In The Garden ~ Planting Potatoes

The weather in our little corner of the world has been positively glorious!  It's time to get into the garden and do some planting.

At the back of our half acre property, we have a second playground.  At the very back of that playground there is a garden.  Each spring, the children plant seed potatoes.  Each fall, the children harvest the potatoes.

Here are some photographs of the children digging holes and planting their seed potatoes.
  

 

 

The seed potatoes are growing quickly!  After a few days the plants looked like this.

After a week, the plants were much bigger.

 We are certain to have a very fine potato harvest in the fall.

Exploring Outer Space

This spring, the children at our little yellow school embarked on a study of outer space.  Our space study began with a space workshop by Mad Science.

Putting the Planets in Order

Collecting Moon Rocks

In the classroom, we read books about each planet and had replicas of the solar system for the children to manipulate.   The four, five and six year olds made their own planet booklets.

A Younger Child's Work

An Older Child's Work - Uranus 1783 million miles from the sun

An Older Child's Work

All of the children made their own planet craft.

 We examined some actual meteorite fragments that were found in Argentina.  Did you know that meteorites are the remains of a meteor that has reached the earth?

Examining the Meteorite Fragments

Meteorite Fragments Found In Argentina

Meteorite Fragments

We learned about the different phases of the moon.  The older children completed a book about the moon phases.  On the last page, they were asked to make up a new name for each moon phase.  Here are some of the names they invented.  You can click on the images to make them larger.

   

  

Our space exploration ended with a special treat - real space food!

Real Space Food From the Kennedy Space Center in Florida

Space Food - Ice Cream Sandwich

Each child received a small piece to try.  They had fun examining the ice cream and discovered that it was not cold or soft like Earth ice cream.  The children said that the space food ice cream felt like sidewalk chalk and smelled like caramel popcorn.

The general consensus was that the space food ice cream was delicious! 

Little C. gives the space food a thumbs up!

We learned so much about outer space and had a lot of fun!

My School Family

At our little yellow school, we have many traditions that define who we are as a school community.  Recently , we started a new tradition.  We began singing a song before snack to let our friends know just how much they mean to us.  I found the song on the blog of Beautiful Sun Montessori School in Aruba.  It is sung to the tune of You Are My Sunshine.

You are my family

Our School Family

My school family

I feel so happy when you are here

You'll never know friends

How much I love you

When you are gone

I keep you here {hand placed on heart}

The children at our little yellow school become very close during their three years with us.   As a Montessori community, they care deeply for one another.  Not long ago, one of our full day children was off sick for a few days. When he returned, another student said "I missed you when you weren't here M.  I kept you in my heart."

S. (left) and M. (right).  S. kept M. in his heart.

 Overhearing their conversation brought tears to my eyes.  It was so genuine and sweet.  Don't we all want someone to keep us in their heart?