Category Archives: Primary

Pink Tower and Brown Stair

The Pink Tower and Brown Stair are quintessential Montessori works which help children discriminate size and thickness. Students build and rebuild them, ordering the stairs and blocks as they increase in size. This activity indirectly prepares children for future math … Continue reading

Posted in Primary, sensorial

Digestion

Primary students have been learning about the human body. First they learned the difference between living and non-living things. Using the melody of “Frere Jacques,” they sang: Are You Living? Are you living? Do you eat? Do you sleep? If … Continue reading

Posted in Primary, science

Leaf Exchange

Lower Elementary students recently completed the annual leaf delivery to the Primary classroom. Lower students have a great time collecting the leaves during Primary’s quiet time, knowing the Primary students will have an enormous surprise when they wake up! 

Posted in Lower Elementary, outside, Primary

Voting At McGuffey

McGuffey students voted again this year. Upper Elementary and Middle School students participated  in the annual League of Women Voters Kid’s Vote program. Using the League’s voter guide to learn about the candidates and their positions, students could be educated voters. … Continue reading

Posted in Lower Elementary, Middle School, Primary, social studies, Upper Elementary

Focus

Focus comes in many forms. At McGuffey, students use what they need to focus on their work. Sometimes that’s a quiet classroom space. Other times, it’s fidgets or putty to quietly manipulate.

Posted in Lower Elementary, Middle School, Primary, Upper Elementary

Art and Music

Measuring, creating, building, playing. At McGuffey, students grades 1-8 have art and music twice a week.

Posted in art, Lower Elementary, Middle School, music, Primary

Building Community

The entire school has been building community within their own classrooms and other classrooms across the school. We recently finished SOAR (Students Outside And Running) which includes older students making a giant welcome tunnel to Primary students on their first … Continue reading

Posted in community, Lower Elementary, Middle School, physical education, Primary, Upper Elementary

Nature Bracelets and Partners

Preschoolers and Kindergarteners in the Primary classroom took a nature walk to make nature bracelets. Our campus provides ample area for exploration and the students gleefully added found objects to their bracelet, carefully adding items that had already fallen onto … Continue reading

Posted in outside, partners, Primary, Upper Elementary

Primary Outdoor Classroom

In a Montessori setting, the outdoor classroom is a natural extension of the indoor classroom. It is a place where children can explore using their senses. The space fosters scientific inquiry, imagination, and creativity. It is also beloved as shown … Continue reading

Posted in outside, Primary

Cleaning

Whether it’s inside, outside, or even on field trips, McGuffey students actively participate in keeping their spaces clean. Taking care of their environment fosters feelings of ownership and pride. These daily routines also provide opportunities to develop practical life skills, … Continue reading

Posted in Lower Elementary, Middle School, practical life, Primary, Upper Elementary