Hello Red-tailed Hawk Families,
The Hawks have had such a great month getting to know each other and working on new, engaging lessons. While we are still settling into the new year and routines (someday we will finish up with lunch on time), the class is surprisingly productive and organized. The 3rd graders are setting good examples for our younger friends, and our new students are becoming more self-sufficient each day.
In the first few weeks of school, we presented all of the Montessori Great Lessons, which set the stage for learning and research throughout the year. We have several researches already in progress including jellyfish, Gods, snakes and Eagles. We also have several group timelines in process. Science experiments have been very popular, as are the scale work and bead chains. Our younger students are studying nouns, including classification of singular & plural, gender specific nouns, and living and non-living things. The returning students have begun Writers' Workshop meetings, and we are reviewing some of the basic writing lessons they were working on last year.
In the coming weeks, several of our students will be working on telling time. This is an important and practical life skill. Therefore, please DO NOT send in digital watches to school. This includes smart watches and other electronics. An analog watch is an appropriate tool for students at this age, to help them practice and master the art of telling time.
However, probably the most exciting thing happening in the classroom right now is TORTOISE TOWN! Due to an unexpected arrival of baby tortoises at Mateo's house, we are currently hosting 14 baby African Sulcata tortoises. This has been an exciting time for the Red-tailed Hawks, and in fact the whole school community. We have enjoyed having other classrooms come and visit (even the Agaves toddled over), and a few students from the upper elementary have been conducting daily observations as part of their tortoise research (and pending tortoise pet request). We have repurposed our front outdoor raised garden bed into tortoise town, and it is so fun watching the hatchlings scamper all about. The Red-tailed Hawks will be adopting one of the tortoises, as will another one of the lower elementary classes. Then we will take the remaining tortoises to a tortoise rescue in Phoenix in a couple of weeks.
On a final note, please be sure that your student's allergy list is up to date. We have already had many birthday celebrations in class, and I cannot give your student anything that is on their allergy list. Several students have also mentioned to me that they discovered new allergies over the summer, so please see that this is reflected in their registration forms.
In peace and appreciation,
Mrs. Amie
Pic #1 Tortoise in Student's Hand 
Pic #2 Tortoises in box 
Pic # 3 Tortoises in "Tortoise Town" 
Pic # 4 Tortoise Town Sign 