This week, we celebrated the birthdays of two very special people - Cornelia Connelly and Martin Luther King, Jr.!
We learned that Cornelia Connelly was the foundress of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus (the order that founded our school!) and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader in our country who fought for equality for all people.
We spent a lot of time in class talking about Dr. King, how he helped our world, and how his work made it possible for all of us to be friends today! We watched a great video to help the children understand what life was like during that time. You can view the video here.
Before and after watching the video, the class engaged in wonderful conversations about differences, fairness, and being kind to all people. They did have a hard time understanding how and why people could be so unkind to one another and asked very insightful questions.
The boys and girls quickly realized that none of us are the exact same color - we all come in different "shades." They were even able to relate what they were learning to one of our Montessori lessons. Color Box 3 is a lesson where the students grade various colors from darkest to lightest. "Guys, guys, we are just like Color Box 3 - we all come in different shades from dark to light!"
The Pre-K students LOVED the song from the video and it quickly became a hit throughout the school. Listen to their enthusiasm as they sing about Martin Luther King!
After our lessons, we decided to institute "Make a New Friend Day," a special tradition in our classroom. Students were encouraged to choose a classmate that they do not usually play with and partner up with him/her. The students were so excited and eager to talk to their "new friend." Since then, they have asked if the new friends could sit together at snack and lunch, play together, and even work together. It is wonderful to see the children embrace one another and branch out to include more classmates in their "circle of friends." Look at these pictures of all our new friends!
We plan to continue our "Make a New Friend Day" throughout the year. ❤
Looking ahead:
- The Pre-K and Kindergarten students are ready to work on our next drive! We will be collecting new and gently used coats for men, women, and children to help families in the Greater Philadelphia area. The drive will run through January 27, 2020.
- There is no school on Monday, January 20 for Martin Luther King Day.
- There will be a bake sale next week during all lunches to benefit Australia. Items will cost between $0.50 and $1.00.
- Our next show and tell will be on Monday, January 27, and the topic will be something that begins with /f/.
Our "Selfie Station" is up and running in the classroom. Since so much of the children's work does not come home with the Montessori lessons, we have found a way to bring the work to you! Students are encouraged to clip a camera to a lesson they have completed and are especially proud of and we will take a picture to send home to you. So be sure to keep an eye on your email! Great news coming soon!
 |
| A big thank you to Panos and his family for sending in bagels and juice for snack! We all enjoyed this special treat! |
