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- Free Winter Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
Scavenger hunts are so much fun! We already had a fall scavenger hunt unit! Now we’re ready for a winter scavenger hunt unit! It has many activities and resources that can be used for any winter unit, but we have scavenger hunt variations. Here, you’ll find links to free winter scavenger hunt printables used to…
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- Favorite Books for a St. Nicholas and Santa Claus Theme
We’ve had lots of fun reading books about St. Nicholas and Santa Claus! And a St. Nicholas and Santa Claus theme can be very adaptable according to a specific family’s or classroom’s traditions. Today, I’m sharing favorite books from our unit. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books…
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- Free St. Nicholas and Santa Claus Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
I can’t believe it’s almost December … but what fun!!! We’re starting a special holiday unit right now with activities about both St. Nicholas and Santa Claus. While each family has its personal preferences regarding St. Nicholas and Santa Claus, you can easily choose what works best for your family or classroom. Here, you’ll find…
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- Halloween Activities for Montessori-Inspired Themes and Parties
I love non-scary learning activities for Halloween. Today, I want to share my posts with fun, non-scary activities that work well for Montessori-inspired Halloween themes and parties in the classroom or at home. Halloween Activities for Montessori-Inspired Themes and Parties Montessori-Inspired Pumpkin Activities Homeschool Halloween Montessori-Inspired Pumpkin Unit 25+ Montessori-Inspired Halloween Activities Halloween Grace and…
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- Favorite Books for a Manners Theme
I love manners books – both serious and silly manners books! Today, I’m sharing the favorite books from our current manners unit. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out the…
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- Free Manners Printables and Montessori-Inspired Manners Activities
Manners are important year-round, but they’re especially noticeable during the autumn and winter holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all the December holidays provide lots of opportunities for children to show good manners. Manners lessons combined with manners practice is one of the best ways to prepare children for those holidays. Here, you’ll find links to free…
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- Favorite Books for an Autumn Theme
Autumn is such a fun time of year! We already have a post with favorite books for a fall theme. Many of those same books are here, although this year I’m focusing on favorite books for a general fall theme but ones that are perfect for our fall scavenger hunt unit. They especially focus on…
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- Editable Montessori Grammar Labels for Miniature Environments {Print or Cursive}
My 6- and 10-year-old grandkids love to make miniature environments with objects such as LEGO bricks or magnetic tiles. So we’ve designed a special editable product that will work with any miniature environments to reinforce grammar in a hands-on, fun way! I’m excited to tell you about our latest product … editable Montessori grammar labels…
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- Free Fall Scavenger Hunt Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
My grandkids love scavenger hunts, and we have a scavenger hunt for every major holiday. Because my grandkids (and so many kids) love scavenger hunts, I decided to have a scavenger hunt theme for each season. This is our fall scavenger hunt unit! It has many activities and resources that can be used for any…
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- Favorite Books for a Farmers Market Theme
I love farmers markets and farm-fresh produce! Here are some of our favorite books from our farmers market unit. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out the “Read Sample” feature…
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- Free Farmers Market Printables and Montessori-Inspired Farmers Market Activities
I love farmers markets, and this time of year is perfect for a farmers market theme! Here, you’ll find links to free farmers market printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired farmers market pack for our free newsletter subscribers’ resource library! This unit has resources mainly for advanced preschool, kindergarten, and early…
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- Favorite Books for a Shark Theme
Sharks are great for a summer theme, whether it’s before, during, or after Shark Week! Here are some of our favorite books from our shark unit. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest….
