Welcome to our Classroom!
Our classroom is carefully designed to create a safe and friendly environment in which each child has the opportunity to explore, create and learn in his or her own way.
The Magic Carpet
Our magic carpet area is a main portion of our room. It provides a central location for all the munchkins to gather for teacher-directed instruction, stories, sharing, games and fun!
From the Four Corners
Munchkin work tables are found in the center of our room, with a variety of specially designed free exploration centers around the perimeter. The work tables provide a "home" for each munchkin where individual work can be completed and personal items can be kept. The exploration centers provide a place for the munchkins to express creativity, explore favorite interests and develop new skills...either by oneself or with friends.
Writing Center
A variety of writing materials are available at this center, which encourages the munchkins to explore the written language. A word wall is positioned on the wall behind the table, complete with seasonal words for the munchkins to explore. At this table, the munchkins learn and practice the skills of capitalization, punctuation, proper spacing of words, proper spelling of sight words, developmental spelling of unknown words and editing a final draft. Stories are kept in a "Works in Progress" file until completed and then added to a personal writing folder after final publication!
Reading Center
The reading center is filled with activities to meet the needs of readers at every level. From games focusing on letter recognition and sound matching, to sight word practice and independent emergent reading books, this center has it all. The munchkins know to use this center when individual work has been completed and there is "time to spare". We also use many of the books from this center in our classroom reading programs. The munchkins self-select stories that are first read independently, then read to the teacher, and lastly, recorded in a personal reading journal. Incentives are awarded for each level of reading, making it exciting and inviting to all the munchkins!
Math Center
We like to call this our logical thinking center! Tucked away in a quiet corner, the shelves are filled with trays of activities that allow the munchkins to think critically, using the various math skills we focus on in our math curriculum. The trays include:
Ordering, Counting & Number Recognition
Ten Frame Trains (1-100)
Sorting and Classifying Objects
Standard & Nonstandard Measurements
Solid Forms and Flat Shapes
Money! Money!
Adding and Subtracting Objects
Weighting Objects
Fact Families (Addition & Subtraction)
This center also contains addition math manipulatives for the munchkins to enjoy and free explore:
pattern blocks
uni-fix cubes
learning links
counters and cubes
attribute blocks
Science Center
Exploring the many areas of our science curriculum is tons of fun with all of the hands-on activities in this center. Set up just like our math center, the munchkins free explore the concepts using trays of games and science toys. Our science bookshelf is filled with books to correspond to the trays.
The trays include:
Magnets and Magnetism
Recycling
Seasons and Seasonal Changes
The Food Pyramid and Proper Nutrition
The Five Senses
Life Cycles (Plant, Animal, Insect)
Seeds
Tools and How Things Work
This center also has a variety of additional free-exploration materials:
sea shells and sea creatures
rocks
building a mousetrap (physics)
class insect collection
(Good thing the teacher likes bugs!)
Geography Center
Filled with maps, globes, atlases and stories from around the world, this center allows the munchkins to place themselves in the context of our world. We explore the concepts of cultures and custom. The munchkins are introduced to the seven continents, learn to recognize our country, our flag and our state, as well as gain an understanding of the importance of love for all God's people.
Practical Life Center
Based on the philosophy of Maria Montessori, this center takes very seriously the development of everyday life skills. Students are allowed to work with and manipulate objects that, many times, they are told they should not touch. Glass pitchers filled with water, breakable plates, as well as hammers, real screw drivers and other tools fill this lovely center.
The trays include:
Pouring (beans, rice, water)
Transferring Objects (using spoons and tongs)
Sifting Flour
Tools (hammers, screwdrivers, flashlights)
Sewing and Stringing
Opening and Closing (using a variety of clasps)
Snack Center
Located right next to the Practical Life center is a place where to munchkins can actually use all the skills they practice in Practical Life. Our snack center is open during the last hour of our day (when all the other centers are open, as well). Munchkins are free to serve themselves from the items located on the snack shelf. The important skills of pouring, spooning and using tongs are put to the test as they fill their plates and clean up after themselves. This center stresses independence, responsibility and self-sufficiency.
The Atrium
And last, but definitely not least, is our Atrium, tucked away in a special little alcove in the back of our room. Based on the teachings of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, our Atrium provides a place of quiet contemplation in which the munchkins can be open to the work of the Holy Spirit and build their developing relationship with Christ. Our Atrium is filled with materials that bring scripture to life including:
Infancy Narrative Boxes
Kingdom of Heaven Parables Story Pieces
Liturgical Colors and Calendar Pieces
The Easter Story Pieces
The Altar
(Learning nomenclature, gestures and meaning of The Mass.)
Our Atrium also provides two special places for quiet prayer:
The Marian Prayer Corner
The Good Shepherd Prayer Corner
Thank you for touring our classroom here on our blog...but it is really much more interesting when it is filled with munchkins at work, so please come visit us in person anytime! We would love to show you around!
