October at Ivy Montessori is all about pumpkins, leaves, and Thanksgiving! We’re diving into stories like “A Salmon for Simon” and singing classic songs like “Five Little Pumpkins”
Our classroom is buzzing with fall-themed activities and the smell of autumn spices 🎃🍁
This Month in our Newsletter:
Fun Fall Ideas to Do as a Family
- Apple Picking
- Pumpkin Picking at a Pumpkin Patch
- Visit a Fall Fair
- Go on a Hike (Crawford Lake has both a Longhouse Village and a Boardwalk Trail)
- Go Antique Shopping (Aberfoyle Antique Market in Guelph is open until Oct 27th)
- Visit a Halloween Pumpkin Light Show (Pumpkins after Dark in Milton is great!)
- Go for a Horseback ride
What Makes a Good Book?
To each their own. Books, books books. The more, the better!
Dr. Montessori’s belief that Fantasy stories should not be introduced until after the age of 6 is an idea that we follow in our own way. We believe in stocking our bookshelves with books about real things, people and places. We choose books with realistic drawings over cartoons. We do not read Disney books, books about popular TV shows, or books with overstimulating cartoon drawings. We try not to read too many stories with animals that talk or are humanoid. We emphasize the talent of Illustrators and how they create their pictures.
We all have our vices and ours is Franklin the Turtle. While he is not a real person, it is easily understood that a turtle does not go to school, ride a bike, or tie his shoes. It is the messages, rather, that we focus on with good old Franklin.
Jan Brett is a firm favorite in our school and our students recognize all her books by their covers. Sophie Blackall is another, whose books create immense focus with their small, intricate details.
Though our students are aged 2 – 6 years old, we tend to read UP. This means that we read above their age level. We do not read board books, as we explain to our students that Board books are usually for babies and young children who have a tendency to chew. We encourage books brought from home. Books with thin, delicate pages that must be shown great care when turning the pages.
Our library grows every day and with the luxury of a public library so close, we often take trips there to sit and read and take as many back with us as we can fit in our book bag.
Here are a few of our favourites:
