Painted Lady Butterflies

The Butterfly

The butterfly came to visit me.

First it landed on my knee,

Then it went to taste my toes,

Then it landed on my nose. 

We concluded our year in the primary classroom and our study of insects by watching the life cycle of Painted Lady Butterflies. The project was very symbolic of our time in the primary classroom. Just as the caterpillars grew and transformed into butterflies, the children in the primary classroom learned and grew on their Montessori journey throughout their time at Meadowbrook. Along the way the philosophy and curriculum fostered their curiosity about the world around them, built independence and self determination, allowed friendships to blossom, and cultivated a love of learning.

"Education should no longer be mostly imparting knowledge, but must take a new path, seeking the release of human potentials." -Maria Montessori 

Our butterfly larva arrived about a month ago. We watched as the caterpillars ate and ate to store up enough energy for their metamorphosis, the change from caterpillar to butterfly. For a few weeks they did nothing but eat and grow. During this time of growth, the caterpillars also molted two to three times. When it was time to pupate, the caterpillars made their way to the bottom of the lid of their little habitat. They hung upside down in an L shape and shed their skin one last time before forming chrysalises. During the process the children learned about the parts of a caterpillar and a butterfly. They learned that the Painted Lady caterpillars have six legs and ten pro legs (which are like little hooks). The Painted Lady Butterfly has six legs and no longer has pro legs. 

We also learned how to care for our butterflies. We prepared the butterfly garden habitat and placed sponges full of sugar water and watermelon in the bottom to feed the butterflies. We learned that a butterfly tastes with it's proboscis (tongue). 

Over a weekend the first butterflies emerged from their chrysalises and first thing each morning upon arriving to school the children excitedly checked on the butterflies. The Kindergarten children created Butterfly Journals, we created booklets by coloring and labeling the parts of a butterfly, we read a lot about common garden butterflies, sang songs and recited poems about butterflies. 

On the last day of school the primary class released the butterflies. Before the butterflies flew out of their butterfly garden the children wanted to sing to them. We decided to recite the poem "The Butterfly" and we sang our classroom "peace words." At the end of each morning circle throughout the year we recited these "peace words." Click "Read More" below to see photos from the butterfly release. 

May peace be before you, 

Behind you, 

Above you, 

Below you, 

Inside you, 

and all around you. 

From your lips, 

To your friends, 

From your heart, 

To your friends, 

Until we meet again. 

Photos from our Painted Lady Butterfly Release

Mother's Day Tea

Mother's Day Tea is a wonderful tradition in Montessori classrooms honoring the mothers and grandmothers of students. For the last week or so we have prepared for the specific event of Mother's Day Tea, but the children have been building the necessary skills all year by using the Practical Life materials. The children have practiced grace and courtesy and rules of social etiquette on a daily basis. Through the practical life materials, the children have not only learned to prepare food, pour tea, fold napkins, set the table, etc., they have developed concentration and a sense of order. The practical life materials are the foundation of the classroom, they cultivate independence and self-confidence and prepare children for their work in other areas of the curriculum. Children also learn how to be responsible members of a community, to be respectful of the environment and others. 

Mother's Day Tea brought our extended community and three generations together for a very lovely morning tea party. 

doilies everywhere

tissue paper pom poms

three generations of lovely ladies

A festive spring table. 

So glad so many Grandmothers could attend. 

sharing special moments

serving snacks 

"a little bit of honey"

Our elementary friends read poems in the round from Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. 

Planting American Chestnut Tree Seeds

Earlier this year at a professional development workshop a fellow Montessorian brought American Chestnut seeds to share with other schools in a project to help with the restoration of the American Chestnut tree population. I thought it would be a great community building project for Meadowbrook as well as an excellent environmental science lesson. The American Chestnut once occupied about 25 percent of the hardwood canopy in the eastern United States. By the 1950s chestnut blight had wiped out most of the American Chestnut trees. After months of dormancy (in the classroom refrigerator) the seeds were ready to be planted. A few weeks ago while the upper elementary students were in New York for Montessori Model United Nations, the primary and lower elementary classrooms got together for a group study of the American Chestnut tree. Each child had a chance to help with planting the seeds and took great care to scoop the soil into pots, carefully place the seeds, and give them their first drink of water.

Our Week

We spent a lot of time doing work outside on our deck this past week to take advantage of the sunshine. Here are photos of some of the work happening inside and outside the classroom lately.

Variation of the numerals and counters materials for 1:1 correspondence 

Practicing coordination and grace and courtesy for Mother's Day Tea

Transferring tiny eggs from a nest using tweezers

making a hanging bead stair 

addition with the decimal (base 10) system materials, also known as the golden beads

working with the positive snake game

Researching the definitions of the parts of a caterpillar

addition with the number rods

making a diagram for the parts of an insect

push pinning a triangle traced from the triangle metal inset, a writing preparation material

examining a blue jay feather in the nature basket

decorating invitation for Mother's Day Tea

Spring Practical Life

The daffodils bloomed in Maine this week and provided inspiration for the practical life area. 

pouring from one cup to another

transferring eggs from a nest using tweezers

scooping eggs into a basket

transferring water droplets with a pipet

pouring pom pom balls from one cup to two cups

stacking nesting boxes

pinning flowers to a line

hanging up seed packet print fabric using cloths pins 

Earth Day!

Everyday is Earth Day in our Montessori classrooms! Montessori classrooms awake a child's sense of awe and wonder about the Earth from an early age. Dr. Montessori believed in giving children experiences in nature and viewed the natural world as part of the classroom environment. She wrote, "The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth." In our toddler program and continuing through the upper elementary classroom, the Montessori environment creates opportunities to cultivate a child's curiosity and respect for the world around him/her on a regular basis. Children learn to care for plants within the classroom and in the outdoor environment. Nature is incorporated into scientific, geographic, and in cultural studies.  In the Montessori curriculum, cosmic education shows the interconnectedness of all things in the universe. By teaching children to be stewards of the Earth, we instill a sense of global awareness.

 Around Earth Day we do a project as a school to promote environmental awareness in our community. This year Meadowbrook Montessori is participating in the twentieth annual Earth Day Groceries Project. Hannaford grocery in Yarmouth, ME allowed us to borrow paper grocery bags and the children decorated them with environmental messages. We returned the bags to the store to be passed out to shoppers that request their groceries be bagged with paper. We hope people will think about reusing or recycling their grocery bags. The people in our neighborhood will get a very clear and positive message that the students at our school care about their environment.