MAY 2012

This Month’s Virtue 2

Pre/K News 2

Lower Elementary 6

Upper Elementary 8

Middle School 10

A Special Thank You 11

Inside this issue:

Hermosa Montessori

Community Times by Sheila

Reflection and Thoughts for Next Year

May at Hermosa is a time teachers and I reflect on the current school year, and evaluate our performance. Using this approach, we strive to have each school year become better than the previous one. During each year we examine current best practices, update curriculum, stay abreast of the most current neuroscience research that relates to learning, and then put all into practice in the classrooms. The 2011-12 school year was very successful, and we are already planning more curriculum updates and changes for next year that will make the 2012-13 school year better than 2011-12! Hermosa, like many other districts in 45 states, is moving to Common Core Standards. These standards, although somewhat similar to Arizona Academic Standards, require more 21st century skills, more complex thinking, greater depth of

understanding, more complex abstract reasoning, and the ability to construct viable arguments. As with current Arizona Academic Standards, Hermosa uses our Montessori curriculum and approach to teach these standards and skills. While states, districts, and schools adjust curriculum to reflect this shift in expectations, the methodology for testing students has not yet been determined, and I expect it will take quite a few years for the shift to take place and for accurate measures to be constructed to test this knowledge. State mandated testing will reflect some of these changes, in the form of

imbedded questions in the testing in place, or in field testing. During transitions like these, test score interpretation will most likely need to be adjusted. Meanwhile, Hermosa students will continue to be more than prepared for these new expectations. As I enjoy the challenge of updating curriculum, keeping abreast of current best practice and research, and embrace change, I am happily already working on updates for next year, and look forward to another school year. Contrary to a rumor circulating at Hermosa, I will continue my leadership position at Hermosa next year, and am not planning to retire.

Important Dates

• May 17-18: All Grades

Conferences NO SCHOOL

• May 24: Picnic for Mary’s

Class Agua Caliente Park

5:30-6:30

• May 25: Last Day of School

• May 24: 8th Grade

Graduation 12:00 p.m.

• May 25: 6th Grade

Graduation 1:00 p.m.

Let me again invite you to

follow your student’s school

activities on our Facebook

page. Look for photos and

text which can give you a

window into your student’s

day at school.

P a g e 2 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

This Month’s Virtue: Consideration

-The Virtues Project Even Hermosa’s youngest pre-school students can understand the meaning of consideration, May’s virtue. “Consideration is being thoughtful of other people and their feelings. You consider how your actions affect them. You pay careful attention to what others like and don’t like, and do things that give them happiness.”

You are practicing consideration when you..

♦ Respect other people’s needs and feelings

♦ Consider others’ needs as important as your own

♦ Stop and think how your actions will affect people

♦ Put yourself in other people’s shoes

♦ Think of little things to bring others happiness.”

Hermosa Fine Arts Showcase Art Report

Thanks for all Hermosa artists, and Carol, for the beautiful display of artwork at the Fine Arts Showcase. Lower elementary students exhibited sand mandalas, African masks, Georgia O'Keefe inspired watercolors, rainforest magical realism pieces, and Arizona landscape paintings using perspective, shading and

shadows. Upper elementary students exhibited mixed media encaustic pieces, fired and glazed ceramic turtles and fish, nature books, Chinese opera masks, handmade paper dragon collages and monoprints.

“In art we saw paintings by Georgia O’Keefe, then did our own paintings, and made In-dian masks. Our art teacher is named Carol. We also did sand mandalas and cave painting and more. We did a rainforest painting, too. First we stamped the back with leaves. Then we made tou-cans, parrots, and butterflies. We all had great times.” -Abrianna Franco

Rebecca, Jill and Sammy’s Class

by Paloma

In Rebecca’s class we are studying kinds of eggs at school. We are studying birds, too, and we are observing nests, too. We also observed Sunny and Angel. Sunny and Angel came from a rain forest. They are parakeets. They came to our classroom for one day. Also we had baby hummingbirds hatch outside our classroom. We also saw Emu and strich eggs. They are real.