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- Free Shark Printables and Activities for a Montessori-Inspired Shark Unit
A shark unit is extra fun in the summer, whether you want to focus on sharks before, during, or after Shark Week. This year, our shark unit is a follow-up, although the printables and activities are great at any time! Here, you’ll find links to free shark printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a…
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- Free Picnic Songs for Kids
Picnics are awesome warm-weather activities, and they’re even better with some fun picnic songs! This is part of my series of free songs and rhymes for circle time. I have lots and lots of fun and educational songs in this series! See the end of this post for a complete list! Picnic Songs for Kids…
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- DIY Pizza Box Solar Oven and S’mores
I have a fun activity and resources for you for a camping theme or a picnic theme … or summer in general. We made a pizza box solar oven and s’mores! We used a few different resources to make the solar oven: Make S’mores with a Solar Oven from NASA Climate Kids Build a Pizza…
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- Free Family-Friendly Campfire Songs
Campfires are lots of fun whether they’re in your backyard or at an official campsite. I’m sharing some free family-friendly campfire songs to make this summer (or any time) extra special! Family-Friendly Campfire Songs So that I don’t duplicate songs, check out my Free and Fun Family Road Trip Songs for lots of fun songs…
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- Favorite Books for a Summer Theme
Summer is a great time for reading! (Of course, any time of year is a great time for reading!) It’s impossible to put all of our favorite books for summer on one forward-facing book display, but here are some of our favorites along with links to posts with many more. Disclosure: This post contains…
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- Free Picnic Printables and Montessori-Inspired Picnic Activities
A picnic is a great summer activity at any age, and a picnic theme is a fun, adaptable summer theme. It really is fun! Here, you’ll find links to free picnic printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired picnic pack for our free newsletter subscribers’ resource library! This unit has resources for…
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- Favorite Books for a Camping Theme
I was a little apprehensive about having a camping unit since I wasn’t a camping enthusiast. But it’s been so much fun! And the books have inspired great camping creations from my 6-year-old grandson. Here are some of our favorite books for a camping theme. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to…
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- Top 10 Summer Themes for Preschoolers
If you follow my blog, you know that I love unit studies. You’ll find links to all my unit studies in my post “Montessori-Inspired Unit Studies + Seasonal and Holiday Activities ““Montessori-Inspired Unit Studies + Seasonal and Holiday Activities “ If you’d like some monthly activities for a number of levels this summer, you’ll find…
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- Free Camping Printables and Montessori-Inspired Camping Activities
I’m really not a camper, so I’ve put off doing a camping unit. But I discovered that it’s so much fun! I’m happy to share some fun and educational camping resources with you for the end of the school year or any time in the summer. Here, you’ll find links to free camping printables used…
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- Free Flower Songs and Educational Videos
I love a flower unit in the spring, and I have lots of flower resources for you! Today, I’m sharing both free flower songs and free educational videos about flowers. The resources here will be mainly focused on preschool through elementary. Free Flower Songs Sing a Song of Flowers | The Kiboomers Preschool Songs &…
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- Montessori-Inspired Camping Printables for Preschool Through Elementary
Camping is a perfect theme for summer, whether it’s for classroom or homeschool! The camping printables from Every Star Is Different are perfect for preschool through elementary. Disclosure: I’ve been given a copy of these materials to review. My opinions are honest and my own. This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to…
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- Favorite Books for a Flower Theme
It’s May, and I love a flower unit in the spring! Here are some of our favorite books for a flower theme. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out…
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- Welcoming Another Baby Girl into Our Montessori Family
We’re so thrilled to have a new baby in our family! Our daughter, Chrissy, and her husband, Tom, have a beautiful daughter, Arabella, born in the beginning of April! Now they have two children, Caleb and Arabella, and we have three granddaughters and one grandson!!! Here are some ways we’ve welcomed Arabella into our family….
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- Free Flower Printables and Montessori-Inspired Flower Activities
Flowers make a great theme for spring … and especially for May if you’re focusing on the saying “April showers bring May flowers.” Here, you’ll find links to free flower printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired flower pack for our free newsletter subscribers’ resource library! This unit has resources for preschool…
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- Free Giant Panda and Red Panda Songs and Educational Videos
Giant pandas and red pandas are both super cute and lots of fun to study. Giant pandas and red pandas aren’t actually related, though. You’ll find lots of information about both giant pandas and red pandas here. The resources here will be mainly focused on preschool through elementary with some educational videos for older kids. …
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- Explore Geometry with Montessori Primary Materials (Ages 3-6)
Geometry can be fun if taught with hands-on materials at an early age. Montessori Print Shop has high-quality geometry printables that are perfect for ages 3-6 (in addition to their geometry printables for elementary students). Disclosure: Montessori Print Shop is one of my blog sponsors. I was given a copy of the Montessori Print Shop…
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- 14th Blogiversary Giveaway – Montessori Print Shop Deluxe Collection Download (ARV $800)!!!
