Happy New Year!

Welcome back! We are so happy to see everyone’s faces again – we missed you all! We hope that everyone had a safe and restful break. In P2 we are ready for the new adventures and experiences that 2021 will bring.

A few reminders:

Please label all sweatshirts, jackets, sweaters, water bottles and masks. It makes it much easier for us to keep track of everything.
When packing your child’s lunch and snacks, it’s a good idea to pack some extra snacks. Sometimes packing an intended AM and PM snack isn’t enough. Many friends eat both snacks in the morning because they are so hungry, and then they don’t have a snack in the afternoon. We do not have any snacks available in the classroom so it’s okay to pack extra snacks. Whatever is unopened will come back home.

So far we have been learning about the icy world of Antarctica and the Arctic. Both of these polar regions, while looking vast and empty, are actually home to many living things. We have learned about the penguins that live on Antarctica, as well as the polar bears, seals and foxes that live in the Arctic region. We’ve learned all about how ice and snow are formed and we got to feel ice – brr! Ms. Julie taught us about icebergs and how icebergs are formed. We also found out that there are boats whose job it is to find icebergs so they can warn other boats! Ms. Sadie taught us that there are many different kinds of penguins and that some of those penguins, like the Emperor Penguin and the King Penguin, are taller than some of us! We have also listened to all of the different sounds Beluga Whales (known as the canaries of the sea) make. We experienced how blubber keeps you warm in the cold by putting our hands in ice water with a blubber (shortening!) glove. We love learning about all of the different animals in the arctic.

You can click on the link below to view pictures from the last two weeks.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15p7lMq9ZUquoshDzjj6iFxJCxGFYsljF?usp=sharing

Important Dates to Remember:
January 18th – NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
January 27th – Kindergarten Information Night (for students going into Kindergarten next year)
5 pm via Zoom
January 28th – First Grade Information Night (for students going into First Grade next year)
5 pm via Zoom

“Let us give the child the whole vision of the universe… for all things are part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.” ~Maria Montessori

Love,
The P2 Team

‘Tis the Season!

We thank you for your patience as we’ve been working to implement Procare Engage to sign your child in and out each day. We feel that our families have done a wonderful job of signing their children in but we would like to remind you that you also need to sign out your child!

The winter season brings about a certain sense of anticipation and all of our P2 friends are feeling it! This month we talked about the continent of Europe. We learned about all of the different countries in Europe, how they all spoke different languages, and used different monetary systems than we do. Ms. Sadie showed us pictures of the beautiful Swiss Alps, windmills in the Netherlands, and the sunny coast of Greece. We have also learned about various animals that are found in Europe such as a muskrat, a shrew, and a reindeer.

We are also learning about trees this month. Ms. Jessie taught us that a tree has a trunk, branches, roots, seeds, and leaves. We learned that not all trees are the same but that trees can be found almost anywhere.

As we’re nearing the middle of the month we’ve started discussing different winter celebrations such as St. Nicholas Day, Hanukkah, La Befana, Kwanzaa, and St. Lucia. It’s fascinating to learn about how other cultures celebrate this time of year.

December Book Suggestions:
Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright
Ruby Finds A Worry by Tom Percival

Click on the link below to view pictures from the last two weeks.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13K-gIZ3KJeS46tAdJw8uojaDeh9Vu1CH?usp=sharing

We hope you all have a wonderful and safe break! We will see you in 2021!

“The things he sees are not just remembered; they form a part of his soul.”
~ Maria Montessori

Love,
The P2 Team

Hi-ho, Hi-ho it’s into the desert we go!

We have continued to embark on our desert studies and are learning about different kinds of deserts, as well as the different types of animals, people, and plants that can be found in each one. We live in the Mojave Desert where there are lots of cacti! The Sonora Desert has huge saguaros and wildflowers. The Sahara Desert is waaaay over in Africa and has huge sand dunes where nomads travel on camels. The Queen Victoria Desert is waaay over in Australia and is home to kangaroos and the Uluru rock! Wow! Ms. Jessie has been busy teaching us the Spanish names of things in the desierto like the plantas, animales, and cacto.

We are also learning about all of the different animals that live in the desert. We’ve learned about different kinds of snakes such as the cobra and the rattlesnake. We have learned about the kangaroo rat, armadillo, coyotes, lizards and big horned sheep.

In preparation for Thanksgiving we’ve also studied the parts of a turkey and the history of Thanksgiving.

We LOVED making December’s calendar art using marbles, paint, and glitter. Ms. Julie always comes up with such fun ideas for us.