PRE/K NEWS

P a g e 3 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

Sally and Nina’s Class

Finally this past week, in honor of Cinco de Mayo and our current focus on Latin America, Evan Hove’s mother, Veronica, and her brother Luis, brought in a guitar, a vihuela and a violin and did a lovely presentation on Mexican mariachi music for all three pre/k classes. Evan even joined them on his own guitar and we all got to sing along?and even shout out Mexican gritos!!

So many thanks to the Hove family and to all our wonderful families for their support!

A number of exciting events have taken place in our class this spring! Parent and trained Montessori teacher, Ruth Barré, began teaching a weekly group Spanish class. Muchas gracias, Ruth!! During Rodeo Week, Jill and Linzi Morgan brought their horse, Cinnamon, to the school playground for a special presentation on riding and horse care. All the pre/k and younger elementary students were invited to attend.

We then had some visitors who helped us prepare our garden plots for planting. Parents, Mo and Luc Daniels, brought six of their chickens for a presentation. The children got to pet the chickens and see some of their eggs. Then the hens spent about an hour having a “picnic” in our plots, eating the bugs, loosening up the soil and adding some of their own personal “fertilizer” in the process. We had a lot of fun watching them!

We also staged our first play! One of our students, Lilly Crawford, brought in a copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to share during story time. The children enjoyed it so much that they decided they’d like to act it out. We spent the next morning reviewing the story, casting (everyone got a part), creating the set with our classroom plants and furniture, and making our props and costumes out of paper. Another one of our students, Logan Micus, passed out all the props he had made on his own at home the night before and then we acted out the whole story! We finished just in time to receive a

rousing ovation from the parents who had just arrived for morning dismissal. Knowing how much the children fell in love with the story, Lilly’s dad, Simon, bought a copy of the book for us to keep!

P a g e 4 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

PRE/K NEWS CONTINUED

Daniela DiPonio, Amber Adil, Jacquie Krogulski, Andre

Gressieux, Nicole Quackenbush, Adrienne Crump, Saul Rosin, Christina Rowden, Alacia Sooter, Tamra Rowland

Zaher, Courtney Plotnick, Heather Smith, Grandma Carol,

Saul Rosin, Karen Pfleger, Mandy Tsou and Elliot Liggett, Heather, Maurizio, and grandma

Celani, Grandpa Wayne, Keliegh Culpepper, Kendra Bock, Morgen Alexander, Bronwyn Danielski, Heidi

Hadley, and Helene Gaudard-Castillo, Colleen Cox-Alexander,

and Chris Cox.

Parents, who we saw at the gate, at drop off.

Parents, who receive their child with open arms at the

end of the day.

Who were you?

We knew you through your child's stories - they tried to

bridge the gap.

We wanted to bring you closer, and sensed that you wanted to

come.

The invitation was there and then the door opened...

♦ Cait's mom came one morning with a bag of apples, a smile, and set to teaching kids make applesauce.

♦ Tamra Rowland Zaher taught the children how to make prickly pear lemonade!

♦ It had been many months since Saul, Evie's dad, has had the chance to listen to

students read. I was excited for him to discover how much they had learned!

♦ Anjelica sets out carpets every day for story time, while she regales me with stories about family and their farm animals, and worked with the kids as they mixed and stirred ingredients for play dough.

♦ Heather Smith, a dental hygienist and Evelyn's mom, talked with the kids about care of teeth and the role of healthy eating.

You are so much more than our student's parents, you have become part of our community; you have become family.

Thanks to those of you who donated flowers and other items, helped out with special events, gave a cooking lesson, read with the children, helped clean our classroom or who came in as guests for our cultural studies:

Mary, Katie and Jacquie’s Class

A SINCERE THANK YOU

P a g e 5 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

access the window! Author's Chair continues to be a big incentive for children to share their original writing with the rest of the class, and several children have learned to overcome their anxiety of public speaking by being received by a warm and accepting audience!

by Mary

Our resident doves finally left the plant they were inhabiting and we are reclaiming our porch area! Both classes dove into spontaneously researching facts about Mourning Doves and soon “dove art,” began to sprout

up! During the process, kids from Sally and Mary's class were using the bubble window in the library as a viewing room, and since, have been inspired to convert our bubble window into a reading nook. A big thanks to Maurizio Celani for building a beautiful step stool for our smaller children to more easily

PRE/K NEWS CONTINUED

Mary, Katie and Jacquie’s Class

P a g e 6 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

LOWER ELEMENTARY NEWS

hockey puck. They tested Newton's ideas and talked about how friction, air pressure and gravity relate to his first law.