I’m celebrating the 14th blogiversary of Living Montessori Now throughout April! I’m starting my 14th blogiversary celebration with the AMAZING WORLDWIDE giveaway of the ENTIRE Montessori Print Shop collection! ‘ Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by Montessori Print Shop. This post also contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Montessori Print Shop, one of…
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- Favorite Books for a Red Panda Theme
We’ve had fun learning all about red pandas! Here are our favorite books for a red panda theme! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking out the “Read Sample” feature on…
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- Free Red Panda Printables and Montessori-Inspired Red Panda Activities
We’re having a red panda unit for a number of reasons right now. The main reason is that my just-turned-6-year-old grandson, Caleb, is fascinated with red pandas. A stuffed red panda named Pandy has always been his favorite stuffed animal. Also, like giant pandas, red pandas are very cute. They aren’t closely related, though. Red…
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- Women and Girls in Science: Free Songs and Educational Videos
February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and March is Women’s History Month. Of course, any time is a perfect time to encourage women and girls in science! We’re having a women in science unit, and here are some free songs and educational videos about women and girls in science! This…
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- Favorite Books for a Women in Science Theme
It’s fun to read about women who’ve done amazing things, and Women’s History Month (or any time) is a great time to do it! Here are some of our favorite books for a women in science theme! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s…
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- Free Women in Science Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
March is Women’s History Month! There are so many amazing themes within women’s history, and we’re focusing on women in science with a Montessori-inspired women in science unit! We’re including a few women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) printables and activities as well. Here, you’ll find links to free women in science printables…
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- Montessori-Inspired Land, Air, and Water Transportation Printables for Preschool Through Early Elementary
Land, air, and water are important topics in Montessori education, and I’m excited to see some new and unique printables for land, air, and water! The land, air, and water transportation printables from Every Star Is Different are perfect for preschool through early elementary! Disclosure: I’ve been given a copy of these materials to review….
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- Favorite Books for a New Baby Theme
We’re having so much fun with our new baby theme! Here are some of our favorite books to help children prepare for a new sibling! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend…
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- Free New Sibling Songs and Educational Videos
We’re having a new baby unit, and here are some free, fun songs and educational videos to help children, especially toddlers and preschoolers, prepare for a new sibling. This post is part of my series of free songs and rhymes for circle time! See a full list of my song posts at the bottom of this post….
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- Free New Baby Printables and Montessori-Inspired New Baby Activities
This is an exciting unit for our family … and my 5-year-old grandson said it’s his very favorite one. That’s because my daughter, Chrissy Chitwood, and her husband, Tom, are expecting a new baby in March! In honor of Caleb becoming a big brother, we have a new baby unit! You can easily adapt it…
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- Favorite Books for an Ice Skating Theme
I love an ice skating unit as a winter theme, whether or not it’s an Olympic year. Here are some of our favorite books for an ice skating theme, focusing on recreational skating outdoors, figure skating, and a bit of hockey and speed skating. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to…
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- Top 10 Posts from 2023
I appreciate all my readers and love seeing what you find most helpful each year. Today, I want to share my 10 most popular posts published in 2023. I still have some posts from earlier years of my blog that are consistently among my most popular posts each month, but today I just want to…
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- More Than 13 Years’ Worth of Free Printables and Montessori-Inspired Activities
Using free printables is a budget-friendly way to prepare attractive, hands-on activities for your classroom or home. I have LOTS and LOTS of free resources for you! I’ve been publishing posts at Living Montessori Now since April 2010 and themed free printables and Montessori-inspired activities in conjunction with PreK + K Sharing in the middle…
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- Free Ice Skating Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ice Skating Activities
Figure skating was a big part of our family when my kids we growing up, and now both my 10- and 6-year-old granddaughters figure skate! My 10-year-old granddaughter, Zoey, requested a skating theme for our next unit … so here it is! An ice skating unit is great as a winter theme, whether or not…
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- Free Christmas Tree Songs and Educational Videos
Christmas tree songs are so much fun, and my post today has lots of them! If you want to learn more about evergreen trees in general, check out my “Free Evergreen Tree Songs and Educational Videos” post. If you want to learn about deciduous vs. evergreen trees, parts of a tree, and seasons of a…
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- Free Evergreen Tree Songs and Educational Videos
I love studying evergreen trees before Christmas! This post has free evergreen tree songs and educational videos, although I’ll publish a separate post for free Christmas tree songs and educational videos. If you want to learn about deciduous vs. evergreen trees, parts of a tree, and seasons of a tree, check out my post with…