A friendly reminder to PLEASE label your child’s belongings! This includes their sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets, hats, mittens/gloves, and MASKS! Since there isn’t a lost and found for parents to look through this year, it is imperative to label belongings so we can ensure things go home with the right child. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Please click the link below to view pictures from the last two weeks.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A7FHvm_EZDA9iU3tTc0PQf-NI0nmD2rT?usp=sharing

Love,
The P2 Team

“The little child’s need for order is one of the most powerful incentives to dominate his early life.”
~ Maria Montessori

Discovering North America… and reptiles!

Hi everyone! Who else is LOVING this cool weather? Please make sure your child has appropriate outdoor clothing as the outdoor classroom is quite chilly in the morning. Thank you!

This month we are discovering all of the wonders that the continent of North America has to offer. We learned about how North America is made up of three different countries. Ms. Jessie showed us lots of pictures of different animals that live in North America and we are learning their names in Spanish! We are having so much fun! Mapache = raccoon, bisonte = bison, castor = beaver, and perrito de la praderas = prairie dog. We even learned that alce have a papada or a double chin! Ms. Sadie showed us lots of neat pictures of the United States that showed how different our country is from coast to coast. She also taught us about different landmarks in the U.S. like the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge.

November is reptile month and we are learning about the different kinds and learning the characteristics of one. We learned that they are cold blooded, they hatch out of eggs, and they have dry scaly skin. Some reptiles include turtles, snakes and lizards. We’ve really enjoyed our sorting work where we have to separate the reptiles from the mammals.

We’ve been revisiting the book “Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda” by Lauren Alderfer and talking about how to be mindful. When we have a monkey mind, we’re so busy thinking about everything EXCEPT what we should be thinking about (like our work). We’ve been practicing making silence and practicing mindfulness.

November Book Suggestions:
Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda by Lauren Alderfer
The Bad Seed by Jory John
The Mitten by Jan Brett

Please click the link below to view pictures from the last two weeks!
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/177QrNRzLPVeoXGXpdz_vAjW2yYueoCli?usp=sharing

Dates to Remember:
November 19th: Picture Re-Takes
November 25, 26, 27: NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving Break

Love,
The P2 Team

“We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.”
~ Maria Montessori

Calabazas y Calabazitas!

October is almost a wrap! The weeks are just flying by. The second half of this month we’ve been learning about pumpkins and squash and what the difference is. Do you know what the difference is? They’re mostly the same, except we eat most varieties of squash whereas we only eat Sugar Pie Pumpkins. We cut open a variety of different squashes to look at the seeds and the insides of them. Ms. Jessie taught us how a pumpkin grows and we were each given a pumpkin seed!
We’ve also been learning about our bodies and our main organs. Ms. Sadie taught us that our main organs are really important to making our bodies work well. We can do things to help our main organs; exercise makes our heart happy whereas water makes our intestines happy! We also learned that bones can be x-rayed to see if a bone is broken.
We have been learning about mammals and what makes an animal a mammal. We now know that mammals have hair or fur, are born alive from their mothers, and drink milk. We are mammals! Do you have any pet mammals at home?
Our kindergartners are beginning to meet for grammar study every morning after recess. We just started to talk about nouns. The children were encouraged to label our classroom with all of the nouns they could find. Many of our friends found themselves labeled!
On Fridays, we encourage our older students to be mentors to our younger friends. This is a great opportunity for students to work with someone new. By teaching material to a younger friend, it helps to solidify the knowledge in the older child’s brain. Sometimes receiving a lesson from an older friend instead of a younger friend is more interesting. We’re very proud of the mentor role our older friends are taking on. It’s a big responsibility!
For young learners who are still developing a three finger pincer grasp with which to hold a pencil, play-doh and clay are wonderful tools to help strengthen hand muscles. On Fridays, each child has their own container of play-doh to work with. We encourage them to roll the dough, shape it, and create with it. All the while, they’re building those muscles! You can encourage them to use play-doh and clay at home as well.
PLEASE remember to send your child to school with a labeled jacket! The outdoor classroom is very chilly in the mornings. If you have not, please switch out your child’s extra clothing for season appropriate attire.

Click the link below to view pictures from the last two weeks.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17uIyxSQ-YVxD6DpTER-m8udk_suDhgzd?usp=sharing

Dates to Remember:
November 11: NO SCHOOL

Love,
The P2 Team

“What the hand does, the mind remembers.”
~Maria Montessori