

Living/non-living comparison: Recognize the difference between living and non-living organisms

Planet cards: Recognize the different planets

Zoology

Parts of the animals 3-part cards, Parts of the animals books, Parts of the animals puzzle:

Identify the different parts of each animal through concrete representation

Botany

Botany cabinet w/ cards, Parts of the plants 3-part cards, Parts of the plants books:

Develop visual memory of leaf shapes, discrimination of form

Parts of the flower puzzle: Identify the different parts of a flower

-Practical Life
Gross & Fine Motor skills

Pouring & transferring activities: Builds strength in thumb and fingers for writing, development of carefulness in movements and concentration

Care of Self & Environment
Washing tables: Development of concentration and control of movement, following sequence of directions, preparation for writing

Polishing (plant leaves, shoe, glass, etc.): Care of self and environment, muscular control, following set pattern to obtain desired results

Dressing frames: Independent care of person

Communication, Manners & Social Custom

Grace and courtesy (greeting others, walking quietly, asking for something politely, etc.):
Development of common courtesy and social graces, development of confidence in the ability to communicate and interact well with others