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- Favorite Books for an Evergreen Tree Theme
I love an evergreen tree theme at this time of year. You can add Christmas trees or simply focus on evergreen trees without a holiday emphasis. Here are some of our favorite books for an evergreen tree theme, including a variety of tree books and some Christmas tree books. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links…
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- Thanksgiving Grace and Courtesy
This is an especially good time to focus on grace and courtesy if you have any family gatherings coming up. Even if you don’t have any family gatherings this week or don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in your country, it’s also a good time to focus on etiquette before the December holidays. Young children need lots of…
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- Free Evergreen Tree Printables and Montessori-Inspired Evergreen Tree Activities
Whether you want to focus on evergreen trees in general, Christmas trees, or both, you’ll find lots of fun resources in our new unit! It’s an evergreen tree theme with hands-on activities for preschool through early elementary. Here, you’ll find links to free evergreen tree printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired…
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- Winter Art Appreciation – Meditation and Puzzles in Print or Cursive
We already have spring art appreciation meditation and puzzles in print or cursive, summer art appreciation meditation and puzzles in print or cursive, and autumn art appreciation meditation and puzzles in print or cursive. Now we’re including winter art appreciation meditation and puzzles! Our winter art appreciation pack in print or cursive has art prints…
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- Favorite Books for a Fall Theme
We’ve had a complete fall unit before. But we’re more likely to just get out some of our favorite fall books along with our current theme. Here are some of our favorite fall books. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what…
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- Free Detective Printables and Montessori-Inspired Detective Activities
We have a new theme this month that works especially well for advanced preschoolers through elementary-age kids! It’s a detective theme with hands-on activities for art fraud detectives, perspective detectives, story detectives, grammar detectives, math detectives, history detectives, and forensic science detectives! Younger children can join in as detectives with hide-and-seek or scavenger-hunt activities in…
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- Favorite Books for a Construction Theme
Our road construction unit has been a fun, high-interest theme. But any construction theme is typically high interest. Here are some of our favorite construction books, featuring road construction books and including construction books of all kinds. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s…
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- Autumn Art Appreciation – Meditation and Puzzles in Print or Cursive
We already have spring art appreciation meditation and puzzles in print or cursive and summer art appreciation meditation and puzzles in print or cursive. Now we’re including autumn art appreciation meditation and puzzles! Our autumn art appreciation pack in print or cursive has art prints for meditation-style activities along with art prints made into easy-cut…
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- Free Road Construction Printables and Montessori-Inspired Road Construction Activities
Road construction is a fun, high-interest theme … especially for vehicle lovers. We’ve had construction units before, but this one focuses specifically on road construction! Here, you’ll find links to free road construction printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired road construction pack for our newsletter subscribers’ resource library! Disclosure: This post…
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- FREE Mammals Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
We have so many free do-a-dot printables that we don’t design one for each unit any more. But we’re completing a vertebrate series, which has included free do-a-dot printables that work well for both younger and older kids. Today’s free do-a-dot printable is a mammals do-a-dot phonics printable … as usual, an instant download and…
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- Talking with Children about 9/11 – Ideas and Activities
We’d all like to protect our children from tragedy, but even young children often hear about or are exposed to tragic events. Today is September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. If you’re wondering how to help your children understand and cope with the September 11 anniversary, I’m sharing some posts that give helpful…
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- Free Mammal Songs and Educational Videos
We’ve loved our vertebrate classification series, and we’re on our final class of vertebrates. Today, I’m sharing mammal songs and educational videos for a variety of ages. The resources here will be mainly focused on preschool through elementary with some for older kids. The mammals in the main post photo are from Aisne’s Creations…
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- Favorite Books for a Mammal Theme
Our vertebrate series has been lots of fun. Here are some of our favorite books from our final unit … with a mammal theme! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend checking…
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- The Montessori Method: Education for Life from Inside Montessori
I’m so grateful that everyone can receive Montessori inspiration online. There are lots of great videos available for any parent or teacher to see Montessori in action. Now there are even feature-length films available about Montessori. One of them, Inside Montessori, is available in parts or as a complete feature film for FREE! I’m sharing…
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- Free Bird Songs and Educational Videos
We’ve had lots of fun focusing on vertebrates and animal classification. Today, I’m sharing bird songs and educational videos for a variety of ages. The resources here will be mainly focused on preschool through elementary. You’ll find free, fun bird songs along with free videos about bird sounds in my Free Bird Sounds, Songs, and…
