The children are settling into the rhythm of their school days with joy and enthusiasm, as the Rose Rock teachers bring a wonderment of subjects and activities to their students. Each month the teachers will send out a peek into the curriculum so that you may have a glimpse into the enriching experience of your children’s classes. Each peek will feature several teachers describing the beautiful ways their classes create fulfilling educational opportunities for the students. Please enjoy our first peek into the curriculum for the school year!
With Gratitude and Warmth,
Ms. Ashley Thomas
First and Second Grade—Miss Varasteh
The first and second grade have had a lovely few weeks together, uniting as one whole class. Focus on bodily integration has challenged the students in the form of jumping rope and playing hopscotch; the daily improvement is remarkable! These endeavors make way for the students to practice form drawing which helps to orient themselves in space and on a page, as they begin to practice beautiful handwriting, which will segue right into learning to write letters and numbers. All began with an emphasis on the straight line and curved line, by stepping slowly and carefully while singing:
“I woke up one morning
As small as small can be
I walked across the spider’s web
Stretched out in front of me
I did not wake Miss Spider
I did not harm her web
I paced across the silver thread
And followed it home again.”
For the second graders, they have been challenged with imagining every form’s mirror image and trying to create them on paper, while also proving to be stellar examples for their newer classmates.
Spanish–Ms. Moreno
Grade school students have been exposed to Spanish for the first time at Rose Rock. Our class is full of songs, games, poems and stories through which children experience the rhythms and tones of another culture, cultivating their interest and respect for others. As an introduction to Spanish, we have been building basic conversational skills through games and songs. They have been learning to introduce themselves and tell how they are feeling (sad, happy, calm, angry, scared, well). Children are eager to participate and learn, and they vocalize, move their bodies, and follow the rhythm of songs from the very first time they hear them. They are proud to say “Buenos dias señorita Moreno, cómo estás?” with enthusiasm when they enter the classroom, and even when they see me around the school. We are enjoying the learning and the spontaneous heart warming hugs.
The first and second grade students have been listening to classic stories narrated in Spanish using finger puppets. Through these stories they relate and learn vocabulary, particularly the name of colors and animals. When they heard the story of Los Tres Cerditos (Three Little Pigs), their eyes were so open and focused that I asked them for the first time “Soplen!” (Blow!), and it was a true joy to see all of them follow the instruction without hesitation, as they helped the wolf bring down the house made of straw, and later the house made of sticks. The third and fourth grade students have been playing traditional Hispanic games such as Loteria (bingo with pictures), which is helping them learn vocabulary through imagery, while practicing the pronunciation of colors, places and objects.
Therapeutic Painting– Ms. Ellis
First and second graders in painting class experienced the dialogue between red, yellow and blue in a color exercise. They are now working on a color experience for yellow which has a sunlike archetypal gesture that radiates out from the center while they are connecting with the cheerful, lively and stimulating feeling that yellow brings. Stem cuttings were taken from an edible ornamental purslane with yellow flowers for the memory connection to gladness. Please help your student with planting this plant after roots are formed (5-10 days). The plant thrives outside but likes to come inside during winter months once freezing temperatures are reached.
Third and fourth graders painted hearts of Lucifer and hearts of Michael for their upcoming Michaelmas play. They experimented with painting skills for making an even flat surface where they connect with the relaxed feeling realm by evenly breathing in and out. They are now working on an assignment that asks for a yellow gradation that is lighter above and darker below (4 gradations). Stem cuttings were taken from an edible ornamental purslane with yellow flowers for the memory connection to gladness. When the plant comes home it will thrive outside but love to come inside during winter months once freezing temperatures are reached.
Aftercare Grades Program—Ms. Thomas
In aftercare, the grades students are enjoying our dramatic arts and pantomime games unit. These activities teach many aspects of performance and allow the children to practice their “stage presence,” this in turn supports the grades teachers as they prepare for their class plays. In this unit the children are growing in their abilities to be supportive and attentive audience members, as their peers perform. The pantomime work brings a deepening sense of spatial recognition and imagination to the students. Our class is full of joyous laughter and smiles as the children engage their wills to perform for the aftercare class.
Early Childhood—Mama Monica
In Mama Monica’s class we are getting used to the new rhythm of starting our day inside. Students have embraced with zeal the meaningful tasks we are rotating through. It is a delight to see the sense of satisfaction and confidence the children have while cleaning tables and chairs after eating, sweeping after craft, and waxing wooden toys. The most popular Circle song so far is If I had a Windmill. The children enjoy the big movements and are mastering their duck flaps and quacks! September 1st was a rainy, indoor day so, in addition to chopping vegetables for snack, the children also learned to make twizzles, a twisted rope.
Early Childhood—Mama Shanah & Mama Jennifer
For these first few weeks, we have been concentrating on learning the rhythm of our day and becoming acquainted with each other. Each morning we begin with householding activities like folding laundry and ironing. Next, we move into other domestic arts or creative arts. So far, we have explored freeform coloring, chopping vegetables for snack, hand washing the dolls’ clothes and mending those that needed care, plus brightening and smoothing our wooden blocks with homemade beeswax polish. Around the domestic and creative arts there is playfulness alternating with focused attention, and freeplay seamlessly connects the activities. Next, it is time for the stillness of Story. I have begun with puppet shows because handmade puppets have a magical and magnetic quality, and they gain the rapt attention of even small wiggly children. We are enjoying “Mary had a Little Lamb” at the moment, which tells a wonderful tale of going to school and also demonstrates the virtues of kindness. After Story, we eat a delicious snack and go outside to play and also to care for the goats. The children are led through a seasonal Circle which includes songs, verses, and gestures just before we sit down to lunch outside. I demonstrated our end-of-summer Circle at the parent orientation. We will continue to enjoy this summer circle for another week before moving into Autumn themes. I have shared all of the Story verses with you, plus one of the songs from Circle.
Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went the lamb was sure to go. He followed her to school one day, which was against the rules. It made the children laugh and play to see a lamb at school. And so the teacher turned him out, but still he lingered near, and waited patiently about ’til Mary did appear. Then, he ran to her and laid his head upon her arm, as if to say I’m not afraid, you’ll keep me from all harm. “What makes the lamb love Mary so?”, the eager children cried. “Well, Mary loves the lamb you know,” the teacher did reply. “And you each gentle animal in confidence may bind, and make it follow at your will, if you are only kind.” Mary had a little lamb, whose fleece was white as snow.
