DOBSON MONTESSORI SCHOOL NEWS

September 8-12

 WHAT IS MONTESSORI?

         Montessori learning involves the whole child in active learning, not passive instruction. Rather than sitting silently at a desk all day, students are encouraged to learn while doing. Manipulatives help students grasp math concepts. When a child holds a cube of a thousand beads and stacks them to make eight thousand, number concepts are grasped more readily than just seeing 8000 written on a piece of paper. When a child is learning letter sounds, small objects are matched to sandpaper letters. The child traces the letter with their finger while making the sound of “h” and then selects a hat or horse from the object basket to match the sound.

KINDERGARTEN

         Students are getting to know their peers and expressing themselves during our “My Amazing Self” unit. Kindergarten children have “big emotions” and feel things strongly. We will learn to read body language to help with communication this week. How can you tell if your friend is sad? Anxious? Excited? We will make puppets to express emotions and play emotion charades. Students will make a helping hand mural and learn how to help our friends and better communicate our own emotions. On Friday, we have Show and Tell. This helps students develop public speaking abilities and lets us know each other better. Please help your student select an item that tells something about their amazing self for this week and send it to school on Friday. On Tuesday, September 23, we will go on a field trip to the Children’s Museum in Phoenix. Please see Ms. Leslie if you would like to chaperone. Parents will need to pay a reduced admission of $14. We will pay for the students.  Our Dobson Montessori family mixer has been rescheduled at a new location for Thursday, September 25. Please see the attached invitation and mark your calendar now. 

PRIMARY

          Everyone is enjoying our deep dive into “Oceanography” this month. We will learn about stingrays and manta rays on Monday and make models of them from clay. We will fire them in the school kiln and then glaze and re-fire them. What is a cephalopod? We will create our own octopus to bring home and make jellyfish to hang from the ceiling of our classroom. Students will learn the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates. On Tuesday, September 30, we will go on a field trip to Odyssea Aquarium to see animals we have studied up close. If you would like to chaperone, please see Ms. Krista. The school will pay for the students, but parents will need to pay a reduced admission of $30.  Our Dobson Montessori family mixer has been rescheduled at a new location for Thursday, September 25. Please see the attached invitation and mark your calendar now. 

INTERMEDIATE

         Students of “Famous Ghosts” will bring their research facts to school for a progress check on Tuesday of this week. Everyone should have at least 14 facts now. In class, we will learn to write a biography. First, we will interview a family member. We will develop public speaking skills as we turn the interview into a story for the class. On Thursday, our teachers will dress up as a famous person from history and give a speech role modeling presentation techniques. On Thursday, September 25, it will be our students’ turn to present their research in first person for our Meet the Famous Ghosts event for parents on Thursday, Sept. 25 on the amphitheater at 9:15. How will you transform yourself into your famous person? In class, we will experiment with stage makeup to transform ourselves. Can you become on old person? Fancy lady? Scary monster? 

UPPER DIVISION

         Students are discusing, “What is Art?”, On Wednesday, their research paper about Christo is due. As a homework assignment, students are working on an original work of art that will be due at the end of the month. In class, we will try our hand at painting using watercolor in the style of Monet and his famous water lily paintings. Georgia O’Keefe was a famous American artist known for her close-up paintings of flowers and the southwest. We will use a paint and wax resist technique to create our own flower paintings. Next, we look at works of the Surrealists including Salvador Dali and Magritte. Using collage, we will create our own altered reality works of art. On Thursday, September 11, students will go on a field trip to the Phoenix Art Museum. If you volunteered to chaperone, please come into the classroom by 9:15. 

HIGH SCHOOL

         Students begin their Culture of Rock Music college course this week. They will earn 3 college credits for this class. For Economics, students are writing resumes using professional writing styles and will begin reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad. This book looks at ways to stay financially solvent and avoid debt. They are also following their faux stock investments and discussing how world and national events affect the stock market. In English, students are reading the classic, Heart of Darkness.  Everyone is making progress in individualized math groups. In preparation for our trip to Utah, students are memorizing their parts of ensemble, trio, and monologues of various Shakespeare plays. We will begin blocking scenes this week. 

K-3^rd SPLASH PAD POTLUCK PARTY IN THE PARK

         Mark your calendar: Thursday, September 25 from 5-7 PM. Come meet your child’s friends and spend time with our school families in this fun event geared as a back to school mixer. I have reserved the three Ramadas next to the splash pad at Riverview Park. Everyone is asked to bring a dish to share. I will provide plates, cups, lemonade, napkins, and cutlery. Wear clothes that can get wet and bring a towel and lawn chair. What a fun way to enjoy a delicious dinner, spend quality time with our children, and get to know each other better. See the attached invitation!

FAMILY CAMPING TRIP 4^th-12^th GRADE

Families of 4^th-12^th graders are going camping on Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19. This annual event is a great opportunity to spend time with your student and get to know our community of friends better. All meals will be prepared by our older students and parents will get to be kids again for two fun-filled days in nature. Please plan to make some room in your vehicle to carry some of the food and gear! We have 120 people signed up already; this will be an awesome experience for all!

HOT LUNCH AND PIZZA

         Last week’s hot lunch was a huge success. Our new Upper Division students did a wonderful job of preparing and serving the delicious meal. This week, it’s High School’s turn. If you didn’t order last week, join the fun and order now!