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- FREE Birds Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
I love a bird unit at any time of year. Often, I’ve focused on birds in the spring, but it was fun focusing on them in the summer, too. Even though we don’t design a free do-a-dot for each unit any more (since we have so many already), I have a new do-a-dot printable that’s…
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- Free Mammal Printables and Montessori-Inspired Mammal Activities
Our vertebrate series has had lots of fun and learning printables and activities! Our new mammal unit completes the series! We’ve already studied amphibians, reptiles, fish, and birds. Here, you’ll find links to free mammal printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired mammal pack for our newsletter subscribers’ resource library! Disclosure:…
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- Favorite Books for a Bird Theme
Although we’ve studied various types of birds in other units, we’ve loved studying birds as part of our vertebrate series and animal classification theme. Here are some of our favorite books from our bird unit. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and…
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- Free Shark Songs and Educational Videos
Sharks are so much fun to study … during Shark Week or at any time. I’ve already published a post with free fish songs and educational videos, which included sharks in general. Today I have a special post with free, fun shark songs and educational videos! The resources here will be mainly focused on preschool…
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- Free Fish Songs and Educational Videos
We’re loving our vertebrate classification series. Today, I’m sharing fish songs and educational videos for a variety of ages. The resources here will be mainly focused on preschool through elementary with some for older kids. I’m sharing videos about any types of fish except specific ones about sharks. I’ll have a separate post for free…
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- Free Bird Printables and Montessori-Inspired Bird Activities
We’ve had so much fun with our vertebrate series that we’re continuing this month with a bird unit! So far, we’ve had amphibian, reptile, and fish units. (You can probably guess what our unit next month will be!) Here, you’ll find links to free bird printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired…
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- FREE Fish Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
A fish unit is great at any time, but it’s especially fun in the summer. We’ve had a lot of fun with ours! Even though we don’t design a free do-a-dot for each unit any more (since we have so many already), I have a new do-a-dot printable that’s part of a series for both…
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- Free Reptile Songs and Educational Videos
We’re having lots of fun with our animal classification series. Today, I’m sharing helpful reptile songs and educational videos for a variety of ages. The resources here will be mainly focused on preschool through elementary with some for older kids. I’m sharing videos about any types of reptiles except specific ones about snakes. I have…
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- Summer Art Appreciation – Meditation and Puzzles in Print or Cursive
We already have spring art appreciation meditation and puzzles in print or cursive, and now we have summer art appreciation meditation and puzzles, too! Our summer art appreciation pack in print or cursive has art prints for meditation-style activities along with art prints made into easy-cut puzzles. It’s adaptable for ages 3-9! Disclosure: This post…
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- Favorite Books for a Fish Theme
Fish are great for a summer theme as well as an animal classification theme. Here are some of our favorite books from our fish unit. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based on your child’s age and what you think will engage your child’s interest. I recommend…
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- Free Fish Printables and Montessori-Inspired Fish Activities
I love water themes in the summer, so now we’re studying fish! It’s also part of the vertebrate series I’m doing (not all in a row, though). So far, we’ve had amphibian and reptile units. Here, you’ll find links to free fish printables used to prepare hands-on activities and a new Montessori-inspired fish pack for…
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- FREE Reptiles Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Our reptile unit has been lots of fun. Reptiles make a perfect theme for my 5-year-old grandson, who’s obsessed with crocodiles. But it’s been fun for my granddaughters, too. Even though we don’t design a free do-a-dot for each unit any more (since we have so many already), I have a new do-a-dot printable that’s…
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- Favorite Books for a Germ Theme
We’ve all loved our germ unit, and germ-themed books have been very helpful in teaching about the importance of good hygiene. My grandkids have been drawn to the germ books and love reading them and having them read aloud. Perfect! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links (at no cost to you). Just choose books based…
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- Free Snake Printables and Montessori-Inspired Snake Activities
A snake unit can be great for a wide variety of children … both ones who love snakes and ones who are afraid of snakes. All my grandkids were excited to start our snake unit! Here, you’ll find free snake printables and activities for preschool through early elementary. As usual, we have a new…
- I Have, Who Has? Summer Art Appreciation Game Pack in Print or Cursive
I love games for learning, and I Have, Who Has? games are great for a variety of concepts! Today, I have a new I Have, Who Has? game pack in print or cursive … this one focusing on summer art appreciation! It completes the series of I Have, Who Has? seasonal game packs. I designed…
- 2021-06 (June) Newsletter
“We must clearly understand that when we give the child freedom and independence, we are giving freedom to a worker already braced for action, who cannot live without working and being active.”