LANGUAGE ARTS

In Language Arts first year students are studying the preposition and its place in their writing, second year students are focusing on the adverb, and third year students are writing narrative essays.

MATH AND SCIENCE

by Michael

Lower elementary students in Michael’s class have been learning about the History of Mathematics. They have posed questions, and found answers. Where do numbers come from? Who invented the zero? Do numbers look different in other languages? Who were the first people to do “math”?

In Science, students in Michael’s class are studying Botany. They dissected a lima bean seed to inspect and learn about the parts of the seed. Each student created their own “book” to illustrate the different parts. They examined seeds from various plants, including the giant coastal redwood tree. Students planted some green bean seeds which are growing nicely. Students are studying Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion. They used a balloon and a plastic disk to create a mini self propelled air

Michael and Sue’s Class

ideas. Finally you write it in your best handwriting and your best spelling.

TYPES OF PARAGRAPHS

by Carly

There are four types of paragraphs we have learned about. They are persuasive, narrative, expository, and descriptive. Paragraphs are hard and sometimes boring, but they come out good! A paragraph can be lots of things. It can be a story, it can be something that persuades the reader or it can describe.

SCIENCE IS FUN!

by Rebekah

Science is fun! You get to learn things. We got to learn about Isaac Newton and I learned that things don’t move without a force. Some of the forces are air pressure, gravity, and friction.

THE PARAGRAPH

by Riley

There are three parts of a paragraph. A topic sentence, supporting sentences, and a closing sentence. The topic sentence is what your paragraph will be about. Your supporting sentences are describing sentences. They will help your subject. The supporting sentences will also describe details. Finally the closing sentence is to finish your paragraph because you can’t just finish a paragraph when it’s really exciting, you have to give it an ending, not just write “the end.”

Here are some things that you need to use if you want to make a good paragraph. First you should brainstorm. Then you should look at it and see if you have enough

P a g e 7 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest is a national - local writing contest produced by PBS, WNED-TV, Buffalo/Toronto and Eight Public Television. Congratulations to 3rd year student David Pinegar, for placing 3rd for his story People vs. Robots, and to Angeni Loewy for her honorable mention for The Little Parakeet.

Students in Amy’s class have been learning about human anatomy. With “buddies” they traced a child on paper and cut it out. They then were taught about the different organs and systems in the body, received cutouts of these parts, colored them and then glued them on their bodies. Next they chose a particular organ in which they were most interested and conducted research.

Science, art, history, and geography interrelated as students learned about the fundamental need for food, and studied grains around the world, their historical usage, and how these grains help particular organs of the body. The students glued these grains to these particular body parts. Ann Franks, a guest teacher, shared her wisdom about the grains. Students learned about grains grown and consumed in Egypt, China, Japan, Peru, and Mexico. Children also studied how to read food labels and how to look for “healthy” food ingredients.

LOWER ELEMENTARY NEWS CONTINUED

Amy and Tina’s Class

Don and Diane’s Class

about curved and straight lined figures. First years have been learning about different types of solid figures. Some of the different types of figures are cone, cube, cylinder, sphere, oval, ellipse, pyramid, triangular prism and rectangular prism.

CLASS PROJECTS

by Emarie

Lately we have been doing projects. There were pandas, South Korea, Germany, sloths, crystals, Ireland, tornados and today is sunflowers. We have been learning a lot about these projects! Like how crystals are formed and sloths take 15-20 hour naps. Also in Germany meat is the most famous food and in Ireland people try to kiss the blarney

stone. I like projects because people gave us a lot of information. People have done a great job! It has been cool to learn about so many things!

PARTS OF THE CIRCLE

by Shirin

Lately the third years in Don’s class have been working on parts of the circle. We learned about the circumference, the arc, the diameter, the radius, the sector, the segment chord, and the chord. Also we learned about the tangent line. It’s been really neat learning about the different parts of a circle. Second years have been learning

P a g e 8 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

Don and Diane’s Class continued

learned that different countries have different rules for their flags. Some are strict and some are quite relaxed. One last thing about flags is that they can be used for more than just for places. They can be used for symbols too. Some can be used for emergencies, racing flags, surrendering during war, and much more. It is really quite neat.

FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS OF

PEOPLE

by Jonathan

Lately we have been learning the fundamental needs of people. Don gives a big paper to people who finish their work and they get to choose from vanity, art, literature, religion and philosophy, shelter, defense, nourishment, and clothing. Then they get to draw pictures and they get to print pictures, or cut out pictures from magazines. Then the next day they can bring the pictures in and hang them up on the papers. It is exciting seeing what students bring in for the fundamental needs of people.

ALL ABOUT FLAGS

by Lily

Recently we have been working on the flags. We learned all of the parts of the flag. They are: the ornament or truck, canton, hoist, field or ground, fly end, fly, halyard, and flagstaff. Our follow up was to get a piece of paper, draw a flag, answer some questions and you are done. The school has a flag in front of the Pre/K. Some flags have cantons and some don’t. The Arizona flag doesn’t have a canton but the United States of America flag does. We have

LOWER ELEMENTARY NEWS CONTINUED

UPPER ELEMENTARY NEWS

was dyed. The water in the mixture gradually dissolved causing the solution to crystallize, leaving behind a variety of colorful crystals. Every fifteen minutes over the course of an hour we would check back on the trees and record our observations. The crystals experienced their most substantial growth after thirty minutes. The process was long, but it was sped along by some animated conversation amongst good friends. In the end, we were rewarded by elegant and beautiful pieces of scientific artwork; it was a satisfying conclusion to a satisfying experiment.

CRYSTAL TREES

by Maya, Hannah W., Rachael M., and Katie

For science we chose to do the experiment, “Crystal Tree.” We used a kit to grow crystals on three dimensional trees. The experiment illustrated the chemical process of crystallization. We chose to make two trees so that we could compare our results and retrieve a more accurate overall result from the experiment. This turned out to be useful, since “tree A” grew significantly better than “tree B.” We first mixed a special powder and water into a solution. The solution was then poured

onto the saucer formed by the bottom of a paper cup. Then we placed a three dimensional tree in the liquid. Through the scientific process of capillary action, the solution eventually reached each branch. As the solution passed through the branches, which were coated by food dye, the solution

UPPER ELEMENTARY NEWS CONTINUED

P a g e 9 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

pH chemicals described whether the solutions were acid, basic, or neutral. There are many colors that we found, but the ones that showed up mostly were pinks and magentas, and one blue, dark purple, green color that was unexpected. The pink and magentas show that they were acids, the blue, dark purple color, showed that they were basics, and a medium blue showed that it was neutral. We had different experiences in this fun science activity, and enjoyed learning the concept very much.

CHAMELEON REACTION

by Sophia, Hannah B., and Jennifer

As part of the 6th year elective science group, our group researched the chameleon indicator. We discovered that different substances mixed with a red cabbage powder, create a new color every time. The materials we used were Dawn dish soap, vinegar, hand sanitizer, distilled water, baking soda, table salt, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide solution, and Clorox.

one person scoop air into the bag by waving it up and down, and for the third experiment we had two people hold the bag and one person blow into it. The bag filled with air in only one breath, because the air in the atmosphere fills the bag, as long as the fast moving air from your lungs creates an area of low pressure around the mouth of the bag. It is the same principle that explains why airplanes fly and why baseballs curve.

THE WIND TUBE

by Ellie, Jewel, Anna, Karla, Kate, and Mia

For science class we decided to work with wind and air pressure. There were three science activities in one experiment. This was a fun and exciting experiment that only consisted of a bright green wind tube, and an enthusiastic group of students. For the first experiment we had one person hold the bag open and run with it, for the second, we had

rose. The solar bag is black which attracts heat and makes it rise. It was about 40 ft. long, but it ripped so we had to cut it into a fourth of the original size. This experiment was fun and challenging for these sixth year boys.

SOLAR BAG

by Casey, Tom, and Stephen

Three sixth year boys that go by the names of Casey, Tom, and Stephen, experimented with a solar bag and were very successful. Even though the bag had ripped, they found a solution and it was even better. The solar bag or balloon went about 30 ft. in the air. The reason this happened is because the molecules in the bag heated up and the hot air

P a g e 1 0 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

down cycling up cycling, eco-lasting, unmarketable, and negligence. They also write critically with supporting arguments for benefits of the “cradle to grave” approach to material disposal, and the “cradle to cradle” approach. In Personal World, students discuss standards for determining what is morally right and wrong. Through this process, the insights they achieve surpass their years and they write statements such as “when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know true peace.” Sammi.

