Opps! I made some technical errors that may have confused everyone! The AM and PM Preschool schedules are now available on our website! Our Assistant Teachers will have bios posted by the end of the week.
Teacher Sammi has decided to take additional classes this semester — reducing her work hours. She is still with us but now in the form of our fantastic, and wonderful Intern! We are so grateful for her generous and sweet spirit!
Thanks for your patience as I figure out the technology :).
In an effort to share more detail about your child’s school day, Teacher Amber has graciously agreed to have her weekly lesson plans posted as a pdf in the Calendars section of the Morningside School website. The Kindergarten teachers have also provided monthly highlights of the work they are doing throughout the year. I will also begin a routine of blogging each Monday to keep everyone aware of current events, activities and other school related issues. We hope that these efforts help everyone to feel better informed!
“Today is a Wonderful Day!” is the name of Morningside School’s spirit song. Marie Morgan, our AM Kindergarten teacher adapted the song for our school over 18 years ago and we’ve been singing it ever since.
Today is a wonderful day,
For I am going away.
Not to the circus, not to the pool —
Yes, I’m going to Morningside School!
Our first week at school went wonderfully! Each child coming to school for the very first time made a big leap into a new social learning environment and we are so proud of them! We hope the curriculum themes, “School Fun” for preschoolers and ‘A Royal Welcome” for the Kindergarten focused our activities. We worked hard to make each child feel special and welcome among the friends at Morningside School.
Please be patient as we work out the first-days-of-the-school-year challenges — drop off and pick up will run smoothly with a few days of practice. Oh and if you mentioned something to me and I haven’t followed through, please, please, forgive me and send an email to remind me of your request. It is very easy to lose track of details during those transition times.
Next week, the Preschool theme is “ALL ABOUT ME”! Teacher Amber always posts her lesson plans on the wall under the clock in the Preschool room — feel free to come in and take a look at any time! The Kindergarten Classes will be hard at work on NAMES and SHAPES. Stop in to talk with Teacher Marie and Teacher Gigi to find out more about what your child is working on in Kindergarten. Here are a few pictures from school this week. Enjoy!
Preschooler enjoying a book on CD in the "Listening Center."
It’s hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day of Summer Camp at Morningside School. We made forever friends, ignited a curiosity for learning about chemistry, physics, and the natural world, created masterworks of art, discovered our inner actors, and soaked and splashed like nobody’s business. Thanks ya’ll. What a great summer!
Wow! The “STARS” were shining brightly at our 4th Summer Session, Puppets! Playwriting & Performing! What a week of drama! Teacher Jeri (our special guest) directed a Children’s Opera of the “Three Little Pigs”, and a marionette puppet show of “How the Dragon Lost his Flames.” She brought the characters to life with costumes, puppets and of course, her wonderfully animated story-telling!
This week we met a new friend named Leo. Leo lives in China and is visiting family in the States. It was his 5th Birthday on Wednesday — Happy Birthday Leo! We hope you enjoyed your week at Morningside School!
**Kindergarten openings still available as of August 1 — Waiting list for Preschool
On Wednesday, the children participating in Art Adventure Week at Morningside School answered the call of Amanda Morgan, a USU alum and author of “Not Just Cute” an Early Childhood Education blog. In April, Ms. Morgan posted a phenomenal video of painter, Holton Rower, and his creative team, collaborating in the creation of a “Tall Painting”.
She pondered how such a wonderful “process art” experience could be translated to art for the young child. Our staff was inspired, and in discussing this potentially amazing art project with others; garnered the interest of Nadra Haffar, Education Curator for the Nora Eccles Harrison Musuem of Art. Nadra offered to donate a 4 gallon bucket of acrylic medium to reduce the cost of the project! She got so excited about the idea that she and her daughter, Alia Peragallo, accepted an invitation to attend the event. They enriched the experience for the all of us by bringing a descriptive art vocabulary to the work of “Tall Painting”. Jeri Malouf, Owner of Morningside School joined us for the morning too, bringing her delightful way with children to the mix.
Process art brings joy, creativity, playfulness, challenge, social connection, and sensory stimulation to our children at Morningside School. The end product of the “Tall Painting” was not really the point. We enjoyed the moment, and knew that the results of this project might only exist in the child’s memory, an expressive moment when paint, fingers, and gravity collided. No matter. It was ART.
This week we also painted with water colors and sea salt, pounded herbal playdough, made millions of bubbles, built structures with gum drops and tooth picks, painted glass, made sculpture with recycled stuff, and made our very own original Morningside School tote bags!
For more information about the 2011 Summer Program or the Preschool/Kindergarten programs at Morningside School, please contact Jacqueline Gauthier, Director Morningside School Inc.
Lead Scientist, Teacher Gigi introduced the idea to the young brilliant minds at Morningside School that mixing vinegar and baking soda created CO2! Rather than blabber on, I will let you watch the experiment first hand, caught on my high tech secret video recorder.
The first experiment required a balloon filled with baking soda and a plastic bottle with vinegar. Watch as the balloon fills — and the young researcher discovers an important truth about chemistry…
It’s fun!!!!
The second vinegar and baking soda experience was a little more eruptive! Volcanoes!!!
Thursday, we made “Elephant Toothpaste!”
And blew soda fountains with Coke and Mentos candy!
Happy Birthday Hudson! Thanks for the delicious brownie treats!
This week at Morningside School we have been exploring the many ways to be a good friend! Tuesday, we read the story Rainbow Fish, by Marcus Pfister. We learned that in order to be a good friend, we need to be willing to give something of ourselves. We made glittery fish and octopi with paint, glue, and recycled paper products!
Today we were outside a lot enjoying the sunshine! We built sandcastles together, picnicked, took turns blowing bubbles and popping them, and of course, did the “chore” of washing our rocks in preparation to make “Rock Buddies”!
I can’t wait to see what Teacher Gigi has in store for tomorrow!
A very special thank you to Destin’s Grandpa (a good friend to Morningside) for sending delicious fresh grapes and watermelon to share with all! Don’t forget! Next week all the young “Mad Scientists” will be gathering at Morningside School for 3 days of Extraordinary Experiments!!