Maria MontessoriCalendar of Events
The above calendar information is from a “Google Calendar” and can be added to any Google Account.
Ending the School Year
As we come to the end of another school year, it is a great time to reflect on our successes and challenges.
Our state of normalcy was tested again and again, but with resilience and tenacity, our community persevered. With enthusiasm, our students came to school each day and gave us the hope we needed to continue through the school year. Even learning at home became its own novelty with the creativity of teaching experiential learning virtually. Despite the constant surprises, our students, families, guides, and assistants showed their versatility and ability to adapt.
Many lessons were learned this year; this experience provided opportunities for growth. Policies and procedures were refined and practices revisited. Although COVID regulations were restrictive, the restrictions also provided opportunities to modify practices and enhance procedures. Many of the beneficial approaches that were adopted this year will continue in the future.
It is with a great sense of gratitude that we end this year, grateful for the efforts of our community. As a collective group, we supported and encouraged each other and kept our community safe and functioning. We wish everyone a restful and fun-filled summer!
Library News and Summer Reading
It has been wonderful to see that the love of books and reading has not been affected by the many changes to MMEC’s library routines this year. The amazing adaptability and enthusiasm shown by our students of all ages is inspiring.
Thank you to all Casa and Toddler parents at Chief Crowfoot who requested books using the online form for their children this year. The last day this option will be available will be Friday, June 4th. Please note that all MMEC library books must be returned to school no later than Monday, June 7th. This gives us time to prepare the library for the upcoming school year. Please understand that families will be asked to replace or pay for any unreturned or damaged books.
With summer fast approaching, the break from school is a great time to explore new books and authors, start a family read-aloud or discover amazing audiobooks. Encouraging reading habits over the summer keeps skills sharp and promotes an easier transition into the next school year. On top of that, it is relaxing and fun!
As most of us won’t be travelling just yet, why not escape to different places and see the world through books? Here are a few suggestions for some travel themed reading:
- Thailand
- “All About Thailand: Stories, Songs, Crafts and Games for Kids” by Elaine Russell (All ages)
- “Hush! A Thai Lullaby” by Minfong Ho (Casa)
- “Tua and the Elephant” by R. P. Harris (Lower Elementary)
- “All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team” by Christina Soontornvat (Upper Elementary and Erdkinder)
- Italy
- “Italy ABCs” by Sharon Katz Cooper (All ages)
- “This is Rome” / “This is Venice” by Miroslav Sasek (Casa)
- “Look What Came from Italy” by Miles Harvey (Lower Elementary)
- “The Thief Lord” by Cornelia Funke (Upper Elementary and Erdkinder)
- Mexico
- “Off We Go to Mexico!” by Laurie Krebs (Casa)
- “The Princess and the Warrior” by Duncan Tonatiuh (Casa and Lower Elementary)
- “A Mexican Cookbook for Kids” by Rosemary Hankin (Lower and Upper Elementary)
- “Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring” by Angela Cervantes (Upper Elementary)
- India
- “The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk” by Kabir Sehgal (Toddler and Casa)
- “A Gift for Amma: Market Day in India” by Meera Sriram (Casa)
- “The Elephant’s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India” by Marcia Williams (Lower Elementary)
- “The Night Diary” by Veera Hiranandani (Upper Elementary and Erdkinder)
Happy Summer Reading!