I’m adding her quote to my “best of quotes” file!

REFLECTIONS

by Sheila

The final middle school cycle for this year, Balance, is one of my favorites. In Social Studies in this cycle students read a diverse variety of informational texts and literature such as “The Roots of Conflict,” and “Keeping the Peace.” They contemplate, reflect on, critically analyze then engage in Socratic discussion centering on guiding questions, such as “What are the characteristics of conflicts and war?” and “How can we promote peace for the world and ourselves?” They research and determine the characteristics of

the French and Indian War, War of 1812, Civil War, Korean Conflict, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War, World War I and World War II. They learn and demonstrate mastery level proficiency of vocabulary such as, accord, alliance, armistice, coalition, treaty, and truce and understand that every armistice is a truce, but not every truce is an armistice. They gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective. They debate the merits of energy sources and learn to write and make logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence. In Science they learned and can write definitions of the following: biological nutrient,

MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS

designed for 5, and 2 people had to be thrown overboard or everyone would drown, how would you decide who to kick out? The middle schoolers' answer: everyone would take turns being outside the boat and swimming along. They grappled with this and other questions relating to deciding what's right, and moral dilemmas as part of their health curriculum. Students finished the year with a trip to Camp Pinerock in Prescott, where they worked on various challenges and team activities, learning more about themselves in the process.

LAST CYCLE: BALANCE

The Salem witch trials. The New Deal. The Minutemen past and present. Henry Ford's influence on the Industrial Revolution. What do all of these have in common? They were the subjects of some of the middle schoolers' research presentations which were shared recently. Middle school’s last cycle focused on the theme of balance. In social studies, they examined war and peace, looking at how to achieve balance in this area. Each person wrote a peace statement, such as "If there were as many thoughts of peace as there were songs on a playlist, war would be irrelevant." In science, students looked at sources of alternative energy. They held debates on different alternative energy topics, such as nuclear power.

Sixth year students had the opportunity to join us to watch. The cycle culminated with the students' design and construction of solar ovens, and the students got to enjoy cookies baked in their inventions. How do authors talk to each other through their texts? Students looked at how different texts deal with similar issues. They ended with an essay that examined how several stories and novels they read throughout the year dealt with one particular issue. If there were 7 people in a lifeboat

P a g e 1 1 H e r m o s a M o n t e s s o r i

Thanks to all parents who helped make this school the Thanks to all parents who helped make this school the Thanks to all parents who helped make this school the Thanks to all parents who helped make this school the

successful year it has been. I appreciate your time, successful year it has been. I appreciate your time, successful year it has been. I appreciate your time, successful year it has been. I appreciate your time,

talent, dedication, and most of all for trusting Hermosa talent, dedication, and most of all for trusting Hermosa talent, dedication, and most of all for trusting Hermosa talent, dedication, and most of all for trusting Hermosa

with your most precious children. Thanks to those who with your most precious children. Thanks to those who with your most precious children. Thanks to those who with your most precious children. Thanks to those who

monitored, cooked, wrote, accompanied students on trips, monitored, cooked, wrote, accompanied students on trips, monitored, cooked, wrote, accompanied students on trips, monitored, cooked, wrote, accompanied students on trips,

and offered their time in their child’s classroom. A very and offered their time in their child’s classroom. A very and offered their time in their child’s classroom. A very and offered their time in their child’s classroom. A very

special thanks to Doug Alexander, for so adeptly leading special thanks to Doug Alexander, for so adeptly leading special thanks to Doug Alexander, for so adeptly leading special thanks to Doug Alexander, for so adeptly leading

HOPE this school year, and for all the many ways he HOPE this school year, and for all the many ways he HOPE this school year, and for all the many ways he HOPE this school year, and for all the many ways he

contributes to Hermosa’s excellence. contributes to Hermosa’s excellence. contributes to Hermosa’s excellence. contributes to Hermosa’s excellence.