– KeriStories and Songs in the Music Classroom
I have the pleasure of teaching and exploring music with all ages of students at MMEC. To inspire and contextualize concepts, storybooks are part of each lesson with the Toddler and Casa children and are used with all ages at times. Some titles are just meant to be sung and enjoyed. With younger children, books with songs are wonderful conduits for developing the singing voice and promoting speaking and listening. Stories can also lay the foundations of reading skills, encouraging tracking and following along. They are also just pleasurable to explore and enjoy. A good song story can be a jumping-off point to delve deeper into musical explorations with older children.
One collection the children and I adore is John Feierabend’s First Steps in Music series, published by GIA Publications. A renowned music educator, he publishes a new picture book each year, and each one is based on a children’s folk song. Titles like Risseldy, Rosseldy, The Tailor and the Mouse, and Momma Buy Me a China Doll are just a few of our favourites. At the back of each book, you will find the score, lyrics and a link to a free mp3 version of the song. These are high-quality recordings featuring musician and educator Jill Trinka; I’m a big fan of her work as well!
Another author that the children and I enjoy is Iza Trapani. These books are based on nursery rhymes but extend the story. Because most of us know the melody to songs like Row, Row, Row your Boat and Mary Had a little Lamb, you can easily sing these songs and enjoy the stories with your children. With computers, we know at our fingertips, and you can also google the melodies if you didn’t learn them or have forgotten how they go.
The Raffi Songs to Read books are great as well. Songs like Wheels on the Bus, Baby Beluga, and Down By the Bay are perennial favourites. Again, you can easily find recordings of these songs online. I love all of Raffi’s children’s CDs as well. They are easy to listen to and generally include great songs, both familiar classics, and ones written by Raffi himself!
Most recently, I have purchased three books and developed lessons around them for the Casa through LE set. These include Say Zoop by Hervé Tullet, which is informally full of musical concepts and a lot of fun for children to read and explore. How Do You Dance? by Thyra Heder is a wonderful embrace of self-expression when dancing and moving. Snip Snap! What’s That? By Mara Bergman and Nick Maland is a fun tale about how three siblings deal with a scary encounter with an alligator. It’s full of juicy vocabulary, words like “flashing,” “crashing,” and “gnashing,” and “swished,” “swooshed,” and “slithered.”
I encourage all of you to add song stories to your home libraries. Let me know if you have any particularly enjoyable books in your collection, as I’m always adding new titles!
Sarah Blackman
Census 2021
You may have heard that the 2021 Census is underway. It has been a challenging year for families, and the census might seem like another thing on your busy to-do list. However, we would like to encourage you to complete your census if you haven’t already done so. Census data helps governments at all levels plan for schools, transportation, community centres, libraries and recreational activities. Data from the 2021 Census will be even more crucial because it will help to evaluate the impact of the pandemic and to better plan for the future. You can quickly and easily complete your census questionnaire at www.census.gc.ca using the access code you received in the mail. If you need assistance or would like to have a paper (or alternate format) questionnaire, please call the Census Help Line at 1-855-340-2021. Thank you for doing your part to help plan for a better future for all Canadians.
Three Year Education Plan
Please find the MMEC Three Year Plan here:
mmec.ca/index.php?f=/montessori/alberta_educationHealthy Communication Ideas from Erdkinder
The 3 Door challenge – To post or not to post? To send or not to send?
Door 1: Could I say this to someone’s face?
Door 2: How would I feel if someone sent this to me?
Door 3: Could I say this in front of everyone I know?Non-violent communication:
1. Observe without judging
2. Express feelings
3. Express and clarify your needs
4. Express specific requests: What specifically does the other person have to do so that you can feel your needs have been met?Street Safety from the Upper Elementary
Dear Students and Parents,
We remind all the students to only go on the sidewalk so they don’t get hit by a car. So could you please drop your kids off on the school side? It would be much safer and also legal. If you can not stop on that side of the road, could you drop them off by the crosswalk to cross the street safely, please?
What Is Jaywalking?
Jaywalking means when a person crosses the street without considering the traffic rules. The usual term generally would mean crossing a street outside of a designated crosswalk or intersection; this is illegal.Please follow these school and police rules, so your children learn good habits and do not get seriously injured by a car.
THANK YOU,
Jeanna and MayaLost and Found
Weather dependent, we will place any remaining personal items on well-spaced tables outside the gym area in the back parking lot. Items will be on display from June 16-19 from 9 am to 3 pm each day. Please do your best to come during these designated days as anything remaining after June 23 will be donated to our MMEC Clothing Line or to charity. Please do not enter the school and please practice social distancing.
We will remind children to bring all shoes and other belongings home during the last week of school.
CasaKE Recycling Denim
CasaKE recycling denim shoulder bags to celebrate Earth Day.
Erdkinder Bench
The Erdkinder students participated in a community art project and painted a bench for the park area.
- Thailand
- 2021-03 (March) Newsletter
“Every human being has developed from a child: the energies that move humanity come from the expansion of the energies latent in children.”
– Maria MontessoriCalendar of Events
The above calendar information is from a “Google Calendar” and can be added to any Google Account.
Reminders
- Elementary children should be dropped around the school’s perimeter. For the safety of our children, please do not stop or park on the opposite side.
- Please review the MMEC dress code requirements. Clothing and shoes must be clean and well-fitted.
- Please be reminded to drive slowly and cautiously in the parking lot. The speed limit is 15 km/h.
Punctual Arrivals at School
Thank you to all of the families who make punctual school arrivals a priority! When parents ensure an on- time start to the school day children learn the value of punctuality which will assist them later in their post secondary school studies, work life, and personal relationships.
Student Leadership Team
Thank you for supporting the SLT this year! We fundraise (and fun-raise) to support the MMEC Special Events Fund. This fund allows student Going Outs, projects, guests specialists, and other events to occur at no cost to students or their families. We appreciate your bottle donations (leave by the red shed anytime) and the support you give us in our hot lunch blocks. Look for our upcoming Spring Hot Lunch Block!
Elementary French Classes
Thirza Odishaw
Students are taught French in an enjoyable way to foster a love of language learning, often via games and in small groups. For younger students, activities may include drawing, singing, and acting out stories read by the teacher. There is more attention focused upon grammar for older students, listening to and reading stories themselves, and writing related to those stories. Everyone has been and will continue to learn aspects of the French culture and the all-important skill of vocabulary building (words, phrases, and sentences related to objects in the classroom, the calendar, weather, seasons, numeration, and the family).
Spring Soccer Camp
Mrs. Gishti
German Camacho and Calgary City FC are hosting spring break camps for MMEC students exclusively. Please see the below information.
Fun Soccer Fundamentals-Dribbling, Running with the ball, Passing and Shooting.
Full Day: March 22-26, 7-13 year old, 9 am to 3 pm, $320
Half-Day: March 22-26, 4-7 year old, 9 am to 12 pm, $160Location is at MMEC:
2634 12 Ave NWTo Register:
calgarycityfc.caClassroom News
Casa 2
Mrs. Gishti
Being healthy and well has been our focus for this month. What does it mean to take care of ourselves and our overall well-being? As a class, we have discussed a healthy diet, the benefit and purpose of exercising, and practicing simple mindful exercises. Some students are writing short stories about healthy food while the other ones are practicing yoga. Below are some pictures of our daily practices.
Toddler 2
Mrs. Revell
Our toddler environment is a mixture of personalities, and this makes for a fun-filled and exciting day! Our environment is arranged so that each child can find something to engage with, and we have been busy in Toddler 2 using our hands to explore the world around us. We have been baking, planting, building, climbing, sewing, and of course – taking care of our two classroom Guinea Pigs (Star and Rocket)!
Lower Elementary 2
Mr. K
Hello everyone.
We just got snails on February 16 th , and we wanted to tell you all about them:
- Their names are Tiny, Shelly and Darrell.
- Their ancestors lived more than 500,000,000 years ago.
- They live on our lesson table in a terrarium with soil and plants.
- The terrarium has bugs that eat the snails’ poop and soil, and it comes out the other end as better and richer soil.
- They have a little house in the terrarium that is made from a plant pot.
- In the terrarium, there are two little screens that show how much humidity is in the air and the temperature.
- Some of the plants in the terrarium have berries on them.
- Darrell always hides underground, and so does Shelly.
- Some kinds of snails have different coloured shells like Shelly. Shelly has a yellow and a black shell like a bee.
- They eat blueberries, strawberries and lettuce for every meal.
Thank you for reading! Bye!
Grayson and Spencer!
